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Beavers!

Elementary

Description

With their ability to create ponds by building dams on flowing water, beavers are truly nature's engineers. This interactive REACH with STEM lesson introduces students to the fascinating world of this amazing animal. By combining videos, fact-filled infographics and informational text with reading comprehension tasks, this resource supports students as they identify main ideas and important facts about the  adaptations, and dam construction methods of beavers. With built in student progress tracking that can be activated with free registration, this innovative tool  provides pupils and teachers with a self-paced learning opportunity that supports understanding of the connections between animal structure and function, animal interactions with their environment and the ecological impact of beavers in creating wetlands.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This resource supports Grade 2-4 English Language Arts outcomes as students engage with structured reading passages while summarizing main ideas, responding to questions and building vocabulary. Infographics and interactive elements provide opportunities to practice STEM skills such as research, questioning and identifying key information. The natural history topic also supports Science learning by helping students explore how the physical characteristics and behaviours of beavers enable them to modify their environment to support their needs, while illustrating important concepts related to animal adaptations and ecosystem interactions. 

The learning experience of this resource could be extended with a field trip to a local beaver pond. Students could observe, describe and document the animals and plants found in the wetland to create a school display about the importance of these habitats. The display might also feature Indigenous stories about beavers and a model dam. Scouts Canada has an activity guide for building a miniature beaver dam here Build a Dam | Scouts Canada

Relevant Curriculum Units

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        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world
      • Science
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        • Science 2: Living things have life cycles adapted to their environment
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves, our families, and our communities
        • Using language in creative and playful ways helps us understand how language works
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 3: Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their ecosystems
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment

Themes Addressed

Ecosystems (2)

  • Appreciating the Natural World
  • Interdependence

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