Down To Earth 
Specialists in Education, Leadership & Training

Phone: 905 - 928- 1956  
      

Grade 2 School Programs

Who Goes There? 
Animal Adaptations 

An Integrated Unit for Grade 2 Environmental Education Unit

The unit is designed for students in Grade 2.  The focus of this program is to provide students with a hands-on outdoor education experience that meets overall student learning expectations from the Science and Technology: Life Systems; Earth and Space Systems:  Animal Adaptations.

Program Description:  'Who Goes There?' is an investigation of the unique habitats of the Dundas Valley Conservation Area including, streams, ravines, valleys, forests, meadows and escarpment. Selected classes will participate in a full day field trip to the Dundas Valley Conservation Area.

Curriculum Expectations

• 2s1  
  To demonstrate an understanding of the similarities and differences among various types of animals and the ways in which they adapt to different environmental conditions. 

• 2s2  
  To investigate physical and behavioural characteristics and the process of growth of different types of animals. 

• 2s3  
  To identify ways in which humans can affect other animals  

• 2s5  
  To identify and describe behavioural characteristics that enable animals to survive (ie: migration, dormancy, hibernation).

• 2s7  
  To compare ways in which animals eat their food (ie: tear flesh, crack shells), move, and use their environment to meet their needs (ie: gather grass and twigs to build nests).

• 2s11  
  To describe ways in which animals respond and adapt to their environment (ie: weasels change colour for camouflage and winter; mammals living in colder climates have longer fur).

• 2s96 
  To identify ways in which changes in temperature affect living things, including themselves (ie: decisions concerning transportation, hibernation, dormancy, migration).

• 2s106  
  To predict and describe how local weather conditions affect living things, including themselves (ie: effect of wind on the trees in autumn, effect of snowfall on humans' ability to travel).
  

This program is made possible by the Conservation Foundation of the Hamilton Region, with the generous support of The Hamilton Community Foundation, The EJLB Foundation, and Canada Trust (Toronto Dominion) Friends of the Environment, Ancaster Branch.  

• Signs of Spring: A Teacher Activity Sheet

• Dave Brown Outdoor Centre:  Inner City Core Schools

• Teacher Activity  for Field Trip Day