© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans
Chapter 1: Living Things and Their Life Processes
Total number of periods: 18 periods
Overview of Lesson Plans
What Are the Life Processes in Humans and Other Animals? (7 periods)
Lesson
Specific Instructional Objectives
1.1
Pupils should:
know that humans and animals undergo life processes
know that life processes include movement, respiration,
sensitivity, nutrition, excretion, reproduction and growth
1.2
Pupils should:
be able to describe the various life processes in humans
and animals
What are the Life Processes in Plants? (7 periods)
Lesson
Specific Instructional Objectives
1.3
Pupils should:
know that plants undergo life processes
know that life processes in plant include movement,
respiration, sensitivity, nutrition, excretion, reproduction
and growth
Cambridge Primary Scientific Enquiry
Skills
Collect evidence in a variety of
contexts to answer questions or test
Ideas. (Ep1)
Make generalisations and begin to
identify simple patterns in results.
(Eo1)
Cambridge Primary Scientific Enquiry
Skills
Collect evidence in a variety of
contexts to answer questions or test
ideas. (Ep1)
Process Skills
21st Century Skills
Communicating
Comparing
Observing
Communicate clearly
Interact effectively with
others
Reason effectively
Think creatively
Apply technology
effectively
Be self-directed learners
Make judgements and
decisions
Reason effectively
Analysing
Classifying
Communicating
Comparing
Observing
Process Skills
Analysing
Observing
21st Century Skills
Be self-directed learners
Make judgements and
decisions
Reason effectively
Think creatively
Use systems thinking
Number of
Periods
2
5
Number of
Periods
7
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
How Can We Tell Living Things From Non-living Things? (4 periods)
Lesson
Specific Instructional Objectives
1.4
Pupils should:
understand and explain that the difference between
living things and non-living things lies in the life
processes that living things undergo which non-living
things cannot, giving real life examples
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Cambridge Primary Scientific Enquiry
Skills
Collect evidence in a variety of
contexts to answer questions or test
ideas. (Ep1)
Process Skills
Analysing
Communicating
Comparing
21st Century Skills
Environmental literacy
Make judgements and
decisions
Reason effectively
Think creatively
Number of
Periods
4
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Main Lesson Plans
Lesson 1.1
BSCS 5Es
Engage:
Pupils are given an
interesting idea to
think about
Lesson Notes
Background: Pupils learnt about animals and plants in Grade 1, and about living things and their environment in
Grade 2.
Chapter opener
Use the scene in the opener to discuss if the milk Ari has given to the plant helped it grow. Talk about what plants
and animals (i.e. humans) need to keep ourselves alive leading to life processes.
Ask pupils:
• Do you think the plant really grew because of the milk? Why do you think so? (Answer: Yes, because the plant is
bigger than a normal houseplant.)
• What do plants need to survive? (Answer: Plants need food, water and air. You will learn about how plants get
their food in this chapter.)
• What do humans need to survive? (Answer: Food, water and air.)
Explain that:
• Living things such as plants and humans need food and water to survive, but a plastic plant or stuffed toy does
not need food and water – these are non-living things.
• Eating or nutrition is a life process that only living things undergo.
• Growth is also a life process.
Tell pupils that in this chapter, they will learn about other life processes as well. Then, they will be able to tell living
things from non-living things.
Teaching Strategies: Relating to real life; Creative thinking
21st Century Skill: Think creatively
Elaborate:
Pupils develop
deeper
understanding
from challenging
Project Idea: Experiment with the effects of water and milk on plant growth. Water two similar plants for two weeks,
one with milk and one with water. Ask pupils to note down their predictions for the following questions which will be
revisited later in the chapter.
• Which plant appears healthier?
• Does milk help plants grow?
Resources
Textbook page 1
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
ideas that extend
conceptual
understanding and
skills
•
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Why don’t we normally water our plants with milk?
What’s In This Chapter?, What Will I Learn?
Emphasise to pupils what their learning journey will be like for this chapter.
• Things can be living or non-living.
• Living things are able to carry out life process, but non-living things are not.
Textbook page 2
Teaching Tip: Trace the path of the mind map by reading out loud.
Explore:
Pupils learn to use
inquiry through a
hands-on activity
and teacher-led
discussion
Explain:
Conclusions can be
drawn from previous
learning to explain
key concepts
What Are the Life Processes in Humans and Other Animals?
Activity: Carry out the show-and-tell activity in Build Your Skills! with the class. Have a few pupils share about their
pets. You may use the questions listed in the activity to get started. After pupils have shared, ask the class to think
about what they have learnt.
