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First Grade Science Training
NC Essential Standards

Glad you’re here! Thank you Code of Cooperation Housekeeping
Agenda, Resources Capacity Matrix review

Road Signs How does your road sign relate to science education or education in general? Be creative!

Today’s Training Introduction Unifying Themes in 1st Grade Science
- Structure of 1st Grade Science - Explore Teacher Guides - 5E Learning Cycle - NCES Domains Unifying Themes in 1st Grade Science Wrap Up

Structure of 1st Grade Science
Guided inquiry; teacher facilitates, students construct Students observe, investigate, and record using real tools Prior knowledge from kindergarten is utilized Basis for science at upper elementary

FOSS and STC FOSS kits: Pebbles Sand and Silt Balance and Motion
STC kits: Organisms Comparing & Measuring Take just a few moments to explore and compare the manuals at your tables

Venn Diagram Allow time for them to look at their kits and notice similarities and differences. Discuss this briefly.

The Cycle of Learning Evaluate Engage Expand Explore Explain
Each inquiry-based, hands on science investigation is based on the 5E Learning Cycle. Engaging activities help students connect with what they already know. A focus question or an engaging scenario is introduced, then students are prompted to make a prediction. Students engage in a hands on investigation with a partner or in a small groups during the exploration portion of the learning cycle. This is the time when students record observations or corresponding data in their science notebooks. As the lesson enters the explanation portion of the learning cycle, students are pulled together to discuss their observations or data collection. This segment is usually referred to as a ‘making meaning conference’. During this time, the teacher facilitates conversation, prompts students to share claims and evidence, or introduces new vocabulary or concepts. The making meaning conference draws to a close as students develop new questions for further research. Explain

Learning Cycle Component
Notebook Entries Engage Focus Question Prediction Record class question I think/predict ___ because…” Explore Plan Observation & Data Record materials and procedures Record observations and data Explain (Making Meaning) Share data, group analysis Claims & Evidence Vocabulary & Content Conclusion “I claim ___ because …” Record or paste in notebook “I learned …” Expand Apply Next Steps or New Questions “If ___ then ___” “I wonder …” or “What about…?” Evaluate Formative assessment, quick write, exit ticket, teacher review of entries

Physical Science Domain
Grade Level Force and Motion Matter: Properties & Change Energy: Conservation & Transfer Interactions of Energy & Matter K Animals 2x2* *Relative position Investigating Properties x 1 Balance & Motion Comparing & Measuring 2 Sound Air & Weather; Solids & Liquids 3 Human Body and Objects in the Sky Changes and Soils Changes and Objects in the Sky 4 Magnetism & Electricity Magnetism & Electricity and Earth Materials 5 Motion & Design Motion & Design, Inv. Weather Inv. Weather and Ecosystems

Structure and Functions
Life Science Domain Grade Level Structure and Functions Ecosystems Evolution & Genetics Molecular Biology K Animals 2 x 2 x 1 Organisms 2 Life cycle of Butterflies 3 Human Body Plant Growth & Development 4 Animal Studies 5 Human Body Systems

Earth Systems, Structures & Processes
Earth Science Domain Grade Level Earth in the Universe Earth Systems, Structures & Processes Earth History K x Weather 1 Pebbles, Sand & Silt 2 Air & Weather* *Moon Observations Air & Weather 3 Objects in the Sky Objects in the Sky and Soils 4 Earth Materials and Landforms 5 Inv. Weather

Today’s Training Introduction
Unifying Themes in 1st Grade Science FOSS Pebbles, Sand, and Silt FOSS Balance & Motion STC Organisms STC Comparing & Measuring Wrap Up

Pebbles, Sand, and Silt

Is it a Rock? Which things on the list could be rocks?
How do you decide if something is a rock? jagged boulder smooth boulder small stone large stone pebble piece of gravel piece of sand - dust from two stones rubbed together Is it a Rock (version 1) is a probe that is available in Volume 2 (Blue Cover) of Uncovering Student Ideas in Science (Page Keeley). Explain your thinking. What rule or reasoning did you use to decide if something is a rock? *This justification promotes algebraic thinking in our students. By the way, all of the items on the list could be a rock! Although the probe was written for grades 3-12, there is excellent background information for the teacher and examples for administering the probe, such as removing unfamiliar examples or creating a card sort “rock”, “not rock”, or “unsure.”

