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Running head: GRADE ONE UNIT PLAN 1

Grade One Unit Plan: Needs and Characteristics of Living Things

Ashley Young and Becky Murray

University of Regina

Catherine Hart

ESCI 302

NEEDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS 2

Theme: Life Science: Needs and Characteristics of Living Things

Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson One: Living vs. Non-Living

Date: Fall

Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: Two 45 Minute sessions

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: Reading “What’s Alive” by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld will engage the students and a song about living things will be sung. Exploring: The students will be exploring and examining the outside environment. Magnifying glasses will be provided if students want a closer look.Explaining: The students are coming up with characteristics of living things and non-living things and the teacher will further explain characteristics that they missed.Elaborating: The students will make connections to “What’s Alive” by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld. They will also connect the content to past experiences.Evaluating: The students will develop a basic understanding of what makes something a living thing Lesson Purpose: This lesson will introduce the topic of living things. The students will be able to distinguish what is living and what is not living by examining their general characteristics. They will be introduced to their Science journals and understand that they will be recording data throughout the unit. They will understand what the term “environment” means and they will also start to understand the importance of caring for the environment.

About / In / For the environment: - in = having students engaged in learning experiences when they are physically out in a natural or setting outside of the classroom and that is related to what they are learning- for = The students will be told that the outside environment must be treated with care. They will understand that pulling out a flower, pulling leaves off a tree, killing bugs, etc. will not be tolerated. The teacher will make sure that the students are recycling the paper that they use in each lesson.

Outcomes & Indicators: LT1.1: b,c,d,l LT1.2: h, k

Content Background - Characteristics of Living things:

1. Grow2. Move3. Take in Energy (Food)


4. Make Waste5. Reproduce6. Breathe7. React to Things

Processes Developed: Guessing: Students will guess whether something is living or not.Classifying: The class will identify what is living and what is not living and give some reasoning behind their classificationOrganizing: The living/non-living things will be organized into a chartRecording: The chart will be recorded in the students’ Science journalsCommunicating: The students will discuss why they think things are living or not with each other and the teacher

Adaptive Dimension: - If a child is in a wheelchair, the teacher should make sure that the playground or other

outside area is wheelchair accessible.- This lesson may need to be adapted if the students are not dressed appropriately for the

weather.- If students take particular interest in certain living things, the lesson could be more

centered on those particular things.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Thinking:

- Think and Learn Contextually:o The students will be identifying things they already know exist, like trees for

example, and they will be doing something new with these things by classifying them into categories.

o The students will also reflect on their own experiences with things they find outside.

- Think and Learn Creatively:o Getting the students to go outside and explore sparks their curiosity about the

environment.o The students will experiment with guessing by trying to categorize the things

they see.o Drawings, charts and observations will be recorded in their Science journals.

- Think and Learn Critically:o The students will be analyzing briefly how humans, animals and plants look

like. They will also talk about their experiences with living things outside.o The class will discuss their different opinions on why they think something is

living or not.o The criteria of what makes something living will be discussed and it will be

recorded in their journal.

Identity and Interdependence:- Understand, value, and care for oneself


o A positive self-identity will result in lessons about respecting the environment because they will learn about caring for other living things.

o Self-regulation and acting with integrity will be valued by teaching the students about how pulling a plant from the ground is not respectful or something similar that relates to the environment.

o The students will be self-reliant because they are responsible for recording information for their own science journal.

o Personal commitment will be shown by participation in the lesson.- Understand, value, and care for others

o Open-mindedness will be demonstrated by valuing each and every student’s opinion or idea.

o If a student is from a different place than Saskatchewan, encourage them to share the different things that they have seen outside.

- Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability

o Explaining that life outside will not be alive if we do not respect and care for the environment. The actions of humans can sometimes hurt the living things.

Literacies:- Construct knowledge related to various literacies.

o Conversation is a big part of the lesson and each and every student’s voice will be acknowledged if they choose to.

o There will be different ways to show literacy in the lesson: words and drawings in their Science journals, participation in activities, and voicing an opinion.

o The students will show literacy based on the knowledge learned in the lessono Part of the information in this lesson will come from being in an outside

environment.o “What’s Alive?” will be read.

- Explore and interpret the world using various literacies o The students will be recording information and experiments in their Science

journals. Words and artistic renditions will be included.- Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies

o The students will express their understanding of living things by doing hands on activities, having conversations and recording information in their Science journals.

o Proper vocabulary will be used in the class: living, non-living and environment.

Social Responsibility:- Use moral reasoning processes

o Teaching the students how to respect the environment will encourage them to be more careful and respecting in the future. These skills can apply to the respect you show for others, animals and plants.

o A big part of this lesson is learning about respecting the environment. This lesson might also encourage students to educate others on the importance of respect.

- Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue


o Speaking, listening and reflecting will all be utilized by the students. When someone is sharing an idea, the students are expected to listen and reflect on their own opinions or experiences.

o All questions and opinions will be answered and clarified. - Take social action

o In case a student is too shy to put up their hand, the teacher will ask students individually to make sure they understand.

o The teacher will strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds.

Interdisciplinary Connections: Fine Arts: The students will draw things they see outside in their journals.Math: We will count the things we find and we will count how many of those things fit into each category.Physical Education: The students will be outside running around to find living and non-living things.Language Arts: The students will write a few sentences about what they learned that day.

Prerequisite Learnings: - This lesson will provide prerequisite learning to future lessons in this unit.

Materials / Equipment: - Hula hoops- Science Journals- Magnifying glasses- “What’s Alive” by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

- “Is It Living?” worksheet

A full version of this book is available at http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780064451321 and you can request for it at the Regina Public Library.


http://www.mrcollinson.ca/1%20science/living%20things/1_science_living_things_is_it_living.pdf

Advanced Preparation: - Provide each student with a notebook to write their science observations in.- Have the song written on the board or on a large piece of paper for the students to see.- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs

before teaching the lesson.

Lesson ProcedureENGAGEMENT

– The teacher will gather the students to sit and listen to the book “What’s Alive” by Kathleen Weidner Zoefeld to engage the students and to introduce the subject of living things. They will discuss what they think they know, how they know this and what they wonder about living things. The students will then learn a song about living things and sing it to the tune of Frere Jacques:

o It is living!It is living!I know why!I know why!It eats and breathes and growsIt eats and breathes and grows It’s alive!It’s alive!

From: http://firstgradewow.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pets-rock-especially-non-living-ones.html– After that basic introduction, the students will be going outside, which will capture their

attention and initiate their natural curiosity.


EXPLORATION, EXPLANATION AND ELABORATION

Exploration – After reading the story, the teacher will bring the students outside on the playground.

Before going out, the teacher will explain that they cannot pull plants out of the ground or off branches or bushes. They will then go outside and pick up anything that they find interesting. Magnifying glasses will be provided to those students who want a closer look at things. They will put their findings into a hula-hoop. Once everyone is done finding things, the class will get together and the teacher will ask the students to put all the living things into one hula-hoop and the non-living things in another hula-hoop. The teacher will ask them why they think the things in the first hula-hoop are living and why the others are non-living. Ask the students if they saw anything that was in “What’s Alive?”.

Explanation – The teacher will explain the characteristics of living things: they grow, move, eat, make

waste, reproduce, breathe, and react to things. The class will look at different pictures of things and they will determine whether they are living or not, based on the 7 characteristics of living things. A worksheet will be provided that asks questions like, “Does it move?,” “Can it grow?”, “Can it get energy?”, “Will it be able to reproduce?”, “Can it make waste?”, “Can it breathe?” and “Can it react to things?”. They will check off the boxes on the chart that apply to that thing. They will then cut out the images provided and glue those things in the correct column on the living/non-living things chart.

Elaboration – The students will reflect on past experiences with living things. Listening to others’

experiences may spark curiosity about things they have not seen before.

EVALUATION- The students will develop a basic understanding of what makes something a living

thing. They will look at the things we discussed and know that they are living and that is a common characteristic of between humans, animals and plants. The class will also develop respect for the environment and realize that we must treat it with care.

Extensions /Modifications:- If a child is in a wheelchair, the teacher needs to make sure that the playground or area

is wheelchair accessible. If a child is not dressed appropriately for the weather, the lesson can be changed to be inside. If the students take particular interest in certain things, the lesson can focus more on those points.

- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment:The students will write the characteristics of living things in their Science journals. They will create a living/non-living chart and choose one living thing and one non-living thing and explain


why they know that it is living or non-living.

Student’s

names

Student explained at least one

characteristic of a living thing

Student gave an example of a living thing

Student gave an example of a

non living thing

Student explained how they know why the non-living thing

is not living

Student A _________ _________ _________ _________

Student B _________ _________ _________ _________

Student C _________ _________ _________ _________

Resources:- “Is It Living” Worksheet: http://www.mrcollinson.ca/1%20science/living%20things/1_

science_living_things_is_it_living.pdf- “It is Living!” poem/song: http://firstgradewow.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pets-rock-

especially-non-living-ones.html



Lesson Number and Title: -Lesson Two “Human Body Exploration”

Date: Any time of year. Unit fits best at the end of fall and beginning of winter.

Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 45 minutes

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The class will be engaged in the learning process by going to separate stations, and by working with a partner to better understand their characteristics as human beings. The teacher will also explain what a physical characteristic is prior to the students exploration of the stations.Exploring: The class will explore how their bodies and their senses work. This can occur after or before the class has done their Health unit on the human senses. It can either introduce or summarize the important topic of human senses, but is also tied to human characteristics. Explaining: The teacher will explain the term physical characteristic, as well as difference between each of the senses and describe some of the basic ways our bodies work. The students will be explaining to a partner what they see while observing one another.Evaluating: The teacher will be able to evaluate the prior knowledge the students have and what they have learned by listening to their questions and comments during the exercise. Lesson Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to engage students in an activity of self- discovery about how the body works, as well as how their five senses work. The class will learn what the term physical characteristic means so that they can relate this term to what they are exploring during the lesson. This lesson lays a foundation of what we know about ourselves, which will later be compared to animal and plant life.

About / In / For the environment: -about = The class will learn about themselves and how we use our senses and our bodies, which relates to how we treat the environment. -in =The class is not out in a natural setting, although the lesson could be adapted to take place in an outdoor setting. -for =Throughout the lesson the class will learn the importance of respecting oneself as a unique and important being. This attitude should be transferable to the child’s outlook on the environment.

Outcomes & Indicators: Outcome: LT1: 1 Indicators: d, e.

Content Background: The teacher must first explain the term physical characteristic. Physical characteristics are the characteristics that we can see in one another and that make each of us unique. We all share common physical characteristics, such as having eyes, but some of us have


blue eyes and some of us have green, or brown eyes etc. that make each of us unique. As a teacher, one must be prepared for a vast amount of questions and comments regarding what is observed throughout the lesson, as well as what the student’s still do not understand. Prior to the children taking part in the activity, the teacher must be prepared to explain the following concepts of what body parts we use to: write our name, play hopscotch, see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. These concepts are not necessarily complicated but the teacher must be prepared to keep the class focused on the task at hand. The teacher may want to have a parent helper come in to assist at some of the stations. -The lesson will begin when the teacher explains to the class that the students will be learning more about themselves as living beings. - The teacher will then explain that they will go with a partner to each of the seven stations and use the objects to do the tasks written on paper at each station.-After every group has done each of the activities, the teacher will seat the class to discuss what they learned at each station.-Questions can include: What part of your body do you write with? How many of you write with your left hand and how many write with your right hand? When you played hopscotch, what body part did you use to move and what action did you do to move? What had a smooth texture and which had a rough texture? What did you smell, was it pleasant? What do you think you tasted? Which taste did you prefer? Could you hear a quiet sound of the ocean in the seashell? Did the Rain stick sound like a rainy day? Did you find all of the hidden items? Do you understand what the term physical characteristic means?

Processes Developed: The class will participate in the following processes:Classifying: What each station is intended for them to learn, is it a hearing or seeing station?Communicating: The class will be working in partners so they must communicate to understand what they are learning about themselves at each station.

Adaptive Dimension: This lesson may need to be adapted to meet the needs of children who are sensory impaired in any way. For example, a student that has a physical disability may not be able to play hopscotch, so the teacher should have another way of demonstrating body movement that includes everyone, such as clapping hands to a song. A student that is seeing impaired may be asked to use a visual aid on a larger scale so they can still participate. A hearing impaired student’s needs will need to be met by having a sound demonstration so that they can understand the concept of hearing. A student with dietary needs will need to be supervised and the lesson may need to be changed to offer another taste that does not interfere. If the teacher decides to do this lesson in an outdoor setting, the teacher must ensure that any students with wheelchair needs have appropriate accessibility. For any students that require a wheelchair, the teacher must ensure that there is adequate accessibility and space for the student to participate in the lesson safely and effectively. The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson. Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s):

Thinking Think and Learn Contextually:


-The students will reflect on what they have learned previously about their senses, if they have already taken this part of the curriculum. -The students will also reflect on the ways that their body’s work, which they may have previously taken for, granted, or not thought about in great detail. Think and Learn Creatively:-The students will be able to engage in self-discovery in a creative way by going to each of the stations and doing the task asked of them.-They will be able to use their bodies and their senses in creative ways while they discover that their tongue detects taste, their ears detect sound, their eyes detect sight, they can feel different textures, their noses can detect scent, their hands are used for writing, and their legs can be used to jump during hopscotch. Think and Learn Critically: -The students will need to think beyond what they do in their daily life and focus more deeply on the subjects and questions during this lesson. They will also have to think beyond this when they find the hidden objects throughout the classroom.Identity and Interdependence-Understand, value, and care for oneself: -By discovering what their five senses are, as well as how their bodies work, the children should be able to understand the importance of caring for themselves and seeing value in their unique identity. -The students should gain an understanding about how important it is to care of themselves because, without their senses or their basic body functions, like being able to write and jump, their lives would be entirely different. -Understand, value, and care for others:-The children will be put into pairs for this lesson, which should teach them to appreciate other people; regardless of how similar or different they are from us. -They should also learn to care for others because we are not all the same and people may have certain impairments, which means that some things may be harder for them to do, such as jumping, writing or hearing. -Strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds. -Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability: -They will learn to see beyond themselves and see that they are part of a larger picture, which means we must see the value in ourselves and in others. -The children are learning directly about their self-identity and how they can function in society. They will understand the importance of each of the five senses and how different parts of their body serve an important purpose. Literacies-Construct knowledge related to various literacies:-The class will be engaging in listening literacy where they are asked to fulfill the task of going to each station.-They will be engaging in literacy throughout the conversations they share with their partners and the teacher about what they discover at each station. -Explore and interpret the world using various literacies:-This lesson engages the students in conversation literacy about themselves and others, which can become part of their interpretation of the world around them. -Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:


-The students will express their understanding of the concepts of the five senses and body parts studied through engagement in the activities at each of the stations. -They will communicate with their partner and with the teacher if there is an aspect of the lesson they do no understand. Social Responsibility-Uses moral Reasoning processes:-This lesson allows the students to use moral reasoning because they will have to collaborate in a fair way with a partner going through the stations.-The children will also demonstrate moral reasoning during the lesson because they will need to demonstrate self-control and sharing at each of the stations. -Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:-They will be engaged in partnerships with each other throughout the activity and will learn that other people’s interpretations of things are important and can help them to form their own ideas and opinions about certain subjects. -Take Social Action: -The children will learn about social responsibility during this lesson because they will learn to appreciate what they are capable of, and will gain a new understanding of how we can live harmoniously within society by having healthy relationships with our peers. Interdisciplinary Connections: This lesson also connects to Health, because the five senses are introduced. It also incorporates Social Studies because the class will be learning that we are all different, but we share a number of similarities as well, which is part of the larger Indigenous concept of being different, but still being connected. The children may also engage in some Mathematics during the lesson as they may practice counting certain body parts, for example “I have two eyes and one nose.”