Textbook page 3
Ask pupils:
• What needs do the pets have in common? What are some of the things they do? (Answer: Pets need food, water,
exercise, rest, shelter etc. Pets eat, run, sleep etc.)
• Do human babies have the same needs? (Answer: Yes, human babies share many of the same needs as pets.)
Note: To answer this question, pupils may first need to answer the questions listed in the activity about
themselves, e.g. How do you take care of yourself? What do you do when you get tired? (Answer: I need to have
regular meals, live in a clean environment, see a doctor when I’m sick. I yawn/go to sleep.)
Explain that:
• Some of the things that pets do, such as moving and eating, are called life processes. Life processes are important
as they keep living things alive.
• Life processes include movement, respiration, sensitivity, nutrition, excretion, reproduction and growth.
• All living things, including humans, carry out life processes. Most of the life processes of living things are similar.
Tell pupils that in the sections that follow, they will explore more of each of the life processes.
Teaching Tip: Before the show-and-tell, check what pet each pupil is bringing. Make sure they do not bring
dangerous pets or pets that may be difficult to control. You may also wish to select just a few pupils to bring their
pets for the show-and-tell, to keep the activity short. Give the pupils a few minutes each to share about their pets
and have them prepare what they want to share beforehand. Use this opportunity to let pupils practise their
communication skills.
Textbook page 4
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Teaching Strategy: Show-and-tell
Process Skills: Observing, Comparing, Communicating
21st Century Skills: Interact effectively with others; Reason effectively; Communicate clearly
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Lesson 1.2
BSCS 5Es
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Lesson Notes
Explain the seven life processes as you cover them. Ask pupils what they understand about each life process, and why they
think each life process is necessary. Correct any misconceptions they may have at this point, using scientific explanations.
Nutrition
Ask pupils:
• What do you think will happen if we do not eat or drink water? (Answer: We will get hungry and thirsty/have no
energy/fall sick and die.)
Explain that:
• Living things, such as animals and humans, need food and water in order to get energy to move and grow.
• Nutrition is one of the life processes that living things carry out in order to survive.
Resources
Textbook page 4
Workbook pages 1—2
Activity 1: How Do I
Survive?
URL 1.1
Project Idea: Carry out an experiment to show that living things need food and water to survive.
Ask pupils:
• What will happen to the caterpillar in each container? (Answer: The caterpillar in Container A will grow healthily while
the other will die after a few days.)
• Why do you think this is so? (Answer: The caterpillar in Container A has food and water whereas the caterpillar in
Container B does not.)
Explain that:
• All living things, including caterpillars, require food and water to survive. Without food and water, living things will not
have energy to move and grow.
Teaching Strategies: Relating to real life; Creative thinking
Process Skills: Observing, Comparing
21st Century Skills: Reason effectively; Make judgements and decisions
Movement
Ask pupils:
• Why is it important for living things to be able to move on their own? (Answer: So that they are able to look for food,
shelter, respond to danger, etc.)
Textbook page 5
Workbook page 3
Activity 2: Move It!
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Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Explain that:
• In order to classify something as a living thing, it must be able to move on its own.
Elaborate:
Pupils learn to
apply their new
knowledge to reallife concepts and
situations
URLs 1.2, 1.3
Activity: Carry out the thinking exercise and discussion in Build Your Skills! with the class.
Ask pupils:
• How do you look for food in your daily life? (Answer: Buying food from the canteen, shopping at markets etc.)
• How do you look for shelter in your daily life? (Answer: Taking shelter from the rain or sun, going home to sleep at night
etc.)
• How do you escape from danger in your daily life? (Answer: Avoiding oncoming vehicles, moving away from sharp
objects or hot surfaces etc.)
• What other reasons can you think of to explain why living things need to move? (Answer: For exercise/To play/To move
away when the environment is not suitable/to respond to pain or ticklish sensation/To find a mate or place to give birth
(for animals) etc.)
Teaching Strategy: Relating to real life
Process Skills: Analysing, Communicating
Growth
Ask pupils:
• Are you able to wear the clothes that you wore as a baby? Why is this so? (Answer: No, because I have grown.)
• How do living things such as humans change as they grow? (Answer: They grow taller/heavier/stronger.)
• Can you think of animals that change in appearance as they grow? (Answer: Caterpillars change into butterflies, tadpoles
into frogs etc.)
Explain that:
• Living things need food and water to grow healthily.