Student Misconceptions
Specimens were only rocks if they were large, heavy, and jagged. Smaller fragments were described as stones. Children believed that rocks are made of only one material, but they applied the word intuitively to mineral samples as well. Children classified rock specimens as crystal rocks when they were attractive in appearance. Making Sense of Secondary Science Driver, Squires, Rushworth, and Wood-Robinson Explain that these ideas come from big misconception research that has been done over the last 40 years.

Misconceptions Continued
Children thought that soil was as old as the Earth. They thought that soil is the precursor of rock and that it changes to rock in the sequence: soil—clay—rock. Some children suggested that soil is dinosaur manure. Making Sense of Secondary Science Driver, Squires, Rushworth, and Wood-Robinson

What are the properties of Earth materials?
Essential Question for Unit: What are the properties of Earth materials? SCOS/big idea of unit

NC Essential Standard 1.E.1 Understand the physical properties of Earth materials that make them useful in different ways.

Clarifying Objectives
1.E.2.1 Summarize the physical properties of Earth materials including rocks, minerals, soils, and water that make them useful in different ways. 1.E.2.2 Compare the properties of soil samples from different places relating their capacity to retain water, nourish and support the growth of certain plants.

Before and After In Grade K, students observe that objects can be described and sorted by their properties and use vocabulary associated with the properties of materials In Grade 2, students observe the properties of solids & liquids. In Grade 3, students observe the properties of soils and how they absorb water and identify the basic components of soil (sand, clay, humus)

Before and After In Grade 4, students describe the properties of rocks and minerals, classify rocks and rock-forming minerals, and recognize the chemical composition of minerals In Grade 5, students learn about the wearing away and movement of rock and soil in erosion, identify and analyze forces that cause change in landforms over time (water & ice, wind, gravity)

Notice how the unit is anchored by a Big Idea supported by multiple sub-concepts. When planning and implementing the kit, it is important to start with Lesson 1 and move orderly through the lessons you can complete. This allows sub-concepts to be firmed up rather than a hit-and-miss approach. Are there lessons that can be carried out during the year? Are there investigations a specialist can pick up?

Plan Ahead! Copy and send the Parent Letter home
Mix the mixture for sorting rocks Prepare rock sets for Investigation 1, parts 1 & 3 Sandpaper will need to be cut into smaller sizes for investigations Newspaper is helpful when working with the materials on desks Consider inviting the Art specialist to assist with some lessons Art teacher may be able to help with Investigation 3, part 3 – sand sculptures; part 4 – clay beads; part 5 – making bricks

Investigation 1: First Rocks
Focus Question: How do the rocks look? Remind teachers that they can get these focus questions off of elementary science wiki and use them to support their implementation of science notebooking.

Doing Investigation 1 With Your Table Group:
Read the Background Information pgs. 4-5 Utilize the materials on your table to experience Investigation 1, part 1: Three Rocks Questions to Consider: Was there one rock that made dust easier than the others? Does the dust look the same on the white and black paper? Allow some time for teachers to gather materials and do some of this experience. Discuss the experience. Share your own experiences. Basalt – dark, fine-grained rock that began as molten lava Tuff – light-colored, soft rock composed of tiny fragments of volcanic ash Scoria – reddish, porous rock formed from the froth on top of flowing lava

Investigation 1 What contributed to your learning in this investigation? How will you guide this with your students? Introducing a Rock Collection Utilizing the FOSS Stories K-2 Audio Stories are available online at Science Notebook Samples Use of Focus Questions on Elem. Science Wiki Discuss using a FOSS manual, all the parts listed above. Sciencenotebooks.org is a resource they can use to find samples. Remind them that there are not always great samples as teachers upload their own samples. Students will continue investigating rocks by washing three rocks, sorting rocks, engaging in sorting games, and starting their own rock collection.

Investigation 2: River Rocks
Focus Questions: What type of earth materials do you see? How can you sort the rocks by size? What is sand? What is silt? Is there a material smaller than silt? Focus participants around objectives and focus question. The focus question is the big idea of a particular lesson that supports the sub-concept.

Investigating River Rocks
With Your Table Group: Read the Background Information pgs. 4-5 Utilize the materials on your table and on the materials table to experience Investigation 2, part 1: Screening River Rocks Questions to Consider: Were there any rocks that did not pass through any of the screens? What happened to the sand and water when you shook the vial? Allow some time to review background for teacher sections and discuss questions. Remind them that this unit is tightly aligned with soils, earth materials and landforms. Following the screenings, students will discover 5 sizes of materials: lg pebbles, sm pebbles, lg gravel, sm gravel, and sand.

