Students investigate “How do animals bring joy to our lives?” by sharing pet pictures, creating a class pet list, and observing animals during a zoo field trip. Through stories and hands-on inquiry, they classify and count animals, graph findings, explore life cycles and cause and effect, and connect animals’ needs with their habitats and responsible home care. Students create and paint medium-size clay pet models, revising them with feedback from classmates studying the same animal and later from older peers. They share pet-care information with peers and exhibit their models and descriptive artwork at an evening family art show in the school auditorium.

Students will classify, count, and graph animals while exploring their needs, habitats, life cycles, care, and how pets bring joy, beginning with shared pet pictures and a class pet list. During a zoo field trip and shared reading, students will use descriptive and expressive words, drawings, and observations to show cause-and-effect relationships between animals’ needs and where they live. Students will create, paint, and revise a medium-sized clay pet model with feedback from a classmate studying the same animal and an older peer. They will explain to peers how to care for their chosen pet and present their model and learning at an evening family art show in the school auditorium.

Students will share pet pictures, create a class pet list, and build animal classification charts and graphs using counting. During the zoo field trip and shared research, they will create observation drawings, life-cycle art, and habitat models showing animals’ needs, care, cause and effect, and how animals bring joy. Students will share pet-care information with peers, then revise their work with a partner studying the same animal and later with an older peer. Each student will sculpt and paint a medium-sized clay pet figure for a family evening art show in the school auditorium.

Gather in a circle to share pet pictures; students without pets may bring or choose a picture of an animal they enjoy. Invite each child to name the animal, describe one feature, and share how it brings people joy. Sort the pictures by animal type, count each group, and create a quick class picture graph. Record students’ questions and introduce: “How do animals bring joy to our lives?”

Host an evening family art show in the school auditorium featuring students’ painted clay pet figures. Display each figure with a student-created picture showing the pet’s habitat, needs, life cycle, and how it brings joy. Students can introduce their pets, share one care tip with peers and families, and invite visitors to add a sticker to a class pet graph. Include photos or drawings from the zoo field trip and a class list of pets to document the learning journey.