• When living things grow into adults, they become larger and may also change in form (e.g. butterflies and frogs).
Tell pupils that they will find out more about how some living things change in appearance in Grade 4 Chapter 1: The Life
Cycles of Animals.
Project Idea: Research and present on the growth of a living thing.
Textbook page 6
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
21st Century Skills: Apply technology effectively; Be self-directed learners
Engage:
Sensitivity
Pupils are shown a
Ask pupils:
real-life example and • How would you react when you unexpectedly see a cockroach? (Answer: Scream/jump/run away etc.)
challenged to think
• What would you do when you feel cold or hot? (Answer: Shiver/hug myself, perspire etc.)
of how their own
• How would ants react when you blow at them? (Answer: Scurry away)
body works
Explain that:
• Living things are sensitive to changes around them. They respond to these changes. When a living thing responds, there
is a change in its action or behaviour.
Textbook page 7
Project Idea: Research on how animals sense danger.
Using the Internet and other resources, ask pupils to find out how various animals sense danger, and what these animals do
when they sense danger. You may show the video of how flamingoes sense danger and react to it as an example.
URL 1.4
21st Century Skills: Apply technology effectively; Be self-directed learners
Respiration
Activity: Get pupils to breathe out onto their hands. Their hands should feel warm. Ask pupils to think about how their body
gets the energy to warm their hands.
Ask pupils:
• Why do we need energy? (Answer: We need energy for growth, to repair the body and to move.)
• Where do we get our energy from? (Answer: We get our energy from the food we eat.)
Explain:
Pupils are guided to
check their own
understanding
against the correct
explanations
Explain that:
• Sugar from the food we eat combines with the oxygen from the air we breathe to produce energy. This is respiration.
• Respiration and breathing are not the same. Breathing is the process of inhaling and exhaling air. Respiration is the
process in which sugar is converted into energy in our body.
Teaching Strategies: Relating to real life; Creative thinking
Activity: Do an Internet search using the key words ‘Difference between respiration and breathing’.
Textbook page 8
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Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Process Skills: Analysing, Classifying
21st Century Skills: Apply technology effectively; Be self-directed learners
Excretion
Help pupils to recall that carbon dioxide and water are produced in the body during respiration. Tell pupils that water and
carbon dioxide are waste products that need to be removed from the body.
Textbook page 9
Ask pupils:
• How do you think waste materials such as water and carbon dioxide are excreted? (Answer: Carbon dioxide and water
are excreted when we breathe out. Water is also excreted in sweat and urine.)
• What happens if living things do not excrete? (Answer: They will not be able to remove waste materials from their body
and will fall sick and eventually die.)
Explain:
Differences between
two concepts are
clearly explained to
dispel any
misconceptions
Explain that:
• Excretion is the process in which the body gets rid of waste materials, such as carbon dioxide and water, by passing
them out of their bodies into the environment.
• Defecating is not considered excretion because the body is merely getting rid of undigested food not absorbed by the
body.
Background: Food is digested in the mouth, stomach and small intestine. Undigested food is passed out of the body. This is
defecation. Note that since the undigested food is not produced in the body, it is not excretion.
Project Idea: Keep a garden snail in a container and observe if the snail excretes any waste.
21st Century Skill: Reason effectively
Reproduction
Ask pupils:
• Why do animals need to produce young? (Answer: To replace the animals that die.)
Explain that:
• Reproduction is the process of producing new animals. If animals do not reproduce, their kind will die off and become
extinct.
• Some animals reproduce by laying eggs while others give birth to their young alive. Animals can also produce one young
or many young at a time.
Textbook page 10
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Tell pupils that they will learn more about how different animals reproduce in Chapter 2: Sorting Living Things.
Evaluate:
Pupils recap what
they have learnt and
assess their grasp of
learning outcomes
Project Idea: You may get pupils to research on how and why the Dodo bird became extinct; and the consequences of
extinction of a species.
URL 1.5
Recap on the seven life processes and their definitions. Help pupils to remember the seven life processes using the acronym
MRS NERG, which represents Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Nutrition, Excretion, Reproduction, Growth.
You may get pupils to come up with posters for MRS NERG using Glogster®.
