Why Did It Do That? A Lesson on Observing Animal Behavior
Students record observations separately from inferences and suggest one cause for a behavior they could test.
Aligned to: NGSS science practice: planning and carrying out investigations; crosscutting concept: cause and effect.
Materials
- A class pet, birds outside a window, or a short nature video
- The observation sheet below
- Timers
Lesson steps
| 5 min | Hook. Show a photo of a cat hiding in a box. Ask: why is it doing that? List every idea. |
| 10 min | Observe vs infer. Teach two columns: I saw (only what eyes and ears tell you) and I think (my guess about why). Sort the hook ideas into the two columns. |
| 15 min | Observe. Students watch the animal or video for five minutes, noting every behavior in the I saw column, with the time. |
| 10 min | Cause and effect. Each student picks one behavior and writes: I think it did ___ because ___. How could we test that? |
| 5 min | Share. Two or three students share a test idea. Discuss which tests would be fair. |
Exit ticket
Name: ____________________
- Write one observation (I saw).
- Write one inference (I think).
- Describe a fair test for your idea.
Answer key and teacher notes
- An observation describes only what was seen or heard.
- An inference explains why, and could be wrong.
- A fair test changes one thing at a time.
Keep practising
Puffgrove: Grove Creatures
Puffgrove: Grove Creatures is a pet game where every behavior has a real cause: pets weigh their needs and personality, and every discovery explains why it happened. It's a playful way to practise asking why did it do that?
Get it free on the App StoreTeacher FAQ
Is this lesson plan free to use?
Yes. Print and copy it for your class or group. No sign-up.
How long does it take?
About 45 minutes, with timings for each part so you can trim it to fit.
What do I need?
Only everyday classroom materials, listed under Materials. No app or device is required to teach it.