Science

This lesson is an introductory lesson within a unit on animals.

Kindergarten

Students will be able to distinguish between living and non-living things.

The teacher will read a book that introduces differences between living and non-living things. The students will complete an activity to apply their knowledge of living and non-living things.

A unit on animals will be introduced. This lesson will be an introductory science lesson so students will learn to distinguish between living and non-living things.

The students will be asked to sit as a group on the carpet. They will be introduced to the science lesson by being shown an actual potted houseplant and a pot with non-living flowers in it. The students will be asked to give a “thumb up” if they think the houseplant is a living thing. The students will then be asked to give a “thumb up” if they think the non-living flowers are a living thing. The teacher will then read the book, What’s Alive? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld. The students will then be asked again to give a “thumb up” if they think the houseplant or the flowers are a living thing. Most students should agree that the house plant is a living thing. The students will then be asked to recall what they heard in the book. The students will be asked why the houseplant is a living thing and why the flowers are a non-living thing. As a group, the students will discuss the differences between the living and the non-living things. The students will then be asked to return to their desks and be introduced to the activity. The students will be directed to pair-up with their science buddy (pre-selected by the teacher) and sort pictures according to whether they are of living or non-living things. Once sorted, the teacher will verify that each pair has been sorted correctly and then supply glue for the students to complete the activity by gluing the pictures under the correct category on their papers. Students, because of their limited reading abilities will be directed to sound out the words on the worksheet (living and non-living) and to look for the first letter in each word to identify each category (living and non-living).

Students will work collaboratively. Students will work in groups of 2.

1 class period. 1 Hr per class.

• Materials and resources:
  “Living/Non-living” worksheet, one large sheet of white construction paper labeled living and non-living pre-cut pictures for each pair of student and glue

Students will be assessed based on their participation throughout the topic discussion and their completion of the living/nonliving activtiy.