LS.1.1.1

Obtain, evaluate and communicate information to summarize the needs of different plants and animals.

District Recommended Resources for 1st Grade Science

Plants & Animals Activity Pack

Needs of Plants
What's in Your Environment
Different Environments

Organisms Kit

Activity Packs available for purchase. Full kit rental options are also available. See your administrator.

Science Phenomena Resources

Other Phenomena Sites

Next Generation Science Standards YouTube Channel

Step 1: Lesson Standards & Learning Goals

NC K-12 Science Supporting Document Grade 1

Emphasis is placed on recognizing and summarizing the basic needs [air, water, food, and light (for plants)] of various plants and animals.

Dimension 1:

Science and Engineering Practice:

Obtain, Evaluate, and Communicate Information: Obtain information using various texts, text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons), and other media that will be useful in answering a scientific question and/or supporting a scientific claim (NSTA SEP Matrix).

Dimension 2:

Crosscutting Concepts: Systems and System Models

Dimension 3:

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

LS1.C Plants need water and light to live and grow.
LS1.C All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their food from plants or from other animals (A Framework for K-12 Science Education).

Sample Essential Questions

How can I summarize the needs of different plants and animals?
How can I explain the needs of different plants and animals?

Vocabulary

air
animals
basic needs
environment
food
habitat
light
plants
shelter
space
water

Students will be able to...

Recognize the basic needs (air, water, food, and light [plants]) of various plants and animals.
Summarize the basic needs (air, water, food, and light [plants]) of various plants and animals.
Obtain, Evaluating, and Communicating Information - Read grade-appropriate texts and/or use media to obtain scientific and/or technical information to determine patterns in and/or evidence about the natural and designed world(s). (e.g., utilizing online/paper resources to observe the needs of plants and animals in different environments).
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions - Use information from observations (first-hand and from media) to construct an evidence-based account for natural phenomena. (e.g., students can draw an existing or animal/plant and design an environment for it to inhabit, thinking of basic needs).

Students will know...

Plants need water, air, and light to live and grow.
Animals need water, air, and food to live and grow.
All animals obtain their food from plants or from other animals.
Plants and animals need shelter and space.

Step 2: Assessment

Formative Assessments

Writing Prompts

Draw a picture that shows how parts of the environment help animals and plants.
How do the parts of the environment work together? (e.g. animals can eat a plant, but also use it for shelter).
How do the different components of the environment interact? (e.g. light provides food for plants, but also provides warmth for animals).
Fold a piece of paper in half, then unfold. Students will draw, label and write about what plants need to survive on one side. Students will draw, label and write about what animals need to survive on the other side.

Mini Projects and Investigations

Plant a class garden using seeds known to grow well in your area and at the current time of year. Have students keep a growth log with pictures, measurements, and observations as the plants grow. If edible plants are included, schedule a day to enjoy the “fruits” of your labor. OR
Experiment: Place three identical plants in different conditions (one with no water, one in darkness, one with everything it needs). Observe changes over a week.
Brainstorm foods eaten by many animals. Write a funny class menu—to include breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and desserts—made up of foods that animals would eat (for example, Grassy Pancakes, Pond Water Float, or Gopher Meatballs on Worm Spaghetti).
Plant and Animal Survival - Seesaw Activity: Students will explore plant and animal survival with Dr. Science and Dr. Discovery and engage in a variety of STEM activities to deepen their understanding of the needs of plants and animals.
STOP Motion Animation Projects- Create simple animations or stop-motion videos to demonstrate how plants and animals meet their needs.
Digital Spaces- Have students use online collaboration tools like Padlet or Figma for students to share their findings. These tools offer recording buttons so that students do not have to type their findings.

NCDPI Formative Assessment Examples

Grade 1

Culminating Activity

The end of this Plant and Animal Survival Seesaw Activity has a “Show What You Know” assignment. This instructs students to draw a space for a plant or animal with everything it needs to survive.
Plants and Animals Habitats and Needs Seesaw Activity: Students will click and drag the animal to their matching habitat. Students will click and drag pictures of wants/needs into the correct category.
Seesaw Assignment - Click and drag the needs to the correct category. Then, go to the next page and write two sentences about what plants and animals need. Take a picture and upload it on that second page.

Step 3: Lesson Instructions

Possible Activating Strategies

PlantandAnimalNeedsVennDiagram-2.pdf

Graphic Organizer:

Create a class Venn Diagram of what plants and animals need to survive.

Source: @buriedunderbooks

Student Discourse:

Provide students with pictures of living things and nonliving things. Ask them to work with a partner or small group to sort living and nonliving things. Tell students we will focus on living things, plants and animals, and what they need to survive for our next unit.

Anchor Chart:

Source: https://keepingupwithmrsharris.com/life-cycle-activities/

Student Discourse:

Display a plant for all students to see. Invite the class to describe as many things as possible about the plant. Record responses on chart paper or the whiteboard. Once the list is complete, ask students: What do plants need to live? Repeat this process with a poster or picture of an animal students are familiar with (dog, cat, etc).

Activating Strategies (Engagement Activities)

Mystery Box 🕵️‍♂️🔎
Place various items in a box (e.g., a small plant, a dish of water, plastic food, a toy animal). Let students pull out an object and predict whether it is a need for a plant or an animal.
Would You Survive? 🌿🦁
Show images of different environments (desert, rainforest, ocean) and have students discuss what a plant or animal would need to survive there.
Think-Pair-Share 🗣️👫
Show a picture of an animal (e.g., a squirrel) and a plant (e.g., a sunflower). Ask: "What do they need to survive?" Let students discuss with a partner before sharing out.
Interactive Read-Aloud 📖
Read a picture book such as The Tiny Seed (Eric Carle) or A Seed is Sleepy (Dianna Hutts Aston). Have students predict the needs of plants as they listen.

Text Set

Text Set LS.1.1.1

Additional Literacy Connections

Plants are Alive! By Molly Aloian
Plants Basic Needs YouTube Video
Needs of Animals YouTube Video

Wildlife’s Requirement for Survival by Texas Parks and Wildlife

Please visit your Media Center to see what new books and resources are available!

Teacher Resources

Science A-Z Plants Unit Guide
Science A-Z Animals Unit Guide
Ag in the Classroom Companion Resources for A Seed is Sleepy
Model Lesson from Guilford Elementary in Greensboro, NC - First Grade Science: STC - Planting Our Seeds

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