UNit 1 Animal and Plant Defenses
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1st Grade Science Units
Animal and Plant Defenses
Earth is inhabited by a staggering variety of animals and plants, with incredible variation in size, shape, color and parts. How does each of these kinds of living things continue to survive? How do their offspring survive? What does their survival have to do with the nearly endless variation we observe among living things? All living things must meet their basic survival needs, including getting food, water, and oxygen, and avoiding being eaten by other animals. The body parts (structures) of animals and plants function in ways that enable living things to meet their survival needs. Understanding how structures help organisms and their offspring meet survival needs serves as a foundation for future learning about adaptations, inheritance, genetics, natural selection, and evolution.
Light and Sound
During the study of light and sound waves students will develop their science skills through inquiry, prediction, observation, exploration, discussion and recording. These lessons focus on students collaboratively problem solving, discovering and investigating to find answers and solutions. They will answer questions such as; What happens when materials vibrate? What objects can be used to communicate over a distance? What happens when light is blocked or when materials of different kinds are placed in the path of a beam of light? Each lesson includes science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts which are a part of Next Generation Science Standards.
Spinning Earth
Humans live their lives according to patterns. Mealtimes, school and work hours, and bedtime and wake-up time are all daily cycles that are tied to the pattern of the sun’s position in the sky. Students explore what the sky looks like during the daytime and the nighttime. They examine Earth as a round, ball-shaped planet and develop an understanding of the orientation of Earth and the sun in space, allowing them to figure out that daytime and nighttime are the result of Earth facing or not facing the sun. Students explore the position of the sun in the sky throughout the day and notice the arc-like pattern that the sun makes in the sky during the daytime. They explore what they see in the sky at sunset, closely examining the change from daytime to nighttime. They gather data that shows that these patterns repeat from one day to the next in an ongoing cycle. Students develop an understanding that Earth is always spinning to explain these patterns.
Earth is inhabited by a staggering variety of animals and plants, with incredible variation in size, shape, color and parts. How does each of these kinds of living things continue to survive? How do their offspring survive? What does their survival have to do with the nearly endless variation we observe among living things? All living things must meet their basic survival needs, including getting food, water, and oxygen, and avoiding being eaten by other animals. The body parts (structures) of animals and plants function in ways that enable living things to meet their survival needs. Understanding how structures help organisms and their offspring meet survival needs serves as a foundation for future learning about adaptations, inheritance, genetics, natural selection, and evolution.
Light and Sound
During the study of light and sound waves students will develop their science skills through inquiry, prediction, observation, exploration, discussion and recording. These lessons focus on students collaboratively problem solving, discovering and investigating to find answers and solutions. They will answer questions such as; What happens when materials vibrate? What objects can be used to communicate over a distance? What happens when light is blocked or when materials of different kinds are placed in the path of a beam of light? Each lesson includes science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts which are a part of Next Generation Science Standards.
Spinning Earth
Humans live their lives according to patterns. Mealtimes, school and work hours, and bedtime and wake-up time are all daily cycles that are tied to the pattern of the sun’s position in the sky. Students explore what the sky looks like during the daytime and the nighttime. They examine Earth as a round, ball-shaped planet and develop an understanding of the orientation of Earth and the sun in space, allowing them to figure out that daytime and nighttime are the result of Earth facing or not facing the sun. Students explore the position of the sun in the sky throughout the day and notice the arc-like pattern that the sun makes in the sky during the daytime. They explore what they see in the sky at sunset, closely examining the change from daytime to nighttime. They gather data that shows that these patterns repeat from one day to the next in an ongoing cycle. Students develop an understanding that Earth is always spinning to explain these patterns.
NExt generation Science Standards
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade begin to develop an understanding of the four disciplinary core ideas: physical sciences; life sciences; earth and space sciences; and engineering, technology, and applications of science. In the earlier grades, students begin by recognizing patterns and formulating answers to questions about the world around them. The performance expectations in elementary school grade bands develop ideas and skills that will allow students to explain more complex phenomena in the four disciplines as they progress to middle school and high school. While the performance expectations shown in kindergarten through fifth grade couple particular practices with specific disciplinary core ideas, instructional decisions should include use of many practices that lead to the performance expectations.
1-PS4-1 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.
1-PS4-2 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated.
1-PS4-3 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
1-PS4-4 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance.*
1-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.*
1-LS1-2 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.
1-LS3-1 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
1-ESS1-1 Earth's Place in the Universe
Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
1-ESS1-2 Earth's Place in the Universe
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.
2-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
2-PS1-2 Matter and Its Interactions
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
2-PS1-3 Matter and Its Interactions
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made of a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object.
2-PS1-4 Matter and Its Interactions
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.
2-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
2-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.*
2-LS4-1 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
2-ESS1-1 Earth's Place in the Universe
Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly.
2-ESS2-1 Earth's Systems
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.*
2-ESS2-2 Earth's Systems
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.
2-ESS2-3 Earth's Systems
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.
K-2-ETS1-1 Engineering Design
Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
K-2-ETS1-2 Engineering Design
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
K-2-ETS1-3 Engineering Design
Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
K-2-ETS1-3 Engineering Design
Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.
1-PS4-2 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated.
1-PS4-3 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
1-PS4-4 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance.*
1-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.*
1-LS1-2 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.
1-LS3-1 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
1-ESS1-1 Earth's Place in the Universe
Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
1-ESS1-2 Earth's Place in the Universe
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.
2-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
2-PS1-2 Matter and Its Interactions
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
2-PS1-3 Matter and Its Interactions
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made of a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object.
2-PS1-4 Matter and Its Interactions
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.
2-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
2-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.*
2-LS4-1 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
2-ESS1-1 Earth's Place in the Universe
Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly.
2-ESS2-1 Earth's Systems
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.*
2-ESS2-2 Earth's Systems
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.
2-ESS2-3 Earth's Systems
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.
K-2-ETS1-1 Engineering Design
Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
K-2-ETS1-2 Engineering Design
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
K-2-ETS1-3 Engineering Design
Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
K-2-ETS1-3 Engineering Design
Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
This two week long, interdisciplinary research project was first developed when I brought our pet turtles "Sam" to live in room 105. We began with a Social and Emotional lesson on empathy (we really have to respect the turtles' desire for peace and quiet) after making a quick list of what we already knew about a turtle's character. We extended this activity into a K-W-L chart. That helped the students articulate what they KNOW, what they WANT to know and and the end of our research what they have LEARNED. We categorized our questions (see photo) about the turtles and found out that the class was primarily interested in learning about turtle anatomy or the turtle's body. We then embarked on weeks of research, writing and rewriting learning the writing process for our non-fiction reports about our class pets. Be on the lookout for your student's final draft in their homework folder!