2012 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Kindergarten Science
North Carolina Essential Standards Resource Guide
Overview of Kindergarten Science
Unit
Suggested Pacing *
Staggered Entry and “Be a Scientist”
4 weeks
Forces and Motion
7 weeks
Matter: Properties and Change
7 weeks
Earth Systems, Structures and Processes
7 weeks
Structures and Functions of Living Organisms
7 weeks
Review and Assessment
4 weeks
*Suggested pacing is not continuous weeks.
Please note that each unit should be 7 weeks. However, it does not show up that way on the printed
curriculum guide. This is because topics are introduced early in the year, but expanded within other areas.
For example for Force and Motion, after teaching the concepts and vocabulary where designated, the
concepts are further developed in later studies of animal movements.
2012 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools –Kindergarten Science
Structures and Functions of Living Organisms
Essential Standard:
K.L.1 Compare characteristics of animal that make them alike and different from other animals and non-living things.
Clarifying Objectives:
K.L.1.1 compare different types of the same animal (i.e. Different types of dogs, cats, etc.) to determine individual differences within a
particular type of animal.
I can compare different types of same animal.
K.L.1.2 Compare characteristics of living and nonliving things in terms of their:
 Structure
 Growth
 Changes
 Movement
 Basic needs
 Covering
I can compare living and nonliving things.
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
k.L.1.1
Students know that animals of the same type (i.e. dogs-spaniels/shepherds, cats-solids/tabby, birds-hawk/sparrow, et.) have
individual differences.
K.L.1.2
Students know living and nonliving things are made of parts and people give names to the parts that are different from the name of
the whole object, plant or animal. Students know that the parts of living and non living things work best as a whole and some objects
can easily be taken apart and put back together again while other objects cannot be taken apart without damaging them (e.g., books
pencils plants, and animals). Students know some of the characteristics that all animals share that can be used to compare living and
nonliving things. Students know that all animals, including human, have a basic structure that is similar in all animals of the same
kind.
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Structure: Students know that the human body has distinct structures and that they serve different functions that is similar in
other animals. Students know how to describe the structure of various animals, to include humans, and tell how the
structures are alike and different and how each structure is used in a similar or different way.
Growth and Changes: Students observe and compare how different organisms grow and develop over time. Students know
that animals change as they grow. The distinct stages of growth and change are called a life cycle. The life cycle begins
when the organism is born and begins to develop and end when the organism dies.
Movement: Students know how various animal move noting similarities and differences.
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2012 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools –Kindergarten Science
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Basic needs: Students know that all animals are living things that have basic needs to stay alive. Animals need air, water,
food, and shelter for protection. If an organism does not get everything that it needs to stay alive, it will die. By comparing
these characteristics of several animals, students begin to classify things and living and nonliving based on these
characteristics.
Students know that animals (including humans) are living things that grow and develop, and need food, air, and water but nonliving
things do not. At this grade level, it is appropriate to define living things as anything that is alive or has ever been alive and nonliving
a thing that is not now and has never been alive.
Essential Vocabulary: (K)
Characteristic, Animal Structure, Growth, Changes, Basic Needs, Nocturnal/Diurnal, Living things, Nonliving things, Human,
Food, Water, Air, Sun, Shelter, Hibernate, Survive.
Essential Questions
Criteria for Success: “I Will…”
K.L.1.1 What are some differences
that animals of the same type share?
-Identify ways that animals of the same type have individual differences.
Ex: spaniels and shepherds are both dogs, but also have differences.
Hawks and Sparrows are both birds, but have differences. Solids and
Tabbys are both cat, but have differences.
K.L.1.2 Identify the way people name
the parts of a whole object, plant, or
animal.
-Label the parts of a whole object, plant or animal on a picture. Ex: Whole
person—Label hands, feel, legs, nose, etc. Whole car—Label tires, door,
headlight, etc, Whole flower—Label petals, stem, leaves.
K.L.1.2 Explain how the parts of living
and non-living things work best as a
whole.
-Test parts of objects to see how they work individually. Ex: Wheel from a
toy car still rolls, door doesn’t do anything because it has nothing to open
from by itself.
-I will test objects as a whole to see how they work differently from their
parts. Toy car rolls and move easily when all put together, but did not roll
without wheels.
