You will learn
- Name animal homes.
- Match an animal to its home.
- Say why animals need shelters.
- Compare animal homes and human homes.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Animals need shelters.
- Birds live in nests and rabbits in burrows.
- Bees live in hives.
- Shelters protect animals from weather and danger.
Words to know
a place that keeps an animal safe from weather and danger
a home that birds build
a hole in the ground where an animal lives
a home for bees
1. Discover: The nest in the tree
Ife sees a bird carry twigs to a branch. Soon there is a small nest with eggs in it. It rains, but the eggs stay dry because the nest is under leaves. “The nest is the bird’s home,” says Ife. “It keeps the eggs safe.”
Think: How does the nest help the bird?
2. Understand: Where animals live
Idea 1: Animal homes
A bird builds a nest. A rabbit digs a burrow. Bees live in a hive. A snail carries its shell. A dog sleeps in a kennel. Each home is a shelter.
Idea 2: Why shelters matter
Shelters keep animals safe from rain, sun, cold and enemies. Some shelters are for raising young. Animals choose or build homes near food and water.
Idea 3: Animal and human homes
People also have homes. Our homes protect us from the weather. Animals build or find their homes with what is around them, such as twigs, mud, holes and leaves.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Match animal and home
Bird, rabbit, bee.
- Bird: nest.
- Rabbit: burrow.
- Bee: hive.
Answer: A bird lives in a nest, a rabbit in a burrow and a bee in a hive.
Example 2 (We do it together): Why a shelter?
A rabbit lives in a burrow.
- It keeps the rabbit dry.
- It hides it from danger.
- It is a safe place for babies.
Answer: A burrow keeps the rabbit safe and dry.
Example 3 (You try): Compare homes
A bird nest and a house.
Show the steps and answer
- Both keep us safe.
- A nest is made from twigs.
- A house is made from bricks or wood.
Answer: Both are shelters but are made from different materials.
Did you know?
Weaver birds build nests that hang from tree branches. The male weaves them from grass.
Why this matters
Animals need safe homes, so we must protect the places where they live.
4. Explore: Build a nest
Build a model nest from safe, fallen materials.
- Collect fallen grass, twigs and leaves.
- Make a nest shape in a bowl.
- Put a small ball inside as an egg.
- Say how the nest keeps eggs safe.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? A nest is soft and protects eggs.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A bird lives in a ___.
- A rabbit lives in a ___.
- Bees live in a ___.
- A shelter keeps animals ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Where does a bird live?
In a nest.
Question 2. Where does a rabbit live?
In a burrow.
Question 3. Where do bees live?
In a hive.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Where does a bird live?
- Where does a rabbit live?
- Where do bees live?
- What do shelters give animals?
- Do we take bird nests?
Level 2: Grow
- Why do animals need shelters?
- What is a burrow?
- What is a nest made of?
Level 3: Stretch
- Describe an animal home you know.
- Explain why we do not disturb nests.
- Compare a nest and a house.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What animal homes can you see near your school?
Show a sample answer
Nests, ant hills, holes and webs.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: All animals need shelter.
Fix: We leave nests alone.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name animal homes.
- I can match an animal to its home.
- I can say why animals need shelters.
- I can compare animal homes and human homes.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Animals need shelters.
- Birds live in nests and rabbits in burrows.
- Bees live in hives.
- Shelters protect animals from weather and danger.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Animal needs. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name three animal homes. [3 marks]
- Why do animals need shelters? [2 marks]
- What is a burrow? [1 mark]
- Compare a nest and a house. [3 marks]
- What should we do if we find a nest? [1 mark]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Any three: nest, burrow, hive, shell, kennel [1 each]
- Safety [1]; protection from weather [1]
- A hole in the ground where an animal lives [1]
- Both shelters [1]; nest: twigs [1]; house: bricks or wood [1]
- Leave it alone [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Where does a bird live?
- Where does a rabbit live?
- Where do bees live?
- What do shelters give animals?
- Do we take bird nests?
- Why do animals need shelters?
- What is a burrow?
- What is a nest made of?
- Describe an animal home you know.
- Explain why we do not disturb nests.
Homework
Draw three animal homes. Write the name of each home and the animal that lives in it.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Where does a bird live? | In a nest. | 1 |
| 2. Where does a rabbit live? | In a burrow. | 1 |
| 3. Where do bees live? | In a hive. | 1 |
| 4. What do shelters give animals? | Safety. | 1 |
| 5. Do we take bird nests? | No. | 1 |
| 6. Why do animals need shelters? | Weather and danger. | 1 |
| 7. What is a burrow? | A hole in the ground. | 1 |
| 8. What is a nest made of? | Twigs, grass and leaves. | 1 |
| 9. Describe an animal home you know. | Any home. | 1 |
| 10. Explain why we do not disturb nests. | Eggs and babies need to be safe. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 In a nest.; 2 In a burrow.; 3 In a hive.; 4 Safety.; 5 No.. Level 2: 1 Weather and danger.; 2 A hole in the ground.; 3 Twigs, grass and leaves.. Level 3: 1 Any home.; 2 Eggs and babies need to be safe.; 3 Both give shelter; made of different things..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name animal homes | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Match an animal to its home | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say why animals need shelters | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Compare animal homes and human homes | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Animals do not need homes.” All animals need shelter.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use four animals. Match each to its home.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns that animals live in shelters such as nests and burrows. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Look for animal homes on a walk.
- Ask, “Why does it need a home?”
- Remind your child to leave nests alone.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name animal homes; match an animal to its home; say why animals need shelters; compare animal homes and human homes.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. Fallen twigs, grass and leaves, bowls, paper, crayons and pictures of animal homes. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Gather safe fallen materials. Prepare picture cards of animals and homes. Do not use real nests.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Ask, “Where does a bird sleep?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach nests, burrows, hives and shelters.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners build a model nest.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners match animals to homes.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Where does it live? How does it keep it safe?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Animals do not need homes.” All animals need shelter.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use four animals. Match each to its home. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 4, topic 8; Next Generation Science Standards, from molecules to organisms (animal structures and needs); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, animals; IB Primary Years Programme, how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.