The Cycle of Learning Evaluate Engage Expand Explore Explain
Each inquiry-based, hands on science investigation is based on the 5E Learning Cycle. Engaging activities help students connect with what they already know. A focus question or an engaging scenario is introduced, then students are prompted to make a prediction. Students engage in a hands on investigation with a partner or in a small groups during the exploration portion of the learning cycle. This is the time when students record observations or corresponding data in their science notebooks. As the lesson enters the explanation portion of the learning cycle, students are pulled together to discuss their observations or data collection. This segment is usually referred to as a ‘making meaning conference’. During this time, the teacher facilitates conversation, prompts students to share claims and evidence, or introduces new vocabulary or concepts. The making meaning conference draws to a close as students develop new questions for further research. Explain

Engage Engaging Scenario Focus Question Prediction
Show some Earth materials that came from the edge of a river. Focus Question How can rocks be sorted by size? Prediction “I think..because…” statement The engaging scenario is a short story or vignette that hooks students and gets them interested in the upcoming investigation. For example, it may be an opportunity for students to turn and talk to a partner about the last time they saw a bug and what they noticed about it. Focus question labels are available on CMAPP and can be printed so students can paste the focus question in their science notebook. This segment wraps up as students record a prediction. Depending on the time of year, this may be modeled by the teacher before the responsibility is released to students. It’s important to model and demonstrate your expectations so students know how to interact with their science notebooks.

Explore Plan Data/Observation Introduce materials; model
Students will observe and separate a river rock mixture, using a set of three screens. At the end of the separation, students discover that they have five sizes of materials. During the exploration segment, you may introduce a tool such as a hand lens and how to use it properly. You may discuss the procedure for picking up science materials as well. It’s important to discuss how to use tools correctly and classroom procedures, but consider having 1 or 2 students demonstrate the proper use of the hand lens for example, and 1 or 2 students can walk through the procedure for picking up the needed materials. This may be the time you suggest a graphic organizer for collecting data, such as a T chart or a Venn diagram. Again, depending on the time of year and students’ readiness, you may need to model data collection in a class science notebook on chart paper or through a document camera before releasing this responsibility to students.

Explain Share data Conclusions “I learned…” statement
Students share observations. Teacher introduces vocabulary: large pebbles, small pebbles, large gravel, small gravel, and sand. Conclusions “I learned…” statement The explanation segment is commonly referred to as a making meaning conference. It’s a time to make sense of the investigation and let students share their data and observations with the class. During this time, the teacher facilitates discussion by asking probing questions, introducing new vocabulary, and making connections. This segment begins to wrap up as students write conclusion statements to record what they’ve learned. Again, the teacher may need to model this process by writing a conclusion statement that sums up what the class has learned.

Expand Next Steps New Questions
Students will further observe “river rock shake-up” by combining various rock material and water. New Questions “I wonder why…” Perhaps the investigation will extend to another day and it’s time to draw this portion to a close by explaining what will happen next. Maybe students have additional questions related to the investigation they would like to research further. Students are motivated to find answers to questions they have formulated, so consider extension opportunities for students to extend their knowledge – this is a great opportunity to pull in nonfiction text, a webquest, or a video related to the science concept.

In part 3 of the investigation, students separate sand and silt particles by mixing water and sand then allowing the particles to settle. *Consider doing this a day early so the particles have time to settle.

Students then observe and record what they see in the vial and label the layers. This activity is linked to the suggested assessment for the investigation.

Assessing Investigation 2
Bottle Drawing Sheet: A student put river rock mixture into a bottle with some water and shook it up. This is what it looked like after it settled for a day. *Students label the layers and write/dictate a sentence about the picture. Take a look at the suggested assessment piece on pg. 24 of Inv. 2 – there’s a thumbnail in the margin. What other ideas do you have about how you will assess students informally and formally? Share your own assessment experiences. Be sure to check out the lesson matrix at the beginning of each folio.

Investigation 3: Using Rocks
Part 1: Rocks in Use Part 2: Looking at Sandpaper Part 3: Sand Sculptures Part 4: Clay Beads Part 5: Making Bricks (a great outdoor activity!) Pt 1 – Take a walk around the school and look for places where earth materials can be found naturally or as building materials. A great opportunity to take along a digital camera. Pictures can be printed, pasted in a science notebook for students to write about. Pt 2 – Students observe three grades of sandpaper and compare it to sand. For the data collection piece of the lesson, students make rubbings of the sandpaper squares in their notebooks. Pt 3 – A sand/cornstarch mixture is used to create sand sculptures. Pt 4 – Clay is used to make beads. Pt 5 – Students pack ice cube trays or mini loaf pans with a mixture of clay soil, dry grass, and water to make adobe clay bricks. These activities are great, hands-on experiences, but without a making meaning conference, they’re just fun activities.

