First Grade Science
Observations of the Environment
Unit 1 Physical Science
August – October
Focuses on the changes in properties that occur in objects and materials. Changes of position of an object are a result of pushing and pulling.
Prior Knowledge
K: Vibrating objects can cause sound
Enduring Understandings/Content
Statements
Essential Questions
Grade 1
Future Application of these concepts
This unit
Grade 2: Forces are necessary to change the motion of objects.
Grade 3-5: The amount of movement of an object is based on the
mass of the object and amount of force exerted.
Student Inquiry and Application
Academic Vocabulary
Students will understand and demonstrate…
Students will know that….
Properties of objects and materials can
change.
Objects and materials change when
exposed to various conditions, such as
heating or freezing. Not all materials
change in the same way.
Note: Changes in temperature are a result
of changes in energy. Water changing
from liquid to solid and from solid to
liquid is found in ESS Grade 1.
How can you change
the motion of object?
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(Knowledge/Recall) Recognize and classify various
types of changes that objects or materials can go
through to change observable properties (e.g.,
freezing, melting, tearing, wetting.)
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(Reasoning/Interpreting/Communicating)
Compare different ways of changing on object or
material (e.g. tearing, heating, cooling, mixing,
taking apart, putting together).
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(Performance/Demonstrate) Plan and implement
an investigation to test various clay shapes (e.g., a
clay ball, a clay block, flattened clay with edges) to
determine how shape affects the ability of a
material to float or sink in water. Work with art
teacher on this concept.
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(Product/Design/Engineer) Using the findings
(about shapes) from the Demonstrating Science
Knowledge section, design and build a small boat
out of recycled materials and see how long it can
float in water or if it can float for a specific amount
of time
Parts of objects have properties that
allow them to carry our specific functions
(WAS 4th)
Objects can be moved in a variety of
ways, such as straight, zigzag, circular and
back and forth (WAS K)
The motion of an object can speed up,
slow down, or change direction with a
push or a pull
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Change
Freeze
Melt
Boil
Tear
Heat
Properties
Mix
Matter
Mass
Weight
Liquid
Gas
Solid
Hypothesis
Problem (Question)
Materials/Tools
Procedure
Observation
Data
Results
Conclusion
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Resources:
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Will It Float? http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=5673
Changing Matter http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=5676
Writing about Vehicles That Float http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=5682
Matter… It Does! http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=28155
Melted crayon art - http://www.52kitchenadventures.com/2011/09/12/melted-crayon-art-tutorial/ and nice heart-shaped or circular crayons
(melted in a muffin tin) http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalfun/ht/Make_Crayons.htm
Kitchen Magician is a game from PBS Kids that emphasizes how materials can change during cooking:
http://pbskids.org/sid/kitchenmagician.html
Scott-Foresman: Pages 209 – 237; Leveled Readers: Changing Shape, Energy, Learning About Energy
Imagine It! Decodables (Book 1): Frozen, (Book 2): Paul’s Sauce (mixing)
Review (if needed from K) BrainPop Solids, Liquids, Gases movie: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/matter/solidsliquidsandgases/
BrainPop Movie – Physical and Chemical Changes : http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/matter/physicalandchemicalchanges/
BrainPop Make Your Own Volcano Activity (Physical and Chemical Change):
http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/matter/physicalandchemicalchanges/activity/
BrainPop Movie – Changing State of Matter: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/matter/changingstatesofmatter/
BrainPop – Disappearing Water Activity (Changing State of Matter):
http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/matter/changingstatesofmatter/activity/
BrainPop Changing State of Matter Activities: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/matter/changingstatesofmatter/grownups.weml
BrainPop Simple Machines Activity: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/forces/simplemachines/activity/
Assessment:
 Forces and Movement Online Quiz: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/forces_movement.shtml
 BrainPop Pushes and Pulls Easy Quiz: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/forces/pushesandpulls/easyquiz/
 BrainPop Pushes and Pulls Write About It: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/forces/pushesandpulls/writeaboutit/
Earth and Space
January-March
Big Idea 1: The sun is our source of energy
Prior Knowledge (base knowledge)
Grade 1
Future Application of these concepts
PreK-K: Weather changes every day, weather
changes are short and long term, the sun is visible
during the day and the position of the sun can
change.
this unit
Grades 2: The relationship between energy and long- and short-term weather is
introduced.