Prerequisite Learning: - Prior to this lesson, the class needs to have an established understanding of the difference between living and non-living things (Lesson 1).

Materials / Equipment: - Scent vials, seashells, Rain Stick, salt, sugar, chalk, sand paper, rice, hopscotch outlined by masking tape, Science journals, hidden items (small toy solider, a penny, a magnet, a paper clip and a red scarf).

Advanced Preparation: -Set up stations with objects for body exploration activity.- Station #1. Writing name on chalkboard. What part of the body are you using? -Station #2. Play Hopscotch. What part of the body are you using?-Station #3 Scent. Differentiate between a pretty smell versus an unpleasant scent.-Station #4 Texture. Differentiate between a rough texture (sandpaper) and a smooth texture (rice). -Station #5 Taste station. Differentiate between a sweet taste and a salty taste.-Station #6 Hearing station. What can you hear in the seashell? Does it sound like waves hitting the shore? Does the Rain Stick remind you of something?-Station #7 Seeing station. Could you find any of the objects hidden in the classroom? (These objects will be listed on the chalkboard and include a small toy solider, a penny, a magnet, a


paper clip and a red scarf).

Lesson Procedure

ENGAGEMENT – The students will be engaged throughout the entire lesson. The lesson begins with a short introduction to the subject, and the students are then given instruction of how to go through the stations. Following this, the students will be engaged in the lesson by going through seven stations, in pairs, exploring how their bodies work and what their five senses are.


Exploration – This entire lesson is about student-based exploration. The children will explore different aspects about themselves that they may not have previously considered important. The student’s will further develop their skills by working collaboratively at self-discovery. They will work in pairs to go through each of the five stations. They will also explore different aspects of the classroom as they search for hidden objects.

Explanation -Prior to the lesson, the teacher will explain what the term physical characteristics means. She will explain that we all have similar features, but our physical characteristics, such as our eye color and hair color, makes each of us unique. The teacher will also explain what will take place at each of the seven stations, as well as what the five senses are and how we must use them safely and effectively during the lesson as well as in our daily lives. This lesson is all about self-discovery so it is not necessary for the teacher to tell the students everything about the lesson prior to the activity, but to give a brief overview instead. -To ensure the students understand why they are doing the activity, the teacher will continuously question the students about what they are seeing, doing and what they do not understand. Elaboration –Following the lesson, the teacher will engage the class in a discussion and answer any further questions that arose from going through the stations. The teacher will then elaborate on what the class has done with a discussion regarding each of the stations and by asking them the following questions: - Station #1. Writing name on chalkboard. What part of the body are you using? -Station #2. Play Hopscotch. What part of the body are you using?-Station #3 Scent. Could you differentiate between a pretty scent versus an unpleasant scent?-Station #4 Texture. Could you differentiate between a rough texture (sandpaper) and a smooth texture (rice)? -Station #5 Taste station. Were you able to differentiate between a sweet taste and a salty taste?-Station #6 Hearing station. What can you hear in the seashell? Does it sound like waves hitting the shore? Does the Rain Stick remind you of something?-Station #7 Seeing station. Could you find any of the objects hidden in the classroom? (These objects will be listed on the chalkboard and include a small toy solider, a penny, a magnet, a paper clip and a red scarf).


EVALUATION-The students will gain a basic understanding of the term physical characteristic as well as what

each of the five senses and some of their body parts are capable of doing. They should then be able to use this knowledge as they learn more about needs, wants and characteristics of animals and humans. If the children do not seem to understand the concept of the five senses as well as how their bodies function, the teacher may consider looking at another activity that discusses this concept in a different way, such as through an engaging game or video, which are suggested in the resource file. One website that may be utilized for this lesson could be the self -portrait book from the Super Paper Bag Books teacher workbook.

Reference: Lanczak Williams, Rozanne. (2004). Super Paper Bag Books. U.S.A: Scholastic Inc.

Extensions /Modifications:-This lesson may need to be adapted to meet the needs of children that are sensory impaired in any way. For example, a student that has a physical disability may not be able to play hopscotch, so the teacher should have another way of demonstrating body movement that includes everyone. A student that is seeing impaired may be asked to use a visual aid on a larger scale so they can still participate. A hearing impaired student’s needs will need to be met by having a sound demonstration that they can hear or a way for them to understand the concept of hearing. A student with dietary needs will need to be supervised and the lesson may need to be changed to offer another food that does not interfere. Using an engaging game or video if the students still do not have a grasp on the five senses and the basic functions of their bodies can extend the lesson. For any students that require a wheelchair, the teacher must ensure that there is adequate accessibility and space for the student to participate in the lesson safely and effectively.- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment: -No formal assessment is required at this time. The teacher will have a better understanding of what the children now understand and what they still need to have further learning experiences in, for later lessons. This lesson lays the foundation for the lessons that follow and will begin to give the children the scaffolding they require to learn more about the characteristics of living things.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing:-The children will be connected to the importance of respecting and caring for oneself. This lesson also incorporates an Indigenous way of knowing because it connects the students to themselves, which is necessary in respecting everything else in theirs lives, including both living and non-living things. Please see “The Eight Aboriginal Ways of Knowing” at the end of this unit plan for further information.

How does this lesson relate to environmental education?


-This lesson may not relate directly to environmental education but by understanding their capabilities, they will learn to respect not only themselves, but also the natural environment around them.

Resources:

Website:

Grade 1 Science. (1999). Manitoba Education and Training, 1.2 – 1.16 http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/science/found/kto4/full_doc.pdf



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Three “Human Needs vs. Wants”


Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 45 minutes

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved:-Engaging: The class will engage in a discussion about needs and wants as well as read a poem together. The class will also begin their life Science bulletin board (see document attached to this lesson). -Exploring: They will explore different items and classify them as needs or wants. -Explaining: The teacher will explain the difference between a need and a want.-Elaborating: The topic can be elaborated upon by looking further into the student’s lives to classify their personal needs and wants. -Evaluating: The class will begin their “Needs and Characteristics of Living Things” bulletin board at this point. The teacher will begin a chart paper to demonstrate the student’s understanding of needs and wants, which will be displayed on the new bulletin board. The teacher will decide whether the students understand the difference between a need and a want based upon what they put in their Science journals.

Lesson Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is for the students to differentiate between what humans need and want in order to appreciate and respect the environment on a larger scale.

About / In / For the environment: - about = This lesson discusses the environmental issue of overconsumption and how as a society we often take much more than we really need. - in = It is optional for the students to go outside, perhaps to the playground, to discuss examples of needs and wants.- for = The class will learn about the importance of respecting the environment and not taking more than they need, otherwise we will run out of the things that we require to live.

Outcomes & Indicators: Outcome: LT1.1 Indicators: d, l. Outcome: LT1.2. Indicators: a, b.

Content Background: The teacher must be prepared to discuss the difficult topic of why we may not always be able to have everything we want. The teacher must explain that sometimes we are not able to afford everything we want, but we must ensure our needs are met in order to survive. The teacher must also explain that if we are not careful about how much of our needs we use, we may end up with nothing left. Conservation is a difficult topic, but it can be introduced at this grade level through an open dialect.


The teacher will first explain the topic of needs and wants by introducing the class to a poem and asking them questions. Questions can include: What is a need? What is a want? What is an example of a need and a want from the poem? The class will explore needs and wants by looking at items the teacher will pull out of a paper bag and discuss what makes some things a need and some things a want. These items will include: bananas, water, socks, toothbrush, skipping rope, and an IPod. The class will also start a chart to display on their life Science bulletin board demonstrating what they understand needs and wants to be. This bulletin board does not necessarily have to look the same way as the workbook suggests. It can serve merely as a backdrop so that the student’s knowledge can be in the foreground as a main focus. The tree serves the purpose of being a backdrop to demonstrate that the children are learning about living and non-living things, as well as needs, wants and characteristics. The class will further elaborate upon what they have learned by going around the classroom, or perhaps outside to explore different objects and identify them as needs and wants. To finish the lesson, the teacher will have the students look through magazines and cut and paste pictures into their Science journals. They will also have to identify the pictures as either needs or wants in their Science journals and look at magazines around home for pictures to also add to their Science journals.

Processes Developed: Hypothesizing: The students may hypothesize what will happen if we run out of water, or food.Guessing: The students may not be fully prepared to make a formal hypothesis yet, so guessing about what they think may be the result of a depletion of food or water can be expected.Classifying: The class will be able to classify objects into 2 categories, including needs and wants.Recording: The students will be asked to record what they believe are needs and wants based on pictures they find in magazines at home and during class time. The teacher will also record their ideas of needs and wants on chart paper to be displayed on their unit bulletin board. Communicating: The students will communicate with the teacher regarding what they interpret needs and wants to be.

Adaptive Dimension: This lesson may need to be adapted if the teacher planned to take the class outside and they are not properly prepared for the weather. For any children that require a wheelchair, the teacher must ensure that the outdoor area is wheelchair accessible. The teacher should also be prepared to adapt the lesson so as not to discuss poverty at a deep level if it is a definite issue for a student, or students, within the class. The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Thinking Think and Learn Contextually: -The students will reflect on the characteristics that make them human beings, which are also incorporated in lessons 1 and 2.-The students will also reflect on how we as human beings function within society to meet our needs and wants. The way that students can interact with one another both formally and informally to meet their needs and wants is important for the students to reflect upon during the lesson. Think and Learn Creatively:


-They will learn to think in a creative way by dissecting the information they hear in the poem and relating it to real life. -The class will learn to think creatively when they explore the classroom for needs and wants, as well as when when they explore magazines to find pictures of needs and wants for homework.Think and Learn Critically: -The class will have to think critically about the subject of needs and wants as it relates to themselves and their lives.-They will also have to think critically about what in the classroom, and what from the magazines constitutes as a need or a want. During this thought process, they will also have to think about how their classifications of needs and wants has an effect on the environment and those around them. Identity and Interdependence-Understand, value, and care for oneself:-By understanding what constitutes as a need and a want, the children should gain a clear understanding of what is most important to them and how their personal needs and wants are met. -Understand, value, and care for others:-The children should gain an understanding of how fortunate many Canadians are to have their needs and wants met. They should also gain an understanding of how it is more important to have our basic needs met before we have our wants met.-Strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds. -Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability: -This lesson will help the children to appreciate and respect the environment because it is necessary to meet our basic needs in a sustainable way, otherwise we take more than we can give back and ruin our planet. -This lesson will also help the children to develop appreciation and respect for where we live because most of us are able to have our needs and wants met as opposed to some very poor countries where they do not even have their basic needs met.

Literacies -Explore and interpret the world using various literacies:-The class will interpret the world by listening and repeating the lines of the poem in sync with the teacher. They will also interpret the meaning of the poem to relate it to themselves.-Together the class will interpret the items that the teacher pulls out of a bag through conversation with each other and with the teacher. During this activity the teacher will also display the class’ ideas on a piece of chart board paper to become part of the bulletin board display. This engages the children in literacy language because it gives them the opportunity to practice their sight words and reading skills. -The class will also interpret the information they find from magazine clippings when they divide the pictures into needs and wants. This gives them practice with differentiating language and interpreting meaning. -Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:-The class will communicate meaning during the lesson by discussion with the teacher about what they classify as a need and a want.


-This lesson will also allow the children to demonstrate their understanding of needs and wants artistically and through literacy by picking magazine pictures and displaying them in their Science journals. Social Responsibility-Uses moral Reasoning processes:-This lesson allows the children to learn about their moral beliefs, as they must differentiate between needs and wants in a way that is applicable to their own lives.-Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:-The class will learn to think beyond themselves and to remember that they are only part of a larger picture of society. Some people in the world do not have all of their needs and wants met, which should be considered because we can help these people.-Take Social Action:-The students may feel influenced to take social action in regards to what they consider their needs and wants to be. If the students have a strong belief in helping other people, they may be compelled to give gifts to other children at Christmas time, perhaps through Operation Christmas Child. Interdisciplinary Connections: This lesson also connects to Physical Education if the students go outside, as they can go hunting for objects to classify as needs and wants. It connects to Social Studies because the class will learn the impacts we as individuals, and as a society, have on our world. The children will be picking out magazine pictures of needs and wants to display in their Science journals, which also means that they are working on their Art skills.

Prerequisite Learning: - Prior to this lesson, the class must have an understanding of the difference between living and non-living things (Lesson 1). They must also have some understanding of the way their bodies work in order to appreciate what we need and want to live (Lesson 2).

Materials / Equipment: - Bulletin board display, chart paper prepared into sections, needs/wants, Science Journals, magazines, paper bag filled with objects to show needs and wants including: bananas, water, socks, toothbrush, skipping rope, and an IPod.

