Life Systems

Grade 1: Life Systems

Needs & Characteristics of Living Things

For PDSB Educators: if you are looking to reach out to the Peel Field Centres for further ways to connect your learning to the environment visit the PDSB Field Centre Share Point site.

Nature Journaler: Aspen Orr

Nature Journaling: I Notice..., I Wonder...?, It Reminds me of...

IF YOU ARE NEW TO NATURE JOURNALING PLEASE LOOK AT OUR NATURE JOURNALING PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Nature Journaling is an incredible tool for students to observe their surroundings and the living things within that community. Their nature journal allows them to write/draw their observations helping to cement the concepts being taught.

At this age all three prompts "I notice..., I wonder...?, and It reminds me of..." become very intuitive. However, the last statement becomes very important for making the connections. Encourage students to begin writing using single words or simple sentences. Please note that spelling is not the focus in a nature journal. At this age you may start to see art fears - ensure you are re-iterating it is not about a pretty picture. It is about their observations. Please see the link below for tips on giving feedback. Using a combination of words, pictures and numbers allows the students multiple tools to document their observations. With permission Bethan Burton has allowed us to link to her website as she has written a blog post for Teaching nature journaling at all ages.

Here are some more ideas to get you started.

Engage the fives senses (whenever possible)
Make leaf prints ( paint the leaf and press the print into the journal)
Make leaf rubbings
Trace the items they are looking at
Add leaves into the journal using tape
Count the birds/squirrels/insects etc.
Measure as much of the phenomena as the students can using non standard and standard units of measurement.

Here is a downloadable lesson from John (Jack) Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren book: How to Teach Nature Journaling. All resources shared with permission. "I Notice..., I Wonder...?, It Reminds me of..."

GIVING FEEDBACK here is a fantastic resource from Jack and Emilie

NOTE: You are encouraged to spend time in the outdoors Nature Journaling. However, you can also bring nature inside, look out your wonder window, have a refrigerator Safari or even observe a house plant or pet.

Photo by: @billiejooutdoors

Animal - Who am I?

Start by picking two animals and compare their characteristics. Research what their characteristics are using the BYOD Library link on the side. All animals have distinct characteristics that enable them to survive. This first part can be done orally or written down if you want extra practice writing. Example:

Deer vs chickadee
- Fur vs feathers
- 4 legs vs 2 legs
- Can't fly vs can fly
- Big vs small
- Any other characteristics

Once you have done this activity for a number of pairs of animals you can then play the game "Who Am I?" Here is how you play.

Take a walk outside or around the house to get moving.
One person think of an animal (make sure it is an animal they know a lot about)
The other person or people ask Yes and No questions until they have a guess at what the secret animal is.
- Examples of Yes or No questions
  - Does your animal have fur?
  - Does your animal fly?
  - Is your animal big?
  - Does your animal live in Ontario?
  - Is your animal a mammal?
  - Any other questions you can think of

When someone guesses the secret animal then it is their turn to pick the secret animal!

Curriculum Links:

See Oral Communication - Animal - Show and Share
See Visual Arts - Draw an animal

NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.

Photo by: @billiejooutdoors

Safety/care rules

- Make sure you are following the safety/care rules
- Be gentle with the insects, the idea is to catch them for a few minutes, observe them and then let them go.
- Be cautious when catching insects that can sting
- Make sure the whole animal is on the inside of the container as not to squish it
- Do not shake the container with the animal inside
- Be stealthy and quite
- MOST IMPORTANTLY HAVE FUN!

Catch a Bug!

Have you ever wanted to get up close to an insect to investigate all of it's cool adaptations? Well now you can! For this activity you will make your own bug catchers out of recycled materials.

