Lions, Tigers, and Leopards – Oh, My!
Curricular Areas: Language Arts, Science, Art, Social Studies
Grade Level: First Grade
Time Frame: Three weeks (15 days)
Goals:
Students will:
1. Understand the difference between big cats and domestic cats.
2. Recognize different species of big cats.
3. Recognize different sounds big cats make (and understand the related distinction
between greater and lesser cats).
4. Learn where wild cats live and what they eat.
5. Recognize elements that make up the folk tale genre.
6. Have an understanding of the food chain.
7. Be familiar with the concept of endangered species as it relates to big cats and
other animals.
Objectives
Students will:
1. Write three sentences in their journal about big cats using correct capitalization
and punctuation and draw a picture of a big cat of their choice.
2. Create paper bag puppets of three different wild cats (lion, tiger, leopard) that
show the difference in their markings.
3. Be able to name four continents in the world where wild cats are found with
100% accuracy.
4. After listening to folk tales and fables about wild cats, be able to answer questions
about the two genres with 100% accuracy.
5. Create and color a booklet that shows the four Panthera cats in their natural
habitats.
6. After discussing the endangered status of many big cats, students will write
letters, which will include an illustration and one complete sentence, to support
National Geographic’s “Letters to Lions” campaign.
Vocabulary:
Habitat Pride Greater Cat Plains
Predator Mane Lesser Cat Wild Animal
Prey Endangered Domestic
Pride Feline Continent
Solitary Pounce Species
Growl Purr Savanna
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Teaching/Learning Activities:
1. The teacher reads a trade book or children’s book about big cats in conjunction
with each activity.
2. The teacher shares a PowerPoint presentation that includes pictures of big cats
and their babies.
3. Students watch a video about domestic cats and big cats.
4. Students create illustrations that show the similarities and differences between big
cats and domestic cats.
5. Students write characteristics of big cats in their journals.
6. Students create a booklet of four Panthera cats that includes their name and
habitat.
7. Students watch a video about endangered cats.
8. Students each write a “letter to [a] lion” to support National Geographic’s efforts
to protect the species.
9. Students listen to sounds of wild cats roaring and purring.
10. In groups, students create a full cycle of the food chain in an illustrated form.
Evaluation/Assessment:
Observation
Big cat booklet
Letter to a Lion
Big cat puppets
Journal review
Project Materials:
Pencils and lined paper
Manila construction paper
Books
Crayons
Paper sacks
Worksheets (to color and label for booklet)
Brads (to connect “tails” to booklets)
Large world map
Computer and Promethean Board (for PowerPoint presentations and videos)
Writing Journals
Permission slips for “Letter to a Lion” campaign
Audio recording of different wild cats
Resources:
Books:
Big Cat, Little Kitty by Scotti Cohn
Big Cats by Seymour Simon
Why Do Tigers Have Stripes? Mike Unwin
If I Were a Lion by Sarah Weeks
Library Lion by Michelle Knudson
The Lion and the Little Red Bird Elisa Klevin
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The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Andy & the Lion by James Douglas
How Tiger Got his Stripes: A Folktale from Vietnam by Rob Cleveland
Leo the Snow Leopard by Craig Hatkof
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
National Geographic Kids Everything Big Cats: Pictures to Purr About and Info to
Make You Roar by Elizabeth Carney
Other Media:
Audio files of wild cats
Websites:
[Link]
[Link]
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[Link]
Lesson Plan
Title: Big Cat, Little Cat
Curricular Areas: Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies
Grade Level: First Grade
Time Frame: Week One
Objectives:
o As a class, students will identify at least three similarities and three differences
between big cats and domestic cats.
o After reviewing these similarities and differences, each student will draw a picture
of a big cat and of a little cat that highlights one particular characteristic of the
animals’ physical appearance of behavior. Students will be able to tell if the
characteristic is the same or different in big cats as it is in little cats.
o Using correct capitalization and punctuation, each student will write three
complete sentences about a big cat and draw a corresponding picture.
TEKS:
Language Arts 110.12.b
(4) Reading/Beginning Reading/Strategies. Students comprehend a variety of texts drawing
on useful strategies as needed.
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(7) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre. Students analyze, make
inferences and draw conclusions about theme and genre in different cultural, historical, and
contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding.
