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Animal Migration

Animal Migration

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to identify factors in the environment, including temperature and precipitation that affect growth and behavior such as migration, hibernation, and dormancy of living things.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met for them to survive within their environment.

Science Background

Migration Information: National Park Service (website) - Explanation of what migration is, why animals migrate, and how they know when to leave and where to go. Describes different types of migration. Use the left navigation menu to see additional migration information and examples.

Migration Basics
National Park Service, www.nps.gov

Animal Migration: Utah Education Network (website) - General information about animal migration and links to a variety of resources for classroom activities related to migration of birds, whales, and more.

Animal Migration
Utah Education Network, www.uen.org

Migration and Tagging: Monarch Watch (website) – No other butterflies migrate like the Monarchs of North America. Learn about their annual journey here.

Migration and Tagging
Monarch Watch, University of Kansas, www.monarchwatch.org

Signature Lesson

Animal Migrations, Butterfly Buddies: SeaWorld/Busch Gardens (PDF) - Students will identify phases of butterfly life cycles and environmental factors that influence migration patterns of painted lady butterflies.

Animal Migrations, Butterfly Buddies
SeaWorld/Busch Gardens, www.swbg-animals.org

Supporting Lessons

When Will Our Hummingbird Habitat be Ready? Journey North (website) - Explore the chain of sun-driven events that must occur before hummingbirds can return to their breeding habitat.

When Will Our Hummingbird Habitat be Ready?
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

In the Classroom: Monarch Watch (website) - A series of questions about monarch butterflies—including three testable questions for younger students—serve as the basis for student hypotheses, observation, and investigation. Includes background information and links to research projects and vocabulary.

In the Classroom
University of Kansas, Monarch Watch, www.monarchwatch.org

Monarch Butterfly Migration Tracking Project: Journey North (website) - Help track the monarch butterfly migration each fall and spring as the butterflies travel to and from Mexico. Students report their observations to real-time migration maps.

Monarch Butterfly Migration Tracking Project
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Spring Fever: Journey North (website) - It has been said that robins arrive in an area when the average temperature is 36?F. This activity provides detailed instructions and extension ideas for investigating this hypothesis with your class.

Spring Fever
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

Wildebeest Migration: National Geographic (website) - Students learn about wildebeest migration in eastern Africa, make maps of the route, and write stories about wildebeests and their migration.

Wildebeest Migration
National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com

Assessment Ideas

Assessment Strategies and Tools: Journey North (website) - Several suggested activities to assess student understanding of the relationships among animal migration, habitat and seasons.

Assessment Strategies and Tools
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

Literature Connections

Why Do Geese Fly South in Winter? A Book about Migration. Allen, Kathy (ISBN-13: 978-0736863803)

Migration. Nelson, Robin (ISBN-13: 978-0761356820)

Great Migrations: Butterflies. Marsh, Laura (ISBN-13: 978-1426307393)

Great Migrations: Whales, Wildebeests, Butterflies, Elephants, and Other Amazing Animals on the Move. Carney, Elizabeth (ISBN-13: 978-1426307003)

Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration. Berkes, Marianne (ISBN-13: 978-1584691273)

Related Science TEKS

(2.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to identify and demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including wearing safety goggles, washing hands, and using materials appropriately.

(2.1B) Importance of Safe Practices
The student is expected to describe the importance of safe practices.

(2.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events during observations and investigations.

(2.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigation
The student is expected to plan and conduct descriptive investigations such as how organisms grow.

(2.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data from observations using simple equipment such as hand lenses, primary balances, thermometers, and non-standard measurement tools.

(2.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data using pictures, numbers, and words.

(2.2E) Communicate and Justify Explanations
The student is expected to communicate observations and justify explanations using student-generated data from simple descriptive investigations.

(2.2F) Comparing Results of Investigations
The student is expected to compare results of investigations with what students and scientists know about the world.

(2.3A) Identify, Explain and Propose a Solution to a Problem
The student is expected to identify and explain a problem in his/her own words and propose a task and solution for the problem such as lack of water in a habitat.

(2.3B) Make Predictions
The student is expected to make predictions based on observable patterns.

(2.3C) Explore Scientists
The student is expected to identify what a scientist is and explore what different scientists do.

(2.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and compare information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, rulers, primary balances, plastic beakers, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, and safety goggles; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; weather instruments such as thermometers, wind vanes, and rain gauges; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

Related Math TEKS

2.11A  The student is expected to construct picture graphs and bar-type graphs.

2.11B   The student is expected to draw conclusions and answer questions based on picture graphs and bar-type graphs.

2.12B   The student is expected to solve problems with guidance that incorporates the processes of understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

2.12C   The student is expected to select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, or acting it out in order to solve a problem.

2.12D  The student is expected to use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

2.13A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle and Migration: National Geographic Education (website) - Students watch a time-lapse video of the monarch butterfly life cycle, illustrate and label the life cycle, and research and record information about monarchs’ survival techniques and preparation for migration. Includes detailed teacher instructions and background.

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle and Migration
National Geographic Education, education.nationalgeographic.com

Spring Hummingbird Migration: Journey North (website) - Track the migration of hummingbirds each fall and spring as these tiny migrants travel to and from their wintering grounds.

Spring Hummingbird Migration
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

Why Animals Migrate: National Geographic Education (website) - Students discuss reasons for animal migration, watch video clips from the series, Great Migrations, organize information, and compare and contrast migratory habits of two different species. Includes detailed teacher instructions and background.

Why Animals Migrate
National Geographic Education, education.nationalgeographic.com

Animals, Migration: University of Missouri (website) - Links to sites with maps, videos, lesson plans, and other resources focused on animal migration. Learn what migration is, when and why animals migrate, what kinds of animals migrate, and how animals prepare for migration.

Animals, Migration
University of Missouri, eThemes, ethemes.missouri.edu

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