Step 1:

- Collect 2L pop/drink bottles and the lids from sour cream and yogurt containers
- Clean the lids and bottles
- Cut the tops and bottoms off of the containers along the ridges of the bottles. This will leave the right amount of space.
- Leave the lid on the top section.
- Make sure the edges have been smoothed out to ensure no one gets cut on the plastic
- Once that is complete pair it with a lid (sour cream or alternative) and you are done
- If you do not have 2L pop bottles be creative and use what you have

Step 2: The following can be done orally

- Head outside and explore for bugs
- Can you identify the characteristics that make an insect an insect ( three body parts, head, thorax and abdomen and six legs)?
- Investigate their characteristics, how do these help the insect get all of their needs (food, water, shelter, space and air)? Think about the following:
  - Are they large or small
  - What colour are they?
  - Do they have wings? If yes what do the wings look like?
  - What do their mouths look like? Can you guess what they might eat?
  - Anything else you observe
- If it has more or less legs and body parts what is it and does it play a similar role in the environment?
- Make a note about where you are finding your insects for example: on the ground, a tree, a plant, flying or anywhere else.
- What role do they play in the environment, do they:
  - Eat dead plants and animals?
    1. What happens after they do this and why is this an important role?
    2. How does this help other plants and animals?
  - Drink from a flower?
    1. How does this help the plants grow?
    2. How does this help other plants and animals including humans?
  - Eat other insects?
    1. Why is this important to other plants and animals including humans?
  - What other roles might they have?
- How does showing respect and care for insects help keep a healthy environment?

Check out the virtual choice board to give you more fun facts about some of the insects you may find!

Click on the insect pictures as well as the field journal to see some amazing videos!

NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.

Insect Virtual Choice Board

Photos by: @billiejooutdoors

Nature Journaling: Species Account

In the activity Species Account from John (Jack) Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren's book: How to Teach Nature Journaling. "Students describe a growing plant, a decomposing object, or a landscape feature as it changes over multiple observation sessions. "

All resources shared with permission.

Photo by: @billiejooutdoors

Planting - Needs & Characteristics

Students will be required to do some research in this activity. Use the Peel BYOD Library or other sources to assist.

1) What is the difference between living and nonliving?

What are the characteristics of a living and non living thing?
Go on a walk , look out the window or look around the house and name five things that are living and five things that are nonliving

2) What do all living things need to survive?

3) Go outside into the garden or use a pot indoors to plant some seeds. You can also use a plant that is already growing in your house or garden.

4) Is the plant living?

- How do you know?
- List the characteristics and needs of your plant
- How are you going to help your plant to survive?
- In a journal keep track of your plant's growth and how you are helping it to survive

5) What is the role of humans in maintaining a healthy environment? List ideas and research if needed.

Go for a walk, look out the window or around the house and list evidence of where you see humans helping to maintain a healthy environment
What are humans doing that is not good?
How can humans be more helpful?

Curriculum Links:

NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.

Video by: @billiejooutdoors & @baxterperson

Popcorn the Corn Snake

Watch the first video of popcorn eating a mouse and listen to Mr. H tell you all about their characteristics. Then watch the second video for even more amazing facts!

Once you have completed the videos investigate the following concepts:

How do they get their basic needs food, water, shelter and space? How is it different or the same to you?
Compare Popcorns physical characteristics to yours and other animal that lives in your community
How do Popcorn's physical characteristics help them to meet their basic needs?
What do you think would happen to the environment if we lost all the snakes?
Anything else you think would be interesting to look at.

NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.

Photos by: @billiejooutdoors

Photo by: @billiejooutdoors

Silly Names!

It's time to get your "silly" on! Go for a walk or look out your window and make up a new name for any living thing you see. Be sure to use the characteristics of the living thing in your new name. Be creative and have fun!

Look at the pictures on the left for some inspiration.

Try to take a photo or draw a picture of your living thing to go along with your silly name.

NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.

Fisher StoryLESSONS FROM THE EARTH & BEYOND

The Fisher Story

Watch the Fisher Story. This video is from Issac Murdoch and the Lessons From the Earth and Beyond website which is designed to help us understand and discuss the importance of Indigenous knowledge.

What are some positive characteristics and features of the animals in this story?
Choose and research an animal that best represents your personality and compare 3 traits you feel are similar to you (body shape, personality, behaviour, features, adaptations, etc.). Make sure you have researched the actual animal and do not base your knowledge on what you have seen in media.
How does this bird/mammal/amphibian/reptile/plant/tree help the earth?

NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.

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