Investigation 4: Soil Explorations
Part 1: Homemade Soil Part 2: Soil Search Part 3: Studying Local Soil Pt 1-Students are introduced to humus (decayed material from plants and animals). Composting is a great extension if you have a garden. Pt 2- Head back outside and collect soil samples from various places. Students will notice variations is color and texture. Pt 3 – Schoolyard soil samples are mixed with water in vials to settle.

Think About It! How will students get the materials?
How will you guide students and avoid misconceptions? How can you use word walls/banks to scaffold student learning? How will students record their learning? How will you assess student content knowledge in this lesson?

Reflection Jot down: Something that resonated with you.
a big idea you are taking away. next steps when you get back to school. new ideas to try or questions to ponder.

Balance and Motion

Rolling Marbles With which friend do you most agree?
Take a moment to read the vignette. Feel free to discuss your answer with your table group. Keira’s explanation is the best answer choice: once the marble leave the track, it will travel in a straight line. If no outside forces act on an object, the object will travel in a straight line at constant speed. Think about water squirting out of a garden hose.

Students believe that if an object is pushed with constant force this produces constant motion. Additionally, they believe if the pushing force ceases there is “force” in the moving object which keeps it going, but gradually gets “used up” until the object stops. Students regard the state of rest as fundamentally different from the state of motion. More misconceptions from the big international studies.

How do objects move or stay balanced?
Essential question for Unit: How do objects move or stay balanced?

NC Essential Standard 1.P.1
Understand how forces (pushes or pulls) affect the motion of an object.

1.P.1.1 Explain the importance of a push or pull to changing the motion of an object. 1.P.1.2 Explain how some forces (pushes & pulls) can be used to make things move without touching them, such as magnets. 1.P.1.3 Predict the effect of a given force on the motion of an object, including balanced forces.

Before and After In Grade K, students:
Observe and describe properties of different kinds of objects and how they are used. They also study relative position and the movement of organisms. In Grade 2, students: Investigate and describe how moving air interacts with objects. Observe the force of air pressure pushing on objects. Describe how different kinds of joints allow movement and compare this to the movement of mechanical devices. In grade 3, students:

First Grade as a Foundation
In what ways are you supporting this 5th grade Essential Standard and Clarifying Objective? 5.P.1 Understand force, motion, and the relationship between them.

Clarifying Objectives 5.P.1.1 Explain how factors such as gravity, friction, and change in mass affect the motion of objects. 5.P.1.2 Infer the motion of objects in terms of how far they travel in a certain amount of time and the direction in which they travel.

Clarifying Objectives 5.P.1.3 Illustrate the motion of an object using a graph to show a change in position over a period of time. 5.P.1.4 Predict the effect of a given force or a change in mass on the motion of an object.

Unit Overview Full Options Science System (FOSS)
3 Investigations separated into Parts Lessons take minutes Teacher’s Guide Tabs Audio stories and online games available at Games for classifying on fossweb.com, point out resources listed on the back of their handouts

This is a short unit. Notice how the concept storyline is arranged
This is a short unit! Notice how the concept storyline is arranged. The unit is anchored by a big idea supported by sub-concepts. As mentioned before, start with lesson 1 and work orderly through the lessons rather than hit and miss. Our goal is to “cement” sub-concepts.

Planning Ahead… Index cards need to be cut into thirds and straws need to be cut in half for mobiles in Investigation 1, part 4 Copy and cut blackline masters for Twirlers and Twirly Birds in Investigation 2, part 3 Grab some pennies to act as weights in Investigation 3, part 2

Investigation 1,Part 1 Trick Crayfish
Focus Question: How many ways can you get the crayfish to balance on your finger? Try it! Questions to consider: How would students record their learning? How would you assess their learning?

What does this child know. What might you ask this child
What does this child know? What might you ask this child? How would you manage a notebook in your classroom?

Investigation 1, Part 2: Triangle and Arch
Focus question: How can you balance shapes on a Popsicle stick? Try it! Questions to consider: How would students record their learning? How would you assess their learning?