Enduring Understandings
Content Statement
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Sunlight warms Earth’s
land, air, and water.
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The amount of exposure
to sunlight affects the
amount of warming or
cooling of air, water, and
land.
Student Inquiry and Application
(Guidance for developing performance tasks)
Essential
Questions
Students will know that…
The sun is the principal
source of energy.
Grade 3-5: Renewable energy, forms of energy (e.g., heat, light, electrical energy),
the solar system and patterns/cycles between the Earth and sun
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Why does
temperature
change? What
causes it to
change?
Academic Vocabulary
Students will understand and demonstrate…
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(Knowledge/Recall) Recognize that sunlight warms water, air and soil.
Identify that sun is a primary source of energy. Select a grassy area in full
sun, in partial sun or in shade and collect temperature readings. Describe
and write how certain areas of Earth are warmer/heated by sunlight and how
some are not.
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Energy - seeing and
feeling air and
water movement,
feeling heat from
sunlight)
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(Reason/Interpret) Use appropriate tools and measurements to observe and
document the warming and cooling of air, water, or soil. The length of time
an object or material (including water) is exposed to sunlight and its resulting
temperature must be observed, as should the amount of time for the object
or material to cool down after it is taken out of the sunlight. (i.e. solar
device, cold frame)
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thermometer
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solar energy
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solar heating
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observe/observati
on
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temperature
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measurement
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compare
How does the
energy from
the sun change
the land, air
and water?
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(Perform/Demonstrate) Use appropriate tools and technology to collect,
compare and document data (graph, chart or table to record the data).
Investigation and experimentation must be combined with explanation,
questioning, and discussion of the results and findings. Build a model to
collect or use solar energy (i.e., solar oven, solar wind chimes, solar heating
device). Compare how long it takes to heat samples of water/soil/air to
specific temperature using sun.
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Resources:
cold frame
(Product/Design/Engineer) Make a mini cold frame that can be used to
protect plants from cold temperatures. Use recyclable materials (i.e., plastic
bottles, milk jugs or cartons). Compare and evaluate the placement of the
cold frame to get the most autumn/winter sunlight. Collect data
(temperature, water, outside weather, amount of daily sunlight) to use in the
comparison.
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Sciencea-z.com: http://www.sciencea-z.com/scienceweb/unit/Weather?unitId=14
http://amasci.com/miscon/opphys.html : Examples of student misconceptions about the sun and energy through
investigations.
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Literacy text – Igloo: A House of Snow and Ice
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http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/sunearthmiscons.html :Lists common misconceptions about the sun and Earth,
providing students with opportunities to experiment and explore the sun and solar energy.
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Science based story books from the Primary GLOBE Program: http://www.epa.ohio.gov/Portals/42/documents/AA%20wetlands%201%20fixed.pdf (project books to
whole class, printable too)
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Additional teacher information:
 http://epa.ohio.gov/Portals/42/documents/Websites-favorites.pdf - See page 7, Energy Efficiency (solar energy)
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http://epa.ohio.gov/Portals/42/documents/Websites-favorites.pdf - See page 12, Local Environmental Conditions in Ohio
 Ohio wetlands: http://www.epa.ohio.gov/Portals/42/documents/AA%20wetlands%201%20fixed.pdf
Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Volume 4: 25 New Formative Assessment Probes :
http://learningcenter.nsta.org/search.aspx?action=browse&text=page%20keeley&price=0&product=0&subject=42&topic=452&gradelevel=0&sort=Relevancy
PBS Link to Exploring Weather Lesson Plan Ideas
PBS Lesson Plan/Short Video Clip Measuring the Temperature
PBS Computer Interactive - Water We Doing
http:sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/the-warmth-of-the-sun/
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/full_book.asp?ProductID=4561
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Assessments:
 What would life be like if there was no sun?