Advanced Preparation: - Prior to the lesson, the teacher needs to have the chart board paper ready to be written on during the lesson, the teacher must also prepare the bulletin board display (see document attached to end of this lesson), set out magazines, have their Science journals ready, as well as have the paper bag and objects organized.

Lesson Procedure

ENGAGEMENT – The class will be introduced to the topic by reading a poem together followed by some discussion about the poem and needs and wants. The class will next engage in the paper bag activity, in which the teacher will pull out an item and ask the students to differentiate whether the item is a need or a want. The students will be engaged in discussion and activities that will lead them to self-discovery about what is a need versus what is a want. The poem that will


introduce them to the topic of needs and wants goes as follows:

I am as happy as can be,But I have some wants, I have some needs:I need some food to eat and eat;I need some shoes upon my feet;I want a pretty crown to wear;I want a cute little teddy bear;I need some water to keep me healthy;I need a place to live (hopefully it’s not filthy);I want a toy train so that I can play;I want a new bike to ride around on all day!These are the things I want and needDo you think you can help me, please?

Mize, Kara. (2007). Families’ Wants and Needs- 1st Grade. Pasadena Cluster, 1-11.

http://www.learningace.com/doc/885326/c5c623646b7a862b1b8d0a0f078ac0e4/wants-needs EXPLORATION, EXPLANATION AND ELABORATION

Exploration – The students will explore the classroom environment and possibly the natural environment as detectives searching to find examples of needs and wants around them. They will engage in exploration of items that the teacher pulls out of a paper bag as well as by looking at items throughout the classroom. The class will also be asked to explore pictures of needs and wants at home by looking at magazine pictures and adding them to their Science journals.

Explanation – The teacher will explain the difference between a need and want at the beginning of the lesson and do so once again before the students engage in their activity of finding pictures of needs and wants in magazines. The teacher will also explain that sometimes we cannot have everything we want because we have to make sure our needs are first met.

Elaboration – The topic of needs versus wants is taken a step further when the teacher discusses the idea of not always being able to afford everything you want, but still taking care of one’s needs. The topic is also expanded upon when the teacher explains that not everyone can afford to meet all of their needs and therefore do not have everything they may want. The students will gain a better understanding of needs and wants when they take their Science journals home to get more pictures from magazines of needs and wants.

EVALUATION- The purpose of this lesson is for the students to differentiate between what humans need and want in order to appreciate and respect the environment on a larger scale. The teacher will be able to evaluate whether or not the students have made this connection during class time or


recess as the teacher can observe if the children get along with each other. This observation of the fair treatment of others will allow the teacher to understand whether the students appreciate and respect the wants and needs of their fellow students. During later lessons, including differentiating the physical and emotional, needs and wants of a dog, the children should be able to make similar connections, which will also indicate to the teacher whether the students have understood the purpose of this lesson.

Extensions /Modifications:-The lesson may be modified to be sensitive if there are children that come from poverty as the teacher may chose to only discuss the difference between a need and a want and not go into too elaborate of details. -The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment:- The teacher will assess the students informally during the discussion of the needs and wants from the items the teacher shows them. The teacher can evaluate what the students have learned by having the children add magazine pictures to their Science journals. The children will then categorize the pictures into needs and wants. They will also be asked to take their Science journal’s home and look for more pictures of needs and wants to add to their Science journals. Based upon their work they do at school and a home of finding pictures of needs and wants, the teacher can evaluate whether the students understand the purpose of the lesson.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing:- This lesson connects to Indigenous ways of knowing because it teaches the children that sometimes we may not be able to have everything we want, but we do need to meet our basic needs. We can live a relatively simple and comfortable life without overconsumption, and living this way will help us to appreciate everything we do have. Please see “The Eight Aboriginal Ways of Knowing” at the end of this unit plan for further information.

How does this lesson relate to Environmental Education? -This lesson relates to environmental education because the class is engaging in real life discussion about what we can do to meet our needs and some of our wants in such a way that we do not damage the environment.

Resources:Websites:

1) Mize, Kara. (2007). Families’ Wants and Needs- 1st Grade. Pasadena Cluster, 1-11.

http://www.learningace.com/doc/885326/c5c623646b7a862b1b8d0a0f078ac0e4/wants-needs

2)Bulletin Board Display: Good Apple and Seasonal Arts and Crafts Teacher Activity Book

Reference: McClure, Nancee. (1990). Good Apple and Seasonal Arts and Crafts. Carthage: Good Apple Inc.


2) Bulletin Board Display: Good Apple and Seasonal Arts and Crafts Teacher Activity



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Four “Animal Characteristics”


Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 30 minutes

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The class will engage in the topic of Animal Characteristics by first reading the story “Loki and Alex”.Exploring: The class will explore what they have learned from the story by discussing the characteristics of “Loki and Alex” and comparing the dog to what they have learned about human characteristics. Explaining: The class will explain to the teacher, and to each other what the differences and similarities are between animals and humans. Elaborating: The teacher will elaborate on the subject of animal characteristics by discussing why we are similar and yet different in what our characteristics are. Evaluating: The teacher will evaluate the topic of animal characteristics by having the class draw what they have learned in their Science journal. The teacher may also have the class find magazine pictures at home showing animal characteristics, which will demonstrate their understanding of the lesson purpose. Lesson Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is for the students to gain an understanding of the characteristics of animals and their similarities and differences to us as humans.

About / In / For the environment: - about = The lesson is about the environment because it discusses how animals have similar characteristics to humans, but live in the environment that humans have a large impact on. - in = This story could be read outdoors if the weather is appropriate.- for = The theme of this lesson is to teach students that we must respect animals because they are important and do not have a voice.

Outcomes & Indicators: Outcome: LT1.1 Indicators: a, b, c, g, h, k. Outcome: LT1.2 Indicators: a, c, h, i, k.

Content Background: The teacher must be familiar with the story “Loki and Alex” and have an array of questions relating to the story prepared to discuss with the class. The teacher must also be prepared to discuss the differences and similarities between humans and animals. Questions can include but are not limited to: Do Loki and Alex both like to play? Does Loki run on two feet, or on four legs? Can Loki talk? How does Alex know how Loki is feeling? Does Loki respond when Alex calls his name? Do both Alex and Loki hear similar things? Why does Loki


have fur and Alex wear clothes? Do any of you have pets? If so, how do you take care of your pets and how do you know if they appreciate you? Overall, the idea of similarities and differences of animals and humans must be discussed and by using categorization, the class will gain a better understanding of differentiation.

Processes Developed: Organizing: The class will have to organize their thoughts in a logical way in order to demonstrate it effectively in their Science journals. Recording: The class will record their personal responses to the story in the form of art in their Science Journals.Communicating: The students will communicate with the teacher what they understand from the story through answering the teacher’s questions. Designing: They will also design what they put in their Science journals about animal characteristics in an effective manner.

Adaptive Dimension: This lesson can be adapted to a different story about animal characteristics if the class shows a majority interest in another domestic animal. The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Thinking Think and Learn Contextually: -The children will need to reflect on their knowledge about themselves as human beings and the characteristics we have. -The students will also need to reflect on their knowledge about their senses, as this will relate to animal characteristics in many ways.Think and Learn Creatively:-The children will be able to think creatively as they interpret the story during the class discussion about human and animal characteristics. They may bring their own personal experiences to the table during the discussion as well.-This lesson allows the children to think and learn creatively as they will demonstrate their interpretation of similarities and differences between humans and animals creatively in their Science journals. Think and Learn Critically: -During the lesson, the children will need to think critically about how animals and humans can be compared because of their similarities and differences.-The class will also think critically about how animals and humans can live together in the same environment harmoniously.Identity and Interdependence-Understand, value, and care for oneself:-The class will gain a better understanding about how we are similar to animals and must use our characteristics to the best of our knowledge. -They will also learn to appreciate that because we are similar to animals in many ways, we can do more things than we may have initially been aware of. An example of this may be using our sense of smell to check for danger, which is something we may not normally think to do. -Understand, value, and care for others:


-This lesson will allow the children to value other friends because they are similar to us in more ways than we may initially see. -Students will learn to value animals as part of the environment around us and as living beings that, not unlike us, deserve respect and care. -Strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds.-Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability: -If children have an understanding and appreciation for other living things, they will learn to live interdependently as well as value the environment by living in a sustainable way. Literacies -Explore and interpret the world using various literacies: -The teacher will engage the students in literacy by reading the story. The children will also engage in literacy when the teachers asks them questions about the story, and when the teacher records their observations and questions on the chart paper.-The students will discover and interpret the world around them by engaging in spoken discussion, by demonstrating in written form their understanding of the concept of similarities and differences of animal and human characteristics, as well as through the teacher’s questions about the story. -Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:- The students will demonstrate their understanding of the concept of animal characteristics as they relate to humans when the teacher writes their ideas on the chart board paper to later be displayed on the bulletin board. The teacher will have the children draw in their Science journals to demonstrate their understanding of animal characteristics as they relate to humans. The children will also communicate meaning of literacy when they find magazine pictures to show the characteristics of animals.Social Responsibility-Uses moral Reasoning processes: -This lesson will allow the students to make sense of animals because they are similar to us as humans, and this relationship should encourage them to think in a moral sense about how we care and treat animals. -Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:-Thinking beyond self is a major aspect embedded within this lesson and it is a hope that the students will learn to think about animals and humans existing within society harmoniously. -Take Social Action:-The age of the students may not allow the children to take direct social action, but they may feel encouraged to ensure that animals in their home and in their environment are treated fairly.-The children will also gain an understanding that as humans, we must take care of domestic animals because they have no voice. They should also gain an appreciation for domestic animals and understand how important it is to live in harmony with all animals because they are similar to humans in many ways and we depend on each other for survival. Interdisciplinary Connections: This lesson also relates to Health, because the class discusses the similarities and differences of human and animal characteristics. It also relates to Language Arts because the students are engaging in a story with the teacher and will learn to recognize sight words. This lesson also relates to Art because the children will be demonstrating what they have learned about the characteristics of Loki the dog and Alex from the story in an artistic way.

Prerequisite Learning:


- Prior to this lesson, the class needs to have a basic understanding of the difference between living and non-living things (Lesson 1), and how our bodies work (Lesson 2).

Materials / Equipment: - The book “Loki and Alex,” Science journals, prepared questions. The story “Loki and Alex” is available through Regina Public Library.

Advanced Preparation: - Have the book “Loki and Alex” reserved from the library, have the Science journals organized and also prepare to go outside to read the story if the weather is nice.

Lesson Procedure

ENGAGEMENT -The class will engage in the story “Loki and Alex” together to begin learning about animal characteristics. This lesson engages the students in understanding that humans and animals have many differences, but still have many things in common. The class will develop their understanding of animal characteristics by engaging in a group discussion and by answering questions about the story. Together, the class will help the teacher write their ideas of similarities and differences of animals and humans on chart paper to be displayed on the bulletin board that began in the previous lesson. The children will also demonstrate their understanding of animal and human characteristics by drawing their interpretation of the similarities and differences in their Science journals.

EXPLORATION-The class will explore animal and human characteristics when they read the story together. They will also explore this subject during a discussion of characteristics that the teacher will post onto chart paper for the students to differentiate animal and human characteristics. This exploration may also give the students the interest to explore further into animal characteristics by observing animals in action.

EXPLANATION-The teacher will explain the difference between human and animal characteristics through a class discussion about Loki and Alex’s relationship. The class should be able to understand the difference between Loki and Alex’s characteristics during the story and the discussion. Together the class will gain a better understanding of why humans and animals are alike and yet different in many ways. The teacher will explain to the class that we must take care of humans and animals because as much as animals are like us, they have no voice and their survival and wellbeing depends on us.

ELABORATION-The teacher will elaborate on the topic by having the class show in their Science journals what they have learned about animal and human characteristics, in an artistic and engaging way. By engaging the class in discussion, writing together on chart paper for the bulletin board and by having the children demonstrate their understanding of the story in their Science journals, they will have an elaborate base knowledge of the subject at hand. This base knowledge is the


scaffolding required for them to learn more during the upcoming lessons.

EVALUATION- The purpose of this lesson if for the children to be able to compare the characteristics of animals and humans and the similarities and differences between the two. The teacher will be able to tell what the class understands during discussion of the story. The teacher will also be able to understand the class’ interpretation of animal characteristics by adding more chart paper to the bulletin board. If the students still have questions, they would be addressed during the discussion and when making the chart paper bulletin board display.

Extensions /Modifications:-The lesson may be modified to fit student interests, for example, the story may be changed to one about another domestic animal of interest. The class may read the story outside if the weather is appropriate and the teacher feels that being in the natural environment will help solidify the class’ understanding of the lesson. It may also be extended if the students are interested in animals and would like to read more stories about animal characteristics. -The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment:- The class will be assessed in a formal way by seeing what the class creates in their Science journals when they are asked to creatively demonstrate the characteristics of animals and what they have learned from the story. They will also be formally assessed based upon what they bring back from their homework assignment, which is to find magazine clippings to add to their Science journal’s showing the characteristics of animals.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing:-This lesson relates to Indigenous ways of knowing because the students are taught to appreciate animals for what they are so that we can live harmoniously with them. Please see “The Eight Aboriginal Ways of Knowing” at the end of this unit plan for further information.

How does this lesson relate to Environmental Education?-Environmental education is incorporated into this lesson because the students will gain an understanding of the characteristics of a domestic animal that we can associate with. This understanding should also carry forward into the student’s understanding and appreciation for wild animals.

Resources:

Story Book:

Smith, Charles R. (2001). Loki & Alex. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Five “Animal Needs and Wants”


Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 30 minutes

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The teacher will refer to the story “Loki and Alex” and discuss what the class thinks the emotional and physical needs/wants of the dog Loki are as well as how Loki’s needs and wants are similar to Alex’s needs and wants. Exploring: The class will explore what a variety of pet items are and what their purpose is by actually picking up and examining the items used by a dog. Explaining: The teacher will explain what the purpose of each of the items is and than ask the students if it is a need or want of a dog.Elaborating: The teacher will further elaborate on the topic by creating a new piece of chart paper all about human wants and needs and expanding on the subject matter.Evaluating: The teacher will evaluate the student’s understanding based upon what answers are given while making the new chart paper to add to the bulletin board. Lesson Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is for the class to differentiate between emotional and physical needs and wants of animals and humans. The class should also be able to recognize that there are similarities between humans and animals in regard to this.

