WELCOME TO 2023

FIRST GRADE
APRIL 9TH
SCIENCE
THE INS AND OUTS OF LEARNING SCIENCE
A WARM WELCOME!
Welcome to all parents and guardians of my beautifully,
growing first graders. My name is Ms. Barner and I will be
helping students explore and learn the importance of science
and the world around us. In this newsletter, I will be informing
you on what we will be learning throughout the school year,
and specifically what will be learning in our upcoming
lessons. There will be plenty of resources provided to help
you understand the styles and methods of teaching to aid you
child in learning, as well as activities to help your child
continue to learn science at home.

WHAT WILL WE COVER CONTACT ME

THIS YEAR?
During the school year, we will be covering information based in If you have any questions pertaining to
anything we are learning in class, please
the Virginia Standards of Learning and you may know them as
do not hesitate to contact me! I would love
SOLs. Students will be given the opportunity to explore
to be as helpful as I can aiding not only the
numerous different subjects that will peak their scientific interest students, but the parents learning process
and learn more about how the world works around them. Here as well. My current office hours are before
is a small break down of what we will be covering this year. school between 6:00am-8:00am and after
school from 4:00pm-7:00pm. If you contact
me outside of those hours, I will try my best
FORCE, MOTION, & EARTH MATTER
to get back to you as soon as possible.
ENERGY RESOURCES Students will gain an
Students will be able to Students will be understanding of objects
explore and grow an learning that natural that are made from Email: jbarn042@odu.edu
understanding that objects resources are limited materials that they can Phone Number: (434) 123-4567
can move in different and how to use them describe using the
physical properties of the
that is currently
I also have a website
ways. responsibly.
object. under construction and I will send out a
letter to the link once it is up and running,
EARTH AND SPACE LIVING SYSTEMS AND
thank you!
SYSTEMS PROCESSES
Students will explore and Students will be able to explore
understand the relationship between and understand the basics of plant
the sun and the earth, weather life and their functions, as well as
patterns and seasonal changes. human and animal basic needs to
survive.
 CURRENT SCIENCE LESSON
THIS UNIT'S LESSON AND WHAT IS
EXPECTED OF STUDENTS
The current unit that we will be working on is Living
Systems and Processes. Within the next few weeks, we
will be discussing specifically plant life. Students will be
able to explore what plants need to live, the parts that
plants consist of, and how these parts function. There are
many exciting and engaging activities that I have planned
for students while they explore and learn more about
plants. These lessons will consist of experiences that are
meant to be long-lasting and will be lead by hands-on,
inquiry based lessons. Here is an example of some
lessons that I have planned for students as we discover
Photo Credit: https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/backgrounders/needs-plants the wonders of plants.

LESSON 1: EXPLORING NATURE

The students will be given the task of exploring the nature that is
outside of our school building. They will get to observe trees, flowers,
and grass, as well as being able to feel for the physical traits of these
plants (for example, how they feel, smell, and look). After we are able
to make all of these observations, we are going to come back into the
classroom an WHAT WILL
chart down whatWE COVER
we have learned. They will separate the CONTACT ME
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LESSON 2: PLANTING OUR PLANTS

Students will be able to get the opportunity to plant there own
plants and we will chart their growth within the next few weeks.
The purpose of this lesson is for students to get a hands-on
experience of providing plants with the materials they need to
survive: soil, space, water, sunlight, and air. They will plant a
flower seed in flower pots, and we will place them outside and
allow our plants to grow. We will continue to water these plants
and as time goes by, students will be able to see these plants
grow.
 INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING
WHAT IS INQUIRY-BASED THE 5E LEARNING MODEL
The 5E learning model is a model that uses inquiry-
LEARNING?
based learning to allow students to engage,
When we talk about inquiry-based learning in
explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate on what
science, this specific method of learning allows
was learned in the classroom. It uses the
students to explore activities through questions
"questioning" side of inquiry-based learning to
and hands on experiences. Students are able to
engage students into exploring science. The 5E
ask themselves questions, then go through the
learning model is proven to be very effective in the
process of investigating these questions to learn
classroom, and students would benefit from using
the answer. Inquiry-based learning is meant to be
this model in not only science, but other subject
engaging for students and allows students to
areas as well. Below, is an explanation of what the
enhance their understanding of science.
5E model consists of to help you better understand
the process.

ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN

Engaging is meant to spark their Exploring is the next step in the After exploring, we move onto
curiosity by using questions, 5E model, and it is meant to explaining. Students will be able
discrepant events, visuals, or allow students to explore topics to be guided by teachers and
demonstration. This can be and investigate scientific explain the concepts that they
helped by using prior knowledge problems. In the process, have explored and show that
WHAT WILL WE
to help students prepare for a COVER
students get the opportunity to CONTACT
they ME the new
have understood
THIS YEAR?
new, exciting learning learn new concepts. ideas, concepts, and terms they
During the school year, we will be covering information based in
experience. were introduced to.
the Virginia Standards of Learning and you may know them as
SOLs. Students will be given the opportunity to explore
numerous different subjects that will peak their scientific interest
and learn more about how the world works around them. Here
is a small break down of what we will be covering this year.

