Infusion of Literacy into the Science Curriculum

Book Information

Title / Scranimals
Author / Jack Prelutsky
Publisher / New York: Greenwillow Books
Copyright Year / 2002
IBN# / 0688178200
Summary / Welcome to the world of scranimals in this original and surprising picture book, where nothing is as it seems--especially the scrambled animals. Full color.
Availability / Arlington Central Library; APS Library system Barcroft, Arlington Traditional, Ashlawn; Amazon (for purchase).

How can the book content be infused into the science curriculum?

Grade Level / K-5
Strands / Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic; Matter
Kindergarten / Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
K.1; K.2- Five senses, descriptions and sequencing
Life Processes
K.6 & K.7 Basic life needs, processes of plants and animals
Grade 1 / Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
1.1-  Classifying, measuring, predicting
Life Process
1.4 & 1.5
Plants and Animals- needs, parts, characteristics
Grade 2 / Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
2.1- Measurement, classification, graphs, unexpected data
Living Systmes
2.5 Systems include living and nonliving things; habitats
Grade 3 / Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
3.1- Making predications and observations, data charted, drawing conclusion
Life Processes
3.4 Animal Adaptations
Grade 4 / Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
4.1- Hypotheses, predictions, measurement
Grade 5 / Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
5.1- Classification key, measurement, graphing data, variables
Living Systems
5.5 Characteristics for organism’s survival

Sample Activities

Grade K-2 / Students will travel to Scranimal Island. This is an island that is not located on any maps. Only scranimals live there. A scranimal is an animal with at least two different body parts. For example; an Mooscheetah is an moose and cheetah combined as one animal.
After reading the poems from the book Scranimal Island play a round of New Zoo using the script: A zebra has black and white stripes…put his stripes on a gorilla…make up a new name to describe this animal….did you think of zeb-orilla or how about gor-bra. Continue with other combinations of creatures.
The students will now have a chance to create their own Scranimal. It must be a combination of two real living creatures. First they are to draw both real creatures. They are then to name the creature that they make up combining the two. They will then list three descriptive words about the creature and write a full sentence explaining one amazing thing their creature can do. The student will create their own scranimal by drawing or painting them, and creating a background for their scranimal to live in.
(New Zoo is a game from the book Scamper, Creative Games and Activities for Imagination Development).
Grade 3 / Start with the activities from above. Then students will create a new unusual creature that was discovered in Arlington, VA. Students will draw and write about this new creature.
Using the SCAMPER method students will write about How this animal has been able to survive in Virginia.
1.  Substitute the legs it currently has for other ones. How would this help or hinder the animal?
2.  What are some combinations on this animal that help it survive? Explain.
3.  Combine parts from other animals, things, people, to make the animal more adaptable to Virginia.
4.  What part of the animal could you change to make it more adaptable to its environment? Explain.
5.  What could you modifiy or change on the animal? How would this help/hinder its survival as a species?
6.  Put this animal to other uses. How could this animal be used in society?
7.  What would happen if you eliminated a part of the animal’s unique features? How would it change its survival and/or habits?
8.  Reverse the situation. In the assignment you have been showing ways this animal is adaptable to our region. Now, it’s your chance to show what ways you would make it so that it wasn’t adaptable to our area. How would you do this? What parts would you change on the animal to make it less adaptable to our environment? Explain your reasoning.
Adapted from Biological Wonder Discovered in Arlington, VA APS Gifted Services 2008