URLs 1.6, 1.7
Workbook page 4
Activity 3: The Toy Test
Teaching Strategy: Memory aids
Consolidation
Worksheet 1
Internet links for Lesson 1.2
URL 1.1:
Trailer clip for the movie Castaway (Optional to play this video as introduction and lead-in to Workbook Activity 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJvosb4UCLs
URL 1.2:
Video of grizzly bear catching salmon (Optional to play this video to show how and why animals move as lead-in to Workbook Activity 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NcJ_63z-mA
URL 1.3:
Video of lioness hunting zebra (Optional to play this video to show how and why animals move as lead-in to Workbook Activity 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INcW26-iyqU&feature=related
URL 1.4:
Video of flamingoes fleeing from predators
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NClMD5IR0o&feature=fvsr
URL 1.5:
More information about the Dodo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodo
URL 1.6:
MRS NERG and the seven life processes (corresponds with Internet Link 1.1 in Textbook)
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/life/index.htm
URL 1.7:
Glogster®
http://www.glogster.com
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Lesson 1.3
BSCS 5Es
Engage:
Pupils draw on prior
knowledge to
compare and
contrast two
different situations,
allowing them to see
similarities and
differences
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Lesson Notes
What Are the Life Processes in Plants?
Use the scene in the cartoon to introduce the concept of life processes in plants.
Resources
Textbook page 11
Ask pupils:
• In the cartoon, what life processes does the plant show? (Answer: Nutrition, growth, movement)
• How are these life processes (nutrition, growth, movement) similar or different in plants and animals? (Answer:
Nutrition – Plants and animals both need food and water to stay alive. However, animals need to look for food but plants
do not. Animals eat food and drink water, but plants do not have mouths to eat and drink with. Instead, plants they
make their own food (more on this later). Growth – Like animals, plants grow bigger and taller over time. Movement –
Plants and animals can both move. However, plants cannot move from place to place like animals.)
Explain that:
• Like animals, plants undergo life processes. The life processes in plants are the same as the life processes as animals.
• However, plants carry out some of these life processes differently from animals.
Tell pupils that in this section, they will learn more about the life processes that plants undergo.
Teaching Strategies: Relating to real life; Comparing and contrasting
21st Century Skill: Reason effectively
Nutrition
Background: Pupils have already learnt that all living things need food to survive as food provides energy to carry out life
processes. Unlike animals, plants do not need to move about to search for food because they are able to make their own
food. Use the cartoon to get pupils thinking about how plants get their food. Humans and animals cannot make their own
food. They get their food from eating plants and other animals. But where do plants get their food from?
Explain that:
• Plants have a green pigment called chlorophyll, found mostly in their leaves, which allows plants to make their own
food. Chlorophyll traps energy from sunlight. The energy is then used to combine water and carbon dioxide to form
sugar (food).
• Chlorophyll also gives leaves their green colour.
• Plants need sunlight and water to make food.
Textbook page 12
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Tell pupils that they will learn more about how plants make food in Chapter 4: Introducing... Roots, Leaves, Stems and
Flowers!
Ask pupils:
• What do you think will happen when plants do not get enough sunlight or water? (Answer: Without enough sunlight or
water, plants will not be able to make food or grow healthily. The plants will eventually die.)
Explore:
Pupils develop their
inquiry skills through
an experiment
Explain:
Pupils are taught the
reasoning behind an
experimental set-up
Activity: Carry out the Experiment Time! to investigate the effect of lack of water on plants. Remind pupils to read the
instructions carefully first.
Ask pupils:
• Why is it important to follow the instructions carefully? (Answer: Otherwise the results may not be reliable.)
• What do you observe about the plants after one week? (Answer: Plant A has grown taller with big green leaves. Plant B
has withered/dried up and the leaves have turned brown.)
• What can you conclude from this experiment? (Answer: Plants need water to grow well. Without water, plants will
wither and die.)
Explain that:
• A variable is something that can be changed in an experiment, e.g. where we place the plants, the size of the plants,
the amount of water given to the plants.
• To keep an experiment/a test fair, we change only one variable in an experiment — the variable that we are testing. All
other variables are kept the same. This is called a fair test.
• Since the aim of this experiment is to find out what happens to plants when they are given or not given water, the
variable that is changed is the amount of the water given to each plant (30 ml in Plant A, and 0 ml in Plant B). All the
other variables such as the type of plant, the number of leaves on each plant, the location of the plants, and the pots
used remain constant.
Teaching Tip: To save time, carry out the experiment one week before the lesson. Show pupils the plants after one week.
Process Skills: Observing, Analysing
Evaluate:
Ask pupils:
Pupils have to solve
• What variable should be changed if we are finding out what happens if plants do not get sunlight? (Answer: The variable
a hypothetical
to change is the amount of sunlight the plants get — one plant will get sunlight while the other will not get any at all.
problem using the
Another way of putting it is the location of the plants — one plant will be placed in a sunny spot while the other will be
knowledge they have
placed in a dark place with no sunlight, such as a cupboard or box.)