About / In / For the environment: - about = This lesson is about the environment because the class discusses what domestic animals, who live in the natural world require to live, as well as what they may want.- in = The class will not be out in the natural environment, but this lesson could take place discussing a wild animal through videos and more story books.- for = The students will learn to appreciate animals and respect them as living beings with wants and needs that are not that different from our own.

Outcomes & Indicators: Outcome: LT1.1 Indicators: d, k, l. Outcome: LT1.2 Indicators: a, c, f, h, i.

Content Background: Prior to this lesson students will need to have an understanding of human characteristics as well as understand the differences between a need and a want. The teacher must be prepared to explain that animals are not unlike us as humans because they also have emotional and physical needs and wants. The teacher must explain to the children that animals are not that different from us because sometimes they can feel sad, but they can also show happiness, the only difference is that animals are unable to share their feelings using words. The


teacher must also explain that some people may view a leash as a want for a dog, while others may consider this to be a need. Both answers are correct and it really depends on the child’s reasoning for their response. Perhaps the child has or knows of a dog that can roam freely on a farm, while another student that lives in a city only knows of giving their dog exercise by going to the park or for walks. In order for domestic animals to have their physical and emotional needs and wants met, we must consider the type of care they receive because they are dependent on humans. The concept of humanity is discussed in this lesson as the students should gain a deeper understanding and more respect for animals.

Processes Developed: Guessing: The class will look at the dog items and guess what each of the following items is used for. The dog items will include: a bowl with food, water, treats, bed, leash, and a ball. Organizing: The class will organize their thoughts onto the chart paper from the previous lesson.Recording: The teacher will record the student’s responses to the questions about what the dog’s items are used for.Communicating: The class will communicate with each other and with the teacher regarding what the purpose of all the items are.

Adaptive Dimension: This lesson can be adapted to fit the needs of any domestic animal that interests the students, such as a cat, hamster, fish, etc. The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Thinking Think and Learn Contextually:-This lesson requires the children to reflect back on the story “Loki and Alex,” which the teacher may find helpful if it is read again.-After reflecting or re-reading “Loki and Alex,” the class should remember animal characteristics. They should also be aware of human needs and wants, as well as the characteristics of living things. By using this prior knowledge as scaffolding, the children should now be ready to explore the topic of animal needs and wants as it relates to the story and the items they will look at. The prior knowledge should help them to make these differentiations quite easily. Think and Learn Creatively:-Loki, the dog from the story, does many things throughout the story, so the children must now think creatively about what Loki does to have his needs and wants met, which may be more difficult to interpret because the story mostly talks about Loki’s animal characteristics.- They will also need to differentiate between physical and emotional needs and wants as they relate to the dog items. For example, the leash may be considered by some to be both an emotional want for a dog and to others it may be seen as a physical need. -The children will also be given the opportunity to think creatively when they are looking at the dog items. For example, one child may argue that a dog needs a toy, while another may strictly believe all a dog needs is water and food. This creative thinking will help all of the children to gain a broader perspective on what they see as animal needs and wants. Think and Learn Critically:


-If the teacher only choses to review the story “Loki and Alex,” instead of reread it in its entirety, the children must think critically as they analyze their memories about what Loki and Alex do together during the story. -The teacher will be recording the children’s responses to what items they think are needs and which are the wants of a dog on chart paper. The children must think critically about what they want to be displayed on the bulletin board to best display their interpretation of animal needs and wants. Identity and Interdependence-Understand, value, and care for oneself:-Prior to this lesson the class has learned about their own characteristics and needs and wants. If they understand the needs and wants of animals, they should now have the tools to tie everything together and understand that they are valuable human beings. -Understand, value, and care for others:-The children should now gain an understanding of animal needs and wants, which means that they should be able to appreciate that animals have no voice and that domestic animals depend of people to have their basic needs and wants met. It is because animals depend on us as humans, that we must value and care for them in the best way we can.-Strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds.-Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability: -This lesson should allow the children to value the humane treatment of animals, which is an important social issue. By understanding that animals have rights, just like humans do, the children should see that animals depend on us as humans for their sustainability, which we must graciously give.

Literacies -Explore and interpret the world using various literacies:-This lesson uses the story of “Loki and Alex,” which means that the children are in direct contact with literacy that will help them to interpret the world around them. -The class will tell the teacher how they would like to classify dog needs and wants from the items brought in, as the teacher adds the information to a new piece of chart paper. This engages the children in literacy learning as they can practice spelling and understanding sight words/ reading together. -Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:-When the children tell the teacher what they would like to be displayed on the chart paper for the bulletin board, they are expressing their understanding of the story as well as their understanding of how to classify the dog’s items. Social Responsibility-Uses moral Reasoning processes:-Together, the class will be thinking in a moral way about the humane treatment of animals and how they need to have their needs and wants met. This lesson will also teach the children that not all animals have their needs and wants met, but we can volunteer at animal shelters if we want to make a difference.-Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:-The fact that some animals do not have their basic needs and wants met means that community involvement can help to change this. The class may feel inclined to go on a field trip to


volunteer at an animal shelter after they understand that many animals need our help to meet their basic wants and needs.-Take Social Action:-The children may chose to take social action when they are older, but at grade one, the most likely social action would be for the class to volunteer at an animal shelter and gain a new respect and understanding for the humane treatment of animals. Interdisciplinary Connections: This lesson relates to Health because the student’s will gain an understanding of taking care of the needs of both humans, and domestic animals. This lesson is also related to Social Studies because the class should gain an appreciation and respect for other beings living in our natural world. It also relates to Language Arts because the students are engaging in a story with the teacher and adding to their responses on the chart paper about animal characteristics, which will help them in learning to recognize sight words. Prerequisite Learning: - Prior to this lesson, the class needs to have a foundational knowledge regarding the characteristics of humans and animals as well as the needs and wants of both (all previous lessons).

Materials / Equipment: - The teacher will need the following items: dog bowl with food, water, dog treats, toys, a leash and a dog bed, as well as another piece of chart paper to record and add to the student’s bulletin board. The teacher may also want to reserve the story “Loki and Alex” from the Regina Public Library once again.

Advanced Preparation: -The teacher will need to set up the dog’s items ahead of time as well as have the chart paper ready to be written on during the discussion.-Ensure “Loki and Alex” is reserved at the library. It is available at the Regina Public Library.

Lesson ProcedureEngagement: The class will begin the lesson by discussing animal needs as they examine the items that a dog both needs and wants. This may include re-reading the story “Loki and Alex.” The class will next need to differentiate between physical and emotional needs and wants as they relate to the dog items. For example, the leash may be considered by some to be both an emotional want for a dog, and to others it may be seen as a physical need. The teacher must also be prepared to ask the class to identify the needs/wants of Loki and Alex and what is similar and different between the two. Exploration: The class will explore what each of the items is and does by actually picking up and examining the items. The items will include: dog food, a leash, water, treats, a bed and a toy. The class should be able to explain that a dog and a human both need water, and that a squeaky toy and a remote control toy are both considered wants of a dog and human.

Explanation: The teacher will explain what the purpose of each of the items is and than ask the students if it is a need or want of a dog. Next, the teacher must be prepared to answer questions about the dog items, including but not limited to: 1) why can’t dogs live without humans, 2) why don’t some dogs have any of these items, 3) why is it that some dogs do not need to be walked on a leash, 4) why do certain dogs like different foods, 5) why can’t dogs eat human food and 6)


why don’t dogs need to brush their teeth or wear clothes. The teacher must be prepared to explain to the class that: 1) Domesticated dogs are used to living with humans and are not born with the purpose of surviving in the wild. 2) Some animals have no home and need a willing family to take them home and love them. 3) Some dogs are well trained and can walk with their owner because they follow voice commands, such as come and stay, well. 4) Some dogs may like chicken, others beef and others seafood. Some may also like human food but to meet their nutrition needs they require dog food. 5) Dogs need to eat the food made for them, because some human food can make them very sick or kill them, including chocolate. 6) Dogs need you to care for them, which means taking them to the vet and brushing their teeth. Dogs often have a layer of fur that acts like clothing and keeps them warm, as well as protects them from weather like rain and snow.

Elaboration: The teacher will further elaborate on the topic by using the chart paper created for the lesson about human wants and needs. The class will add a new component to the bulletin board demonstrating what the needs and wants of a dog are. They will separate the new piece of chart paper into needs and wants with the subject of the paper being a dog. They will also include how these needs and wants are similar and different to us as humans.

Evaluation: The teacher will evaluate the student’s understanding of animals emotional and physical needs and wants based upon what answers are given while making the new part of the chart paper. If the class does not understand during this informal phase of evaluation, the teacher may consider reiterating the concept of animal’s emotional and physical needs and wants during a later lesson when a family pet comes to visit. During the visit, the teacher may want to discuss with the class how the items are used by the dog via a live demonstration. The teacher may also demonstrate herself or have one of the students show how we as humans do similar things to a dog.

Extensions /Modifications:-This lesson can be modified to show the wants and needs of other domestic animals or wild animals through outdoor discovery or videos. -The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment:- The teacher will assess the student’s learning based upon what questions the class still has or what concepts they still seem to not understand after the discussion of the dog’s items. After the class discusses the lesson and has recorded their new understanding of animal’s emotional and physical needs and wants by recording responses on chart paper to add to their bulletin board, the teacher will be able to see the missing links in the student’s knowledge and expand upon certain areas during later lessons.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing:-This lesson teaches an Indigenous way of knowing because the class can appreciate that animals are very much like human beings and both require respect. Please see “The Eight Aboriginal Ways of Knowing” at the end of this unit plan for further information.


How does this lesson relate to Environmental Education? -This lesson relates to Environmental Education because the class is learning about the similarities between needs and wants of animals that live in the world around us. They will learn to appreciate and respect nature in every aspect of their lives, from where they play to where they want to live one day.

Resources:

Story Book:

Smith, Charles R. (2001). Loki & Alex. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Six “Animal Visit”


Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 45 minutes. If the pet comes for several visits to demonstrate growth and development, the initial visit may be for 45 minutes and the rest of the visits may only be for 20 minutes. The length of the visit truly depends on the tolerance of the animal visiting.

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The class will engage directly in learning about the characteristics, as well as the needs and wants of a dog when one of the student’s parents brings a family pet for a visit. Exploring: The class will explore animal growth and development by observing the family pet.Explaining: Prior to the dog visit the teacher will read the class the story “Don’t Lick The Dog,” which will teach them about safety when engaging with domestic animals.Elaborating: The teacher will elaborate upon the dog’s visit by having the class add to their needs and wants bulletin board display and expanding upon what they have learned in previous lessons. Evaluating: The teacher will evaluate what the class has learned by both the informal discussion during the dog’s visit, as well as the bulletin board display. The children will also create an artistic way to demonstrate what they have learned from this experience. Lesson Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to engage students in a live learning experience and to further develop their previous understanding about the characteristics and needs and wants of a dog, and how they are comparable to human beings.

About / In / For the environment: - about = This lesson relates to the environment because the students learn that it is important to respect everything around us to make for a harmonious world. This aspect of respect for domestic animals applies to wild animals as well.- in = Although the pet visit may not necessarily occur outdoors, it certainly could. The students are engaged in the environment because the dog is not a normal part of their daily classroom life. - for = This lesson teaches respect and appreciation for the environment, especially for everything living in the environment.

Outcomes & Indicators: Outcome: LT1.1 Indicators: a, b, c, d, g, h, i, j, l, m. Outcome LT1.2 Indicators: a, c, d, g, h, j, k.

Content Background: The teacher needs to be prepared for the dog visit, and may even have to send home permission slips to ensure that none of the students have severe allergies and to ensure that parents who do not want their children to take part in the activity are not present at the time of the visit. The teacher must also be prepared to answer the student’s questions about


the type of dog it is and ensure that the class uses proper safety precautions when dealing with the pet. The teacher must understand the needs, wants, and characteristics of the dog and be able to compare them to humans in order to have a smooth flow of the lesson. The class will have to develop thought regarding what they have learned from the story and will then have to relate this newfound knowledge to the pet visit. The children will also have to compare themselves to the live animal to understand its characteristics and how its needs and wants are met. The children will gain a clearer understanding of how domestic animals are dependent on humans for their wellbeing. They will also gain an understanding of different animal’s personalities and how we are all different, which makes us who we are. The teacher will engage the class in literacy learning by reading them the story, which is called “Don’t Lick The Dog”. The teacher will also be asking the class questions regarding the story during the visit, which will engage the children in literacy learning. The children will learn to become socially responsible human beings as they gain an understanding of how to take care of a pet. This new understanding can be used in many other aspects of their social life, including the fair treatment of all animals. Processes Developed: Classifying: During discussion, the students will have to classify the needs, wants, and characteristics of the dog compared to themselves as humans. Recording: The teacher will record their responses on chart paper, but the students will also record their responses to the visit and what they have learned in an artistic form to display on the bulletin board.Communicating: The class will communicate with the teacher and the pet owner about what they are observing and what type of questions they have.Designing: The students will design in an artistic way what they would like to display on the bulletin board.

Adaptive Dimension: This lesson can be adapted depending on what type of pet the children would like to see come for a visit. *Note: The type of pet that will visit should also be considered for the activity in the previous lesson to ensure a natural flow. The lesson can also be adapted if there are students with allergies as another pet, such as a gecko or fish can usually be brought in easily. If the teacher decides to take the students outside for the pet visit, consideration must be taken if any students require wheelchair accessibility. For any students that require a wheelchair, the teacher must ensure that there is adequate accessibility and space for the student to participate in the lesson safely and effectively. The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s):Thinking Think and Learn Contextually:-Prior to this lesson, the class should have gained a clear understanding of animal’s physical/emotional needs, wants and characteristics, which will enable them to think on a deeper level about the animal that is brought in for the visit and how it must be treated with respect.

