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Elementary Science Kindergarten Unit 1
Subject: Science
Grade: Kindergarten
Timeline: 12 Weeks
Unit Title: Structure and Function
Unit Overview:In this unit, students engage in scientific inquiry. They observe and describe the properties, similarities, differences, and seasonal changes of trees and leaves in the schoolyard. They compare the shapes of leaves to geometric shapes and compare the size and edges of leaves, using a reference card. Students acquire the vocabulary associated with the properties and structures of trees and leaves. In addition they use drawings and oral language to describe observations.
Unit Objectives:The objectives in this unit are to apply the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Crosscutting concepts that bridge disciplinary boundaries, uniting core ideas throughout the fields of science and engineering.Patterns:Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed, used to describe phenomena, and used as evidence.Structure and Function:The shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their functions.
Focus Standards:PSSA Eligible Content:S4.B.1.1.1: Identify life processes of living things (e.g., growth, digestion, respiration).S4.B.1.1.3: Describe basic needs of plants and animals (e.g.,air, water, food).
S4.B.1.1.4: Describe how different parts of a of a living thing work together to provide what the organism needs (e.g., parts of plants: roots, stems, leaves).
S4.B.1.1.5: Describe the life cycles of different organisms (e.g., moth, grasshopper, frog, seed producing plant).
S4.B3.1.2: Describe interactions between living and nonliving components (e.g., plants - water, soil, sunlight, carbon dioxide, temperature; animals - food, water, shelter, oxygen, temperature) of a local ecosystem.
NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas:LS1.A: Structure and Function. All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water and air. Plants also have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow.
LS1.D: Information Processing. Animals have body parts that capture and convey different kinds of information needed for growth and survival. Animals respond to these inputs with behaviors that help them survive. Plants also respond to some external inputs.Concepts - Students will know:- the four seasons.
- that organisms can be grouped based on their characteristics.
Competencies -Students will be able to:- describe the four seasons.
- describe seasonal change (e.g. by identifying seasonal pictures in sequence).
- group organisms by physical characteristics (i.e. color, shape, size, shape, and texture).
Assessments:Formative Assessments:- Pre-assessment
- Science Notebooks
- Teacher observation
- Student drawings
Summative Assessments:- Performance tasks
- Post-assessment
Elements of Instruction:Analyzing and Interpreting Data: Analyzing data in K-2 builds on prior experiences and progresses to collecting, recording, and sharing observations.- Use observations (firsthand or from media) to describe patterns in the natural world in order to answer scientific questions.
Differentiation:Each lesson has differentiation options for each portion of the lesson.- Word walls and flip charts
- Structured notebooks
- Peer teaching
- Self-check activities (e.g.,tree puzzles and leaf matching).
Extensions:
- Make a tree-observation class book
- Hang and measure tree-circumference strings
- Make leaf rubbings
- Make a leaf shape bar graph
- Make a food-from-trees center
- Watch for life in trees
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Additional Resources / Games:Science Literacy Resource KitNational Audubon Society First Field Guide: TreesBy: Brian Cassie Scholastic, New York 1999Tree HomesGreat explorations in Math and Science, Lawrence Hall of Science , Berkeley, CA. 1993Autumn LeavesBy: Ken Robbins Scholastic Press, New York, 1998