ELABORATE EVALUATE
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experience of providing plants with the materials they need to
as they solve new problems. done through quizzes or test, but students can
survive: soil, space, water, sunlight,
show what and air.
they have Theythrough
learning will plant a
projects
flower seed in flower pots, and we andwill place them
experiments outside and
as well.
allow our plants to grow. We will continue to water these plants
and as time goes by, students will be able to see these plants
grow.
 SCIENCE ACROSS THE CURRICULM
SCIENCE ACROSS THE CURRICULM
Science is not limited to one subject due to science being around us all the time; science is how our world
works! When students are learning about science, they can see that it applies to numerous different subjects
outside of science. Health, Technology, Math, and even Language Arts are subjects that science can be
integrated into and could be beneficial for students. Here is an example of a SOL standards from Health
Education that can be aligned with our science standards.

HEALTH EDUCATION ALIGNED WITH:

1.1 The student will identify the basic components This standard aligns with the 1st Grade Science
and functions of human body systems and the Standard 1.5: The student will investigate and
importance of safe practices, positive interpersonal understand that animals, including humans, have
relationships, and environmental health. basic life needs that allow them to survive.

PARENT'S CORNER
SCIENCE AT HOME
Science does begin and end in the classroom. Science is extended
throughout a student's everyday life. Students are surrounded by
science whether they are outside, in school, or at home. I would
WHAT WILL WE COVER
love to encourage all parents/guardians to apply science into the
CONTACT ME
THIS YEAR?
lives of your children at home. There are so many activities and
During the school year, we will be covering information based in
experiments
the Virginia Standards you could
of Learning provde
and you may your
knowchildren
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their learning.
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with your
them.children!
Here
is a small break down of what we will be covering this year.

LIMA BEAN EXPERIMENT CLAY PLANT ACTIVITY

In the Lima Bean Experiment, you will be
comparing two lima beans, one growing in soil
and one wrapped in a wet paper towel placed in
a plastic bag. Students will water the seed as
needed and be given the opportunity to see
which seed would grow the fastest. For more
information on Lima Bean Experiments please go
to: https://sciencing.com/lima-bean-science-
projects-5972184.html
Using the Clay Plant Activity, with your help, you
child would be making the plant life cycle with
baking clay. After students successfully create
this life cycle, they will be able to bake them, and
paint them as they wish. This gives students a
hands-on activity to engage them in learning
what exactly the plant life cycle looks like. For
more information on this activity or more
engaging activities please go to:
https://www.weareteachers.com/plant-life-cycle-
activities/
 REFERENCES
BRAUN, S. (2019, MARCH 2). LIMA BEAN SCIENCE PROJECTS. SCIENCING. RETRIEVED APRIL 8, 2023, FROM
HTTPS://SCIENCING.COM/LIMA-BEAN-SCIENCE-PROJECTS-5972184.HTML
EPIC. (2019, MAY 2). INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION. BOTANIC GARDENS CONSERVATION
INTERNATIONAL. RETRIEVED APRIL 8, 2023, FROM HTTPS://WWW.BGCI.ORG/OUR-WORK/ADDRESSING-
GLOBAL-CHALLENGES/BEST-PRACTICE/INQUIRY-BASED-SCIENCE-
EDUCATION/#:~:TEXT=INQUIRY%2DBASED%20SCIENCE%20EDUCATION%20(OR,THE%20PROCESS%20OF%20
SCIENTIFIC%20INQUIRY.
GERGES, E. (2022, MARCH 4). HOW TO USE THE 5E MODEL IN YOUR SCIENCE CLASSROOM. EDUTOPIA.
RETRIEVED APRIL 8, 2023, FROM HTTPS://WWW.EDUTOPIA.ORG/ARTICLE/HOW-USE-5E-MODEL-YOUR-
SCIENCE-CLASSROOM/
HEALTH EDUCATION. VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. (N.D.). RETRIEVED APRIL 8, 2023, FROM
HTTPS://WWW.DOE.VIRGINIA.GOV/TEACHING-LEARNING-ASSESSMENT/INSTRUCTION/HEALTH-EDUCATION
STANDARDS OF LEARNING. VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. (N.D.). RETRIEVED APRIL 8, 2023, FROM
HTTPS://WWW.DOE.VIRGINIA.GOV/TEACHING-LEARNING-ASSESSMENT/K-12-STANDARDS-
INSTRUCTION/SCIENCE/STANDARDS-OF-LEARNING
TORNIO, S. (2023, MARCH 3). 27 FREE PLANT LIFE CYCLE ACTIVITIES THAT GROW THE LEARNING FUN. WE ARE
TEACHERS. RETRIEVED APRIL 8, 2023, FROM HTTPS://WWW.WEARETEACHERS.COM/PLANT-LIFE-CYCLE-
ACTIVITIES/

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