What does this child know
What does this child know? Remind teachers this is great differentiation opportunities in a this notebook.

Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! Let’s explore Zoomers Investigation 2, part 2 pg. 14
Science Content Different ways to initiate rotational motion Motion can be changed by pushing or pulling Tops and Zoomers spin, but in different ways After exploring the movement of tops, students investigate another spinner: Zoomers. Part 3 is an investigation of air resistance using Twirlers and Twirly birds. Thumbnails of the blackline masters can be found on pg 20 of the Investigation 2 folio. Cutting and assembly directions can be found on pgs It’s suggested you cut a slit into the straw ahead of time. Consider taking kids outside to drop the Twirlers and Twirly birds from playground equipment. This is a great opportunity to use a flipcam or video tape the release for students to view later during a making meaning conference.

Twirlers & Twirly Birds
Air resistance Blackline masters Cutting and assembly instructions pp Advanced preparation? Take it outside! Opportunity to integrate technology Cutting is not as you’d expect – for these materials, cut on the SOLID line and fold on the DOTTED line.

Wrapping Up Balance & Motion
Investigation 3: Rollers Part 1: Wheels Part 2: Cups Part 3: Spheres Students use red and yellow plastic disks as wheels and slim straws as axles. They construct various wheel and axle systems (wheel size, axle length, axle position) to get the rolling systems to perform tricks. (a roller that goes around a corner) Students then investigate with cups. Cups are taped together to make them roll straight; the systems are weighted with pennies to observe how both the amount and location of weight change the way a system rolls. Part 3 is an exciting lesson – students are introduced to spheres – round in all directions an roll in all directions. As a culminating activity, students work together as a class to connect runway sections to make one long runway through which the marble can roll nonstop. * Students can continue making various mobiles throughout the year or explore a marble run in centers.

Organisms

What does a seed need in order to sprout?
--- water --- soil --- air --- food --- sunlight --- darkness --- warmth --- Earth’s gravity --- fertilizer Share probe and allow time for teachers to do it and discuss it.

To many students, “animals” only include large land mammals on farms or in zoos. Only half the students surveyed categorized fish, boy, frog, snail, snake and whale as animal. Some students think wild animals are fed and cared for by people. Making Sense of Secondary Science Driver, Squires, Rushworth, and Wood-Robinson More misconceptions

Some children believe a tree is not a plant, although they said it was a plant when it was “little” Over half the students surveyed did not consider a seed a plant Students aged 6-7 commonly believe that things that are active in any way, including falling or making a noise, are alive Only 36 percent of 14 and 15 year olds considered respiration as a criterion of life, though most studied biology Making Sense of Secondary Science Driver, Squires, Rushworth, and Wood-Robinson

Before and After In Grade K, students make observations to build an understanding of similarities and differences in animals. In Grade 2, students conduct observations and build an understanding of animal life cycles. Vertical alignment—Organisms is deeply aligned with animal studies and ecosystems.

Before and After In Grade 3, students conduct investigations and build an understanding of plant growth and adaptations. In Grade 4, students make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of animal behavior and adaptations In Grade 5, students conduct investigations to build an understanding of the interdependence of plants and animals.

What are the needs of living organisms?
Essential Question for the Unit: What are the needs of living organisms? Focus teachers around this question. How do students ideas about this question change throughout the unit? How will a teacher know that they have changed?

NC Essential Standards
Understand characteristics of various environments and behaviors of humans that enable plants and animals to survive. 1.L.2 Summarize the needs of living organisms for energy and growth. SCOS

1.L.1.1 Recognize that plants and animals need air, water, light, space, food, and shelter and that these may be found in their environment. 1.L.1.2 Give examples of how the needs of different plants and animals can be met by their environments in NC or different places throughout the world. 1.L.1.3 Summarize ways that humans protect their environment and/or improve conditions for the growth of plants and animals that live there.

1.L.2.1 Summarize the basic needs of a variety of different plants (air, water, nutrients, and light) for energy and growth. 1.L.2.2 Summarize the basic needs of a variety of different animals (air, water, and food) for energy and growth.

Uh oh! 1.L.1.3 Summarize ways that humans protect their environment and/or improve conditions for the growth of plants and animals that live there. How can we address this clarifying objective? Feed the Bin recycling powerpoint on Elem science wiki reviews what is appropriate to place in the bin, gardening, composting, planting native plants, planting drought-resistant plants, Earth Day activities, nonfiction texts, etc all support ways that we protect the environment!

