Dr. Annie's Big Ideas Academy: Animal Lovers’ Club (9-13)

In this ongoing class our community of learners will explore amazing animals and behaviors every week. Consider it a support group for people who love creatures! As a professional zoologist and animal researcher, I have a lot of scientific stories I can share about the biology and behavior of animals. Each week we will “think like scientists” by learning about everything from sloths to earthworms to why some animals eat their poop!

Sample Topics
   1.	Dolphins: How do they talk to each other and what are they saying? 
   2.	Sloths: Why do three-toed sloths always poop in the same place? 
   3.	Foraging Behavior: Why do so many animals eat so many different things?
   4.	Stalk-eyed Flies: What are they, and why are they amazing?
   5.	Migration: Why do animals migrate, and how do they know where to go? 
   6.	Dogs: Can dogs understand human language?
   7.	Baboons: Do baboons have friends and enemies? 
   8.	Octopuses: Are they the world’s smartest invertebrate?

Example Lesson Plan: 
Please note that I believe in creating a classroom dynamic that is flexible and driven by student engagement. I always have a lesson plan for each class that I teach; however, I can and do adjust my plans to best meet the needs of the students who join me. I also run a very interactive classroom; I rarely expect students to sit and listen while I talk. There is a large body of education research that suggests that traditional “chalk talk” teaching serves few students well, and this is particularly true for sciences classes. Science is a process, and it relies heavily on experiential learning. In fact, science at its core IS experiential learning. That’s truly what makes it such a fun and exciting field to work in!

I.)	Dr. Annie’s Greeting
II.)	Introductions & Club Announcements
III.)	Hook
           a. Introduce this week’s topic 
           b. Scientific story telling
           c. Why is this an important topic for scientists to study?
IV.)	This Week’s Topic 
	   a. In-depth look at the animal or behavior 
	   b. Studying animals and behavior as a way to engage with science 
	   c. How does this behavior connect to this fundamental concept of science: everything is connected to everything else?
V.)	How Do Scientists Study This Topic?
	   a. More science stories 
	   b. Student sharing 
	   c. Asking questions
VI.)	Thought Questions
           a. What is one new thing you learned today that you won’t forget?
           b. What’s one more thing you wish you knew?