 Is it usually warmer during the day or night? Why?
 Do you think things like rocks, grass, leaves, water, or air are cooler or warmer in the sun? In the shade? If they were taken indoors? Why or why not?
 In what ways do plants and animals count on the sun?
 What observable evidence do we have that the sun is the primary source of energy?
 Compare the results of data collected (graph/chart/table) in writing and orally.
 Why do some colors or materials work best for collecting sun as a source of energy?
 Where does the solar device work best? Why? What can be done to make the solar device work better?
 Compare the data from the cold frames. Why did this plant grow better than the other plant? (variables: sunlight, water, temperature, outside
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weather)
Why is changing temperatures on air, land, or water important for people who work with plants, people who build ponds filled with fish and plants,
people who boat…?
Grade 1 - Life Science (LS)
April-May
Basic Needs of Living Things
Focus on the physical needs of living things in Ohio (i.e., energy from the sun or food, nutrients, water, shelter and air).
Big Idea:
Living things meet their basic needs for survival by obtaining resources from their environment.
Prior Knowledge (base knowledge)
K: Living things are different from nonliving things; Living things have physical
traits and behaviors, which influence their survival.
Enduring Understandings
Content Statements
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Students will know that…
Living things have basic needs,
which are met by obtaining
materials from the physical
environment.
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Earth has many different
environmental conditions that support
living things.
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Living things require living (plants and
animals) and nonliving (water, sunlight,
air, nutrients, particular
temperatures/climate) resources in
their environments.
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Plants get energy from sunlight.
Animals get energy from plants and
other animals.
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Living things survive only in
environments that meet their needs
Resources are necessary to meet the
needs of an individual and populations
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Essential
Questions
How does
the
environment
help living
things
survive?
Grade 1
this unit
Future Application of these concepts
Grades 2: Living things cause changes on Earth/impact the
environment; the environment impacts living things.
Student Inquiry and Application
Students will understand and demonstrate…
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(Knowledge/Recall) Identify the basic survival
needs of plants and animals (classroom pets,
plants around school).
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(Reasoning/Interpreting) Based on
observations of birds in the field (ie., bird
stations around school), compare the food
choices of birds in the study and create a chart
to communicate findings; Explain, draw, journal
and photograph what happens to local living and
nonliving environments over time.
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(Performance/Demonstrate) Plan and
implement a classroom investigation to monitor
a plant or animal over time (i.e., simple pinecone
bird feeder, cover pinecones with vegetable
shortening and coat with one type of food such
as black or striped sunflower seeds, millet,
cracked corn, or thistle)
Does the type of food influence what type of
birds will come to a bird feeder?
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(Product/Design/Engineer) Using data from
Academic Vocabulary
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physical needs
energy
nutrients
shelter
basic needs
obtain, acquire
physical environment
require
environment
resources
components
survive
reproduce
observation
individual
organisms
population
interact
change, impact
habitat
climate
hypothesis
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of individuals. Living things interact
with their physical environments as
they meet those needs.
Effects of seasonal changes within the
local environment directly impact the
availability of resources.
the classroom investigation, students design
their own investigation. Share designs, results
and recommendations with an authentic
audience. Example: bird feeder and blend of
birdseed that will attract the most birds of one
kind or the greatest variety of birds
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problem (question)
materials/tools
procedure
data
results
conclusion
Resources:
 http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/
 http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/animals.aspx - National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) position paper to provide guidance on ethical
treatment of animals and safety employed in the classroom.
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http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/tdc02_vid_plantsgrow/
http://www.unitedstreaming.com/videos/dsc/externalApplications/virtual_labs-es/Plants/index.html