(10) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Literary Nonfiction. Students understand,
make inferences and draw conclusions about the varied structural patterns and features of
literary nonfiction and respond by providing evidence from text to support their
understanding. Students are expected to determine whether a story is true or a fantasy and
explain why.
(17) Writing/Writing Process. Students use elements of the writing process (planning,
drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text.
(21) Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Students
write legibly and use appropriate capitalization and punctuation conventions in their
compositions.
Science, 112.2.b
(9) Organisms and environments. The student knows that the living environment is composed
of relationships between organisms and the life cycles that occur.
(10) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents
and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments.
Social Studies, 113.3.b
(5) Geography. The student understands the purpose of maps and globes.
(6) Geography. The student understands various physical and human characteristics of the
environment.
Art, 117.5 b
(2) Creative expression/performance. The student expresses ideas through original artworks,
using a variety of media with appropriate skill.
Context/Modifications:
o Prior Knowledge:
• Students should have a familiarity with domestic cats.
o Modifications for students with special needs:
• Extra assistance will be provided for students, as needed, from teacher,
aids, or classmates.
• Photographs will be used whenever possible to help define new words and
concepts to accommodate English language learners.
• Spanish-language equivalents will be used if needed to define new words
for English language learners.
• Additional time will be provided for student projects, including the puppet
project and the big cat booklet.
• Seating arrangements will be altered when necessary.
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Anticipatory Focusing:
o While the students are sitting at the rug, I will tell them about my past cats, Colin
and Daisy, and show them some pictures on the promethean board.
o The teacher will ask the students if any of them have pet cats. If they do, the
teacher will ask the students share information about their pet cats – what do they
look like? How do they act? When do they sleep? Etc.
o After students have shared their experiences with domestic cats, the teacher will
bring up a picture of a tiger and ask students if they would keep this cat as a pet.
The teacher will then introduce the concept of “big cats” in the wild and have
students name any that they are familiar with.
Setting Expectations:
The teacher will explain to the students that they will be starting a unit on big cats, or cats
that are found in the wild. For this particular activity, students will learn the difference
between the domestic cats we see each day and their larger relatives in the wild.
Input:
o The teacher will read Big Cat, Little Kitty by Scotti Cohn
o After briefly discussing the book, the teacher will play a YouTube video that
compares big cats and domestic cats:
[Link]
Modeling:
o With the help of the class, the teacher will create a Venn diagram of the
similarities and differences between big cats and domestic.
o The teacher will explain the next activity. On a piece of construction paper, each
student will draw a t-chart that looks like this:
Big Cat Pet Cat S / D?
Size
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Each student will draw a picture of each animal to represent the characteristic of their
choice (students can choose between the following: habitat, behavior, size, color,
etc.). The student should then mark whether that characteristic is the same or
different between big and domestic cats. The students will then discuss their
illustrations with the group and choose a group member’s illustration to present to the
rest of the class.
The teacher will model this activity by choosing one characteristic and drawing the
pictures to represent it.
Checking for Understanding:
Teacher will monitor all activities by circulating around the room observing student’s
work.
Reteach:
After sharing their work with group members, selected students will share their
illustrations with the class. The teacher will guide students through a corresponding
discussion that emphasizes the distinguishing characteristics of big cats.
Independent Practice:
In their writing journal, students will write three complete sentences to describe big cats
in the wild. The student will also draw a picture of a big cat.
Checking for Mastery:
Each student will bring his/her journal to the teacher for the teacher’s review.
Extension:
o Students are encouraged to observe their cat or a friend’s cat and compare that cat
to the big cats we are learning about in class.
o As a class, students can visit the Fort Worth zoo to see big cats. The instructor
can take pictures of different cats to compare in class.
o Students use a unit of measure (a foot-long paw print provided by the instructor)
to estimate the sizes of different cats, big and small, and compare them.
Closure:
The teacher will invite students to the rug and share some pictures of big cats on the
promethean board for the students to enjoy.
Reflective Critique:
o Were the students engaged with Big Cat, Little Kitty?
o Did the students enjoy the lesson?
o Did the students have enough time to complete their illustrations and journal
entries?
o Did the use of technology enhance students’ understanding of big cats?
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o Do I need further modifications for students with special needs?
o Did I include the
Integration of Technology:
o YouTube Video
