Looking for Living and Nonliving Things
Summary
The students will think about what is alive. They will practice how scientists observe and record. A book, "Each Living Thing" by Joane Ryder, will be read to the whole group as and introduction. Then students will move to an outdoor setting. Each student will sit in one spot and observe the space around them. They will have magnifiers available. They will record in their journal the things they observe under the heading they think it belongs in-living or nonliving. When students return to the classroom, individuals will share the living things they observed and a class list will be generated. Then students choose one example from the chart and illustrate a page for a class book of things we think are living.
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Learning Goals
The first goal will be for students to reflect on the question: What is living? They will identify each particular organism or object they observe as living or nonliving. In addition, they will practice observing and recording skills. This will be an introductory lesson so some children will have the criteria more clearly developed than others. Eventually, through this and future lessons, the students will know that living things need food, air, and water to live. Words they will become familiar with: living, nonliving, once living, need.
Context for Use
This lesson is designed to be used in early elementary school. It is an introductory field exercise which will be used at the beginning of a unit on living and nonliving. This lesson will take approximately 30-40 minutes, depending on how long students are able to maintain focus during the observation portion of the lesson as well as the discussion. This could be used either in the fall or spring of the year because of weather, and could even be used both. In our curriculum, this would come in September. This activity could be adapted by changing it to indoors. It could be used at other grade levels with adaptations.
Description and Teaching Materials
The teacher will gather with the whole group to read the book, "Each Living Thing" by Joanne Ryder. The class will discuss the word living and the teacher will list their ideas about what living means on chart paper. Next, students will be given their journal and the class will move outdoors. Students will be reminded of outdoor observation rules and instructed to stay in the place they are assigned during the observation. Each student will sit on one spot and observe the space around them. While observing with their magnifier, they will record what they see that is living and what is nonliving. Their recording will be pictures and/or labels. Students will need: their journal and a pencil. At the end of the observation period the class will move back into the classroom. Each student will share one thing they recorded that they think is living and tell why they think it is living. Students then choose one living thing and draw it and write in the template provided: A__________________is living. The pages will be put together to make a class book. Closure of the lesson will be when we gather and read the class book.
Teaching Notes and Tips
Review general rules for outdoor observation:
-use eyes, ears, noses, touch
-show respect for living things
-stay in your spot
Students this age may have misconceptions about what is living. For example, they may believe that anything active is living. (Cloud, fire)
-use eyes, ears, noses, touch
-show respect for living things
-stay in your spot
Students this age may have misconceptions about what is living. For example, they may believe that anything active is living. (Cloud, fire)
Assessment
The students will be assessed as they share ideas about what is a living thing, when they share one of their observations, and again when they make their drawing.
Standards
I.B.1 The student will observe and describe common objects using simple tools.
IV. B. 1 The student will compare and contrast living and nonliving things.
IV. B. 1 The student will compare and contrast living and nonliving things.