Why Do Elephants Have Trunks?

An Animal Adaptation Inquiry Project


A Unit of Lessons for Second Grade Science and Language Arts

by Jennifer Perry

jeperry@indiana.edu

Last updated January 9, 2006.


During this unit, we will be learning about animal adaptation, or how animals are special in different ways. Many animals are special to meet special needs in their environments.

To learn about these animals, we will use a guide to help us. It is called the Super3 because it has three steps to help us find and use information.

During this unit, you will:

  1. Learn about animal adaptation

  2. Work with a partner to find information on one animal

  3. Take short notes from books, magazines, and articles

  4. Learn how to give credit when you use the words and ideas of other people

  5. Write your own short report about your animal.

  6. Work with your partner to make something that shares what you've learned with others.


Use the words on the left to go to Step 1.