-decide which objects can be made into smaller parts without ruining them
and which ones cannot. Ex: Lego house can be taken apart and put back
together easily with no damage. Books, pencils, plants, and animals
cannot be put back together if taken apart…)
Suggested Resources/Activities
Unit A (Plants) and Unit B (Animals)
-Compare coverings, structure, movement,
basic needs, habitats, etc.
-Group animals by their similarities and
compare differences ( Arctic Polar Bear and
Grizzly Brown Bear)
-Label body parts- Sing Head shoulders,
knees and toes
Read: A Buzz is Part of a Bee (Lunn)- Level ELearning the parts of a plant with a Plant
Tasting Party (We eat roots, leaves, flowers,
and stems.)
-Create a Flip Book for parts of a plant or
flower
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2012 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools –Kindergarten Science
K.L.1.2 What are the same
characteristics that living and
nonliving things share?
-Compare animals and nonliving things. Ex: Animals eat, breathe, and
grow. Nonliving things do not.
-Compare animals by their characteristics. Ex: (behavior—
nocturnal/hibernate; appearance—size/color/body parts; habitats ( where
can you find them)—zoo, pet at home, wild areas, ocean, etc.
K.L.1.2 What basic structures do
animals of the same kind, including
humans, have?
-Explain the distinct structures of the human body. Es: bones, muscles,
skin.
-Explain how animals have structures that serve the same purpose as
humans. Ex: bones, muscles, skin.
-Compare body structures of different animals in the way they are used
and how they look. Ex: Humans bones compared to an animal’s bones or
human hands compared to an animal’s paws.
-Observe how organisms grow and develop over time. Ex: Animals,
People, Plants.
-Compare ways different organisms grow and develop over time. Ex: -Compare animals, plants, and people and how they grow and develop.
-Explain that animals change as they grow. Es: Choose an animal, and tell
classmates how their animal changes as they grow.
-Describe the life cycle as the stages of growth and change. Ex: Use
pictures to show the distinct stages of the life cycle—baby child, adult, etc.
-Understand that life cycle begins when an organism is born and continues
until the organism dies. Ex: Put pictures in order on a blank life cycle map.
K.L.1.2 In what ways do organisms
grow and change?
K.L.1.2 Identify and explain the stages
of a given life cycle.
-Cut out and sort pictures of living/ non-living
things and record on T-chart in Science
Notebook
- Record on T-charts in Science Notebook:
hibernating/non-hibernating (active or
dormant); nocturnal and diurnal animals.
-Sort animals and their babies. Read: Polar
Babies by Ring and Animal Babies by Hamsa
Level E
- Plant Life Cycle activity online
-Sequence pictures that represent the stages
of a living organism
-View life cycles on D.Ed. Streaming: frogs,
butterflies, birds, etc.
-Read: From Egg to Robin- Level C- Canizares
& Chessen; Chickens Aren’t The Only Ones
by Heller
K.L.1.2 What are some ways different
animals move?
K.L.1.2 What are the basic needs
living things need to survive?
-Dramatize/act out different ways animals move. Ex: Use movement to
show understanding of ways animals move.
-Compare ways that animals move. Ex: Use Venn diagram to put picture of
animals that move in similar ways and different ways Swim./Walk—fish
only swims, duck swims and walks, people swim and walk, lion walks but
does not swim
-Identify how food, air, water, and shelter are all things that animals and
other living things need to survive. Ex: Use pictures to show basic needs
of living things.
-Explain that living things are anything that is alive or has ever been alive
and nonliving things are anything that is not now or has never been alive.
-Classify things as living or non living based on characteristics of living
things. Ex. Sort pictures or manipulative of living and nonliving things.
-Dance to “Jungle Book” sound track or “Buga-boo”
-Record pictures of animals that have
2,4,6,and 8 legs in Science Notebook
-Study plant growth under various conditions;
with and without water, air, sunlight, and soil.
-Making their own terrariums
-Where do birds live? Level D- Chessen
Helpful Websites:
http://www.exploringnature.org
Scholastic: Guided Reading Program Nonfiction Inventory Levels A-I.
Assessment: Guide to Keeley’s Formative Probes:
Is it an Animal? What does the student classify as an organism and how?
Is it Living? What attributes does the student focus on when considering whether something is or once was living?
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2012 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools –Kindergarten Science
Does it breathe? Does the organism need air to survive?
Why do animals have different body structures? How do animals help humans?
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