Palo Alto Unified School District — Science OnLine Guide
for Teachers
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Organisms
1st Grade Life Science Unit |
General Information
The Organisms unit is part of "Science and Technology for Children", a hands-on science program developed by the National Science Resources Center (NSRC). NSRC is operated by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academy of Sciences.
In this unit students explore the similarities and differences between plants and animals. Through their experiences, students are introduced to the following concepts, skills, and attitudes.
Concepts
- We use our senses to observe the world around us.
- Organisms have basic needs, such as food, water, air, space, and shelter.
- Each type of organism has specific needs, such as type of food, amount of water, amount of light, amount of space, and type of shelter.
- There is a wide diversity of living things on earth.
- Organisms grow, change, and die over time.
- Some plants grow from seeds. The roots grow first and then the stem.
- Plants have similarities, such as the ability to grow and the need for food, water, space, and shelter.
- Plants and animals have similarities, such as basic needs, ability to grow and change, and death.
- Humans are similar to other organisms. Humans have basic needs and also grow, change, and die.
Skills
- Observing and describing the characteristics of seeds and plants.
- Planting seeds and observing and recording their growth.
- Observing and describing the characteristics of a variety of plants and animals in woodland and freshwater environments.
- Recording observations in words and drawings.
- Making comparisons among a variety of plants and animals.
- Communicating ideas through writing, drawing, and discussion.
- Reading to enhance understanding of the basic needs of organisms and the diversity of life.
- Applying what students know about plants and animals to what students know about themselves.
- Maintaining plants and animals outside their natural environments.
Attitudes
- Developing interest in exploring the characteristics of plants and animals.
- Gaining an awareness of the diversity of life.
- Developing positive attitutudes toward different forms of life.
- Developing an awareness that humans are similar to other living things.
- Developing a sensitivity to the needs of living things.