Think and Learn Creatively:


-The children will be learning creatively when they engage in the story “Don’t Lick The Dog” because they will be engaging in a funny story that also teaches them about how to safely approach a new domestic animal. -The teacher will write down information as the children tell her to on a new piece of chart paper regarding what they have learned both from the story as well as from the animal visit. –The teacher may want to lead the discussion by asking the children to compare everything about the real pet to what they now understand about themselves (i.e. the senses and body movements). The teacher may also want the children to display what they have learned from the story about animals and safety. If the children were to visit an animal shelter prior to the dog visit, the teacher may chose to read the story “Don’t Lick The Dog” beforehand and only refer to it during this lesson. Think and Learn Critically: -The children will have to think critically about the information in the story “Don’t Lick The Dog,” which is quite humorous, and relay the important information from the story back to the teacher to ensure they have a clear understanding of safety when dealing with domestic animals.-During the pet visit, the children must think critically about what they have learned about animal safety as well as what they already understand about animal’s physical/emotional needs, wants, and characteristics as it relates to humans. This critical thinking will lead to a variety of questions for the pet owner and ensure that the students have a clear understanding. Identity and Interdependence-Understand, value, and care for oneself:-Prior to this lesson the class has learned about their own characteristics and needs and wants. If they understand the needs and wants of animals, they should now have the tools to tie everything together and understand that they are valuable human beings. -Understand, value, and care for others:-The children should now gain an understanding of animal needs and wants, which means that they should be able to appreciate that animals have no voice and that domestic animals depend on people to have their basic needs and wants met. It is because animals depend on us as humans, that we must value and care for them in the best way we can. This should be demonstrated by the story “Don’t Lick The Dog” as well as by the live animal visit. -Strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds.-Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability: -This lesson should allow the children to value the humane treatment of animals, which is an important social issue. By understanding that animals have rights, just like humans do, the children should see that animals depend on us as humans for their sustainability, which we must graciously give. -Explore and interpret the world using various literacies:-This lesson uses the story “Don’t Lick The Dog,” which means that the children are in direct contact with literacy that will help them to interpret the world around them in. -The class will tell the teacher what they can interpret as important safety rules when dealing with a new animal, as the teacher adds the information to a new piece of chart paper to be displayed on the bulletin board. This engages the children in literacy learning as they can practice spelling and understanding sight word, as well as read together. -Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:


-When the children tell the teacher what they would like to be displayed on the chart paper for the bulletin board, they are expressing their understanding of the story as well as their understanding of how to be safe around new animals.-They will also express their understanding of animal’s needs, wants and characteristics when they make an artistic demonstration (like a picture) about what they have learned from “Don’t Lick The Dog” or from the animal visit. Their artistic demonstration will become part of their bulletin board display. Social Responsibility-Uses moral Reasoning processes:-Together, the class will be thinking in a moral way about the humane treatment of animals and how they need to have their physical/emotional needs and wants met. This lesson will also teach the children that not all animals may want to be around humans and that we must use safety when dealing with a new or strange domestic animal.-Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:-The fact that some animals do not have their basic needs and wants met means that community involvement can help to change this. The class may feel inclined to go on a field trip to volunteer at an animal shelter after they understand that many animals need our help to meet their basic wants and needs.-Take Social Action:-The children may chose to take social action when they are older, but at grade one, the most likely social action would be for the class to volunteer at an animal shelter and gain a new respect and understanding for the humane treatment of animals.

Interdisciplinary Connections: This lesson also connects to Health, because the class is learning the importance of having healthy connections to the world around us. It also relates to Health because the children will learn how to safely engage with domestic pets through the story “Don’t Lick The Dog.” This lesson can also be connected to Social Studies and the Indigenous way of knowing because the class will learn the importance of respect for animals, both domestic and wild. It also relates to Language Arts because the students are engaging in a story with the teacher and will learn to recognize sight words and practice their reading skills. The children will be making a creative Art display to demonstrate their understanding of animal characteristics, as well as physical/emotional needs and wants of a dog, so this lesson can also relate to Fine Arts.

Prerequisite Learning: - Prior to this lesson, the class needs to have an understanding of human characteristics, needs and wants, which they should be able to compare to that of animals (all previous lessons).

Materials / Equipment: - The teacher will need to have the story “Don’t Lick The Dog” reserved through the Regina Public Library, chart paper, art paper and markers for each of the students, the pet that will be visiting, and a safe place to bring the pet.

Advanced Preparation: -Prior to the lesson the teacher may require permission for the visit from the Principal of the school. Once permission from the principal is given, the teacher must also ensure that the parent


bringing the pet has time available during the time of this unit. If the pet is still young, the teacher may want to set up several visits in order for the children to see the animal’s growth and development over time. There may also need to be a permission slip sent home for the parents to ensure there are no major concerns.

-Ensure “Don’t Lick The Dog” is reserved at the library

-The teacher will need to set out the chart paper to write about the discussion, as well as have art paper and markers set out ahead of time for the students to create their display.

-There must be a safe place for the dog to sit during his visit so there is enough room for the dog to move freely in the space.

Lesson ProcedureEngagement: The class will engage directly in learning about the characteristics, as well as the needs and wants of the dog. If possible, it would be most effective for a parent to bring a very young pup at the beginning of the unit and than bring the dog back for a later visit for the class to observe the growth and development of the dog. Exploration: The class will explore animal growth and development directly by observing the family pet in action during the classroom visit. They will explore the way the dog engages with them and observe the way it functions within the classroom environment. During the dog visit, the children will be told to pay close attention to the pet’s characteristics, behavior and how he displays his needs and wants to his owner.

Explaining: The teacher will explain and discuss the following aspects of the dog to ensure the students understand the purpose of the visit: 1) What does the dog use to chew? Are his teeth the same or different from yours? 2) What does the dog use to see? Can he see the same things that you can see? 3) What type of sounds do you think the dog listens for? Can he understand us when we talk? 4) Does the dog need to eat the same things we eat? 5) How does the dog get his exercise? 6) How do we make the dog happy? 7) Can you tell when he is happy or unhappy? The answers to these questions include. 1) The dog uses his teeth, but he has many more teeth than we do. 2) The dog uses his eyes to see, but dogs can only see in black and white, not colour. 3) The dog probably listens for his owners voice, squeaky toys, and other animals. 4) The dog needs to eat similar things, but some things such as chocolate are very dangerous for a dog to eat. 5) The dog likes to play and go for walks to get his exercise. 6) We can play with the dog and make sure he has food, water, love, and exercise to keep him happy. 7) The dog may growl when he is unhappy and when he is happy he may wag his tail.

Elaboration: The teacher will elaborate upon the dog’s visit by having the class return to their bulletin board display about the animal’s needs and by adding a new section about what they have learned from their animal visit. The teacher will further elaborate on the topic when the class adds information to the chart paper about the pet visit. The teacher may need to further elaborate on the pet’s visit if the class still has questions or is still curious about animal needs, wants and characteristics.


Evaluation: -The teacher will be able to evaluate whether or not the students understand animal characteristics, needs, and wants based upon the discussion the class has during the animal visit, and what the teacher documents on the chart paper. The children’s art display and chart paper discussion for the bulletin board will allow the teacher to evaluate whether they can clearly demonstrate an understanding of animal needs, wants, and characteristics. If the students still have questions regarding animal characteristics, needs, and wants, the teacher may consider looking at additional information such as handouts, videos, or interactive games to reiterate this major concept.

Extensions /Modifications:-This lesson may be adapted to meet the class’ interest in a certain pet. -It may also be modified if students have allergies to certain pets by bringing in a fish, or gecko for example, in which this same lesson can be utilized. -Having the pet come for several visits, if it is a young animal at the first visit, can extend this lesson. Several visits will show the students animal growth and development over time.- The teacher may need to modify the lesson for any students that require a wheelchair and ensure that there is adequate accessibility and space for the student to participate in the lesson safely and effectively.- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment:-The teacher will assess what the class has learned by both the informal discussion during the dog’s visit, as well as the bulletin board display. Not only will the teacher write on chart paper to display on the bulletin board regarding the class discussion, the students will also individually create an artistic display for the bulletin board. Each student will draw pictures about what the dog looked like and write about what they learned about dog’s needs/wants and characteristics. All of this information can be used to assess the children’s understanding of the concept of animal’s physical/emotional needs and wants, as well as their characteristics.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing:-This lesson teaches respect for all living things and the importance of being safe in one’s approach to domestic animals. The Indigenous way of knowing thinks beyond a self-centered thought process and looks to care for and respect everything around us, which this lesson should demonstrate to the class. Please see “The Eight Aboriginal Ways of Knowing” at the end of this unit plan for further information.

How does this lesson relate to Environmental Education?-This lesson relates to domestic animals, but the knowledge of respect and safety when engaging with animals also applies to everything in nature, including wild animals as well.

Resources:

Story Book:


Wahman, Wendy. (2009). Don’t Lick The Dog Making Friends With Dogs. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Seven “Comparing Ourselves to Animals”

Date: Any time of year. Unit fits best at the end of fall and beginning of winter. This lesson will be more applicable when there has been a fresh rain, or a fresh snow.

Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 45 minutes.

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The class will engage in the topic of comparing animals first to other animals when they read the story “Whose Tracks Are These?” and than to themselves. Exploring: They will further explore animal tracks, as well as their own footprints when they go outside for a nature walk.Explaining: The teacher will explain what type of tracks the class is looking at during the nature walk as they try to find tracks from the story. The teacher will also explain that we also make footprints and that we are all alike, but quite different from animals and from each other. Elaborating: The teacher will elaborate on the topic of tracks when the class finds an animal track from the story. The teacher will then further explain that when we play we must be mindful of where these animals live so that we do not intrude on their natural habitat. Evaluating: The teacher will evaluate what the students have learned by having them bring their Science journals on the nature walk. Lesson Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to tie together what the class has learned so far about humans and animals in such a way that they understand that while we all share some similar qualities, we are all quite different and must live together harmoniously.

About / In / For the environment: - about = This lesson is about the natural environment that the children play in and discusses how to live in a non-invasive way with nature.- in = The students are in the environment being track hunters to learn more about what the story has taught them. - for = This activity aims to help the children value the environment and appreciate the animals that surround us. They should gain a new respect for our natural environment and appreciation for animals and their needs.

Outcomes & Indicators: Outcome: LT1.1 Indicators: a, b, c, d, h, i, j, k, l. Outcome: LT1.2 Indicators: a, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k.

Content Background: The teacher must have a thorough understanding of the story “Whose Tracks Are These?,” as well as be prepared to answer questions regarding both the animals in the story as well as animals that the children have observed on their own. The teacher must also be


prepared to take the students to a good outdoor area so they may observe some of the tracks discussed in the story and relate the concept of maintaining natural habitat to the tracks seen. This lesson gives the students the opportunity to think about how they as human beings differ greatly from one another, as well as from animals. The teacher will also ensure the students are engaged in thought processes while comparing similarities as well as needs and wants of humans and animals. The footprint activity will help the students to understand that they are unique, but the activity should also show them that they are similar to one another, which the teacher must ensure is clear. The story book and nature walk should teach the students to identify specific animals, and the connection between the story book and finding the prints should teach the children that we all live together, and must try to do so harmoniously. This means that we need to be mindful of where we live and play, and whose natural habitat we are invading. Processes Developed: Organizing: The class will organize their observations in their Science journals. Recording: The class will record their observations by drawing pictures of the tracks during the nature walk in their Science journals.Communicating: The class will communicate with the teacher during discussion as to what they are observing as well as what type of habitat the animals live in and how we must be careful to preserve their natural homes.

Adaptive Dimension: This lesson can be adapted to fit the animal tracks that are near by, for example, if the likelihood of seeing a certain track is low, the teacher can investigate the area the class will be exploring and have a handout to cater to the tracks of these animals. The teacher can also discuss the type of tracks they are more likely to observe prior to going outside. For example, the teacher may want to reference the Tracking Activities website listed in “Resources” at the end of this lesson. The lesson can be adapted for either after a fresh rain or after fresh snowfall as well. If there are any children that require a wheelchair, the lesson must take place somewhere that is wheelchair accessible. The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Thinking Think and Learn Contextually:-This lesson requires the class to reflect on their previous understanding of domestic animal and human needs, wants, and characteristics. This knowledge will now be taken to a different level, as the class will learn more about wild animals and how we are different but similar in many ways, and yet we can live harmoniously together.

Think and Learn Creatively:-The children will learn to think creatively about what type of animal tracks they encounter and will think beyond their initial understanding and more creatively about how the animal functions in the environment in ways that are similar to their own.


-The children will be comparing their own footprints in the snow, or mud, which means they will have to think beyond themselves and more about how they share similarities and differences with each other, not unlike animals and humans. Think and Learn Critically: -The children will need to think critically during the nature walk discussion regarding why some of the animal tracks are not seen. They will need to think about why building a home near a forest may have an effect on the animals that live there and where they must go to continue living. -If children draw pictures of animal tracks that are not part of the story, they must think critically about what type of track it could be and will then research with a teacher, or their parents, to find out more information about this track. Identity and Interdependence-Understand, value, and care for oneself: -This lesson will help the children to understand that everyone needs a safe home to live in and that when we are not cautious about where we work, live, and play, some animals lose their homes. It is important for us to have our needs met, but in doing so we must ensure that we are not damaging other animal’s natural habitats. -Understand, value, and care for others:-This lesson is really about caring for other living species because the children will explore animal tracks and gain an understanding of these animal’s physical/emotional needs, wants, and characteristics. Embedded in this lesson through the story, the footprint comparison, and the track hunting, is the idea that we have to see beyond ourselves and take care of people and animals that are unable to care for themselves. -Strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds.-Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability: -This lesson will directly engage the children in understanding that we all must live together interdependently, which means we must value nature and the animals that surround us. Unlike humans, animals do not have a voice so we must be their voice in order to sustain animal life. Literacies -Explore and interpret the world using various literacies:-The class will explore literacy when the teacher reads the story “Whose Tracks Are These?” to the class. The class will need to take as much information as they can remember from the story with them on the nature walk. During the nature walk, the class will be drawing their observations and interpretations of animal tracks both from the story and by their own discoveries in their Science journals. -If any student should find an animal track that is not from the story, they may want to do further research with the teacher or with their parents to find out what the animal track is. This extra learning experience will engage the child in more literacy through their research. -Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:-The children will need to communicate what type of tracks they have found as well as what makes their individual footprints similar, yet different from each other during the nature walk. They will need to express their understanding of differences and similarities of animal and human’s physical/emotional needs, wants and characteristics through drawing in their Science journals and through engaging in discussion with their teacher about why we sometimes do not see certain animal tracks because animals have been forced to live elsewhere. Social Responsibility


-Uses moral Reasoning processes:-The children will learn to think beyond themselves as they consider the moral treatment of other animals that live around us. They should gain an understanding of the fact that sometimes humans get too close to animals, which causes them to lose their natural habitat.-Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:-The children will think beyond themselves as they begin to consider how communities can come together to help animals retain their natural habitat. They may consider becoming involved with helping to save wetlands from human development in some way. -Take Social Action:-The class may become so interested in the importance of animal’s retaining their natural habitat, that they may want to write a very short letter or draw a picture to send to the mayor, demonstrating their knowledge and beliefs regarding saving the wetlands.