Unit Overview Carolina Biological/STC 16 lessons
First lesson is KWL (H) Blackline masters are provided Appendixes can be very helpful Bibliography provided Explain how you used the STC manual.

Order live organisms and stagger arrival
Plan Ahead! Order live organisms and stagger arrival Read “Tips on Receiving and Maintaining Live Materials” on pg 10 behind Materials tab Moisten the potting soil for Lessons 3 and 4. It can be stored in one or two of the plastic buckets Explain how you plan for this unit.

Sort the seeds into Ziploc bags for the students to observe
Collect leaf litter from your school grounds or your home; avoid pine needles Decide where the aquariums and terrariums will be stored and what to do with organisms when the unit is finished

Non-release options Maintain organisms in an aquarium and rotten log box Share organisms with another grade level Share organisms with another school Last resort….winter comes early

Lesson 1: Sharing What We Know About Organisms
Focus Questions: What are some living things or “organisms”? How are plants and animals alike/different? SCOS

Lesson 1: Sharing What We Know About Organisms
Put your name and today’s date on your paper. Draw a living thing in the middle of your paper. Add to the drawing what you think the living thing needs to live and be healthy. Label the parts of the drawing. Write some sentences to describe your drawing. This is a version of a probe. Discuss how important an activity like this is with students. How could a teacher use it?

Lessons 4 and 5: Observing Woodland Plants and Observing Freshwater Plants
Focus Question: What do woodland/freshwater plants need to survive?

Let’s try it! Green Table Groups: Woodland Plants
Blue Table Groups: Freshwater Plants Please read the lesson and follow directions for preparation to build and observe your terrarium/aquarium. Be ready to share: Two facts from teacher background Preparation of habitat Student activities in this lesson Lesson 4: Woodland plants pg. 37 – pine seedlings and moss Lesson 5: Freshwater plants pg. 53 – cabomba and elodea Circulate and answer questions as participants build habitats. Discuss the need for STUDENTS to build instead of teachers.

Lessons 7 and 8: Observing Freshwater Snails and Observing Guppies
Focus Questions: What does a freshwater snail/guppy need to survive? How are they alike/different?

Let’s try it! Green Table Groups: Observing Freshwater Snails
Blue Table Groups: Observing Guppies Please read the lesson and follow directions for observing your organism. Be ready to share: Two facts from teacher background Student activities in this lesson Lesson 7 Snails pg 75 of teacher guide. Lesson 8 Guppies pg 87 of teacher guide. Discuss animal care. Allow time for teachers to read and discuss what they will do with students. Place snails and guppies in the aquariums.

Lessons 9 and 10: Observing Pill bugs and Observing Millipedes/Bess beetles
Focus Questions: What does a pill bug need to survive? What does a millipede need to survive? How can we compare millipedes and pill bugs?

Let’s try it! Green Table Groups: Observing Pill bugs
Blue Table Groups: Observing Millipedes/Bess beetles Please read the lesson and follow directions for observing your organism. Be ready to share: Two facts from teacher background Student activities in this lesson Lesson 9 Pill bugs pg. 97 of teacher guide. Lesson 10 Millipedes/Bess bugs pg 105 of teacher guide. Explain animal care. Discuss teacher background things to note. Allow time to build habitat. Place organisms in the terrarium.

What does this student know
What does this student know? What do you wonder about when you look at this sample?

Discuss the importance of technical drawing; prompting students to draw what they see is important to encourage them to drop the smiley face from animals.

Wrapping Up Organisms Lesson 11: What’s Happening in the Aquarium?
Lesson 12: What’s Happening in the Terrarium? Lesson 13: Freshwater vs. Woodland Plants Lesson 14: Freshwater vs. Woodland Animals Lesson 15: Comparing Plants and Animals Lesson 16: Taking a Look at Ourselves Students return to their aquariums and terrariums to observe changes that may have taken place: a moldy pine seedling, cloudy aquarium water, the evidence of scat in the terrarium, perhaps the death of an organism. (This is why we want to promote the organisms as research organisms rather than named pets.) Next, students compare and contrast freshwater and woodland plants. Then freshwater and woodland animals. Finally, plants and animals. Lesson 16, students compare themselves (people) to plants and animals.

Comparing & Measuring

Why Comparing & Measuring?
Important process and inquiry skills Vocabulary acquisition Measurement is often weakest strand Steering committee recommendation

How do we use measurement?
Essential question for Unit: How do we use measurement?

