Kindergarten aged children already have an innate curiosity about life. This unit will help students to uncover the characteristics of living and non-living things. Students will engage in a number of activities to develop an understanding of what living things need to survive. All living things are dependent upon their habitats for shelter and resources. Our young ecologists will participate in a scavenger hunt (weather permitting) to observe the natural world and find how animals and nature make changes to the environment.
What You Can Do at Home
Activities
1. Have your child draw pictures of living and nonliving things that can be found at home, in the yard, or a neighborhood park.
2. Help your child to adopt a living thing in your neighborhood (such as a park, tree, garden, etc...). Assist your child in caring for the living thing for several days. Encourage your child to keep a journal and draw pictures or write about his/her experiences in caring for the living thing. Talk to your child about what the living things need in order to survive.
Websites
Science Kids - Plants and Animals-Spot and click on eight living things.
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/plantsanimals.html
Hampshire Education - Life Science Activities - Choose a habitat and identify the animals that live in that habitat.
http://www.innovationslearning.co.uk/subjects/science/activities/habitats/habitats_home.htm
Youtube - Habitats of Animals - Every animal has its own habitat. Learn about different animals and their habitats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOoIBf61GX4#t=31
Suggested Reading
I See a Kookaburra!: Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World by Steve Jenkins - Learn how animals grow and thrive in very different environments.
For a list of science nonfiction books, please click on the link titled Favorite Links and Books to Read. Click on the sublink Grades K-2 Science Nonfiction Books, where you will find a detailed list of books related to many different topics in science.
What You Can Do at Home
Activities
1. Have your child draw pictures of living and nonliving things that can be found at home, in the yard, or a neighborhood park.
2. Help your child to adopt a living thing in your neighborhood (such as a park, tree, garden, etc...). Assist your child in caring for the living thing for several days. Encourage your child to keep a journal and draw pictures or write about his/her experiences in caring for the living thing. Talk to your child about what the living things need in order to survive.
Websites
Science Kids - Plants and Animals-Spot and click on eight living things.
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/plantsanimals.html
Hampshire Education - Life Science Activities - Choose a habitat and identify the animals that live in that habitat.
http://www.innovationslearning.co.uk/subjects/science/activities/habitats/habitats_home.htm
Youtube - Habitats of Animals - Every animal has its own habitat. Learn about different animals and their habitats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOoIBf61GX4#t=31
Suggested Reading
I See a Kookaburra!: Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World by Steve Jenkins - Learn how animals grow and thrive in very different environments.
For a list of science nonfiction books, please click on the link titled Favorite Links and Books to Read. Click on the sublink Grades K-2 Science Nonfiction Books, where you will find a detailed list of books related to many different topics in science.