Embedded Files
Scope and Sequence
Scope and Sequence
Suggested Time Frame: Kindergarten Science Curriculum Map
Suggested Time Frame: Kindergarten Science Curriculum Map
The Kindergarten Science Curriculum Map is aligned to the Thematic Scope and Sequence (see below).
The Kindergarten Science Curriculum Map outlines the following information:
- Recommended pacing, scope, and sequence for each unit.
- Alignment with standards, conceptual understandings, and performance indicators
- Links to Unit Concept Storyboard Maps, Content and SEP Support Documents, and Curriculum Guides
- Details for Evidence of Understanding, Essential Learning Experiences, and Suggested Learning Engagements
- Where appropriate, alignment with specific FOSS, DSM, GEMS, and STC kit Activities and Investigations
- Thematic Units: Elements of these standards are addressed during the following thematic units
- Tree Homes
- 1st NW/2-3 weeks
- Polar Animals
- 3rd NW/2 weeks
- Oviparous Animals
- Zoo Animals
- Insects
- Ocean Animals
- 4th NW/4 weeks
- Tree Homes
Standards and Vertical Alignment
Standards and Vertical Alignment
Science Standards, Conceptual Understandings, and Indicators
Science Standards, Conceptual Understandings, and Indicators
- K.L.2A The environment consists of many types of organisms including plants, animals, and fungi. Organisms depend on the land, water, and air to live and grow. Plants need water and light to make their own food. Fungi and animals cannot make their own food and get energy from other sources. Animals (including humans) use different body parts to obtain food and other resources needed to grow and survive. Organisms live in areas where their needs for air, water, nutrients, and shelter are met.
- K.L.2A.1 Obtain information to answer questions about different organisms found in the environment (such as plants, animals, or fungi).
- K.L.2A.3 Develop and use models to exemplify how animals use their body parts to (1) obtain food and other resources, (2) protect themselves, and (3) move from place to place.
- K.L.2A.5 Construct explanations from observations of what animals need to survive and grow (including air, water, nutrients, and shelter).
- K.L.2A.6 Obtain and communicate information about the needs of organisms to explain why they live in particular areas.
Previous Learning Experiences
Previous Learning Experiences
- This is the first time this content is introduced
Future Learning Experiences
Future Learning Experiences
- See Science Standards Content Vertical Articulation Chart
Learning Goals, Skills, and Concepts
Learning Goals, Skills, and Concepts
Learning Goals
Learning Goals
- Students will ask questions about animals and their environment and will use their questions to guide how they obtain information to help them answer their questions.
- Students will obtain information from a variety of sources (including books, videos, the internet, observations, field studies, guest speakers) about animals, their needs, and their habitats.
- Students will develop models to illustrate and/or demonstrate how different animals use their body parts to gather food, protect themselves, and move from place to place.
- Students will use the information they obtain about animals to construct explanations for what animals need to survive (air, water, nutrients, shelter) and how their needs are met in their habitats.
Skills and Concepts
Skills and Concepts
- Obtain and Communicate Information- SEP Support Document
- Ask Questions- SEP Support Document
- Develop and Use Models- SEP Support Document
- Construct Explanations- SEP Support Document
- Animal Basic Information- Essential Knowledge Support Document
- Animal Body Adaptations- Essential Knowledge Support Document
- Basic Animal Needs- Essential Knowledge Support Document
- Habitats and Meeting Animal Needs- Essential Knowledge Support Document
Cross Cutting Concepts
Cross Cutting Concepts
- Patterns: Students should be able to observe patterns in the characteristics of animals and in the way animals meet their needs. Students should use these patterns to classify and describe the characteristics and behaviors of animals.
- Cause and Effect: Students should be able to recognize the cause and effect relationship between the characteristics of animals and how those characteristics help them meet their needs. Students should also be able to recognize the cause and effect relationship between where an animal lives and how its needs are met in that habitat.
- Structure and Function: Students should be able to equate the structure of animal characteristics with their function in terms of meeting needs for survival.
Science Concept Storyboard
Science Concept Storyboard
This link will take you to a print-friendly version of the science concept storyboard.
