Teaching Endangered Animals: A CLIL Unit for Primary Students
Endangered Animals: A CLIL Unit for Primary 3rd Grade
Unit Justification and Overview
- Subjects: Science, Mathematics, English
- Topic: Endangered Animals
- Level: Primary 3rd Grade
This didactic unit focuses on the critical topic of “Endangered Animals.” It was chosen for its versatility, allowing integration across multiple subjects, and its inherent appeal to children, ensuring high engagement. Designed as a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) unit, it aims to develop students’ English language proficiency alongside their understanding of core curricular content.
Key content areas include:
- What does it mean for an animal to be extinct?
- What does it mean for an animal to be endangered?
- Which are some of the endangered animals?
- Why are they endangered?
This is a highly relevant and real-world topic, empowering students to understand global issues and recognize their potential to contribute to positive change. The methodology of this unit is specifically designed to support pupils through various learning difficulties, leveraging the strengths of the CLIL approach.
Activity Details: Researching Endangered Animals
Activity Title: Which Are Some of the Endangered Animals?
Procedure:
Children will research an endangered animal of their choice, gathering information on:
- Name
- Characteristics
- Habitat
- Current population (how many animals are left)
- Reasons for endangerment
Following their research, students will present their findings to the entire class.
Competencies Developed:
General Competencies:
- Communication competence
- Learning to think
- Learning to live together
- Initiative and entrepreneurial spirit
- Learning to be
Science Competencies:
- Using knowledge about nature to make informed decisions with autonomy and critical vision regarding human activities and their consequences.
- Conducting small documentation and experimentation work to solve problems.
Linguistic Competencies:
- Creating oral, written, and visual texts.
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify and describe various endangered animals and the reasons for their endangerment.
Indicators of Achievement:
- Students are able to understand the information they have gathered.
- Students are able to effectively present their work.
Materials:
- Laptops
- Animal books
Pedagogical Concepts and Strategies
The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD):
The ZPD represents the difference between what a learner can achieve independently and what they can accomplish with assistance. For example, a tutor might indicate the nature of an error (e.g., “There is something wrong with the tense here”) without directly identifying the specific error, prompting the student to self-correct.
Metalinguistic Awareness:
Yes, students develop metalinguistic awareness because they learn rules that apply across languages, enhancing their understanding of language structure.
Collaborative Learning: Joining a Group:
Using this strategy can be highly beneficial. By joining a group, students can understand and begin to use new expressions. They can also apply familiar linguistic formulas and find support from their peers.
Combining Physical Activity and Experiential Learning:
The Traveling Ball Game:
In this game, one student holds a ball between their legs. This student must move to another classmate and say a phrase in English. Then, the first student passes the ball to the other, who continues the game.
Communicative Competence:
This refers to knowing how to use language in an appropriate and effective way in various contexts.
Second Language Acquisition (SLA) – Explicit vs. Implicit Learning:
- Explicit Learning: Typically involves memorizing a series of facts and places heavy demands on working memory. It might have a “priming” function, preparing the learner for subsequent implicit acquisition.
- Implicit Learning: Often occurs through social interaction and communication, without conscious memorization of rules.
Interaction Strategies:
- Clarification: Asking for an explanation when a word or concept is not understood.
- Elaboration: Providing further explanation for something that is not understood.
- Comprehension Check/Confirmation Check: Strategies used by speakers to ensure the listener has understood the message.