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EVALUATING A BIG IDEA FROM
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
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Kindergarten
SKL1. Students will
sort living organisms
and non-living
materials into
groups by
observable physical
attributes.
1st
S1L1. Students will
investigate the
characteristics and
basic needs of plants
and animals.
a. Recognize the
difference between
living organisms and
nonliving materials.
b. Group animals
according to their
observable features
such as appearance,
size, motion, where
it lives, etc.
(Example: A green
frog has four legs
and hops. A rabbit
also hops.)
d. Compare and
describe various
animals—
appearance, motion,
growth, basic needs.
3rd
S3L1. Students will
investigate the
habitats of different
organisms and the
dependence of
organisms on their
habitat.
5th
S5L1. Students will
classify organisms
into groups and relate
how they determined
the groups with how
and why scientists use
classification.
7th
S7L1. Students will
investigate the
diversity of living
organisms and how
they can be
compared
scientifically.
Biology
SB3. Students will
derive the
relationship
between singlecelled and multicelled organisms
and the increasing
complexity of
systems.
a. Differentiate
a. Demonstrate how
a. Demonstrate the
b. Compare how
between habitats of animals are sorted
process for the
structures and
Georgia (mountains, into groups
development of a
function vary
marsh/swamp, coast, (vertebrate and
dichotomous key.
between the six
Piedmont, Atlantic
invertebrate) and how b. Classify organisms kingdoms
Ocean) and the
vertebrates are sorted based on physical
(archaebacteria,
organisms that live
into groups (fish,
characteristics using a Eubacteria, protists,
there.
amphibian, reptile,
dichotomous key of
fungi, plants, and
b. Identify features of bird, and mammal).
the six kingdom
animals).
animals that allow
system
c. Examine the
them to live and
(archaebacteria,
evolutionary basis of
thrive in different
eubacteria, protists, modern
regions of Georgia.
fungi, plants, and
classification
animals).
systems.
*
This relates to classification of
animals because kindergarteners are:
SKL1. Students will sort living
organisms and non-living
materials into groups by
observable physical attributes.
*learning that not all things are
alive
*what it takes to make something be
considered living
*learning about grouping items, and
how scientists use classification to
place similar items together
*looking at specific categories to
separate their living items into
*parents and offspring look alike
*justifying their reasoning using the
new categories for classifying the
parent/baby pic together.
*Classifying Animals
*In this lesson, kindergarteners will learn why
scientists use classification, and will work together
to classify animals in to groups based on their
features. They will understand and be able to
justify their reasons for placing animals into
groups with their peers. They will also work
together to make alterations in their groupings as
they listen to peers present, in case they have
misconceptions.
*Lesson 2.docx
*
*
1. Show SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES by grouping
animals
2. COMPARE animals by choosing two physical attributes
to sort the pictures, such as appearance, size,
movement, etc.
3. CREATE chart that matches pictures of animal parents
and their offspring EXPLAINING the observable features
that help you know what to match.
4. CREATE a collage of pictures and/or drawings of
parents and their babies.
5. ANAYLYZE how each student is an individual – size,
features, names, where you live, parents, etc. – and by
CREATING and WRITING about drawings in a “Me” book
6. JUSTIFY why two or more animals are alike using
features from investigations
*
S1L1. Students will investigate
the characteristics and basic
needs of plants and animals.
Being able to understand the differences and
similarities of basic needs animals is deepening
their understanding of ways that classification
helps scientist. It will give them a foundation for
the increasingly smaller sizes of living things and
what is needed to survive as the students go
through the grade levels.
*
1. OBSERVE various animals and ANALYZE how they survive.
2. CONSTRUCT a list of questions on how animals survive
3. CREATE a product to show animals basic needs after
investigating what is needed to survive.
4. DIFFERENTIATE animals in an animal sort based on
appearance, motion, growth, or basic needs.
5. OBSERVE differences among animals, based on information
read in books and observations of animals around them.
6. APPLY CONCEPTS AND CREATE at least 5 riddles about
animals. The riddles will be written using clues about
appearance, motion, growth, and basic needs. The riddles will
then be shared with the class.
7. COMPARE AND CONTRAST animals that live in water and on
land.
This strand allows students
to learn how the
characteristics that an
animal is born with help in
classifying animals. They
may also learn that some
adaptations may be more
common in one region than
another, which might group
certain animals together
and they may be found
only in those environments
or regions.
*
S3L1. Students will investigate
the habitats of different
organisms and the dependence
of organisms on their habitat.