In Grade 2, students will estimate and measure using appropriate units (length, temperature) In Grade 3, students will solve problems using measurement concepts and procedures involving equivalent measures within the same measurement system, estimate and measure using appropriate units (capacity, length, mass, temperature)

In Grade 4, students will develop strategies to determine the area of rectangles and the perimeter of plane figures and solve problems involving perimeter and area. In Grade 5, students will estimate the measure of an object in one system given the measure of that object in another system. Identify, estimate, and measure the angles of plane figures using appropriate tools.

When measuring their bodies, students will typically use the top of their head as a beginning point, but may not have an understanding of where their ending point is. Students may use a variety of non-standard units to measure inaccurately, but assume that they are indeed accurate.

Unit Overview STC/Carolina Biological 16 lessons
Some items are supplied by the teacher Instructional Calendar Science Content words are to be introduced during or after sessions STC manual and kit – just like weather! Materials list pp. 5-6 in teacher guide. Typical classroom items (newsprint, markers, etc.) are needed.

The concept storyline is available in your handouts
The concept storyline is available in your handouts. Same as previous – the unit is anchored by a big idea that is supported by sub-concepts. The goal is to solidify sub concepts by moving orderly through the lessons rather than taking a hit and miss approach.

Plan Ahead! Inform parents explaining the unit, any lesson you will need volunteers for, or any extra materials that you may need to be purchased. Save chart paper with lesson headings (written throughout each lesson description) Consider how you will manage materials Have bulletin board paper available for body cut outs and seek the assistance of parent volunteers. Just like the Weather unit, prepare charts and keep them throughout unit as they will most likely be referred to in later lessons. The second half of the unit gets into measuring with nonstandard units such as spools, Unifix cubes, and coffee stirrers.

Kit Inventory & Realia Wall
What color is it? Where have you seen it before OR what does it remind you of? How do you think will we use it in science? Demonstrate a kit inventory with a wooden spool from the comparing and measuring kit. This strategy was intended to help English language learners acquire vocabulary, but it’s useful for all students. Displaying and naming an object makes it accessible to students in both their discussions and writing. It also sets a standard – calling it a “brown thingy” is no longer acceptable. From this point forward, it is called a “wooden spool.”

How are we alike and different?
Lesson 1, Pre-Unit Assessment: Comparing How We Are Alike and Different Focus question: How are we alike and different? STC kits – Lesson 1 is a KWL lesson

Observe and discuss how they are alike and different.
Lesson 1, Pre-Unit Assessment: Comparing How We Are Alike and Different Students will: Brainstorm on a class chart entitled “What We Know about Comparing and Measuring.” Observe and discuss how they are alike and different. Ask students to share their observations on the class chart “Ways We Are Alike and Different” and complete Record Sheet 1-A. To stimulate discussion about “What We Know” chart ask: When have you compared before? When have you measured before? How did you compare? How did you measure? Why were you comparing? Why were you measuring? (Save this chart for the post-unit assessment) Look at “Ways we are alike/different.” Decide ways that you are alike and ways that you are different. Use any materials you see in the classroom. Ask: In what way are you and your partner alike? Different? Did you use any materials from the distribution center to help make your comparisons? How did these materials help?

Lesson 2: Let’s Make Body Cutouts
Focus question: How can we compare ourselves by using our bodies? Students are introduced to the concept of matching.

Lesson 2: Let’s Make Body Cutouts
Refer to the “Ways We Are Alike and Different” chart. Identify words that show they made comparisons about size. Students make the “Ways to Compare Our Bodies” chart. Students make body cutouts. Making Meaning Observe “Ways we are alike and different” as a whole group and in small groups Compare bodies chart: Students say We compared our hands and feet by holding them against each other. We stood back to back. Making cutouts: Arrange for parent volunteers or upper grade buddies, space for tracing, space to display cutouts; Collect materials, partner lies down, closely trace around the body (include hair, clothing, fingers) CIRCULATE! If you are alone and have no help, consider meeting with 3 or 4 students at a time; ask upper grade buddies to help with cutting. Display the cutouts, in hallway. Since 20+ can be overwhelming, consider displaying them in groups of 4 or 5. This lesson may seem cumbersome, but in the realm of vertical alignment, it’s introducing the concept of MODEL. “That cut out represents me.” “Those cut outs represent my friends.” How would you describe your body cutout and compare to your partner? How could you find out who is taller? Shorter? Arrange body cutouts—shortest to tallest.