Essential Learning
Essential Learning
Core Essential Learning Experience(s)
Core Essential Learning Experience(s)
- It is ESSENTIAL that students investigate/research an animal in order to develop a model that illustrates how their animal uses its body parts to meet its needs in its habitat.
Essential Questions
Essential Questions
- How do animals get what they need to live?
- Why do animals live where they live?
- What do we want to know about animals?
- Why do different animals have different bodies and body parts?
Essential Vocabulary
Essential Vocabulary
- Animal
- Habitat
- Needs
- Air
- Water
- Nutrients
- Shelter
- Animal Body Parts (See support document)
Lessons and Activities
Lessons and Activities
Potential Instructional Strategies/Lessons/Examples
Potential Instructional Strategies/Lessons/Examples
Lessons and Activities:
- Pearson SC Interactive Science Textbook:
- Chapter 1,
- Chapter 2 Lesson 1,2,5,6
- Chapter 3 Lesson 6
- Pearson STEM Activity book Activity 1 - Scratch Away
- AIMS Activities: 2005 SC Science AIMS Kindergarten
- An Arm and a Leg
- The Eyes Have It
- Designer Ears
- Survivors
- SCDE Model Kindergarten Life Science Unit Activities (can be adapted for different Kindergarten Thematic Units)
- Hula Hoop Activity (Page 10)
- Exploring Animal Camouflage
- From PBS.org
- Image Sort- How Do I Meet My Needs? (Page 17)
- Animal Observations (Page 19)
- Is This A Good Place to Live (Page 26)
- Tree Homes GEMS book
- Penguins and their Young GEMS book
- 1st Nine Weeks- Tree Homes LHS Gems/ Forest Animals
- Students investigate the animals that live in the forest (Brown bears, owls, bats, raccoons, opossum, squirrel, deer, skunk, rabbit etc.) determine if they are nocturnal or diurnal, investigate the type of home they build in the forest, how they protect themselves, acquire food, and how they move
- Animal crafts & paper bag puppet animals
- Build a tree habitat for dramatic play and add forest animals
- Can, have, are writing opportunities as students learn about different animals
- Students investigate the animals that live in the forest (Brown bears, owls, bats, raccoons, opossum, squirrel, deer, skunk, rabbit etc.) determine if they are nocturnal or diurnal, investigate the type of home they build in the forest, how they protect themselves, acquire food, and how they move
- 3rd Nine Weeks-
- Jan Brett Literature study
- The Mitten
- The Hat
- The Three Snow Bears
- Annie and the Wild Animals
- The Trouble With Trolls
- Polar/arctic animals: (bears, polar bears, penguin, seals, arctic fox, etc.)
- Hibernation
- Migration
- Habitat (incorporate into dramatic play)
- Jan Brett Literature study
- Diet
- Camouflage
- Hunting Habits
- Penguins
- Tacky Penguin Literature study
- Investigate different types of penguins and habitats
- Penguin GEMS book Activities
- Activity 1 session 3: Who is taller? You or the penguin?
