Utah Animal Life (Animal Adaptations) (download PDF)
Students are introduced to animal adaptations as both activities and physical parts that help animals to survive. On the field trip, students explore for beaver sign along a stream and dress-up one student to illustrate the amazing adaptations of this animal. Students pretend to be raptors, learning why the birds need sharp eyesight, and play a game that illustrates the adaptations of deer and mountain lions. Finally, they migrate as a gaggle of geese, and examine how much energy it takes to make the long journey.

Cultural Contributions (download PDF)
A pre-trip activity introduces archaeology and the artifacts that provide clues to the lives of ancient people. On the field trip, students make their own pottery, cordage and rock art replicas, and examine an ancient rock art panel. They match clues to human uses of different plants in the area. Back in the classroom, students write and place in order a few events in their own lives, and learn how vandals can destroy the archeological record.

Water Cycle (download PDF)
Students hear a story and dance to a water cycle music video. While visiting a wetlands ecosystem they act out the process of erosion in different environments, and participate in a relay where they pretend to be agents of evaporation and precipitation. They investigate and measure the characteristics of stream water and streamflow, and experiment with wetland soil to discover the soil’s filtering roles. Afterwards, each student creates a regional drawing of the water cycle.

Download entire 4th Grade curriculum
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