Field Work ~ products ~ scientists ~ writers ~ Readers ~ mathematicians ~ artists
Project overview for Kindergarten
Essential Questions:
How do animals live together in a community?
How do animals survive?
How can we protect animals in the tide pool habitat?
How can we teach others about protecting the tidepool?
How do animals live together in a community?
How do animals survive?
How can we protect animals in the tide pool habitat?
How can we teach others about protecting the tidepool?
Learning Goals:
Throughout this project, our students: Will develop an appreciation and understanding of the tide pool habitat through observation, close research, and outdoor field experiences. Will be able to identify the parts of the water cycle and how it affects the animals living in the tide pool. Engage in water experiments, make hypotheses, and record findings and observations. Will be able to describe a variety of plants and animals found in the tide pool habitat and how they interact with each other and the environment. Will use observations to understand that all animals need food and water to live and grow (survive), and that animals depend on each other and live together in a habitat. Will use a model (tidepool wall) to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals and the places they live. Will collect a variety of data, organized the data in a variety of graphs, and analyze that data by counting the number in each category and comparing. Read grade appropriate texts about the animals and plants we observe. Will communicate solutions with others, in oral and written form (conservation posters), that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, and living things in the local environment.
Throughout this project, our students: Will develop an appreciation and understanding of the tide pool habitat through observation, close research, and outdoor field experiences. Will be able to identify the parts of the water cycle and how it affects the animals living in the tide pool. Engage in water experiments, make hypotheses, and record findings and observations. Will be able to describe a variety of plants and animals found in the tide pool habitat and how they interact with each other and the environment. Will use observations to understand that all animals need food and water to live and grow (survive), and that animals depend on each other and live together in a habitat. Will use a model (tidepool wall) to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals and the places they live. Will collect a variety of data, organized the data in a variety of graphs, and analyze that data by counting the number in each category and comparing. Read grade appropriate texts about the animals and plants we observe. Will communicate solutions with others, in oral and written form (conservation posters), that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, and living things in the local environment.
Field work and Exhibitions:
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Products:
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Timeline:
December -
December -
- Introduction to water, the water cycle, and the ocean
- What is science?
- Sink or Float science
- The scientific method (evaporation study)
- Living vs. Non-living
- Begin tidepool recreation wall in room 144 (add non-living and living features to wall)
- Begin habitat study in science (building a pond aquarium)
- Introduce animals we might find in the tidepool
- Read books about tidepool and ocean animals
- Visit the Aquarium to learn about animals and their special adaptations
- Visit Cardiff tidepools to see animals in a local environment
- Mussel clump dissection (looking for small animals that live in the mussels) and add mussels to the wall
- Choose our animals
- Begin hand drawn scientific depictions of our animals (1st and 2nd drafts)
- Introduce the critique process
- What lives in a shell? (science)
- Collaborate with 4th grader researchers on our "all about" books
- Continue with drawing critiques and begin 3rd and 4th drafts of our drawings
- Begin painted paper artwork in science for each animal
- Add brittle stars and sea urchins to the tidepool wall
- Begin to think about how we can protect this natural habitat
- Visit a different tidepool (Swamis) to see more animals and try to find our own
- Discuss ways to translate our ideas at Exhibition.
- Get critique on our writing ("all about" books)
- Practice sharing our "all about" books
- Finish painted paper artwork and create posters with a conservation message
- Learn about predators, cousins, and other additional features of our animals
- Discuss food chains and food webs. How do our animals interact?
- Put finishing touches on our books
- Exhibitions: March 11th and March 19th, 2015!