Textbook pages 12—13
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
just acquired
21st Century Skills: Reason effectively; Be self-directed learners; Make judgements and decisions
Elaborate:
Pupils are
encouraged to use
creative thinking to
infer answers
Project Idea: Revisit the experiment conducted at the beginning of Lesson 1.1, on the effects of water and milk on plant
growth. By now, the plants should have been watered with milk or water for two weeks. Observe the plants. Tell pupils to
compare their predictions at the beginning of the experiment to the results now.
Textbook page 13
Ask pupils:
• Which plant appears healthier – the one that was watered with milk or the one that was given water? (Answer is based
on pupils’ observations. Either plant could appear healthier. However, both plants should appear fairly healthy.)
• Does milk help plants grow? (Answer: Yes, because milk contains water. So the plant can still make food and will still
grow.)
• Why don’t we normally water our plants with milk? (Answer: Because it is expensive! Also, water is more easily available.
Milk may also attract pests.)
Teaching Strategies: Comparing and contrasting; Creative thinking
21st Century Skills: Reason effectively; Think creatively; Use systems thinking
Growth
Explain that:
• When plants are able to make food, they will grow.
• When plants grow, they increase in size, height and weight.
• However, a plant growing very tall does not necessary mean the plant is healthy. Often, plants grow taller because they
are searching for sunlight!
Textbook page 14
Ask pupils:
• So how can you tell whether a plant is growing healthily? (Answer: The stem looks tall, thick and strong and the leaves
are green and firm.)
You may show pupils the time lapse video of a growing plant. Tell pupils that we can see that plants need sunlight and water
to grow healthily. Pupils will learn more about what plants need to grow well in Chapter 4: Introducing... Roots, Leaves,
Stems and Flowers!
When a young plant begins to grow from a seed, we say that the seed has germinated. Pupils will learn more about
germination in Grade 5 Chapter 1: The Life Cycle of Plants.
URL 1.8
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Movement and sensitivity
Ask pupils:
• Do you think plants can move? If they can, how is plant movement different from how animals move? (Answer: Yes, they
can! Plants do not move from place to place like animals. Also, plant movement is usually much slower than in animals,
so we may not notice it. However, some plant movement is fast.)
Textbook pages 4—15
Workbook page 5
Activity 4: Plant Senses!
Explain that:
• Although plants cannot move from place to place like animals, they move in other ways such as growing towards
sunlight, flowers opening etc.
• Growing towards something is a very slow form of movement in plants!
• Growing towards something also shows that plants respond to changes in their surroundings. In other words, plants are
sensitive to their surroundings.
Engage:
Pupils are shown
interesting videos of
real examples to
help them
understand the
concepts easily
Show pupils time lapse videos of flowers opening and closing, and a seedling growing towards light to illustrate the points
above. Tell them that the videos were recorded over many hours or days because the movement of the plants is very slow.
URLs 1.9, 1.10
Ask pupils:
• Why is such movement (as shown in the videos) important for plants? (Answer: Flowers respond to sunlight by opening
in the daytime so that insects can visit them. Seedlings and young plants grow towards light because they need sunlight
to make food.)
Tell pupils that they will learn why it is important for insects to visit flowers in Grade 5Chapter 1: The Life Cycle of Plants.
Process Skills: Observing, Analysing
Tell pupils that some plants respond to touch, e.g. the leaves of the Mimosa plant will fold up when touched and the leaf of
the Venus Flytrap snaps shut when an insect lands on it. This is also movement! Show pupils the video of how the Mimosa
plant responds to touch. Mimosa is also known by many different names as seen in the video. Many scientists believe that
the plant folds its leaves when touched to defend itself from animals that try to eat it.
URL 1.11
Show pupils the video of how a Venus Flytrap works. A Venus Flytrap is a very unusual plant that eats small animals such as
insects.
URL 1.12
Respiration and excretion
Ask pupils:
Textbook page 15
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
•
•
•
•
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
How do plants get their energy? (Answer: Plants get their energy through respiration. During respiration, plants take in
oxygen and break down sugar from the food they made to get energy.)
What waste products do plants excrete and where do they come from? (Answer: Plants excrete carbon dioxide and
water vapour, which are produced during respiration.)
How do plants excrete these waste products? (Answer: They excrete carbon dioxide through tiny openings found mostly
on the underside of leaves, called stomata.)
