Living and Non-Living

Transcription

1 Living and Non-Living Unit: 04 Lesson: 01 Suggested Duration: 4 days Lesson Synopsis: This lesson compares living organisms to non-living objects. It gives the students the opportunity to develop simple definitions of living organisms and non-living objects that they will be able to build on in future grades. TEKS: K.5 The student knows that organisms, objects, and events have properties and patterns. K.5A Describe properties of objects and characteristics of organisms. K.8 The student knows the difference between living organisms and nonliving objects. K.8A K.8B Identify a particular organism or object as living or nonliving. Group organisms and objects as living or nonliving. K.9 The student knows that living organisms have basic needs. K.9A Identify basic needs of living organisms. Process TEKS: K.4 The student uses age-appropriate tools and models to verify that organisms and objects and parts of organisms and objects can be observed, described, and measured. K.4A K.4B Identify and use senses as tools of observation. Make observations using tools including hand lenses, balances, cups, bowls, and computers. GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION Performance Indicator(s): Students will make a chart grouping pictures and objects as living and nonliving, then justify their groupings. (K.8A, K.8B) ELPS: 1C, 1E, 2E, 2I, 3D, 3H, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5B Key Understandings and Guiding Questions: Living organisms grow, take in food, breathe, reproduce, eliminate waste and die. What is the same about the living things in this group? If you could place something else in this group, what would you pick? When we say something is living, what do we mean? Non-living objects are not,and have never been, alive. They do not live and thrive. Nonliving objects can be manmade or occur naturally. What is the same about the non-living things in this group? If you could place something else in this group, what would you pick? When we say something is non-living, what do we mean? Living organisms are alive or were once alive. How do we know that all living organisms are alive or were once alive? Vocabulary of Instruction: living non-living sort Materials: bag of living organisms (or evidence of living organisms) and non-living objects stuffed dog 2008, TESCCC 08/08/08 page 1 of 5

2 sorting mats or hula-hoops (1 per group of 2-3 students) chart tablet and marker snack or pint plastic bags one labeled living and the other non-living (2 per group of 2-3 students) Resources: plastic spoons, index cards and/or tweezers (1 set per group) hand lens (1 per student) observation hoop (1 per group of 2-3 students) poster board (1 per group) magazines (to cut pictures) glue Appropriate materials may be substituted as needed to incorporate district resources and availability. ruler clear tape scissors markers or crayons labels living and nonliving (1 per group) science notebooks STATE RESOURCES TEKS Toolkit: Advance Preparation: 1. Engage activity Prepare a bag containing examples of living organisms (or evidence of living organisms) and non-living objects. Collect items that are clearly living or non-living, since some items can be confusing to young children. Get a large grocery sack or any other kind of bag that is big enough for the items you collected. 2. Explore activity Collect the hula-hoops or make the yarn or clothes-hanger observation hoops. Label 2 plastic bags for each group of 2 3 students. Use stick-on labels or just write Living and Non-living on the bags with a permanent marker. 3. Explain activity Collect magazines with pictures of living and non-living examples. Make Living and Non-living labels for each group s poster, if students are not able to label the posters themselves. Background Information: Many young children have difficulty identifying things as living or nonliving. They tend to describe anything that moves as alive. Also, since we do not generally include death as part of a life cycle, they classify organisms or parts of organisms that were once living (feather, fallen leaf, egg shell) as non-living. In science, the term living is used to describe anything that is or has ever been alive including seeds, logs and, dead insects. In contrast, non-living things are not alive and have never have been alive (rocks, mountain, glass, stuffed animals). Over time, students will begin to understand that all living things grow, breathe, reproduce, excrete wastes, respond to stimuli in their environment, and have similar basic needs like food, water, shelter, and space. Older students will discover that all living things are made up of cells, have highly organized, complex structures, can take in, transform, and use energy from the environment, and have adaptations to survive in their environment. In simplest form, living things are or have been alive. They may be resting such a seed or dead such as a dragonfly wing, but they have been part of the life cycle at some time. Non-living things are not and have never been alive. GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT Instructors are encouraged to supplement, differentiate and substitute resources, materials, and activities to address the needs of learners. The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus Document for this unit. A Microsoft Word template for this Planning document is located at If a supplement is created electronically, users are encouraged to upload the document to their Lesson Plans as a Lesson Plan Resource for future reference. INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES Instructional Procedures ENGAGE 1. Show students a bag of objects and tell them that they will help you sort them today. Pour the contents in the middle of the rug. Display two hulahoops or sorting mats. 2. Begin to sort the objects into living organisms and non-living objects, but NOTE: 1 Day = 30 minutes Suggested time: Day 1 bag containing living organisms (or 2008, TESCCC 08/08/08 page 2 of 5