- Activity 2 session 3: Penguin Families Dramatic Play
- Penguin Crafts
- Penguin can /have/ are writing
- Penguins & the Blubber Experiment http://keepinglifecreative.com/creative-learning/the-blubber-mitten-experiment
- Fourth Nine Weeks-
- Oviparous Animals
- Plastic eggs filled with animal pics
- Ovip / non ovip. animal sort
- Plastic eggs filled with animal pics
- Insects
- Ants, Ladybugs, butterflies
- Eric Carl Literature Study
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- The Grouchy Ladybug
- The Very Lonely Firefly
- The Very Quiet Cricket
- The Very Busy Spider
- Ladybug GEMS
- Lifecycle
- Body Parts craft
- Ant Homes GEMS
- Observe live ants in classroom
- Body parts / how they eat
- Lifecycle
- Diet
- Ant community jobs (queen, nurse, worker, guard, forager)
- Tunnels
- Butterflies
- Observe live caterpillars change to butterflies in classroom
- Body parts /how they eat
- Lifecycle
- Diet
- Oviparous Animals
- Zoo Animals
- Categorize into habitats (map skills)
- Diet
- Alike / different
- Camouflage
- Predator / Prey
- Ocean Animals
- Fish
- Whales
- Sea Turtles
- Etta Kaner Books (Read Aloud books)
- Animal Talk: How Animals Communicate Through Sight, Sound, and Smell
- Animal Defenses; How Animals Protect Themselves (Animal Behavior)
- Animals at Work: How Animals Build, Dig. Fish, and Trap (Animal Behavior)
- Animals Migrating: How, When, Where, and Why Animals Migrate
- Other books - http://www.librarything.com/author/kaneretta
- Pamela Hickman Books (Read Aloud books)
- Animals in Motion: How Animals Swim, Jump, Slither, Glide
- Animals Eating: How Animals Chomp, Chew, Slurp, and Swallow
- Animals Hibernations: How Animals Survive Extreme Conditions
- Other books - http://www.librarything.com/author/hickmanpamela
Experiments, Field Studies, Visitors:
- Riverbanks Zoo
- Camp Discovery
- Pet Store
- Classroom pet
- Ant farm
- Butterfly cage
- Hatch eggs in classroom
- Poultry farmer classroom visit
- Virtual field trip to observe Decorah Eagles
- Marine biologist
- Veterinarian
Workshop and Centers Integration:
- Turn dramatic play into a zoo, pet shop, farm, forest, arctic iceberg, bear cave to observe students role play and reenact acquired knowledge
- Water table with ocean/pond animals
- Water table filled with pebbles and plastic animals
- Student made books of oviparous animals hatching from eggs
- Blocks - add animals for students to build habitats for
- Art- animal crafts
- Walk like a penguin
- “What am I” riddle books
- Plastic eggs activities
- Fill with pictures of animals to sort
- Make cvc words by twisting
- Shake and spill colored chips for math activities
- Cut up sentences inside to unscramble
- Rice bin animal sort
- Student made books of animal facts using can/have/are informational writing
Projects and Experiential Learning:
- Doing Research in Kindergarten:
- Chosen Animal Research Project
- Animal classifications
- Habitats
- Predator/prey / hunting habits/means of protection
- Diet
- Habitat
- Lifecycle
- Locomotion
- Communication
- Description (what does it look like)
- Create a model of chosen animal with main body parts
Assessment Ideas
Assessment Ideas
Formative
Formative
- SCDE Sample Formative Assessment Tasks (Page 8)
- (K.L.2A.5) Students will create a model that depicts an animal including items that are required by that organism to show that all of its needs are being met.
- (K.L.2A.5) Students will be asked to create a fictitious animal for a given habitat. They must include structures that ensure that the animal can survive in this habitat.
- (K.L.2A.6) Students will be assigned a habitat and given two pictures of animals. Students will assess which animal is best suited for living in that habitat and justify their answers citing evidence such as structures/adaptations that increase the chances of survival.
- Exit slip using checkpoints in the text
- Fist to five
- Turn & Talk
- Think/Pair share
- Observations during investigations
- Observations during centers and workshop
- Observations during Dramatic Play
- Vocabulary Smart Cards Games
- Discussions
Summative
Summative
- Teacher observation check sheets from workshop and center activities
- Animal Expert Project
- Book
- Habitat
- Model Animal
- Diorama
- Presentation Board
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
- Habitats (K.L.2A.6)
- This link will take you to the Smithsonian Science Education Center's Habitats App. This short, interactive activity involves students making inferences about different animals and selecting one of four habitats to place them in. While the activity itself is fairly simple, once placed, there is a link that will take you to more information about the animal, including information about how it is adapted for its habitat, including images and video clips.
- Shutterbugs: Wiggle and Stomp (K.L.2A.3)
- This link will take you to the Smithsonian Science Education Center's Shutterbugs App. This short, interactive activity involves students identifying the types of movements different animals in a virtual zoo are making. Once they get the correct answer, they are given a short description of what the animal is doing and why.
- Animal Body Coverings Slideshows http://www.kindergartenkindergarten.com/
- 1ST Nine Weeks Tree Homes Literature:
- Reading A-Z books:
- Reading A to Z: Squirrels
- Reading A to Z: Whose Tracks are These?
