Interesting animal facts

Have you ever heard of a poison frog? Do you think it actually has poison? Is a bald eagle really bald? Do olive baboons eat olives?

There are so many interesting animals and mammals in our world. Let’s explore the following episode from Zamzoom's Animal Adventures to learn about marmots.

When we learn about interesting things, it is important to think about what we learned and then share that information with someone else. One way to share information we learn is through a report.

Elements of report writing

Report writing includes:

• headings: represent different sections of information
• diagrams/pictures: show meaning
• facts only

In this learning activity, we are going to learn how to write a report.

In nonfiction writing, it is important to only write the facts.

What is a fact?

A fact is something that:

• is true
• is real information
• can be proven

Writing a report

To write our report we are going to follow these steps. Note that the first three steps are part of the prewriting stage.

Step 1: choose a topic

Step 2: research your topic

Step 3: record your facts

Step 4: write a draft

Step 5: revise

Step 6: edit

Step 7: publish

Creating a report

Before going through the steps in the writing process, brainstorm ideas for the writing process. If possible, share your ideas with a partner.

Prewriting: report

Step 1: choose a topic

Watch each video and then choose the one with the animal you want to write a report about.

Bighorn Sheep

Grizzly Bear

Poison Frog

Elephants

Northern Gannets

Step 2: research the topic

There are many ways to research and gather information.

Other resources to use include:

• websites
• books in the classroom, library or at home
• pictures and posters in the classroom, library or at home

Step 3: record your facts and collect any pictures you would like to include

Once you have chosen your animal, explore Zamzoom’s Animal Adventures about that animal. Use the Animal Research Report Organizer in your notebook or use the following fillable and printable document to record the facts about your animal.

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Animal Research Report Organizer. Activity(Open PDF in a new window)

Now, you are ready to move on to the next stage of the writing process. Drafting!

Drafting: report

Step 4: write your draft

A writing plan helps to make sure you know who you are writing for, what you are writing about, why you are writing the text and the style of writing.

Using an organizer of your choice, begin a draft of your writing. In your report, you will use the headings to describe:

Habitat: where the animal lives

Diet: what the animal eats

Description: what the animal looks like

Interesting fact: one other interesting fact about the animal

Use the Report Writing Organizer in your notebook or use the following fillable and printable to record the facts about your animal.

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Report Writing Organizer. Activity(Open PDF in a new window)

Revising: report

Step 5: revise your report

When revising work, you want to:

• write a clear title
• first sentence is about the topic
• headings are clear
• facts are in order
• make other changes so the writing is just right
• stay on one topic
• include pictures

Editing: report

Step 6: edit your report

Publishing: report

Step 7: publish your report

You will create a media piece of your choice to include and present all of the information and interesting facts you gathered during your research. A brochure is one way to share information about your topic. However, other options to present your information through media may include poster, video collage, digital slide presentation or recorded oral presentation.

If you choose a brochure, it:

• is a paper folded into three sections that can be handed out or displayed
• has images and pictures on the front and back of the page

Here is an example of a brochure.

Your media piece will have a:

• title: tell what the brochure is about
• habitat section: where your animal lives
• diet section: what your animal eats
• description section: how your animal is displayed
• interesting facts section: interesting facts about your animal
• include pictures and labels

Use the Publishing Checklist to help you!

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity?  Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.