Is it wise to sleep in a room full of plants? Why do you say so? (Answer: No, because plants will respire, taking in oxygen
and giving out carbon dioxide. But humans need oxygen to respire too. In other words, we will be competing with the
plants in our room for oxygen!)
Project Idea: Carry out this exercise to show that water vapour is excreted during respiration in plants. Instruct students to
wrap a clear plastic bag around the leaves of a healthy plant and leave the plant in a sunny spot (it should not be too hot!).
Pupils should observe the plastic bag after a few days.
Ask pupils:
• What do you observe on the inside of the plastic bag? (Answer: Water droplets are found on the inside of the plastic
bag.)
Explain that:
• The water droplets found inside the plastic bag came from water vapour released through the stomata during
respiration.
21st Century Skills: Think creatively; Reason effectively; Make judgements and decisions
Reproduction
Explain that:
• Like animals, plants reproduce to ensure that their kind does not become extinct.
• Plants reproduce in different ways. Flowering plants reproduce using seeds which are found in the fruits they produce.
Non-flowering plants such as ferns and mosses reproduce from spores. Some plants reproduce from other plant parts.
Textbook page 16
Tell pupils that they will learn more about the parts of plants, such as seeds and flowers, in Chapter 4: Introducing... Roots,
Leaves, Stems and Flowers!
Workbook pages 9—10
Activity 6: The Amazing
Seed
Workbook pages 7—8
Activity 5: Plant or
Animal?
Workbook pages 15—16
Worksheet 1: Growing
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Plants
Consolidation Worksheet
2
Internet links for Lesson 1.3
URL 1.8:
Time lapse video of plant growth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSCd6RjiC8o
URL 1.9:
Time lapse video of flower opening (corresponds with Internet Link 1.2 in Textbook)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6iSwNfCf3U&feature=related
URL 1.10:
Time lapse video of a seedling growing towards light (corresponds with Internet Link 1.3 in Textbook)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0THtq4tvkbk
URL 1.11:
Video on sensitivity of Mimosa plant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLTcVNyOhUc
URL 1.12:
Video of Venus Flytrap in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUWQFF0RJN4
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Lesson 1.4
BSCS 5Es
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Lesson Notes
Background: Pupils now know what the life processes in animals and plants are. Only living things undergo life processes.
Thus, we can tell whether something is living or non-living by investigating whether it undergoes life processes.
How Can We Tell Living Things From Non-living Things?
Engage:
Use the scene in the cartoon to introduce the characteristics of living things compared to non-living things.
Pupils are given a
real-life example and Ask pupils:
learn to support
• Can we classify Tom’s robot as a living thing? Why do you say so? (Answer: No, because the robot cannot move on its
their opinions with
own; rather, it requires Tom to wind it up before it can move. In order for something to be classified as a living thing, it
concrete evidence
must be able to move on its own.)
• What are the other characteristics of living things? (Answer: Living things can carry out life processes, namely nutrition,
movement, growth, sensitivity, respiration, excretion and reproduction.)
• Can a non-living thing carry out these life processes? (Answer: No, non-living things cannot carry out these life
processes.)
Resources
Textbook page 17
Tell pupils that in this section, we will look at the differences between living and non-living things.
Nutrition
Teaching Tip: Bring a doll to class so pupils can compare themselves and the doll. Show the doll to the pupils.
Textbook page 18
Ask pupils:
• What happens if we do not have food and water? (Answer: We will get weak and eventually die.)
• What happens if the doll does not have food and water? (Answer: Nothing. The doll does not need food or water.)
Explain that:
• Living things need food and water to live, but living things do not.
Growth
Teaching Tip: Bring two plants to class, a young living plant and a realistic-looking plastic plant, for pupils to compare.
Ask pupils:
• How do you think the appearance of the plants will change over time? (Answer: The living plant will grow bigger and
taller after some time while the plastic one will not change in size or height over time.)
Textbook page 18
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Explain that:
• Living things grow, but non-living things do not.
Explore:
Pupils discover ideas
and solutions
through play
Movement
Activity: Bring a wooden rocking horse or figure of a horse, preferably with moving parts, to class for pupils to play with. You
may wish to bring more than one. Instruct pupils to make it move in as many different ways as they can think of.
Textbook page 19
Ask pupils:
• How were you able to move the wooden rocking horse/figure of a horse? (Answer: By sitting on it and rocking it/moving
its parts/carrying it from one place to another/dropping it/throwing it etc.)
