AUGUSTA COUNTY SCHOOLS
CURRICULUM MAP
SCIENCE
Submitted by Riverheads Elementary School
CONTENT: K.7 The student will investigate and understand basic needs and life processes of plants and animals
TOPIC:
Life Processes
CONTENT
What do your students need to KNOW?
All students will know:




animals need adequate
food, water, shelter, air,
and space to survive;
plants need nutrients,
water, air, light, and a
place to grow to survive;
plants and animals change
as they grow, have varied
life cycles, and eventually
die; and
Offspring of plants and
animals are similar but not
identical to their parents or
to one another.
DEMONSTRATORS
What do your students need to be
able to DO?
Students will:



Describe the life needs of animals.
The life needs are food, water,
shelter, air, and space.
Describe the life needs of plants.
The life needs are nutrients, water,
air, light, and a place that has
adequate space for them to grow.
Predict what will happen to
animals and plants if life needs are
not met.

Describe some simple changes
animals undergo during their life
cycles. This may include changes
in their body size, color, covering,
or shape.

Describe some simple changes that
plants undergo during their life
cycles. This may include size,
presence of leaves and branches,
fruits, and seeds.

Compare and contrast young plants
and animals with their parents,
using pictures and/or live
organisms.
ASSESSMENT
How will you assess what your
students ALREADY KNOW, and
assess WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED?
Pre-Assessment:
Discussion and observation
Post Assessment:
Life cycle sequencing art
ACTIVITIES
HOW will you teach it?







Nature walks
Planting seeds
Habitat drawings
Habitat Sort – See attached
pages
Parent/Offspring game –
See attached pages
Sorting cards – Plants and
animals– See attached
pages
Brainstorming and Venn
diagram of plants and
animals similarities and
differences
DIFFERENTIATION
How will you meet the needs of all
students?
Experiments
Remediation or Enrichment Power Up
Groups
RESOURCES










Seeds
Soil
Cups
Sequencing cards
Pictures of parents and offspring
Smart Board
Books and videos
Eagle cam
Picture cards for animal/plant sort
and habitat sort
Growing and Changing by Michelle
Dubourg
TEACHER NOTES:
Animal/Plant Sort
Animals and plants to match with habitats (Small pictures)
Animals and plants to match with habitats (Large pictures)
Habitat Picture Sorts
Habitat Picture Sorts
Habitat Picture Sorts
Habitat Picture Sorts
Habitats
Parent/Offspring Match
Parent/Offspring Game
First, read Life Science Book: Growing and Changing by Michelle Dubourg . Then explain to the students what an
offspring of a plant or animal is and discuss how offspring may or may not look like the adult animal or plant it came
from. (Give examples like a caterpillar and butterfly, dog and puppy, acorn and oak tree) On the board write: Is it an
animal or plant? What is its habitat? Does its offspring look like the adult? Divide the students into 2 groups. Give
half the students a picture card of an adult animal or plant and give the other half a picture card of the off springs.
Tell the students not to show their cards to each other. The students with the adult cards take turns one at a time
answering the questions on the board and giving other clues about their adult. The students with the offspring
cards try to guess which student has the adult to match their card. When a match has been made, the students
show their cards to the group. Discuss the similarities or differences between the adult and its offspring. When all
matches have been made, follow the same procedure but let the students that had the offspring cards first get the
adult cards.