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Poster and Teaching Guide

Grades 6–12

ELA Activities About Language • Science Activities About Ecology

F
oster your students’ sense of wonder with these creative activities
that explore the fantastic in our world, from the clues embedded in
Supplement to Scholastic Magazines. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. 661029

language that help us determine meaning…to the astounding diversity

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Photos: red-lipped batfish, © imageBROKER/Alamy; pangolin, © Mark Conlin/Alamy.

of fantastic (real-life) creatures.

Created by Scholastic and inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to

Find Them, these activities support standards and get students thinking,
interacting, and building—fantastically!

Real-Life
Fantastic
Creatures!

red-lipped pangolin
batfish

in theaters
Visit [Link]/findthefantastic for a
downloadable version of this program and more.
 teacher page

Ela Activity Instructions

activity 1: What’s in a Name?
Materials: “What’s in a Name?” Student Worksheet 1
Time Required: One 40-minute period
Essential Question: How can we use the roots
hidden in words to determine their meanings?
Directions:
1. Ask students what the word “fantastic” means.
Explain that they will explore the meanings
behind the names of fantastic beasts that
J.K. Rowling has created in the upcoming movie
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Refer to the classroom poster for examples of
“fantastic” creatures, and explain that the word
“fantasy” is hidden within the word “fantastic.”
2. Explain that many words have parts in common
that we call roots. These roots act like a code
to help us figure out what a word or name
really means. Give the example of the roots Directions:
aqua- and hydro-, meaning water. Ask students 1. Have students share some words that they use
to brainstorm words that contain these roots with their friends but they don’t think would
and what the words have in common. (Possible appear in a regular dictionary.
answers include: aquarium, aquamarine, aquatic, 2. Discuss the idea that language develops over
aqueduct; hydropower, hydrant, dehydrate. All of time and that it evolves differently in different
the words have to do with water.) locations. Ask students if they are familiar with
3. Distribute the “What’s in a Name?” Student any slang terms from other places or time
Worksheet. Discuss the names of the Thunderbird periods. Discuss how these terms may have
and the Demiguise with students. Refer to the emerged. As an example, consider the difference
classroom poster and the reproducible resource between author J.K. Rowling’s slang terms for
sheet on the back cover to model how to a non-magic person: Muggle (used in England)
systematically analyze a creature’s characteristics and No-Maj (used in the United States).
and to highlight connections between a name and 3. Distribute the “Language Through the Ages”
its meaning. Student Worksheet. Have students complete
4. If working with older students, have them the worksheet and check their answers when
brainstorm words connected to selected root they have finished.
words from the list provided on the worksheet 4. Extend students’ understanding of slang through
and/or research additional terms from these roots. one (or more) of the following activities:
5. Ask students to choose a creature or object from • Decipher: Ask students to use their new slang
the real world that they find interesting and to terms in sentences, building in context clues to
complete the activities on the worksheet. help their readers understand the term. Have
6. Invite students to swap paragraphs with a partner students swap sentences and try to decipher
and try to guess the real name of each student’s the meaning of each new slang term.
creature or object. • Define: Have students create a class dictionary
Extension: Invite students to search for these root using real and invented slang terms. Encourage
words in the names of other animals or fantastic students to follow the dictionary format,
creatures. Keep a class log. including the term, pronunciation, part of
speech, etymology, and meaning(s) of the word.
activity 2: Language Through the Ages • Compete: Provide the class with one or more
modern terms (e.g., cell phone, food delivery,
Materials: “Language Through the Ages” Student
Photo by Jaap Buitendijk

movie theater, etc.) and challenge students to

Worksheet 2
come up with the best slang term. Students can
Time Required: One 40-minute period share their possibilities and thought processes
Essential Question: How does our context—time, with the class, then vote on the most successful
place, and task—change how we use language? slang terms.
 teacher page