• Can a wooden rocking horse/figure of a horse move on its own? (Answer: No, it requires someone or something to make
it move.)
• What about a living horse? Do you think it can move on its own? (Answer: Yes, a living horse can move on its own.)
Explain that:
• Living things can move on their own, but non-living things cannot.
Sensitivity
Ask pupils:
• What would you do if you get caught in the rain? (Answer: I would run for shelter/I would open an umbrella/put on a
raincoat/cover my head to protect it from getting wet etc.)
• Can a statue do the things you mentioned to protect itself from the rain? (Answer: No, it cannot.)
Explain:
Pupils are shown
how ideas or
concepts link up to
form the big picture
Explore:
Pupils learn to ask
questions about the
things they do
Textbook page 19
Explain that:
• The things pupils mentioned they would do to protect themselves from the rain are responses. Humans can sense a
change in weather and respond to it.
• A statue cannot respond to changes around it because it is not able to sense changes or respond to them.
• Living things can respond to changes around them, but non-living things cannot.
Respiration
Activity: Bring a toy figure to class, preferably one with movable arms. Also bring a heavy bag, but not so heavy that pupils
have difficulty lifting it. Let pupils take turns to lift the bag and feel its weight. Tell pupils that energy is required to lift
weights.
Ask pupils:
• Where do you get the energy to lift the bag? (Answer: We respire to produce energy./We get our energy through
Textbook page 20
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
•
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
respiration.)
Do you think the toy figure has the energy to lift the bag? Why do you say so? (Answer: No, because it does not respire,
so it cannot produce energy to lift the bag.)
Alternatively, you may show pupils the video of an Olympic weightlifter, and ask similar questions.
URL 1.13
Explain that:
• Living things can respire, but non-living things cannot.
Explore:
Pupils learn to
compare and
contrast, using reallife examples
Excretion
Activity: Bring some toy figures to class, or ask pupils to bring their own. Get pupils to stand under the Sun, carrying the toy
figures. Wait until pupils begin to sweat. Remind pupils that our bodies excrete some of our waste materials in sweat. Now
instruct pupils to examine the toy figures.
Textbook page 20
Ask pupils:
• Why is it that you sweat, but the toy figures do not? (Answer: We sweat because we can excrete. The toy figures do not
sweat because they cannot excrete.)
Explain that:
• Living things can excrete, but non-living things cannot.
Reproduction
Teaching Tip: Bring a photo of an adult pet with its young, e.g. cat and kittens, to class. Also bring a stuffed toy animal. Show
pupils the photo and stuffed toy animal.
Textbook page 20
Ask pupils:
• Which of these (the pet or the stuffed toy animal) has young? Why is this so? (Answer: The pet has young but the stuffed
toy animal does not. This is because the pet can reproduce but the stuffed toy animal cannot.)
Explain that:
• Living things can reproduce, but non-living things cannot.
Evaluate:
Pupils apply the
knowledge they have
learnt to come up
Activity: Use the Build Your Skills! activity to wrap up what has been learnt in this section.
You may choose either Option A:
Textbook page 21
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
with solutions to
new problems
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Bring a candle in a dish and a lighter or matches to class. Light the candle and have pupils observe the movement of the
candle flame. Point out to pupils that the candle flame seems to move on its own. Give pupils some time to discuss whether
the candle flame is a living thing. Pupils may discuss in pairs or groups.
Ask pupils:
• Is a candle flame a living thing, since it also seems to move on its own? Why do you say so? (Answer: No, a candle flame
is not a living thing. Like the clouds, a candle flame moves because it is pushed by the wind/air.)
Or you may choose Option B:
Bring the pupils outside when you can see clouds in the sky clearly. Have pupils observe the movement of the clouds. Point
out to pupils that clouds seem to grow insize and move on their own. Give pupils some time to discuss whether clouds are
living things. Pupils may discuss in pairs or groups.
Ask pupils:
• How are the clouds able to move? (Answer: The clouds move because they are blown by the wind/air.)
• How are clouds able to grow in size? (Answer: Clouds are made of water vapour. Clouds get bigger when there is more
water vapour in the air.)
• Are clouds classified as living things? Why do you say so? (Answer: No, clouds are not living things, since they do not
move on their own. Also, their ‘growth’ is not real growth as it comes from the surroundings and not from the clouds
themselves.)
For both options, explain that:
• In order for something to be classified as a living thing, it must undergo life processes, e.g. be able to move on its own or
grow.
