A basic animal kingdom lesson involves the established system of taxonomy, or classification, of animals. The current taxonomy system divides organisms into seven classes: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species. Have the pupils create a mnemonic device using the first letter of each class to make an acronym. According to the Princeton Review book, "Cracking the SAT," mnemonics that make odd statements are easier to remember, "the weirder, the better," according to the book.
Compiling a class booklet that dispels commonly held myths and shares interesting facts about certain animals is a fun and educational activity. Divide the class into groups, each with a different animal or group of animals to research. This activity helps establish good researching skills and piques interest in exotic animals. The New York Times suggests giving each group a statement about an animal. If research proves false, the students research and explain the myth’s origin If the statement is true, the students research other interesting facts about the animal in question.
Another way of educating your pupils about the animal kingdom is drawing distinctions between omnivores, carnivores and herbivores. Give the children pictures of meals with meat, plants or a mixture of the two. Have them hold the appropriate meal up as you project the picture of an animal on a screen.
Engage the third graders’ imaginations by having them dream up hybrid animals. Begin the lesson by exploring existing hybrids, and then splitting the class into groups that create their own hybrid animals. Instruct the students to consider what the animal would eat, where it would live, what predators it would face, its size, intelligence level, and the advantages and disadvantages each species contributes to the hybrid animal.