Interdisciplinary Connections: This lesson also connects to Social Studies because the students learn to appreciate the environment and respect animals and their natural habitat. It also relates to Language Arts because the students are engaging in a story with the teacher and will learn to recognize sight words and practice their speech. This lesson also relates to Arts because the children will be demonstrating their interpretations of what certain animal tracks look like in their Science journals.

Prerequisite Learning: - Prior to this lesson, the students must acquire an understanding of the different physical/emotional needs, wants and characteristics of animals and humans (all previous lessons).

Materials / Equipment: - Class handout photocopied about tracks they will see (if the tracks will not be similar to the one’s in the story refer to Tracking Activities Website), Science journals, pencils, and the story “Whose Tracks Are These?,” which is available through the Regina Public Library.

Advanced Preparation: -Ensure “Whose Tracks Are These?” is reserved at the Regina Public Library. -Have Science journals, (handout if need be), and pencils ready to take outside.

Lesson ProcedureEngagement: The class will engage in the topic of first comparing animals to other animals when they read the story “Whose Tracks Are These?” The teacher will tell the children to pay close attention to the animals and tracks in the story so that when they go outside they are able to identify some of the tracks.

Exploration: They will further explore animal tracks, as well as their own footprints when they go outside for a nature walk. During the nature walk, the class will play investigator and search for tracks included in the story. They will also be asked to draw pictures of other tracks that they observe, which they will later research with the help of the teacher or a parent to see if they can identify the animal.


Explanation: The teacher will explain what type of tracks the class is looking at during the nature walk as they try to find tracks from the story. The teacher will explain that we also make footprints and that we are alike, but quite different from animals and from each other. If the class has a hard time finding animal tracks, the teacher may consider having the class only look directly at their own footprints. The teacher will then explain to the class that we have some similar characteristics in our footprints, yet we are all different. The same idea goes for animals and their footprints, which can tell us something about where they live (i.e. A bird may have much smaller footprints than a moose because they spend less time on foot than does a moose). Footprints can also lead us to see where the animals make their homes. If it is difficult to find animal tracks or trace them to the animal’s home, we must question whether or not we have invaded the animal’s natural habitat. Most importantly though, the class should be able to distinguish that we are different from animals, but we also have some similarities in our characteristics, needs and our wants. Elaboration: The teacher will elaborate on the topic of tracks when the class finds an animal track like the story. The teacher will then explain that when we play we must be mindful of where these animals live so that we do not intrude on their space. If there is a lack of animal tracks, the teacher can explain right away that we may have invaded too much of the animals natural space, and that we must be careful where we live and play so that we prevent animals from becoming extinct. We are all different and yet the same because we have physical/emotional needs and wants that must be met; however, the difference between animal’s and humans is that we control animals and they have no voice to stop us from controlling them. Evaluation: The teacher will evaluate what the students have learned about animal and human characteristics as well as needs/wants and how they relate to humans by having them bring their Science journals on the nature walk. The students will show that they understand the interconnectedness between all of the lessons by engaging fully in the track hunt and by asking questions about what they are seeing or are not seeing. The concept of animals not having a natural habitat can be a bit difficult for children to understand; however, the teacher will be using real experience to explain this concept. The teacher must than further elaborate on concepts that the students seem to struggle with during a later lesson in this unit or perhaps after this unit.

Extensions /Modifications:-This lesson can be modified in the type of tracks the children search for on the nature walk if the animals from the story are not likely to be seen on the nature walk. -The lesson can also be extended if the children have further questions about animal’s natural habitats. For example, the children may want to draw pictures or write very short letters to the mayor to display their beliefs in saving natural habitats.- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment:-The teacher will formally assess what the students have learned based upon what they have recorded in their Science journals. This will indicate what is still unclear for students and what they have a thorough understanding of. If there are areas of this lesson that the children do not seem to understand the concept of comparing ourselves to animals in regards to our


characteristics and physical/emotional needs and wants, the teacher may consider having additional resources such as interactive games or videos to reiterate this information. Some examples can be found on the resource file, which is also included with this unit.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing:-This lesson teaches the children that when we are outside, we are in animal’s natural space, which we must not only respect, but we must also learn to live in such a way that we do not harm animals. The Indigenous ways of knowing teaches that we need to live within nature in such a way that is not so far removed that we damage animal’s natural habitat. Please see “The Eight Aboriginal Ways of Knowing” at the end of this unit plan for further information.

How does this lesson relate to Environmental Education:-This lesson teaches the children that when we take a closer look into our natural environment we can see how animals live and meet their physical/emotional needs and wants. If we engage in the environment we can learn to appreciate it for everything it has to offer.

Resources:

Story Book:

Tracking Activities: For more ideas on how to teach children about animal and human emotional/physical needs, wants and characteristics.

Website: http://www.bear-tracker.com/teachers.html

Storybook:

Nail, J., & Skudder, H. (1994). Whose Tracks Are These? A Clue Book of Familiar Forest Animals. Langham, MD.: Roberts Rinehart Publishers, Inc.



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Eight: Plant Characteristics

Date: Early September or April-June

Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 45 minutes

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The students will watch a fun video on the parts of a plant.Exploring: The students will search for leaves outside and will examine their characteristics with a magnifying glass. After examining them, they will do a leaf rubbing. Explaining: The teacher will ask the students what they already know and the teacher will cover characteristics that they missed.Elaborating: The students will think back on characteristics of humans and animals and they will also reflect back on what classifies something as living.Evaluating: The students will be familiar with the formal names of the parts of a plant and have a basic understanding of how these parts function. Lesson Purpose: The students will understand that plants are living things and have similar characteristics to humans and animals. They will be familiar with the parts of a plant and will be able to identify the different parts if a plant was presented to them. The students will be familiar with the structure of a leaf. The lesson will be an introduction on how to care for plants.

About / In / For the environment: - about = The students will get an introduction about how to care for plants and will discuss the characteristics of plants in the environment.- in = The students are outside to look for leaves and several plants will be in the classroom- for = The students are asked to pick leaves off the ground because ripping leaves off of trees and bushes are not respectful of the environment. They will realize that we need to treat the environment with care. The teacher will make sure that the students are recycling the paper that they use in each lesson.

Outcomes & Indicators: LT1.1: b, d, f, k, l LT1.2: a, b, d, h, k

Content Background: Plants have roots, stems, leaves and flowers.- “The root is the part of the plant that grows into the ground. The root not only anchors

the plant into the soil, but it also absorbs water and minerals. Root systems can be bigger than the plant they support, though they tend to grow in length and not width due to their search for water, and roots often develop tiny hairs that help to maximize


the absorption of nutrients” (http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/lesson-plan/parts-of-a-plant-background-information-for-teachers-and-parents/)

- “The stem transports water and nutrients to the rest of the plant and also holds up the plant so it can receive as much sunlight as possible. There are two types of plant stems: herbaceous and woody. Flexible herbaceous plant stems, like those of tulips or chrysanthemums, die back to their roots every winter, and re-grow every spring. Woody stems, like the trunk of an oak tree, are less flexible and do not die back to the ground every year” (http://www.brainpop.com/educators/communi ty/lesson-plan/parts-of-a-plant-background-information-for-teachers-and-parents/).

- “The leaves are the parts of the plant that are responsible for both converting sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food through photosynthesis, and for respiration” (http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/lesson-plan/parts-of-a-plant-background-information-for-teachers-and-parents/)

- “Flowers are structures responsible for producing seeds. Pollination, the transfer of pollen grains from a flower’s anther to the stigma of the same or another flower, is necessary for plant reproduction. After flowers are pollinated, the flower turns into a fruit. The skin and flesh of the fruit protects the seeds inside. After the fruit ripens, it falls to the ground and the seeds inside have the opportunity to grow into new plants. Fruit can decay and release the seeds or animals can eat the fruit and leave the seeds behind in a new place” (http://www.brainpop.com/educato rs/community/lesson-plan/parts-of-a-plant-background-information-for-teachers-and-parents/).

Processes Developed: Guessing: The students will guess which part is which when we look at real plants and they will also reflect on what they think they know about plants.Classifying: The class will classify the parts of a plantOrganizing and Recording: The students will organize their ideas and drawings/rubbings into sentences in their Science journals.Communicating: The class will discuss what they think they already know about plants and will work together to figure out which part of the plant they are looking at.

Adaptive Dimension: - Wheelchair accessibility- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs



- Think and Learn Contextually: o The students will reflect on what they already know about how plants look and

work and then apply their new knowledge to examining real life plants.o The students will also reflect on their own experiences with things they find

outside.- Think and Learn Creatively:


o Getting the students to go outside and explore sparks their curiosity about the environment.

o The students will experiment by examining leaves with the magnifying glass.o Drawings and observations will be recorded in their Science journals.o The students will be redesigning the appearance of a leaf by doing a leaf

rubbing in their journals with the colour of their choice.o The parts of the plant will be discussed separately and each part will be

recorded in their journals.- Think and Learn Critically:

o The students will be analyzing the parts of a various plants, including flowers and leaves. They will also talk about their experiences with plants in the past.

o The class will discuss their different opinions on how plants look and distinguish what they actually look like.

o The criteria of the parts of plant will be discussed and this knowledge will be applied to how the students examine plants. The parts will be labeled on a diagram.



o Self-regulation and acting with integrity will be valued by teaching the students about how pulling a leaf off of a tree is not respectful




o If a student is from a different place than Saskatchewan, encourage them to share the different leaves or plants that they have seen outside.






o The students will show literacy based on the knowledge learned in the lessono Part of the information in this lesson will come from being in an outside

environment.o A diagram of a plant will be filled out.




o The students will express their understanding of living things by doing hands on activities, having conversations and recording information in their Science journals.

o Proper vocabulary will be used in the class: physical characteristic, roots, stem, flower and leaves.

o A video will be shown to gain an understanding about the parts of a plant.




o A student will be picked each day for watering the plants.- Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue

o Speaking, listening and reflecting will all be utilized by the students. When someone is sharing an idea, the students are expected to listen and reflect on their own opinions or experiences.

o All questions and opinions will be answered and clarified. o The group work will encourage students to plan out duties and to work together

harmoniously. An equal effort from each student will be reflected.- Take social action


o The teacher will strive to acknowledge opinions from students of all backgrounds

Interdisciplinary Connections: Fine arts: The students will do a leaf rubbing in their journals.Language arts: The students will write about what they have learned into their Science journals.

Prerequisite Learnings: - Characteristics of living things (Lesson 1)

Materials / Equipment: - Parts of a plant worksheet


http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/science/plant-parts_WMTFQ.pdf

- Various plants- Science journals- Magnifying glasses

Advanced Preparation: - The teacher needs to plant or purchase real various plants for students to observe.- Have the engaging video ready: (http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/parts ofaplant/)- Print out the parts of a plant worksheet—a flower with fill in the blank spaces for labeling.- The Science journals need to be out for students to record their information.

Lesson Procedure

ENGAGEMENT - The class will discuss what they think they know about the appearance of plants, how they know this and what they wonder. The students will watch a video on the parts of a plant: (http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/partsofaplant/) and discuss the parts that they heard in the video. You do need an account for this site, so use the username: regina and the password: brainpop.


Exploration – The students will go outside to search for leaves on the ground. They will go back inside

and do a leaf rubbing in their Science journals. To do a leaf rubbing, you put the leaf of choice underneath a single page, take a colouring tool and very lightly colour on top of it.


The students will be told to be careful not to push down on their colouring tool because the leaf will break.

Explanation – The class will discuss the terms they heard in the video and will label a diagram with the

parts of a plant. They will then discuss, in more detail, what these parts do. The teacher will explain that a flower makes seeds for a plant, the stem supports the plant and carries water and other nutrients, leaves make food for the plant and roots soak up water and nutrients. Students can represent the function of plant parts by words, pictures, or whatever is comfortable. This will be put in their Science journals.

Elaboration – Various real plants will be presented to the students in the classroom. The teacher will

divide up the class with an attempt to make every group equal in number. In these groups, the students will identify the plant parts in the plant they were assigned. Each day, a student will be assigned the responsibility to water the plants.

EVALUATIONThe class will understand the basic parts of a plant and what the functions of plant parts are. They will be able to identify a plant if presented to them. They will further realize that picking plants out of the ground or off a tree is disrespectful.

Extensions /Modifications:- If a child is in a wheelchair, the area outside must be wheelchair accessible- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs


Assessment:- The students will include leaf rubbings and a diagram of a labeled flower in their

Science journals.- Their ability to identify the parts of a real plant and their ability to work with others to

come up with the answers.

Resources:- Content background:

http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/lesson-plan/parts-of-a-plant-background-information-for-teachers-and-parents/

- Engaging video: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/partsofaplant- Parts of a plant worksheet: http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/science/plant-

parts_WMTFQ.pdf- “What’s Alive?” book: http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx ?

isbn13=9780064451321



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Nine: Plant Needs

Date: Any time

Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: Two 45 minute sessions

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle will be read to the class.Exploring: The students will predict what will happen in the story and they will also draw a seed and flower.Explaining: The students will discuss what helped and hurt the seeds in the story. The teacher will explain that the things that helped the seed are the things plants need in order to grow.Elaborating: The students will reflect on what they learned from the story and the characteristics of plants that they learned in the previous lesson. They will also write the four needs of plants and draw a picture of a seed and a grown plant in their Science journalsEvaluating: The students will understand what a plant needs in order to survive. This will result in students taking an initiative to properly care for plants. Lesson Purpose: The students will recognize that seeds and plants need each other and they will be familiar with the basic characteristics of both. They will learn about the things that hurt plants and things that help plants, which in turn, will teach them how to respect plants. They will understand the four needs of plants, which are water, air, soil and light.