3 do not tell the students how you are sorting. After sorting several objects, ask students if they can figure out what characteristics you are using to sort the objects. 3. If they cannot tell, pick up a small stuffed animal and think out loud: It s a dog, so maybe I should put it in this group (living).but it s not a real dog, so I think it should go in this group (non-living objects). Label the two groups Living Organisms, Non-living Objects. Compare the stuffed dog and a pet dog to develop the differences. Where would you keep your stuffed dog? on my bed, on my shelf Where would you keep your pet dog? on my bed, in the yard What can your pet dog do? Answers may vary. How is the stuffed dog different from your pet dog? Answers may vary. How do you take care of your pet dog? Answers may vary. What does your pet need? Answers may vary. Does the stuffed dog need the same things? Why? Look at the other things in our living group. What do they need? Answers may vary. Do the objects in the non-living group have the same needs? 4. Continue to sort the rest of the objects, asking the students for input. Discuss and justify choices and develop the concept of living and nonliving as you finish sorting the objects. Which group do you think this goes in? Why? Answers may vary. What kinds of things am I placing in this group? Answers may vary. How are all these the same? Answers may vary. Why did we place this in the group? Answers may vary. 5. Develop a simple definition of living (organisms) and non-living (objects). 6. Create a chart of Living Organisms and Non-living Objects and list the objects in the two groups. Other items can be added to this list during the following days. evidence of living organisms) and non-living objects stuffed dog-or other animal sorting mats or hula-hoops chart tablet marker Note Try to collect objects that are clearly living or non-living since some items can be confusing to young children. Living organisms are or have been alive. They have needs like food and water to stay alive. Non-living objects are not and have never been alive. They can be made my nature or made by man. When discussing the terms in this lesson remember to pair living organisms and non-living objects. This begins the foundation that organisms are living and objects are not. EXPLORE/EXPLAIN Suggested time: Day 2 1. Take the students outside and have them work in groups of 2 or Give each group one observation circle, two small plastic bags labeled living and non-living for their collections, a plastic spoon, index card and/or plastic tweezers. Give each student a hand lens to be able to closely observe and identify tiny things or parts of things. Demonstrate how to use the spoon and/or the index card to gently scoop up living things such as insects. Tell the students that the tweezers should be used for small things that are not alive now (small seeds, roots, etc.). (See note.) 3. Have the students put their observation circles on the ground and look carefully at everything inside the circle, identifying living organisms and non-living objects. 4. Have the students collect samples of living organisms (or evidence of living organisms) in one bag and samples of non-living objects in the other bag. observation hoops (1 per group of 2-3 students) Use hula-hoops from the PE teacher or coat hangers that have been bent into a round shape or pieces of yarn two snack or pint plastic bags one labeled living and the other nonliving (2 per group of 2 or 3) hand lenses (1 per student) plastic spoons, index card or tweezers (at least 1 per group) 2008, TESCCC 08/08/08 page 3 of 5

4 5. Gather the class together (outside or back in the classroom). 6. Let each group share what they collected. 7. Have each group explain or justify how they sorted their collection. Use this discussion to clarify any misconceptions. Release any live animals that may have been collected. Save the other items for tomorrow. What is the same about the living organisms in your group? If you could place something else in this group, what would you pick? When we say something is living, what do we mean? See teacher notes. What is the same about the non-living objects in your group? If you could place something else in this group, what would you pick? When we say something is non-living, what do we mean? If the index card is creased just a little in the middle of one edge, it makes a scoop for small insects. When discussing living organisms it is critical to set the foundation of Basic Needs. For example, animals need air, water, and food; plants require air, water, nutrients, and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met. The world has many different environments, and distinct environments support the lives of different types of organisms. If the weather does not allow outside collecting, make tubs of materials available that have been collected prior to the lesson. Safety Check out the area where students will be observing to be sure there is no poison ivy or other hazard. Remind students to show you any living animals that they want to collect so that you can be sure that they are safe. ELABORATE Suggested time: Day 3 Students will make a chart grouping pictures and objects as living and nonliving, and then justify their grouping. 1. Work with the students to develop definitions of living and non-living and write them on a class chart and post it in the room. Develop the definitions using the students ideas, as well as, definitions from a dictionary and any science resource books you might have. Record the definitions in vocabulary that students will understand. 2. Give each group of students a poster board. Directions: 1) Draw a line down the middle of the poster with a marker. 2) Glue the Living Organisms label on one side and Non-living Objects label on the other side. 3) Cut out pictures of living organisms and non-living objects and glue them on the correct side of the poster. 4) Glue samples (or tape heavier samples) collected outside yesterday to the poster. poster board (1 per group) magazines (to cut pictures) ruler (to draw line down middle of poster board) glue or glue stick clear tape scissors (1 per student) markers or crayons labels: Living Organisms and Non-Living Objects (1 set per group) Some students may be able to label the posters, so you won t need to make labels for them. You might want to combine groups from yesterday into groups of 4 to 6 for today. 2008, TESCCC 08/08/08 page 4 of 5

5 If you have students who are early readers or writers, they can label pictures on their posters. EVALUATE Suggested time: Day 4 1. Have each group present posters to the class and justify their classifications. 2. Have the students glue simple definitions of living and non-living in their science notebooks. 3. Have the students write living organisms and non-living objects and draw examples of each. (Some students may only be able to give verbal responses rather than written, so it may be necessary to scribe for them.) copy of simple definitions of living organisms and non-living objects for students to glue into their science notebooks Use the definitions the class developed in the engage activity. Glue simple definitions into notebook. 2008, TESCCC 08/08/08 page 5 of 5