- Reading A to Z: The Forest
- Reading A to Z: About Trees
- Reading A to Z: To the Woods
- Animals in Fall by Melvin and Gilda Berger
- Life in the Forest by Eileen Curran
- How Bat Learned to Fly retold by Edwin Johns
- Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
- Chester Raccoon and the Big, Bad Bully by Audrey Penn
- Possum Magic by Mem Fox
- Earl The Squirrel by Don Freeman
- Lost in The Woods by Carl Sams II
- Owls by Gail Gibbons
- Bats by Gail Gibbons
- Reading A-Z books:
- 1st Nine Weeks Tree Homes Videos:
- Animal Forest
- Riverbanks Zoo: SC Wild Animals Are all Around You (25:48 min):
- 3rd Nine Weeks Literature:
- Karma Wilson Literature Study
- Bear Snores on
- Bear Says Sorry
- Bear Feels Sick
- Bear Feels Scared
- Bear Says Thanks
- Bear’s New Friend
- Bear Wants More
- Jan Brett Literature study
- The Mitten
- The Hat
- The Three Snow Bears
- Annie and the Wild Animals
- The Trouble With Trolls
- Helen Lester Tacky THe Penguin Literature Study
- Tacky The Penguin
- Three Cheers for Tacky
- Tackylocks and the Three Bears
- Tacky and The Emperor
- Tacky and the Winter Games
- Penguins
- Pierre The Penguin: A True Story by Jean Marzolo
- Poles Apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth by Dr. Mark Norman
- Polar Bears
- Polar Bears by Melvin and Gilda Berger
- Waiting for Ice by Sandra Markle
- A Polar Bear Journey by Debbie S. Miller
- Heart of the Arctic: A Story of a Polar Bear Family by Deborah Howland
- Other Arctic Animals
- Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Wind Blows by Marianne Berkes
- In Arctic Waters by Laura Crawford
- Arctic Foxes by Emily Rose Townsend
- Animal Babies in Polar Lands
- by Editors of Kingfisher
- Karma Wilson Literature Study
- 4th Nine Weeks Literature
- Oviparous Animals
- Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones by Ruth Heller
- Guess Who’s Growing Inside This Egg by Mia Posada
- An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Ashton
- An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni
- Why am I a Bird? by Greg Pyers
- Whose Nest by Tori Kosara
- Sandra Markle books
- What if You Had Animal Teeth?
- What if You Had Animal Hair?
- What if You Had Animal Ears?
- What if You Had Animal Feet?
- Oviparous Animals
Brain Pop Jr.
Songs:
- Animal Habitats by Jack Hartman:
- The Needs of an Animal by Harry’s Kindergarten:
- I’m A Penguin by Harry’s Kindergarten:
- I’m An Animal by Harry’s Kindergarten:
- Butterfly Butterfly by Harry’s Kindergarten:
- Penguin Song, Penguin Dance by Jack Hartman:
Live Animal Cams
- Explore Live Cams of Animals and Habitats: This site is home to several dozen live cams of many different animals and habitats
- This is the link to the San Diego Zoo which has tons of animal links and Live cam experiences for the students to see. (Thanks Robert Carswell for the share!)
Videos:
- Emperor Penguins in Antarctica:
- Humpback Whales in Antartica:
- Coastal Brown Bears in Southeast Alaska:
- Fun Facts About Polar Bears Video:
- Polar Bear Mom and Cubs:
- Hungry Polar Bear Surprises a Seal
- Reading Rainbow: Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones (24:48 min):
- Hertzfield Poultry Farms Virtual Tour (30:29 min):
- Beyond the Bars: Zoos and Zoo Animals (15 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Animal Survival Tactics (26:36 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: History of The Riverbanks (26:03 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Believe it or Not (25:47min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Zoo yuck-Ology (26:36 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Fins and Scales (26:36 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Green Animals (25:39 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: African Safari (26 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Feathers and Fur (26:25 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Crossing the Globe (24:34 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Animal Love Stories (25:52 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Fact or Fiction (24:36 min):
- Riverbanks Zoo: Eco Adventure with Philippe Cousteau (26:36 min):
Harbor Seal, Volcano, Flowers, and Robot Banner Images Courtesy of National Science FoundationHurricane Banner Image Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationGalaxy Banner Image Courtesy of NASA
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