• The candle flame and clouds move because they are blown by the wind/air. They do not move on their own. Therefore,
the candle flame and clouds are not living things.
• Clouds get bigger but this is not real growth as this does not come from the clouds themselves. Real growth comes from
inside the body, e.g. in humans.
• The candle flame and clouds also do not undergo any other life process. They do not eat, respond to changes, respire,
excrete or reproduce. Therefore, they cannot be living things.
Elaborate:
Pupils learn to take
their knowledge
further by suggesting
Now tell pupils to consider a car. You may bring students to the car park in the school compound when it is safe to do so,
and instruct them to observe the cars.
Ask pupils:
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
new ideas and
•
possibilities based on
what they have
•
learnt
•
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Which life processes does a car seem to have? (Answer: A car seems to ‘eat’ fuel (nutrition), move on its own
(movement), convert ‘food’ to energy (respiration) and ‘excrete’ fumes (excretion).)
Since a car seems to have some life processes, how can you tell whether a car is a living thing or a non-living thing?
(Answer: A car does not really undergo life processes although it may seem to. For instance, a car can move but not on its
own – it requires fuel and a human to move it. Furthermore, a car obviously cannot carry out some life processes such as
growth and reproduction. Since a living thing must be able to carry out all the life processes, a car is not a living thing.)
What other non-living things can you think of that seem to have life processes? (Answer: Accept any possible answers,
e.g. clocks and fans seem to move on their own.)
Explain that:
• Some non-living things may seem like living things because they may seem to carry out some life processes. However,
we can tell whether something is living or not by investigating whether it undergoes all the life processes. A thing is
living only if it can carry out all the life processes.
Teaching Strategies: Relating to real life; Comparing and contrasting; Creative thinking
Process Skills: Analysing, Communicating
Workbook pages 11—12
Activity 7: Same But
Different!
Workbook pages 13—14
Activity 8: A Diversity of
Things
Workbook page 17
Worksheet 2: Monkey
Business!
21st Century Skills: Reason effectively; Think creatively; Make judgements and decisions
Wrap up the chapter with the following:
Evaluate:
Pupils test their
understanding of the
new concepts in the
chapter
Talk It Out
Teaching Tip: Read the new words out loud and have pupils repeat each word after you so they can learn to pronounce the
words correctly. Then, have pupils pair up to test each other on the meaning of the words.
Textbook page 21
Map It Out
Teaching Tip: Go through the concepts with pupils after finishing the chapter. Trace the path of the mind map by reading
out loud. You may wish to draw the map as you speak.
• Things can be living, such as humans, other animals, and plants, or non-living, such as fire, a chair, and a batteryoperated toy.
• Living things are able to carry out life processes, but non-living things are not able to carry out life processes.
• The life processes can be memorised by using the acronym MRS NERG, namely
- Movement, which is needed to look for food and shelter and to escape from danger;
- Respiration, which releases energy from food;
- Sensitivity, which allows living things to respond to changes in the environment;
Textbook page 22
© 2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd
Evaluate:
Pupils apply their
newly-acquired
knowledge to
answer an examtype question
Science SMART Teacher’s Guide Grade 3 Chapter 1 Lesson Plans
Nutrition, in which food and water are converted to energy;
Excretion, in which waste is removed from the body;
Reproduction, to produce young; and
Growth, in which a living thing gets bigger and heavier and may change in appearance.
Work It Out
Go through the worked example with pupils. Read the hint when answering part ‘a’.
Process Skills: Comparing, Analysing
Science @ Work
Teaching Tip: To boost pupils’ reading and speaking confidence, have pupils take turns reading the passage, e.g. each pupil
could read one paragraph. Encourage pupils to read with enthusiasm and emotion.
Background: Pupils have learnt that plants need sunlight to make food, and animals get their food from eating plants and
other animals. In other words, life is very dependent on sunlight. We would expect to find no life at the bottom of the sea
where there is no sunlight. However, scientists have discovered many species of animals living at the bottom of the sea.
Bacteria in the water make their food from gases coming from hydrothermal (hot-water) vents. Tube worms and clams
make use of the bacteria to get their food, and other animals eat the tube worms and clams. Pupils will learn more about
bacteria in Chapter 2: Sorting Living Things.
21st Century Skill: Environmental literacy
Internet link for Lesson 1.4
URL 1.13:
Textbook page 23
Video of Olympic weightlifting (watch only the first 45 seconds which is relevant to the context)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf5aio_BitE
Textbook page 24
Consolidation Worksheet
3
Fun and Games
Exam Practice