Learning Cycle Engagement:
What tools could we use to compare our bodies? Focus question: How can we compare ourselves by using our bodies? Prediction: Students predict in partners, “I think_____ because _____________.” Investigation: Describe likenesses and differences from the first lesson, recognize tools used for measurement, trace each other, compare similarities and differences among themselves using the cutouts (matching), arrange cutouts Data Collection: Students share their ideas in partners. Making Meaning: Teacher and students go over observations and discuss new vocabulary. Conclusion: Teacher records ideas on class charts/students record in notebooks. Expand and Apply: Students compare their body cutouts with those of new people and discuss how they are alike and different. Let’s talk about what we just did. Each of these components are in every lesson.

Lessons 3-6, Matching Heights & Comparing
Focus question: What are beginning and ending points? The idea of a beginning point and an ending point is a critical concept in this unit!

What are the procedures for Lessons 3-6?
In a group, students will: Use beginning and ending points to measure with adding machine tape and put them in order on a graph Students will compare their measurements and match distances Compare long objects (Lesson 5) Students use the “Flipper” to determine lengths, mark the lengths, then use adding tape to compare the lengths. These lessons introduce the concept of using a beginning point and ending point when measuring. Lesson 3: Write “Our Heights” on the board. Participants will tape their “tape” to the board in serial (shortest to tallest OR tallest to shortest) order to create a graph. Lesson 4: Students use pink adding tape to match the lengths of arms and yellow adding tape to match the lengths of legs, and to place the tapes in serial order to create graphs. Discussion begins about the importance of using a common starting line when making comparisons. To add some excitement, consider inviting the principal to class to create a body cutout of him/her or to match the length of his/her arm to add to the mix. The adding machine tape rolls can be bulky and difficult to handle for little hands. A suggestion was made to use three different colors of yarn instead – one color to match height, one to match arms, and another to match legs. Lesson 5: Teacher leads discussion about the difference between guess and prediction. Predictions are based on previous experiences or observations while guesses are more random. An abstract concept, but an introduction to predicting. Students move to making predictions about which object is the longest and which is the shortest. Lengths are matched with adding machine tape (or yarn or string) and displayed. Students will use a “flipper” in Lesson 6. Consider introducing it prior to the investigation, perhaps during an indoor recess. This is an example of “purposeful play” and lets kids work out their wiggles so focus can be directed to the investigation. The concept of a starting line is practiced and reinforced. Players need to agree how to use the starting line – on it, above it, below it?

Lessons 3-6 Questions to consider: How did you know where to begin/end
measuring your partner’s body? Did everyone use the same beginning and ending points? Why is that important? Is it important to have a common starting line on a graph? Why? How did the distance of your three flips compare? Student responses in lesson 3: The tapes are all different lengths. 1 group glued their tapes from the top down and others didn’t. Some groups had more tall people than others. Lesson 5 Questions: How did you use the adding machine tape to determine the lengths of their objects? How does matching the length of something long compare with matching your arms, legs, or body?

Reading Selections With your table group:
Take a few minutes to read “The Very Big Umbrella.” (Lesson 7) Discuss: How could you use reading selections in your classroom? Be ready to share out your thoughts and ideas

Lessons 8 and Beyond Using different standard units of measure
Pencils, toothpicks, spools, stirrers, spoons, Unifix Cubes, measuring tape Your students’ readiness (and time) will help you decide if you will continue through these lessons. These lessons will set up situations for students to realize “It takes a long time to measure the body cut out with spools!” or “It takes a lot of Unifix cubes to measure the body cut out.” A suggestion is to spend time with the body cutout and to compare using the body cutout as a reference. A goal of K science is to equip students with the language to engage in scientific discussions – taller, shorter, bigger than me, smaller than me, same as me, etc. In math, the concept of equality is introduced as early as Kindergarten. Consider how to phrase observations: “Their arms are equal in length.”

Lessons 13-17 Lessons spiral Combing units
Continue to consider student misconceptions How will you organize the charts in your classroom? Student Notebooks? Queue video for overview of Lessons

STC Unit Resources Concept Storyline Lessons on CMAPP
Kit Inventory Checklist Focus Question Labels on Wiki

Today’s Training Introduction Unifying Themes in 1st Grade Science
Wrap Up Questions Leave Forms! Reflection

Walter Harris Elementary Science CT wharris@wcpss.net
Please be in touch! Walter Harris Elementary Science CT

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