Science Activity Instructions

activity 3: Real-Life Fantastic Beasts
Materials: “Real-Life Fantastic Beasts” Student
Worksheet 3, Fact File Resource Sheet, classroom
poster, reference materials (online or print)
Time Required: One to two 40-minute periods
Essential Question: How do living things adapt to
survive in challenging environments?
Directions:
1. Refer to the classroom poster featuring Newt
Scamander with callouts indicating various
characteristics. Have students brainstorm traits
that Newt (and other humans) have that help
them survive.
2. Ask students what an adaptation is. An
adaptation refers to a specific trait that a
species has that allows it to better survive in 2. Explain that students will be researching how one
its environment. ecosystem, New York City, has changed over time.
Refer to the classroom poster and have students
3. Using the Fact File Resource Sheet, have brainstorm characteristics of the habitat they
students discuss different characteristics
see. What real creatures could thrive in 1920s
that the fantasy creatures from author
New York?
J.K. Rowling’s imagination exhibit. Imagine
how these characteristics might have 3. Divide students into small groups. Assign each
developed over time to help the creature group a time period in New York City’s history:
survive in a hostile world. For example, the (a) 9000 BCE (b) 1609 CE
Bowtruckle is small and resembles a tree stem (c) 1820 CE (d) 2016 CE
with roots so that it can escape predators by 4. Provide each group with the “New York City, Then
blending in with surrounding trees. and Now” Student Worksheet. Each group will
4. Distribute the “Real-Life Fantastic Beasts” research New York City’s human, animal, and plant
Student Worksheet. Direct students to use life at that time period.
science websites to research each creature’s The following resources may be helpful in
classification, the challenges it faces, and unique students’ research:
ways that it has adapted to survive. If students do
• The Welikia Project (Wildlife Conservation
not have access to technology in the classroom,
Society): [Link]
direct them to use nonfiction books.
• The Natural World of New York City (New York
5. When students have finished their research, ask
Society Library): [Link]/collection/natural
them to write a creative story describing what
-world-new-york-city
would happen if one of these real-life creatures
came to New York City. 5. Groups will showcase their discoveries by
creating a model (or scientific drawing) of New
Activity 4: New York City, Then and Now York City during their assigned time period.
Materials: “New York City, Then and Now” Student
Worksheet 4, reference materials (online or print),
6. Arrange the groups’ models in chronological
order, then have students visit each model. Ask
model-building materials (Popsicle sticks, toothpicks,
them to jot down trends that they notice.
cardboard, blocks, clay, pipe cleaners, etc.)
Required: Two 40-minute periods
7. Discuss the changes that students identified as
they moved through the different time periods in
Essential Question: How and why do ecosystems New York City’s history. Which species thrived?
change over time? Which species went extinct? How can we explain
Directions: these changes?
Photo by Jaap Buitendijk

1. Ask students to visualize their town several Extension: What will the ecosystem of New York
hundred years ago. What has changed since then? City look like in the future? Have students build an
Why? additional model to show how New York City could
change in another 100 years.
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student worksheet 1

What’s In a Name?
Names hold a lot of information—if you can decipher the meaning behind them.

What can you learn from the names of these fantastic beasts?
The A Demiguise
Thunderbird is a beast
is a bird that can
whose disguise
flapping itself using
wings can invisibility
create when it
storms. wants to.

Word roots: break the code: The study of the origin of words is called
etymology. Modern languages, including English, are filled with not-so-hidden meanings from older
languages, such as Latin and Greek. These word roots below help form many common words.

aero = air or wind cryo = freezing mut = change poly = many

ambul = move demi = half my/o = muscle pyr = fire, heat
aqu/a (hydr/o) = water dent = tooth omni = all rhin/o = nose
cap = head derm = skin osteo = bone rupt = burst
celer = fast dyn = power, energy pan = entire uni = one
chrom = color hyper = excessive ped = foot voc = voice
chrys = gold, yellow kin = motion phon = sound

Your Turn
Use the roots above to create a new name for a real animal or object.
For example, you may want to rename a kitten. Kittens are constantly moving around.
You may choose the roots hyper (excessive) +
kin (motion) to rename a kitten a hyperkin!

1. Choose an animal or object: 3. Select possible roots for its new name:

2. List its qualities: 4. Create its new name:

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Writing Challenge: On a separate sheet of paper, describe the animal or object using
only its NEW name. Include details that you find fantastic or interesting. When you have finished, swap
papers with a partner. See if you can guess each other’s animals or objects!

m ag i z o o lo gy Take the Magizoology 101 quiz to find out which fantastic beast you
have the most in common with! At [Link]/fantasticbeasts101.
Magic Animal Study
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student worksheet 2

Language
Through
the Ages
The words we use change over time since
language is always evolving. Historical slang
terms give us insight into the lives of people
In the movie Fantastic Beasts and
in past time periods. Analyze the historical Where to Find Them, set in 1926,
slang terms below to figure out their wizards use the term “No-Maj” to
meanings. Match each term to its definition. refer to a non-magical person.

