Character Education Science FCAT Warm-up
Respect – Elementary School – January 2009
Respect is defined as showing consideration, understanding, and regard for people, places, and things. If you
show respect, you will gain respect. We should all show respect for the health of our planet. Our earth with all
its plants, animals, and microorganisms, form a complex web of life. The human race flourishes in a healthy
environment. Be sure to respect animals, plants, the environment, and yourself by showing consideration,
understanding, and high regard to all that share the planet with us. It is important not to take things you see
every day for granted!
Activity 1: Preparing for Different Seasons
The objectives of this activity include the following:
1. Students will become familiar with four primary seasons and the characteristics of each.
2. Students will be able to identify different cycles in their lives.
3. Students will be able to recognize the need to dress appropriately during different seasons.
4. Students will be able to answer simple questions and about seasons.
Discussion:
The teacher should review and make the students familiar with new vocabulary words and ask simple
questions about the words. Draw on students’ knowledge and cultural backgrounds, making connections
between seasons and clothing. Discuss Florida’s climate compared to other countries around the world. Have
students discuss what they would wear in the Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. The students should cut pictures
and paste them in a designated box for each season. Have the students write sentences using a vocabulary
word from the list below.
Vocabulary:
Fall
Cycle
Trunk, branch
Winter
Season
Bud, blossom
Apple, apple tree
Seeds
Summer
Leaf/leaves
Spring
Seasons
Materials:
Chalkboard, Chart Paper, Scissors, Glue Chalk, Markers, Pencils, pictures/posters that depict the four
seasons, several examples of clothing articles, annual Calendar (with days and months). You can use the
EcoKids calendar found at: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/events/index.cfm.
Sunshine State Standards: L.A.K.1.1.1; L.A.K.3.1.1; SCD.113
Activity 2: Habitat Loss
Objectives
· Students will be able to explain the need for healthy habitats for plants and animals.
· Students will be able to identify synonyms and build their vocabulary.
· Students will be able to explain different causes of habitat loss and destruction.
· Recognition of different habitats (e.g. urban, ocean, freshwater, forest, prairie, desert, and Arctic)
· Causes of habitat loss
Vocabulary:
· Habitat - Destruction - Home/house - Wildlife - Health - Deforestation
· Safe-Threat-Protect
· Impact
· Pollution
· Reduce
· Habitat destruction loss
· Oil spill(s)
Briefly review different types of habitats as a class. See if students can remember the names of different
habitats, the characteristics of each, and what kinds of animals live in them. You may want to use pictures cut
out from magazines, and newspapers.
Use a variety of pictures/cards from magazines as flash cards and ask students to match up the pictures from
with the appropriate name of the habitats. Pick a word that students know that is related to habitats like home
and explain that there are words that mean the same thing, but sound different. For example, ill has the same
meaning as sick, or glad has the same meaning as happy just like habitat means home. Explain that these
types of words are called synonyms. Explain that when talking about habitat loss we can find many examples
of synonyms. Provide some examples on a chalkboard/chart paper and ask the students to help you think of
more.
Source: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/curriculum/pdf/Habitats/ HabitatsCurriculumConnections.pdf
Sunshine State Standards: LA.2.3.1.3; LA.2.4.1.1; SC.D.2.1.1; SCG.1.1.3
Activity 3: IMAGINE THAT
Explain to class the following activity:
Your parents are scientists and they have been assigned to work with a research team studying polar bears.
You have just been told that you and your family will be living in the Arctic for a whole year; and you’re leaving
in two days! You’ve heard your parents talk about the Arctic. They say that it has two seasons, “light” and
“dark”. Imagine part of the year when the sun never sets and part of the year when it is dark all the time…
Instructions:
Write about one of the following topics: Packing to go live in the Arctic or a day of my life in the Arctic
Think and write about things like the kind of clothes you would wear, the type of activities/sports you would do,
how you would get around, etc. Be creative! Pretend you are writing in your diary, writing a letter to your best
friend or … use your imagination.
Source:
www.ecokids.earthday.ca
EcoKids Online Arctic Activity Sheet
Sunshine State Standards: LA.4.1.6; SCF.1.1.1