About / In / For the environment: - about = The students will learn the physical and developmental differences of a seed and a plant and the long journey it makes before it is planted in the ground.- in= This lesson could be adapted to go outside.- for = The students will learn that certain things hurt and help the growth of plants. This will show the children how important it is to respect plants because they may hurt or hinder the growth process. The teacher will make sure that the students are recycling the paper that they use in each lesson.

Outcomes & Indicators: LT1.1: a, d, j, k, l LT1.2: a, b, e, g, h, k

Content Background: - A plant needs soil, water, air and light. - Vocabulary words: seed, sun, rain, air, earth, soil, roots, stems, leaves, flowers. - Things that hurt the tiny seed: bird, mouse, weed, foot- Things that help the tiny seed: wind, soil, rain, sun


Processes Developed: Predicting: The students will predict what will happen in “The Tiny Seed”Classifying: The needs of plants will be discussed and the students will understand different ways their needs are met. For example, a plant can be watered by rain, a watering can, a hose, ect. Recording: Pictures and words will be recorded in their Science journals about the needs of plantsCommunicating: The class will be discussing the things that happened in “The Tiny Seed”. They will also be talking about what they know about the needs of a plant throughout the lesson.Designing: The students will design their own flower in their journals.

Adaptive Dimension: - The lesson can be adapted to go outside- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs



- Think and Learn Contextually:o The students will reflect on what they already know about how plants look and

work o The students will reflect on any experiences they have had with planting or

seeing a plant grow.o The students will realize that human interaction with plants will help them to

grow properly. - Think and Learn Creatively:

o Reading “The Tiny Seed” and seeing the long journey the seed makes will spark curiosity in students..

o Drawings and observations will be recorded in their Science journals.o A seed and a flower will be drawn in the students’ Science journals.

- Think and Learn Critically:o The students will be analyzing the four needs of plants and will reflect on past

experiences with the four needs.o The class will discuss their different opinions on what plants need in order to

survive.o The students will make predictions on what will happen in “The Tiny Seed”.



o Self-regulation and acting with integrity will be valued by teaching the four needs of plants because they will realize that plants are just as reliant on things as we are.


o The students will be self-reliant because they are responsible for recording information for their own Science journal.



o If a student is from a different place than Saskatchewan, encourage them to share their different experiences with plants.






o The students will show literacy and use vocabulary based on the knowledge learned in the lesson

o The information is about plants that can be located in an inside environment or an outside environment.



o The students will express their understanding of living things by doing hands on activities, conversations and recording information in their Science journals.

o Proper vocabulary will be used in the class: water, light, soil, and air.




- Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue o Speaking, listening and reflecting will all be utilized by the students. When

someone is sharing an idea, the students are expected to listen and reflect on their own opinions or experiences.



o In case a student is to shy to put up their hand, the teacher will ask students individually to make sure they understand.


Interdisciplinary Connections: Fine arts: The students will draw a picture of a seed and a flower, based on “The Tiny Seed”Language arts: “The Tiny Seed” will be read and vocabulary terms will be discussed. Prerequisite Learnings:

- The characteristics of living things lesson (lesson 1) - Plant characteristics (lesson 8)

Materials / Equipment: - “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle.

Advanced Preparation: - Printouts of “The Tiny Seed” worksheet

This book can be taken out at the Teacher Preparation Centre at the University of Regina and at the Regina Public Library.


Lesson Procedure

ENGAGEMENT – The teacher will get the students together to read “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle in the beginning of the lesson to engage the students and to demonstrate the needs of living things. They will discuss what they think they know, how they know this and what they wonder about how plants survive.


Exploration – Before reading “The Tiny Seed”, the teacher will write the word “predictions” on the board

and the students will write that on the top of a page in their Science journals. While “The Tiny Seed” is being read, the teacher will stop at different points of the story to allow the students to predict what will happen in the story. For example, on page 3, it says, “One of the seeds flies higher than the others. Up, up it goes!” The students will predict what will happen to that seed and write that in their Science journals. Their opinions will be heard and discussed. The teacher will then continue reading, “It flies too high and the sun’s hot rays burn it up”.

– The students will draw a picture of a seed and a picture of a flower.

Explanation – The teacher will explain that a seed is the start of a new plant. A fill in the blank worksheet

will be given to the students. Two columns will be on the worksheet with the headings, “These things hurt the tiny seed” and “These things helped the tiny seed”. A word list will be provided with the words: soil, bird, sun, mouse, weed, rain, foot and wind. The students will write the words under the heading they thing it fits. The teacher will further explain that the things that have helped the tiny seed (soil, sun, rain and wind) are the

http://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files/education/little_seed.pdf


things plants need in order to survive.

Elaboration – The students will recognize the difference of plant needs to human needs and animal needs.

The students will also reflect back on what they have learned in the story and characteristics of plants from the previous lesson.

EVALUATION- The students will develop a basic understanding of what a plant needs in order to grow.

They will understand that a plant grows from a seed and seeds come from plants. From “The Tiny Seed”, they will know how a seed travels and how it eventually gets planted.

Extensions /Modifications:- This lesson can be adapted to go outside- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs


Assessment:- “The Tiny Seed” worksheet that describes what hurt the tiny seed in the story and what

helped the tiny seed. - A journal entry with their predictions in “The Tiny Seed”, a list of the four needs of

plants and a picture of a seed and a plant.

Resources:“The Tiny Seed” worksheet: http://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files /education/little_seed.pdf



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Ten: Plant Care

Date: Any time

Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 45 Minutes and a few minutes every day after to observe growth of plants

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The teacher will ask the students to reflect back on what they did with the plants in the previous lesson. A growing simulation will be shown in class and the students will have a chance to play around with it: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6/grow ing_plants.shtml). The teacher will then go on to say that we will be planting something of our own. The children will be divided into four groups.Exploring: Each group will plant a fast sprouting seed such as radish, bean or corn seeds. Each group will have a different growing condition. Explaining: The teacher will ask the students what they think will happen to the plants if a certain need is taken away. Every day, the students will observe their plants and discuss what is happening. They will eventually realize that plants do not grow properly if a need is neglected. The celery experiment will be revisited.Elaborating: They will take the knowledge they have of plant needs and apply that to maintaining the plant on a daily basis.Evaluating: The students will understand the growing conditions a plant needs in order to


properly grow. Lesson Purpose: The students will learn how to care and maintain a plant. They will reflect back on the needs of plants and apply that knowledge to this activity. They will further their understanding of how plants need to be treated with respect.

About / In / For the environment: - about = The students will learn how to tend to the needs of plants by planting one and caring for one. They will understand the consequences of people mistreating plants.- for = Students are taught respect by caring for plants. The teacher will make sure that the students are recycling the paper that they use in each lesson.

Outcomes & Indicators: LT1.1: b, c, d, e, k, l LT1.2: a, b, g, h, k

Content Background: - Four needs of plants: water, soil, light and air- Four conditions: no water, no sun, no air, and all needs.- Plants require all their needs in order to grow properly. If not, they will grow limp or

not strong.-

Experiment from: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/education/experiment.html

Processes Developed:Hypothesizing, guessing and predicting: The students will determine what they think will happen in our experiment when a need is taken away. They will also draw a picture of what they think their plant will look like in their Science journals.Classifying: The students will be able to classify which need is being tended to.Recording: The class will be observing the plants everyday and recording the changes in growth.Communicating: The students will be working together in groups. They will have to discuss the things they see with their groups and then to the whole class.Designing: Their Science journals will include pictures they have drawn of their growing plant, along with a picture of what they think their plant will look like in the end.Experimenting: The groups will be planting a seed with different growing conditions and observing what will happen.

Adaptive Dimension: - If a student is in a wheelchair, make sure the surface the groups will be working on is at


an appropriate height for the student to reach and participate.- Use plants that are of particular interest to the students.


- Think and Learn Contextually:o The students will reflect on what they already know about how plants look and

their needs and apply their new knowledge to this lesson.o The students will reflect on their own experiences with planting.

- Think and Learn Creatively:o Getting the students to plant their own plants will make the students excited and

curious.o The students will experiment by planting seeds in different growing conditions.o Drawings and observations will be recorded in their Science journals every day

to see growth.o The students will draw a picture of what they think their plant will look like.o The experiment involves removing a need from a seed, which will redesign the

way a plant is supposed to look like.- Think and Learn Critically:

o The students will be analyzing the four needs of plants and applying that to their planting experiment.

o The class will discuss their different opinions on how they think the plant will look afterwards and what they think will happen.



o Self-regulation and acting with integrity will be valued by teaching the students about how to treat seeds and plants with care.




o If a student is from a different place than Saskatchewan, encourage them to share their different experiences with plants.




o Conversation is a big part of the lesson and each and every student’s voice will


be acknowledged if they choose to.o There will be different ways to show literacy in the lesson: words and drawings

in their Science journals, participation in activities, and voicing an opinion.o The students will show literacy based on the knowledge learned in the lessono Part of the information in this lesson will come from being in an outside

environment.- Explore and interpret the world using various literacies

o The students will be recording information and experiments in their Science journals. Words and artistic renditions will be included.

- Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacieso The students will express their understanding of living things by doing hands on

activities, conversations and recording information in their Science journals.o Proper vocabulary will be used in the class: soil, air, water and light.o An online planting simulation will be used to engage the students and to

demonstrate how tending to needs is like.







o In case a student is to shy too put up their hand, the teacher will ask students individually to make sure they understand.


Interdisciplinary Connections: Fine arts: The students will be including colour pictures of their imagined and predicted flowers in their Science journals.Language arts: The students will further use their vocabulary from past lessons. For example, the four needs, Characteristics of living and a physical characteristic.

Prerequisite Learnings: - Vocabulary from past lessons: the four needs (soil, light, water and air), Characteristics

of living things (grow, move, eat, reproduce, breathe, react and make waste) and a physical characteristic.

- Classification of living things and non-living things (Lesson 1)


- The functions of the parts of a plant (Lesson 8)- The needs of plants (Lesson 9) and how they helped the tiny seed in “The Tiny Seed”

Materials / Equipment: - ½ pint milk cartons or Styrofoam cups- Radish, bean, or corn seeds- Soil- Watering cans (optional)- Box (optional)- Clear plastic bag- Science journals- Cup full of food dyed water- Celery

Advanced Preparation: - Get engaging video ready: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages

/5_6/growing_plants.shtml- Have all materials ready for experiment

o Purchase or collect milk cartons or cups, a kind of seed, soil, and bags.- Have the Science journals out in a space where the students can grab them.- Have a plan on how to divide the students into groups.

Lesson Procedure

ENGAGEMENT – The teacher will ask the students to reflect back on what they observed with the plants in the previous lesson and the story of “The Tiny Seed”. A growing simulation will be shown in class and the students will have a chance to play around with it: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/scho ols/scienceclips/ages/5_6/growing_plants.shtml). The teacher will then go on to say that we will be planting something of our own. The children will be divided into four groups.

EXPLORATION, EXPLANATION AND ELABORATION Exploration – After the students get into their groups, the teacher will give each group the materials they need (milk cartons or cups, soil, a seed, plastic bag, box, ect.). They will plant a fast sprouting seed such as radish, bean, or corn seeds. ½ pint milk cartons or cups will be used to plant the seeds. There will be four growing conditions and each group will represent one growing condition. One group will plant a seed that has soil, water and air, but no light. A box will be put on top of the plant or it will be put in a dark space. Another group will plant a seed that has soil, water and light, but no air. The plant will be put in a clear plastic bag. The third group will plant one with soil, air, light, but no water. The students will not water this plant. The fourth group’s plant will have soil, water, light and air. The students will record what they see each day in their science journals.

Explanation


– The teacher will ask the students what they think will happen to the plants if a certain need is taken away. Every day, the students will observe their plants and discuss what is happening. Some of the groups will see that their plants are not growing at all or that their plants are growing very weak. They will eventually realize that plants do not grow properly if a need is neglected.

Elaboration – After their plants have grown enough, the teacher will lead a discussion on the students’ observations. The teacher will ask why they think that some their plants did not grow properly. The teacher will link this to “The Tiny Seed” and reflect back on the seeds that did not make it to the end of the story. The class will start an experiment for the next lesson. The teacher will demonstrate in front of the class: a piece of celery will be put in a glass of food-dyed water. The results will be shown the next day.

EVALUATION- The students will gain hands on experience with caring for a plant. They will have a better understanding of how crucial it is to attend to each need of a plant. This, in turn, will result in a greater appreciation and respect of the environment.

Extensions /Modifications:- If a student is in a wheelchair, make sure the surface the groups will be working on is at an appropriate height for the student to reach and participate. If certain plants are of interest to the students, you can use those seeds for the lesson.

Assessment:- The students will record predictions, observations and results in their Science journals.

In the beginning, the students will have a picture of what they think their plant will look like when it is fully grown. Every day after planting, the students will draw a picture of what their plant looks like. When it is fully grown, they will include a picture of the final result. Discussions in groups and in the class will be taken into account.

Resources:Four growing conditions experiment: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/education/exper iment.html



Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Eleven: Comparing Ourselves to Plants

Date: Any time

Subject: Science

Grade: Grade 1

Time: 45 Minutes

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The students will create a paper flower with their faces in the middle. This will be displayed in the classroom under the title, “Watch Me Grow”.Exploring: A picture of a human and a plant will be put next to each other to compare.Explaining: The class will discuss the physical differences and similarities between them and plants. They will also discuss the similar needs between humans and plants.Elaborating: The teacher will explain that we need to treat plants with as much respect as possible. The class will make a poster that reflects this idea.Evaluating: The students will recognize that all living things are similar in many ways. Lesson Purpose: The students will recognize the similarities and differences in humans and plants and realize that they are both similar because they are living. The similarities they recognize will enforce the idea that plants need to be treated with as much respect as you would treat yourself. This lesson will further teach students about respecting all living things.


About / In / For the environment: - about = Recycling will be introduced to save the environment. - in = This lesson does not take place outside, but it can be adapted to be outside when talking about caring for the environment.- for = The teacher will explain that plants have as much of a right to live as you and me. The teacher will introduce recycling as a way to respect the environment. The students will be shown where the recycling bin is in the classroom or the school. The teacher will make sure that the students are recycling the paper that they use in each lesson.

