Using farm animals to describe wild animals 1 – That’s what this episode is all about.
Using information from Wildlife Cards, we launch our research and report-writing skills with this step. Describing an objectis a vital language function in English, yet it’s highly challenging to many who undertake it. Just as we used geometric shapes in a previous episode to describe an animal, we use the names of farm animals that we’ve learned to describe a wild animal. At its most fundamental level, describing something is to use words to create a picture in the mind of a reader or listener. We start our description of a deer by noting the ways it’s similar to a dog; then noting how it’s distinct from a dog.
Watching Episode 44
The link below will take you to Archive.org, where this episode can be viewed and downloaded.
View in segments
You can see the first segment of Episode 44 by clicking here.
Language Objectives
Describe an unknown object by relating it to a similar known object. Describe an object using the comparative form of adjectives.
Academic Content Objectives
Animals Science: Describe an animal’s physical characteristics.
Videos Used in Episode 44
The first video clip features deer and other animals in the deer family, including elk and caribou. Click here to watch the clip. To see the same video on archive.org, click here to watch or download without ads.
We also used a video clip about Black Bears. Click here to see the Black Bear clip.
To watch or download from archive.org, click here.
Linked Video
I found a great video of a black bear leaving its den after hibernating through the winter. The narration is informal and easy to follow. It’s quite informative and interesting. See the video on You Tube by clicking here. [Language note: In the narration, the producer uses a number of verbs ending in ing. Rubbing, scratching, looking, digging, stretching, etc. These are gerunds. These verb forms show actions in action. The gerund in English can also be used like a noun. Ex: Swimming is my favorite sport.]
Homework
After viewing the second video clip in today’s episode, use what you’ve learned to describe a black bear. We’ll review the homework in a subsequent episode.
Learning Materials
The following materials were used in this episode for teaching:
Remember, click slide to enlarge. Use back arrow to return to web page.
Featured Book
I featured a book from National Geographic with a very short review. The book is entitled Animals in Summer. The ISBN is
13: 9780870447389
Next Episode
We explore animals in folktales in our next episode. Click herefor Episode 45.