How to Clean A Hippopotamus: A look at unusual animal partnerships

This is an excellent nonfiction book that helps teach lessons on symbiosis.  This book describes 50 animal partnerships and why mutualism in the animal kingdom exists.   The illustrations are colorful.  This book has been honored as a NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book.

Reading Level:
     Lexile: 950
    
Genre/Theme:
     Nonfiction
     Diversity    
     Symbiosis/Mutualism

Subject:
     Science
     Nature
     English Language Arts

Teaching Ideas for a 4th Grade Class:
     Web Resources:  http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/body-by-design-form-and-function.cfm offers a complete lesson plan which includes objectives, discussion questions, and evaluation ideas.

http://alldunnin.net/siteoftheday/site/Entries/2009/3/6_Cant_We_All_Just_Get_Along_-_Symbiosis.html offers links to many different sites that will help students have a better understanding  with the concept of symbiosis and mutualism. 

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to Introduce:  symbiosis, mutualistic, excrete, parasites, commensualism, truce
Divide students into 6 groups.  Give each group a vocabulary word from above.  Have students use dictionaries (if necessary) to find the meaning of their groups word.  Once each group has the definition, have one person from the group state the definition in front of the class.  Ask students to group these words.  Are there any words that might mean the same?  In there groups, have students explain how they would group these words and what their reasoning is.  Next, create a K/W/L chart on the topic symbiosis.  List what the students already know about symbiosis and what they want to know.

During Reading:
After each page, ask students to predict where they might find these animals.  After reading a few pages aloud, have students write down their favorite example of symbiosis being sure to name both animals.  

After Reading: 
Can you think of any other examples of symbiosis?  What was your favorite example from the text?  Were there any partnerships that you found most unusual?  Have students write a paragraph in their journals giving an example of symbiosis and using as many vocabulary words from above as possible.  Students may choose to illustrate their example.  Share the back of the book.  It has a list of all the organisms from the book and includes their actual size, habitat, and diet.  Students can also check their predictions from where each animal can be found.  Finish the K/W/L chart having each student state what they have learned.

Jenkins, S. & Page, R. (2010). How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A look at      unusual animal partnerships. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Book for Children.