*
1. INVESTIGATE by researching the different regions of Georgia and determine
what makes them unique for certain animals
2. COMPARE AND CONTRAST adaptations by sorting animals into the various
regions and JUSTIFYING your reasoning
3. HYPOTHESIZE how adaptations help animals live in their environment.
4. FORMULATE some questions to research on animal adaptations
5. INVESTIGATE how adaptations of animals might be more common in certain
regions
6. DIFFERENTIATE the 5 vertebrate groups using criteria found in research
process of vertebrate groups of birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals
7. APPLY CONCEPT by using criteria to determine grouping for imaginary animal
and JUSTIFY your reasoning
8. EVALUATE differences and similarities of animals to group them
9. DISTINGUISH objects by describing them using physical characteristics
10. SORT objects based on characteristics
11. CREATE a graph and EVALUATE the data to make a conclusion
12. CONNECT how features of animals allow them to live and thrive in different
regions of GA, and ANAYLYZE what features those are for different animal groups
*
This is really where
the big idea is
evident. The
children learn how to
classify, they learn
about the different
groups from kingdom
down to species and
how scientists go
through the process.
In this unit they also
learn about the five
kingdoms and how
microorganisms are
grouped.
S5L1. Students will classify organisms into groups
and relate how they determined the groups with
how and why scientists use classification.
*
1. OBSERVE pictures of animals from the various groups; DISCUSS what
they have in common
2. CONSTRUCT several ways to classify classmates or shoes
3. PREDICT how many will have a certain genus and species
4. INVESTIGATE and CLASSIFY classmates/shoes in ways created (#2).
5. JUSTIFY results by sharing with each other
6. INVESTIGATE AND CITE EVIDENCE to support the misconception that
there are more vertebrates than invertebrates, as that came up a lot in
the unit!
7. Give clues to students and have them ANALYIZE and work to classify
the living thing.
8. OBSERVE various slides of cells of microorganisms under the
microscope
9. COMPARE AND CONTRAST those cells by drawing pictures and making
notes, then either write or discuss
*ALIEN CLASSIFICATION
*This lesson introduces the classification
system. It exposes the classification system
vocabulary, draws on their schema, then
allows them to explore using aliens and their
characteristics. They revisit the vocabulary
and redefine based on what they learned.
* Lesson 1.docx
* ..\Science\Unit Classification\STEMAnimalClassificationAlienClassificationActivity.pdf
*
*
S7L1. Students will
investigate the diversity
of living organisms and
how they can be
compared scientifically.
This standard addresses classification in a
detailed way by introducing dichotomous keys
and teaching students how to identify organisms
in the natural world using the key. It also is a
year when they use more of the environment to
investigate for microorganisms, do field studies,
and more.
*
1. OBSERVE dichotomous keys and understand their
usefulness in science
2. INVESTIGATE the six kingdom system
3. DESCRIBE the dynamic nature and detail of classification
4. APPLY CONCEPTS by selecting and using appropriate tools
and procedures to determine and monitor biodiversity in an
area. Eg. Field guides, dichotomous keys
5. APPLY appropriate strategies and skills to DEVELOP an
understanding of biological concepts, related to
6. UTILIZE appropriate scientific problem-solving or inquiry
strategies when answering a question or solving a problem.
7. RECORD, ORGANIZE, AND DISPLAY data and observations
using an appropriate format.
8. Begin to FORMULATE connections to real world in areas
of ecology, medicine, biotechnology, etc.
In biology, students dive deep
into the cells and cell functions
and structures, and learn how
scientists classify the smallest
living things. They start to apply
the seven characteristics of life
in a real world way. They also
make connections or theories
using classification about how
our world came about with
hands on involvement and
schema. Finally, they
understand how the
classification system came
about and how it is designed out
of hierarchy.
*
SB3. Students will derive the
relationship between singlecelled and multi-celled organisms
and the increasing complexity of
systems.
*
1. Students will OBSERVE a variety of cells, JUSTIFY how
living things are grouped based on structure and
function, and APPLY CONCEPTS to show how cells and
microorganisms fit into the classification system.
2. They will HYPOTHESIZE, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT
experiments that test how substrate and environmental
conditions affect the growth of microorganisms. Also
will INVESTIGATE how body systems react to these
conditions based on the cell changes.
3. Students IMPLEMENT their experiments, ANALYZE AND
INTERPRET their evidence, and prepare a report, APPLY
CONCEPTS to the real world.