Kindergarten
J.R. Ewan Elementary School
Developed by: Missi Meiners, Jessaca Hunter,
and Shelley Dickson
Organizer
What is special about our planet earth?
Academic Expectations and Demonstrators
2.1 Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.3 Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work together or affect each other.
Identify and classify different earth materials (i.e. rocks, soils, and sand) by their physical properties.
Plant the same type of seeds in different mediums such as soil, water, cotton, sand and/or pebbles. Observe and compare the growth and development of the plants.
2.6 Students understand how living and nonliving things change over time and the factors that influence the changes.
Classify living things as plants or animals.
Group organisms based on observable characteristics.
IR.K.1 Use pictures and titles to understand information presented.
IR.K.3 Observe and/or listen for details.
1.11: Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.
WR-E-1.4 Transactive writing is informative/ persuasive writing that presents ideas and information for authentic audiences to accomplish realistic purposes like those students will encounter in their lives.
Essential Questions
Culminating Activity
Work in cooperative groups to create an advertisement to convince people that your favorite environment would be the best place to visit. It should tell what you’ve learned about why your favorite environment is special (including land features and animal inhabitants) and explain what you would need to survive there. You will share this with the school during the morning news and with our families during literacy night.
Scoring Guide
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Criteria |
Tell two or more things about climate and landforms Tell about 2 or more animals in this environment and how they can survive in this environment Presentation is clear Appropriate props |
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4 |
All elements are well developed |
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3 |
Most elements are well developed, one may be missing |
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2 |
Some elements are well developed, one or two may be missing |
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1 |
Elements are poorly developed, many elements are missing |
Knowledge (Core Content)
SC-E-2.1.1 Earth materials include solid rocks and soils, water, and the gases of the atmosphere. Minerals that make up rocks have properties of color, texture, and hardness. Soils have properties of color, texture, the capacity to retain water, and the ability to support plant growth. Water on Earth and in the atmosphere can be a solid, liquid, or gas.
SC-E-3.1.1 Things in the environment are classified as living, nonliving, and once living. Living things differ from nonliving things. Organisms are classified into groups by using various characteristics (e.g., body coverings, body structures).
Technology Standards
T4
Access Information/Technological SkillsT4.4 Locate information using the Internet
T4.4.4 Use various web browsers
T4.4.4.1 To navigate the World Wide Web
T4.5 Navigate within an operating system or software
T5 Process Information/Technological Skills
T5.1 Use proper keyboarding with speed and accuracy relative to the task.
T5.2 Evaluate information using electronic references
T6 Use or Present Information/Technological Skills
T6.4.4 Write documents to help with oral presentations (e.g., notes, handouts, multimedia)
Skills and Procedures
Instructional Activities
Timeline for Unit
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Daily |
Mon |
Tues |
Wed |
Thurs |
Fri |
Collaboration |
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Week 1 Desert Jan 28 – Feb 1 |
Desert T-Chart Art Center/ Read Aloud Computer Center-Ench. Learning |
KWL Introduction to the Unit Begin Art Center |
Desert Pre-Test Read Aloud Begin Desert T-Chart |
1) Grab Bag 4) Desert Websites/Cactus Game |
2) Sand Art |
5) Planting Seeds |
3) Living/ Non-Living Organisms in Kidspiration (Comp. Lab) |
|
Week 2 Jungle Feb 4 – 8 |
Jungle T-Chart Art Center/ Read Aloud Computer Center-Kidspiration |
Begin Jungle T-Chart 3) Forest Family Video Begin Art Center |
1) Separating Soils |
2) Rain in a Jar |
5) Planting Seeds |
4) Great Kapok/Layers |
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Week 3 Feb 11 – 14 |
Ocean Venn Art Center/ Read Aloud Computer Center |
Begin Ocean Venn Begin Art Center |
Records Day |
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Week 4 Feb 19 - 22 |
Arctic Venn Art Center/ Read Aloud Computer Center |
President’s Day |
Begin Arctic Venn Begin Art Center |
Lesson Goals
Introductory Lesson: KWL
Objective: Students will recall background knowledge about the earth to trigger interest to learn new information.
