Living Things (Concept Attainment)

Author:CharlyHolik
Datecreated:10/24/20165:40PMCDTDatemodified:10/25/201612:02PMCDT

VITALINFORMATION
Subject(s) Science

Topic and Name of Lesson Concept attainment--Living Things

Grade/Level Kindergarten

Standards TX- Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) (2012)

Chapter: Chapter 112. Science
Subchapter: Elementary
Grade/Course: Kindergarten
Standard:
(9) Organisms and environments. The student knows that plants and animals have basic needs and depend on the living and nonliving things
around them for survival. The student is expected to:
Student Expectation:
(A) differentiate between living and nonliving things based upon whether they have basic needs and produce offspring; and

Objective At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. describe the basic needs of living things

2. understand the attributes of living things

Pre-Requisite Skills None for this lesson.

Materials For teacher:

A labeled picture of each of the concept examples and non examples

A white board or a large piece of butcher paper to use to present the concept attainment
What's Alive? by: Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
additional images of living things (for elaborate and evaluate)

For students:

butcher paper and markers (per group)

pencil, paper, and coloring tools

Safety: nothing needed

InstructionalCycle
Engage SeeConceptAttainmentformattached

Attachments:

1. Concept Analysis Format- Living.docx

Explore Activity 1:

Give small groups of learners a large piece of butcher paper and markers.
Ask learners to brainstorm about everything they know about living things.
Have groups construct a poster using the paper and markers that includes everything they know about living things.
This can be done with words or pictures, whichever way is best for the students.

Explain Give students a few minutes to finish up their posters and then regain their attention.

Have learners share their posters with the rest of the class.

Ask learners:

1) What can you tell me about living things?

2) What are some of the attributes (or qualities) of a living thing?

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 3) What do living things need?

Hang posters on the classroom wall. **Be sure to note and address any misunderstandings or odd statements so they
can be clarified.
Read What's Alive? by: Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
Introduce/Reintroduce the concept of a living thing. Be sure to discuss:

1) Attributes of living things: Livingthingsarealive.Livingthingshavebasicneeds.Livingthingscanproduceoffspring.

2)Basicneeds:Thebasicneedsofalivingthingarewhatthelivingthingneedstosurvive.

3) Examples of basic needs of living things: food, water, shelter, space, air, light, appropriate climate, exercise, etc.

4) Explicitly discuss specific needs of specific basic living things. Ex: A cat needs food, water, air, shelter, and exercise, but a
plant needs sunlight, air, space, and water. They are both living things but they have different basic needs.

Elaborate
Using what they have just learned, students will be given a living thing (a picture from the teacher.)
I will tell learners that they are going to pretend that they are that living thing. Ask learners to think about what that
thing needs to survive?
I will ask students specific questions and if they (their living thing) can answer yes to that question then the students
will stand up holding their picture.
Example questions: Do you need water? (All will stand.) Do you grow? (All will stand.) Do you need exercise? (Animals
will stand but plants will not.) Can you have offspring? (All will stand.)
Continue asking questions until students gain a clear understanding. Also, discuss students answers as necessary.

Evaluation
Using what they have learned, students will choose a living thing (a picture from the teacher.)
This time, students will draw a picture of the living things with it's primary needs.
Students will "turn and tell" to their partner what their living thing is and what it's needs are.
I will walk around and ask students about their work. I will also provide additional instruction as needed.
As students complete their drawings, I will have students come up to my desk one at a time for a short "interview"
about their picture.
During the interview, I will ask: "So tell me about your drawing?" "What makes ______ a living thing?" "Is their anything
else _______ needs to live?" "Does this living thing need _________?" "Why/Why not?"
If students finish while I am working with another student, students will be asked to color their picture while they
wait.

Extensions/Modifications
Differentiation Gifted and Talented Students: Allow students to label the needs of their living thing in their drawing.

English Language Learners: Allow students to work with their classroom buddy.

Wheelchair Handicap: Allow students to sit in the front of the class and raise their hand when answering yes during the
elaborate activity.

Extend
1. Students will be given a second living thing to draw. Again, student will draw all the basic needs of that living thing.
(Everything it needs to survive.)
2. Students can choose any living thing (from pictures or just prior knowledge of living things) and explain its needs with
words and drawings.

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