Madagascar+Classroom++Activities

Classroom Activities

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Objectives:

 * To show an understanding of life in Madagascar, including the animals, and people that live there, as well as the geography and climate of the country
 * To summarize the aspects of Madagascar that the students have learned over the course of the unit

Materials:

 * Copy of the movie //Madagascar//
 * VCR or DVD player
 * Television or projector
 * Large sheet of butcher paper
 * Markers

Activity:

 * This activity would take place after the class has already learned about Madagascar, it can be used to wrap up the unit and help the students to create a list of everything they have learned about the country.
 * Show the movie //Madagascar//.
 * After the movie, on the large butcher paper, draw a large venn diagram. Label one circle "Madagascar: The Movie" and one of the circle "Madagascar: The Country" and the overlapping section "Both".
 * Explain to the class that in the section labeled "Madagascar: The Movie", they are going to list everything they saw in the movie that does not relate to what they have learned about Madagascar. In the section labeled "Madagascar: The Country" they are going to list everything they have learned about Madagascar that was not represented in the movie. In the middle, overlapping, section labeled "Both" they are going to list everything they saw in the movie that they knew to be true based on what they have learned about the country.
 * Depending on the class, have the students raise their hands to provide an item to add to the list and you add the object to the list, or call on students to come up to the venn diagram and write their ideas in the correct section themselves.
 * For every item added to the venn diagram, discuss as a class if everyone agrees and why it should go in a certain section.

Objectives:

 * To enhance students understanding of the wildlife in Madagascar
 * To have students explore the use of technology in research

Materials:

 * Picture of Aye-Aye, Bamboo Lemur, Mouse Lemur, Flying Fox, Fossa, Spear-nosed Snake, Tenrec and Fanaloka. [|Link to animals]
 * Computers and internet access
 * Poster board (one per group)
 * Scissors
 * Glue
 * Markers

Activity:

 * Discuss the fact that around 75% of the species found in Madagascar are native to the country and are not found anywhere else in the world.
 * Look at the pictures and have students discuss some of the features the see in the animals. Do not give the students information about the animals, the students will be researching the animals on their own, so this discussion should be based solely on the looks of the animals in the pictures.
 * Are there any similarities among the animals?
 * Do the animals look like anything we have in the area where we live?
 * Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 and give each group a picture of one of the animals. If there is a larger class, the more than one group can research the same animal.
 * Have the students conduct a research project about their animal. The following are some questions the students should research:
 * What does the animal eat?
 * Where in Madagascar does the animal live?
 * Are there any special features on the animal that makes it unique?
 * Does the animal live alone or in groups?
 * The students should put together a poster board about their animal, making sure to include a picture of the animal and any necessary information. Remind the students to make their poster neat and easy to read.
 * Have the students share their posters with the class to everyone knows facts about the unique animals that live in Madagascar.

Objectives:

 * To show an understanding of homes in Madagascar
 * To show an understanding of how to use art supplies such as twigs, clay, paper, paint, crayons, and markers, to represent an object

Materials:

 * Pictures of homes in Madagascar
 * Clay
 * Twigs/Sticks
 * Brown or tan construction paper
 * Paint
 * Paint brushes in various sizes
 * Crayons
 * Markers

Activity:

 * Explain to students that life in Madagascar is very different than life in the United States. Many of the houses there are made out of mud, clay, and sticks. Show the students pictures of houses in Madagascar and have the students discuss what they see; have them describe the houses.
 * Put out the art supplies on a table. Make sure you have enough supplies for all of the students in the classroom.
 * Tell the students they are to construct a model of a house in Madagascar. Allow the students to do this as they see fit, but remind the students that their model should resemble what an actual house there looks like. For example they should not draw a nice house out of bricks or siding like we have in the United States because that is not something seen in Madagascar. Remind the students to be as creative as possible.
 * Allow the students to complete their models. This might take a few days of working on the houses. While the students work, walk around the room and talk with the students about what they are doing. Ask why they have chosen to use the materials they have. What aspects of the home do they think it is important to portray.
 * After all the students have finished, have them present their models of the home to the class and explain why they chose to use the materials they did and describe their house to the class. For example, why did they include sticks, why is the door where it is, etc.
 * Create a display somewhere in the class for the homes. This can remain up for the remainder of the unit on Madagascar.

All of the activities above were designed by me and may be copied for educational purposes.