South America Wildlife

Overview

Lesson 3 of 10 focuses on South America’s environments by identifying biodiversity (living things) and linking animals to their habitats. Students interpret simple information displays and present findings using subject terms.

Learning intentions

WALT: Discover biodiversity in South America by identifying unique animals and describing their habitats. WALT: Interpret information displayed in picture and simple chart formats to find evidence about wildlife and environment features.

Success criteria

• I can name two unique animals found in South America.
• I can describe the habitat for each animal (where it lives and what the environment provides).
• I can use correct geography words like environment, vegetation, and water source when explaining habitats.
• I can match animals to the most suitable habitat card using evidence from the data display.

Curriculum links

• Humanities and Social Sciences — Year 4: Interpret information and data displayed in different formats (picture and graph/chart style supports).
• Humanities and Social Sciences — Year 4: Importance of environments, including natural vegetation and water sources, to people and animals in Australia and on another continent.
• Humanities and Social Sciences — Year 4: Present descriptions and explanations, using ideas from sources and relevant subject-specific terms.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Warm-up hook. Teacher shows 3 quick images of South American animals (e.g., jaguar, capybara, sloth) and asks: “What might these animals need to survive?” Students do a think-pair-share and record 1 need (food, shelter, water, or space).

2. 5–12 min · Mini direct teach (habitats connect to environment). Teacher explains that habitats include natural vegetation and water sources, and that different environments support different animals. Students follow along using a class anchor chart: Environment → Vegetation → Water source → Animals.

3. 12–20 min · Interpreting data display. Teacher hands out a simple “Wildlife Evidence Sheet” with:

• picture cards of animals with short habitat clues, and
• a small bar or column-style count (e.g., “Where we find this animal” with 2–3 environment types). Students work with the teacher to identify one animal and answer: “Which environment fits best, and what evidence shows that?”

4. 20–32 min · Guided task: Build habitat matches. Teacher models how to match an animal card to a habitat scenario (e.g., rainforest—dense vegetation, rivers/streams; grassland—open areas, ponds). Students in pairs sort 4 animal cards into 4 habitat cards, then choose 2 matches to write sentences using a scaffold:

• “The ___ lives in ___ because it needs ___ (vegetation/water).”

5. 32–40 min · Share and compare (presenting explanations). Each pair shares their two animal–habitat explanations with the class using subject terms from the anchor chart. Students give one “glow and grow” comment: glow (what is clear) and grow (what to add for stronger evidence).

6. 40–45 min · Exit ticket (quick check). Students complete:

• List 2 animals from South America.
• For each, write one habitat feature (vegetation or water source).

Resources

• Animal picture cards (at least 6 options) with short clue text
• Habitat cards (rainforest, savannah/grassland, wetlands/river areas, mountains or desert-like environments)
• “Wildlife Evidence Sheet” with picture clues and a simple bar/column count
• Anchor chart “Environment → Vegetation → Water source → Animals”
• Student recording sheet with sentence starters
• Coloured pencils or highlighters for evidence marking
• Timer and a document camera/screen for image hook

Assessment

• Formative: Observe pair sorting and ask targeted questions (“What evidence helped you choose this habitat?”).
• Formative: Check students’ sentences for correct habitat features (vegetation/water) and use of subject terms.
• Summative for today (exit ticket): Two animals named and one habitat feature written for each.

Differentiation

• Support for visual learners: Use animal cards with clear images and habitat cards with colour-coded environment icons; allow highlighting the clue text before writing.
• Support for students needing language scaffolds: Provide sentence starters and a word bank (environment, vegetation, water source, habitat, rainforest, river, grassland).
• Challenge for advanced students: Add a comparison prompt—“Which habitats in South America would be similar to Australia for one animal, and why?” (focus on vegetation/water features rather than naming species in detail).
• EAL support: Permit drawing an animal and habitat feature if writing is limited; provide sentence frames and allow oral responses recorded by teacher or peer.
• Stretch for confident readers: Ask students to choose the strongest evidence from the bar/column display and justify their match in one extra sentence.

End of lesson note for teachers

Before moving to Lesson 4, select 2 exit-ticket examples—one strong and one partially correct—to quickly model “how to improve evidence” in the next lesson start.