UNIT
Unit Name: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems:
Animals, Plants, and Their Environment
Subject: Life Science
Time Frame: Trimester 3
Grade: Kindergarten
Author: Egg Harbor Township STEM Committee
UNIT SUMMARY- The students will be able to demonstrate an understanding that all plants and animals
need certain things to survive. Students will identify the basic resources needed for survival. Assessment
will be observation and discussion of the design challenge.
UNIT RESOURCES
Books: (any book on Life Science)
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Are you living? By Laura Salas
What’s Alive by Kathleen Weirder Zoefeld
Is it Living or Nonliving by Rebecca Rissman
When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart
The Tree in the Ancient Forest by Carol Reed-Jones
When We go Camping by Margriet Ruurs
Good Night Owl by Pat Hutchins
Living and Nonliving by Carol Lindeen
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
What do you do with a Tail Like This? By Steven Jenkins and Robyn Page
Animals Grow New Parts by Elaine Pascoe and Dwight Kuhn
Living and Nonliving by Angela Rotation
Why Living things need Light by Daniel Nunn
Why Living Things Need Food by Daniel Nunn
Why Living Things Need Water by Daniel Nunn
Internet Resource Links:
http://www.nextgenscience.org/kire-interdependent-relationships-ecosystems-animals-plants-environment
http://www.pbskids.org/sidthesciencekid
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ey/science/animal_h/index.htm
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/CritterCraze/default.htm
http://star.spsk12.net/science/science_00.htm
STAGE ONE
GOALS AND STANDARDS
K-LS1-1.
Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need
to survive. [Clarification Statement: Examples of patterns could include that animals need to take in
food but plants do not; the different kinds of food needed by different types of animals; the
requirement of plants to have light; and, that all living things need water.]
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
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All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their food from plants or from other animals. Plants need water
and light to live and grow. (K-LS1-1)
Scientists look for patterns and order when making observations about the world. (K-LS1-1)
Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed, used to describe phenomena, and used as evidence.
(K-LS1-1)
Plants and animals are dependent on the natural resources of where they live.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Vocabulary (Vocabulary is not assessed and is to be used by teacher as needed)
Patterns – The regular or repeated way in which something happens or is done
Plants – A living thing that grows in the ground, usually has leaves or flowers, and needs sun and water
to survive
Animal – Any living thing that is not a plant
Recycle – To use (something) again; To make something new from something that has been used before
Habitat – The place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows
Resource – A place or thing that provides something useful
Wants – To desire or wish for something
Needs – Something that a plant or animal must have in order to live and/or thrive
Hypothesis – A guess or theory
Students will:
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determine the resources necessary for the survival of a living thing.
use tools and materials to investigate the different needs of living things.
use and share ideas and observations of different survival needs.
identify patterns and order when making observations about the world.
STAGE TWO
PERFORMANCE TASKS
Use recycled materials to house your plant or flower seed (note: bean plants grow the fastest).
Provide each group of students a seed and a choice of housing for their seed.
Materials:
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Recycled containers to house the seed.
Seeds
Soil
Water
Paper Towels
Measuring Tools (to add water)
Directions:
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Students will work in small groups to plant and care for their seed.
Students will record data about the care and growth of their plant.
OTHER EVIDENCE
Formative Assessments:
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Teacher questions
Class discussions
Related Math/STEM activities
Related English Language Arts activities
Student created graphs
Recorded information about measureable attributes (ex: amount of water and/or sunshine, growth
of plant, etc.)
STAGE THREE
LEARNING PLAN
Activities, experiences, and lessons:
April/May –Discuss living things (plants and animals) and their required resources and needs.
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Identify living things and discuss or read about their needs
May/June – Plant a seed and record observations of its growth
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Students will work in small groups:
o Group will choose a container (ex: milk carton, soda bottle, plastic bag, cup, etc.) for their
seed
o Group will hypothesize* the best location for their plant, the amount of water their plant
needs, and how often it needs to be watered.
o Group will record the amount of water and how often they water the plant.
o Group will document the growth of their plant through journal writing and graphing.
o Groups will compare and discuss their data, hypothesis*, and conclusions.
*Emphasize the understanding that a hypothesis is simply a guess (as per the Scientific
Method) to be proven right or wrong. Students should be encouraged to learn from their
mistakes and understand that mistakes foster other discoveries. Mistakes aren’t always a bad
thing!  Check this link to see some inventions that were created from mistakes.
http://www.businessinsider.com/these-10-inventions-were-made-by-mistake-2010-11
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy –
R.K.1
W.K.1
W.K.2
W.K.7
SL.K.5
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. (K-ESS2-2)
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the
name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book. (K-ESS2-2)
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they
are writing about and supply some information about the topic. (K-ESS2-2),(K-ESS3-3)
Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express
opinions about them). (K-LS1-1)
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail. (K-ESS3-1)
Mathematics –
MP.2
MP.4
K.CC
K.MD.A.2
Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (K-ESS3-1)
Model with mathematics. (K-ESS3-1)
Counting and Cardinality (K-ESS3-1)
Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has “more of”/”less of” the
attribute, and describe the difference. (K-LS1-1)