1. Bee’s knees a. a 1920s term for money

2. Iron one’s shoelaces b. a 1920s term for knowing what’s going on
3. Kale c. a Victorian term for a smiling face
4. Absquatulate d. a 1920s term for the most important person
5. Know your onions e. a 1920s term for something extraordinary
6. Big cheese f. an 1800s term for leaving abruptly
7. Gigglemug g. a 1920s term for emotionally tough
8. Hard-boiled h. a 1920s term for excusing oneself for the restroom

create your own: Now it’s your turn to further evolve our language. Choose two formal
terms for items or actions that are important in modern life. Use the organizer below to develop slang
terms that could be used instead of the formal terms.

FORMAL TERM FORMAL TERM

CHARACTERISTICS CHARACTERISTICS
Photo by Jaap Buitendijk

NEW SLANG TERM NEW SLANG TERM

answer key: 1. E, 2. H, 3. A, 4. F, 5. B, 6. D, 7. C, 8. G
SPONSORED
student worksheet 3

Real-Life
Fantastic
Beasts
In the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts and
Where to Find Them, we see many magical
creatures that have adapted in fantastic
ways. Research the real-life creatures below
to discover how they, too, have adapted to
survive and thrive!

Real-Life Beasts
Species: RED-LIPPED BATFISH Species: KOMODO DRAGON

Classification: Classification:
Challenge: Challenge:

Adaptation: Adaptation:

Species: PANGOLIN Species: BASILISK LIZARD

Classification: Classification:
Challenge: Challenge:

Adaptation: Adaptation:

Species: HAIRY FROG Species: OILBIRD

Classification: Classification:
Challenge: Challenge:
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Adaptation: Adaptation:

take it further: Now choose one of the real-life creatures that you researched. On a separate
sheet of paper, write a story about what would happen if this creature came to modern New York City.
Would the creature’s characteristics help it survive or would they cause problems? Use your imagination!
 SPONSORED
student worksheet 4

New York City, Then

And Now
In the upcoming film
Fantastic Beasts and
Where to Find Them,
chaos ensues when
magical creatures
enter a new habitat—
New York City.
However, real-life
New York City
is no stranger to
change. Find out
how this habitat has
transformed over the
course of its history.

1. Research What was the ecosystem of New York City like at one point in time?
TIME PERIOD:

HUMAN POPULATION ANIMAL LIFE

HUMAN ACTIVITIES PLANT LIFE

2. build Showcase your learning for your classmates by building a model of New York
City during the time period that you studied. Be sure to include information about human,
animal, and plant life.
Photo by Jaap Buitendijk

3. Compare Observe your classmates’ models. What has changed about this
ecosystem over the years? What has remained the same? What can explain these changes?
Take notes on a separate piece of paper.
SPONSORED
student reproducible

Fantastic Beasts Fact Files

Species: Species:
THUNDERBIRD BOWTRUCKLE
Classification: Classification:
BIRD UNKNOWN
Habitat: ARID Habitat: CERTAIN
(NATIVE TO EUROPEAN
ARIZONA) FORESTS

➤ Cloud- and sun-like patterns for blending ➤ Compact height (eight inches at most) for
in with surroundings avoiding detection by predators
➤ Multiple flapping wings for creating ➤ Leafy, stem-like body for camouflage in
storms its wooded habitat
➤ Eagle-like head for being alert to ➤ Digestive system for eating insects to
danger convert into energy

Species: Species:
DEMIGUISE SWOOPING EVIL
Classification: Classification:
MAMMAL REPTILE-BUTTERFLY
Habitat: FAR EAST Habitat: UNKNOWN

➤ Teeth for biting if provoked or threatened ➤ Green spiny cocoon for protection
➤ Large, black eyes for seeing the future ➤ Mouth for sucking out enemies’ brains
➤ Long, silver hair for becoming invisible ➤ Venom for attacking predators

Are you a Demiguise in disguise?

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Or deep down, are you more like a Thunderbird?

Find out which fantastic beast you have the most in
common with through the interactive Magizoology 101
activity at: [Link]/fantasticbeasts101.
 SPONSORED

How Amazing Creatures Survive And Thrive

Neurons
for transmitting
Retinas thoughts and
for processing storing data
Etymology light into information within the brain
Connection
The word
“wizard” comes
from the Hinged Jaw
word “wise.” for chewing,
Cochlea
for hearing
communicating, and
sound waves
casting spells
and detecting
approaching
beasts
Opposable
Thumb
for grasping a wand
and other objects

Jointed Legs
for efficient
locomotion and
balance

Real-Life Fantastic Beasts

Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures, Photos: red-lipped batfish, © imageBROKER/Alamy; pangolin, © Mark Conlin/Alamy.
SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Red-Lipped Pangolin
Batfish
Which adaptations allow these real-life animals
to thrive in their environments?