GRADE
LEVEL AND CONTENT AREA:
K/Science Living v.
Non-living (Foss Tree Kit plus literature)
J
In
this unit you will be exploring living and non living objects and learning the
characteristics that determine the appropriate status. You will be touching
upon some habitats that things or objects occupy. This unit is a combination of
lessons and the Foss tree kit. Please feel FREE to expand or adjust as you see
necessary.
STANDARDS
AND INDICATORS (LISTED BY
NUMBER):
A. 6. Describe the characteristics that
distinguish living from non-living things.
A. 4.
Describe the similarities and differences in the appearance and behaviors of
plants, birds, fish, insects and mammals (including humans).
KEY SCIENCE
VOCABULARY: classify, reproduction, offspring, characteristics,
reptile, insect, mammal
CONCEPTS:
Need To know about …
v
Difference
(characteristics) between living and non-living things.
v
Use of
Venn and other various diagrams and chart to sort information and compare and
contrast information. (use the diagrams and charts already using in math and
literature)
SKILLS:
Be able to do:
Ø
Communicate
through words, illustrations, and/or diagrams what makes something living.
Ø
Communicate
through words, illustrations, and/or diagrams what makes something non-living.
Ø
Compare
and contrast living between living and non-living things.
Ø
Use a
Venn diagram or other organizers to make comparisons and contrasts.
Ø Communicate using appropriate
vocabulary.
Misconceptions:
Ø
Movement
means that an object physically moves from one spot to another or that wind,
human, or weather forces count as movement. (An object can have internal
movement-blood, liquids, sap…)
Ø
Excretion
means pooping or peeing. (it just means to get rid of something that the thing
does not need)
Ø
Something
is living if it meets most of the characteristics. (ALL must be met)
Big
Ideas:
Living and non-living things have 7 (or six) characteristics
that make something living. (There is debate over exactly how many and you can
discuss this with the children. It
is important that children understand that science is changing and that not
everyone always agrees. You can
discuss how experiments and research are used to help scientist prove and
disprove hypothesizes. These
conversations can help your children realize that someday they might be able to
prove or disprove something in the world.
It might also help open the world of science and exploration for some of
your students struggling in school.
To be classified as living ALL characteristics MUST be
met.
The Characteristics are.
1.
Feeding-all
organisms need to obtain substances to obtain energy, to grow and stay healthy.
**2.
Movement-all
organisms show movement of one kind or another. All living organisms have
internal movement, which means that they have the ability of moving substances
from one part of their body to another.
Some living organisms show external movement as well- they can move from
place to place by walking, flying or swimming.
3. Breathing
or Respiration-All
living things exchange gases with their environment. Animals take in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.
4. Excretion-Excretion is the removal of waste
from the body. If this waste was
allowed to remain in the body it could be poisonous. Humans produce liquid waste called urine. We also excrete waste when we breathe
out. All living things need to
remove waste from their bodies.
**5. Growth-When living things feed they gain
energy. Some of this energy is
used in growth. Living things
become larger and more complicated as they grow.
**6. Sensitivity- Living this react to changes
around them. We react to touch,
light, heat, cold and sound, as do other living things.
**7. Reproduction- All living thing produce
young. Humans make babies, cats
produce kittens, and pigeons lay eggs.
Plants also reproduce. Many
make seeds which can germinate and grow into new plants.
All taken from
www.saburchill.com/chapters/chap0001.html
Things can be compared and contrasted using
characteristics such as appearances, behaviors, habitats, etc.
Cumulative
questions:
How can you tell if an object is
living or non-living?
What
makes any group similar/alike (I.e. birds, dogs, mammals) and what makes them
different?
How
are we (humans) like other living and non-living objects?
ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT:
What characteristics make something
living?
What
characteristics make something non-living?
What
characteristics are and how can they be properly/appropriately applied and
compared.
TOPICS
OR CONTEXT: (WHAT YOU WILL USE TO TEACH CONCEPTS AND SKILL-PARTICULAR UNIT,
LESSONS, ACTIVITIES)
Lessons
behind
Literature
from K curriculum
Foss Tree
Kit
General can
be applied to all lessons and final unit assessment:
Rubric:
Star or Sticker |
Smiley Face |
Blah Face |
Was able to complete worksheet on own. Can verbalize using correct vocabulary. Work or answers are correct. |
Need some support to answer questions or complete worksheets. Not using vocabulary correctly, but using appropriate vocabulary. |
Needed help completing worksheets, unable to answer questions. Does not use appropriate vocabulary. Unable to differentiate between living and non-living objects. |
Lesson Plan Outline for Living /Non-Living Unit
Lesson |
Objective/Purpose |
Goal |
|
Done |
1 |
Introduce 7 Characteristics of all living things. |
Students and teacher will brainstorm and then create a poster of the 7 characteristics of living things. The poster will serve as a reference for the rest of the unit. |
|
|
2 |
Reinforce/review the 7 characteristics of all living things |
Students will classify/sort objects/pictures into the proper groups (lt and nlt). Students will be able to verbally communicate what makes and object living or non-living. |
|
|
3 |
Animals K-curriculum literature: In a Nest (Unit 4) |
Students learn about a variety of animals in their habitat from a book .The students will create a T graph of living and non-living objects from the literature. |
|
|
4 |
Animals living K-curriculum literature: A Trip to the Zoo (Unit 4) |
Students will be exposed to more animals and their habitats. The students will create a book of habitats that contain both living and non-living objects. |
|
|
5 |
Plants K-curriculum literature: How a Seed Grows (Unit 4). |
Students learn about the parts of the plants using the literature. Students will create a plant and label the parts. |
|
|
6 |
Insects K-curriculum book- Are You a Ladybug? |
Students learn about insects including a discussion of how insects met the 7 Characteristics of living things. |
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|
7 |
Trees Foss kit Activity 1 parts 1 and 2 |
Looking at Schoolyard Trees and A Tree Comes to Class. Plus 3 extension/center activities (parts 3, 4, 5 and 6). Tree- silhouette cards, tree-part cards, tree-part booklet. |
|
|
8 |
Trees Foss Kit Activity 1 parts 7 and 8 |
Adopt Schoolyard Tree and Plant a Class Tree Can continue extensions from above. |
|
|
9 |
Trees Foss Kit Activity 2 parts 1 and 3 |
Leaf Walk and Comparing Leaves. Plus extensions/centers (parts 2, 4, 5,6) |
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10 |
Trees Foss Kit Activity 2 part 7 |
Our Very Own Tree. Can continue extensions from above. |
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