Description: Whole group, teacher-directed discussion
Assessment: The chart will provide evidence of student participation.
Read-Aloud Lessons:
Objective: Students will understand how to read for information and listen for details. Students will focus on concepts of written print.
Description: Whole group shared reading and discussion
Assessment: Informal questioning
Desert Writing Lesson: T-Chart
Objective: Students will recall background knowledge about deserts to trigger interest to learn new information.
Description: Interactive writing detailing information learned each day during reading and science lessons.
Assessment: Informal
Desert Lesson 1: Grab Bag
Objective: Students will be able to classify living and nonliving organisms.
Description: The whole class will pick items from a grab bag and classify them as living or nonliving. This will be transferred to a learning center where various objects will be placed in a tub of sand and students will classify them as living or nonliving.
Assessment: Students will cut and paste pictures of living and nonliving organisms.
Desert Lesson 2: Sand Art
Objective: Students will discover the color and texture of desert soil.
Description: Students will use sand of different textures and colors to create sand art.
Desert Lesson 3: Kidspiration Computer Lab
Objective: Students will be able to classify objects as living or nonliving.
Description: Students will use Kidspiration to sort pictures into groups of living and nonliving things.
Assessment: Printed work will be assessed to determine understanding of the concept.
Desert Lesson 4: Desert Websites/Cactus Game
Objective: Students will observe and discuss the climate of a desert.
Description: The class will view websites about deserts and discuss the climate of deserts.
Assessment: Play the cactus game (Why Do Ducks Quack, pg 39)
Desert Lesson 5: Planting Seeds
Objective: Students will understand that soils have different capacities to retain water and different abilities to support plant growth.
Description: Students will plant seeds in sand and observe their growth.
Jungle Writing Lesson: T-Chart
Objective: Students will recall background knowledge about deserts to trigger interest to learn new information.
Description: Interactive writing detailing information learned each day during reading and science lessons.
Assessment: Informal
Jungle Lesson 1: Separating Soil
Objective: Students will see that soil is made up of many different things.
Description: Students will separate soil into its different components by using screens of different sizes and mixing soil with water to observe how the soil particles settle to the bottom in layers. (Primary Science pg 37)
Assessment: Science journal response
Jungle Lesson 2: Rain in a Jar
Objective: Students will use the scientific method to predict and observe changes in a simulated environment to create rain.
Description: Using a large plastic cup, saran wrap, and a heat source (light), students will observe evaporation and condensation.
Assessment: Whole class predictions and observations will be recorded
Jungle Lesson 3: Forest Family Forever Video
Objective: Students will observe and listen to the video to learn details about the jungle.
Description: Students will watch the Forest Family Forever Video.
Assessment: Students will respond in their science journal.
Jungle Lesson 4: Great Kapok Tree
Objective: Students will identify the animals that live in different layers of the jungle.
Description: Read the Great Kapok Tree and discuss.
Assessment: Students will complete the cut and paste layers of the rainforest activity (Our Environment TCM, pg 34)
Jungle Lesson 5: Planting Seeds
Objective: Students will understand that soils have different capacities to retain water and different abilities to support plant growth.
Description: Students will plant seeds in rich, fertile soil and observe their growth.
Ocean Writing Lesson: Venn Diagram
Objective: Students will be able to identify features of the ocean.
Description: Students will begin to identify the landforms and life forms of the ocean.
Assessment: Written diagram
Ocean Lesson 5: Planting Seeds
Objective: Students will understand that soils have different capacities to retain water and different abilities to support plant growth.
Description: Students will plant seeds in fresh and salt water and observe their growth.
Pre-Test/Post-Test/On Demand Questions
You are going on a trip to the desert (jungle, ocean, arctic). Draw a picture of what you would see there and what you would wear.
Each of the following items will be worth one point:
Critical Resources