Release week Jan. 14, 2007: Hippos

Standards

• Social Studies: Students will discuss how people adjust to the different social groups/people they meet throughout their lives.
• Social Studies: Students will make a list of various names for animal groups.
• Social Studies: Students will report on physical features of various animals and how they help the animal survive.

Activities

• Use the News: Hippos live in both water and land environments. What “social environments” can you find in articles from the newspaper? Some social environments might include poor neighborhoods, a mall, a courthouse, a military group such as a squad, etc. Do people live in only one of these environments? Why or why not? What might be difficult about adapting to a new environment?

• A group of hippos is called a bloat. Whale groups are known as pods. What other interesting group names are there? Do some individual or group research on other animals, and make a class list of “herd” names in the animal world.

• The hippos’ physical features are suited to living in the water. Its eyes, ears and nostrils are located at the top of its head to keep out of the water. Describe features on other animals that help them survive in their particular environment. Example: How does a giraffe’s long neck help it?

World of Wonder meets many state educational standards. This guide helps teachers identify standards and related activities generally intended for grade 6, but teachers can modify activities to the appropriate grade level.