Outcomes & Indicators: LT1.1: b, c, d, e, k, l LT1.2: a, b, e, i, k

Content Background: - Recycling is a great way to conserve the environment- Reduce

o Reduce the waste you use by double siding papers, etc.- Reuse

o Reuse materials like dishes, scraps of paper, etc.- Recycle

o Use blue bins- Plants and humans are similar

o Water, air, food, care- Plants and humans are different

o Take in water differently Humans drink water through their mouths, plants soak up water from the

roots.o Different parts

Plants: roots, stems, flowers, leaves Humans: Complex

Legs, arms, nose, eyes, ect.

Processes Developed: Guessing: the students will guess what plants and humans have in common.Classifying: the students will be classifying the needs and characteristics of both humans and plants.Recording: the students will record information and pictures in their Science journals.Communicating: the students and the teacher will communicate their ideas on what they think about humans and plants.Designing: the students will design their own flower with their face in it.section should highlight the science processes in which the students will engage in this lesson and how those processes will be developed (for example: hypothesizing, guessing, predicting, classifying, organizing, recording, planning, communicating, designing, experimenting)

Adaptive Dimension: - If the students have a preferred plant other than a flower, the engaging activity can be

adapted to that preference- Can be adapted to go outside if the need or want arises



- Think and Learn Contextually:o The students will reflect on what they already know about how humans and

plants look and what they need to survive.o The students will reflect on their own experiences with interacting with plants.

- Think and Learn Creatively:o The students will experiment by immersing a celery stalk in a glass full of food

dyed water.o Drawings and observations will be recorded in their Science journals.o The students will be designing a flower with their faces in the middles of them.

- Think and Learn Critically:o The students will be analyzing the characteristics and needs of both humans and

plants and comparing and contrasting them.o The class will discuss their different opinions on the similarities and differences

of humans and plants.o The criteria of the characteristics and needs will be applied to how they think

about plants and other living things.



o Self-regulation and acting with integrity will be valued by teaching the students about how treating the environment with care is important.




o If a student is from a different place than Saskatchewan, encourage them to share the different experiences they have had when interacting with plants.






o The students will show literacy based on the knowledge learned in the lesson





o Proper vocabulary from past lessons will be used in the lesson.









Interdisciplinary Connections: Fine arts: The class will start with an art project. The students will create a flower with their faces in it.Language arts: The vocabulary terms from past lessons will be brought into this lesson. A “physical characteristic” will be visited along with the needs of humans and plants and also the characteristics of living things. New terms will be “similarities” and “differences”

Prerequisite Learnings: - Characteristics of living things (Lesson 1)- Needs of humans and plants (Lesson 3 and 9)

Materials / Equipment: - Coloured construction paper- Scissors- Glue- Camera (optional)- Crayons/pencil crayons- Other decorating tools


- Cup full of food dyed water- Celery

Advanced Preparation: - Have pictures of your students ready for the day of the lesson- Have templates of a large flower ready and printed out.- Have materials out and organized- Have pictures of humans and plants ready to show the students- Have the projector, smart board, screen, ect. ready to display the images

Lesson Procedure

ENGAGEMENT – The teacher will provide the students with flower part templates and the students will cut them out. They will pick out different colours of construction paper and cut them out, using the template. The students will decorate their flowers however they want and pictures of the students will be put in the middle of the flower. They will be displayed in the classroom under the heading, “Watch Me Grow”.


Exploration – The terms “similarities” and “differences” will be discussed and understood. The teacher will have a large picture of a human and of a plant on a projector or a screen. The students will draw their own picture of these images in their Science journal. The teacher will ask the students what a physical characteristic is and will ask them to list the characteristics of the human and then the plant. The teacher will make a side called “Human Characteristics” and the other side will be called “Plant Characteristics”. The teacher will then write down these characteristics on the board as the students answer. The class will then look at what words are similar on the board and the teacher will circle the words that are similar. The students will write what the teacher is putting up on the board in their science journals. They will understand that the words circled are the similarities and the ones that are not circled are differences.

Explanation - The class will then look at what words are similar on the board and the teacher will circle the words that are similar. The students will write what the teacher is putting up on the board in their science journals. They will understand that the words that are circled are the similarities and the ones that are not circled are differences. The celery project started the previous day will be addressed. The teacher will ask what they think happened to the celery after being in the water all night and day. First, the teacher will ask the students how they get water into their body. They will most likely say drinking. The teacher will explain that the celery absorbed the water and turned a different colour. The teacher will further explain that this is the way that plants “drink” water, but they do it in a different way by absorbing water.


Elaboration -The teacher will explain that we need to treat plants with as much respect as we do ourselves. The term “recycle” will be introduced. The recycling bin in the classroom will be shown and the teacher will explain that putting our leftover paper into the bin will help the environment. This will enforce the idea that humans and plants need to help each other and respect each other. A poster will be made: Instead of the phrase, “Treat others like you would want to be treated”, you could use, “Treat other living things like you would want to be treated”.

EVALUATION- The students will be able to distinguish the similarities and differences in humans and plants. They will understand that plants need to be respected and cared for as well as caring for ourselves.

Extensions /Modifications:- The engaging activity can be changed to a different plant if the class is not interested in

flowers.- The class can be adapted to be outside to include physical education into the lesson.

Assessment:- Participation in the engaging activity- A journal entry of the similarities and differences of humans and plants, along with a

picture of the human and plant shown in class.

Sources:


Celery experiment: http://www.education.com/activity/article/celery_stick_science_first/


Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson Twelve: How Are We Connected?

Date: Any time

Subject: Science

Grade: One

Time: 45 minutes

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engaging: The teacher will bring a bag full of items to show the students the relationships we have with animals and plants. Exploring: Similar to the previous lesson, a picture of an animal will be shown and the characteristics of that animal will be discussed. The students will bring out their previous list and recognize the similarities and differences.Explaining: The teacher will explain to the class that all living things need each other to live and the reasoning behind that. The class will do a worksheet together that asks how we help each other. Elaborating: The class will then be given the task to draw either a plant, animal or human and


create an appropriate environment for that living thing.Evaluating: The students will develop a deeper understanding of living things and the whole entire unit. Lesson Purpose: Since this is the last lesson in the unit, it will bring all of the content together to get students to link their learning together. The students will gain a deeper understanding of how crucial it is to respect all living things. They will recognize that we all need each other to live and we owe respect to each other.

About / In / For the environment: - about = The students will realize that we need plants and animals in our lives, so we cannot mistreat these living things.- for = The students will further understand the importance to respect the environment and care for it. The teacher will make sure that the students are recycling the paper that they use in each lesson.

Outcomes & Indicators: LT1.1: b, c, d, e, g, k, l LT1.2: a, b, c, f, i, k

Content Background: Plants give humans and animals homesEndangered Animals:

- The wild life is being threatened: Deforestation causes the extinction of many animals. Cutting Down Trees:

- Trees are just as important to human beings as food and water. - Trees and land plants produce up to about 30% of oxygen and 70% in from plants in

the ocean, rain forests are home to fruit, nuts and hundreds of different animals and plants but there all getting cut down because we need paper. Trees produce shelter, food, water and are homes to birds, insects and other animals and plants.

New Homes:- Animals have to get brand new homes because people keep cutting down the trees. If

trees keep getting cut down the rainforests animals have to keep on building homes for themselves, they can’t do that all the time.

- Animals are becoming extinct for two reasons o 1. The animals are not safe because the area becomes more open o 2. Animals that live in trees are getting their homes taken away.

Information from: http://rps4sm.global2.vic.edu.au/2012/11/07/dont-cut-down-trees/- We get milk and cheese from cows- Humans get food from plants

o Ex: vegetables- We use domesticated animals for pets and companions- Humans and animals need trees for oxygen- Humans and animals need plants for homes

o Ex: log houses, homes for squirrels - Some plants need humans for care

http://rps4sm.global2.vic.edu.au/2012/11/07/dont-cut-down-trees/


- Animals use plants as a source for food.

Processes Developed: this section should highlight the science processes in which the students will engage in this lesson and how those processes will be developed (for example: hypothesizing, guessing, predicting, classifying, organizing, recording, planning, communicating, designing, experimenting)

Adaptive Dimension: - Change items in the bag based on the students’ interests- Change the picture of an animal based on interest- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs



- Think and Learn Contextually:o The students will reflect on what they already know about how plants, humans

and animals look and what they ned.o The students will reflect on interactions they have had with plants and animals

and what they use them for.- Think and Learn Creatively:

o The students will experiment by creating an imagined environment for a living thing.

o Drawings and observations will be recorded in their Science journals.o The students will be designing images of animals, humans, plants and the

several needs.- Think and Learn Critically:

o The students will be analyzing the characteristics and needs of humans, plants and animals.

o The class will discuss their different opinions on the similarities and differences between the three living things categories.

o Humans, plants and animals will be discussed together to make a point that we all need each other.



o Self-regulation and acting with integrity will be valued by teaching the students to care for yourself, plants and animals.



o Open-mindedness will be demonstrated by valuing each and every student’s


opinion or idea.o If a student is from a different place than Saskatchewan, encourage them to

share the different leaves or plants that they have seen outside.- Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and

sustainabilityo Explaining that life outside will not be alive if we do not respect and care for

the environment. The actions of humans can sometimes hurt the living things.Literacies:

- Construct knowledge related to various literacies.o Conversation is a big part of the lesson and each and every student’s voice will

be acknowledged if they choose to.o There will be different ways to show literacy in the lesson: words and drawings

in their Science journals, participation in activities, and voicing an opinion.o The students will show literacy based on the knowledge learned in the lesson




o Proper vocabulary from every lesson will be applied in this lesson.









Interdisciplinary Connections: Fine arts: The students will be drawing pictures in their Science journalsLanguage arts: The students will be applying past vocabulary from other lessons into this lesson. A fill in the blank paragraph will be done in class.


Prerequisite Learnings: - All vocabulary from every lesson- Morals of respect from every lesson

Materials / Equipment: - Bag- Different plant and animal materials

o Carroto Dog pictureo Cat pictureo Flowero Cow pictureo Sun flower seed

- Science journals- Connections amongst living things worksheet.

Worksheet from: http://www.mrcollinson.ca/1%20science/living%20things/1_science_ living_things_connections.pdf

Advanced Preparation: - The “Connections Amongst Living Things” worksheet needs to printed for each student- The students’ Science journals need to be out for them to record information.

Lesson Procedure


ENGAGEMENT – The teacher will bring a bag full of items to show the students the relationships we have with animals and plants. When one is pulled out, the teacher will ask the students to say what we do with those living things. For example, if you brought out a carrot, they would say that they eat it. Another example could be a dog and they could possibly say that they have a pet dog. Pictures of animals will be included in the bag for the animal section.


Exploration – The same activity from the previous lesson will be used. A picture of an animal will be displayed and the students will discuss the physical characteristics. The teacher will, again, write those words on the board. The students will look at their other list and will recognize differences and similarities. The students will circle the words similar to humans and put a box around the words that are similar to plants. If a word is the same as both, the student will highlight the word with a highlighter. When a word is highlighted, the students will go back and highlight that word in every list.

Explanation – The teacher will explain that all living things need each other to life and prosper. The teacher will explain that we use plants for food, clothing, and medicine and we use animals for companions (pets), and food (milk and cheese). The teacher will also explain that plants and animals sometimes rely on humans to care for them. They will link this information to their lessons about caring for animals and caring for plants.

Elaboration – The students will be asked to draw their choice of a human, an animal or a plant in their Science journal. Based on our lessons in this unit, the students will draw an appropriate environment for that living thing. They learned that all living things need each other, so this will be included in their environment as well. For example, if a student draws a human, they can also include a pet and trees in the background. They would also include food, shelter, water and air. This will all be included in their Science journals.

EVALUATION- The students will develop a deep understanding of the purpose of respecting ourselves and other living things. These teachings will inspire children to make more conscious and moral choices when it comes to the environment other living beings.

Extensions /Modifications:- The lesson can be changed according to the students’ interests. For example, you can

use a cat for the picture in the exploration activity. You can also use items that the students enjoy in the engaging activity.

- The teacher should be aware of all learning needs and how to cater to those needs before teaching the lesson.

Assessment:


- Participation in the whole entire unit- The imagined environment drawing in their Science journals- The entire journal will be looked at this point to assess their learning.

Sources:

- “Connections Amongst Living Things” worksheet: http://www.mrcollinson.ca /1%20science/living%20things/1_science_living_things_connections.pdf

- Content Background: http://rps4sm.global2.vic.edu.au/2012/11/07/dont-cut-down-trees/

- 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning: http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_fil e/0016/510073/8-Aboriginal-ways-of-learning-factsheet.pdf

Linking The Unit to the Eight Aboriginal Ways of Learning:

- Story Sharing: we connect through stories we shareo Two different narratives will be present in this unit. The first one is written

narrative, which will be shown through stories, books and poems. The second is personal narrative. The students will be sharing their past experiences and stories to the class.

- Learning Maps: we picture our pathways of knowledgeo The students will be journaling words and pictures to visualize their learning

processes and to build on past learning.- Non-verbal: we see, think, act, make and share without words

o The students will be doing hands on work when they go outside, find objects, experiment, worksheets, games, ect.

- Symbols and Images: We keep and share knowledge with art and objectso Art projects, pictures and symbols in their Science journals all contribute to the

child’s learning.- Land Links: we work with lessons from land and nature

o The students will be outside to learn about the things living in that environment. For the lessons that are not outside, they will be gaining knowledge about the outside environment. They will learn respect and care for all living things.


- Non-linear: we put different ideas together and create new knowledgeo Previous knowledge the students have will be heard and the teacher will build

on that knowledge to create new concepts.- Deconstruct/Reconstruct: we work from whole parts, watching, then doing

o The teacher will think of the students as holistic and tending to every part of them, whether that is emotional, mental, physical, ect.

- Community Links: we bring new knowledge home to help our [community]o Every student will have the chance to explain his or her personal experiences

and viewpoints. The various opinions will create a great connection to real life experiences.

Source:- 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning: http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_fil

e/0016/510073/8-Aboriginal-ways-of-learning-factsheet.pdf

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