Group items tagged

Standard: 4.2.2

Expansion: have students make predictions about what will happen to the solution and then record changes in crystal formations as they grow.  Have student check their prediction to see whether it was accurate. 

ESL: practice writing observational notes will reinforce vocabulary and writing skills.  

Standard: 2.1.1, 2.NS.2

Expansion: Have student record their observations of the changes of state in a notebook. 

ESL: Use of a notebook for recording, and peer work within a classroom will help ESL students reinforce vocabulary and language through communication. 

6.3.5 Describe how all animals, including humans, meet their energy needs by consuming other organisms, breaking down their structures, and using the materials to grow and function. 5.3.1 Observe and classify common Indiana organisms as producers, consumers, decomposers, predator and prey based on their relationships and interactions with other organisms in their ecosystem. This activity works really well for all types of learners because it is interactive and involves group knowledge.  For English Language learners, it would be a good idea to not only write the names of the species on the card, but to place pictures of the species on these cards as well.  This will help your ELLs, but it will also add another layer of knowledge for all students because they will start to notice that how the animal looks reflects its place on the food chain.  Animals that are fast and have sharp teeth and claws are probably at the top of the food chain, and plants are near the bottom.

Standards: 2.DP.2 - Day to day and over the seasons, observe, measure, record and recognize patterns and ask questions about features of weather. (2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.6) Investigate how the position of the sun and moon and the shape of the moon change in observable patterns. (2.2.7, 2.2.8, 2.2.9)

Extension: Students could use this activity as a stepping stone to study the phases of the moon in greater depth. The next step could be to model the changes of the moon as it rotates the earth by using a flashlight as the sun.

Adaptation: This is a great physical representation to descripe words that may have no meaning to ELL students. Students are more likely to remember the phases because there is food involved and it was studied in a casual setting.

Standard 6.NS.1 - Understand that the properties and behavior of matter can be explained by a model that depicts particles representing atoms or molecules in motion. Extension: Once students understand properties of different liquids, they can think how to manipulate those liquids and their properties. One example would be to heat up one liquid to several different temperatures and see how they interact. Adaptation: Teacher could split students into groups of 3-4 and have them stack liquids on their own. Students could bring in several liquids from home (all approved) and try stacking them based on the observed properties.

2.3.2 Compare and contrast details of body plans and structures within the life cycles of plants and animals. 2.NS.2 Conduct investigations that may happen over time as a class, in small groups, or independently. This activity could be adapted in many ways to suit your goals and time constraints, but the reason I chose it is because it involves using technology, research, and includes quality literature.

This is an experiment that is fun to do in class, but it needs to incorporate the scientific method and discussion of the laws of physics in order to be educational.  I would start by explaining Newton's Laws of Motion to the class, writing them on the board, and having students copy them down in their science notebooks.  Then, after they understand the Laws of Motion, set up the egg experiment and talk about what will be going on.  Have the students draw the initial set-up in their journals, then have them make predictions about what will happen when the experiment is conducted.  All of this should be recorded in the journals.  Finally, do the experiment (it would be best if students could work in small groups so that they can conduct the experiment for themselves).  Have them record what happened with words and pictures and identify if their hypothesis was correct or not.  Then explain how this experiment uses the Laws of Motion. This activity could be adapted for special needs kids by allowing them to observe the teacher conducting the experiment rather than doing it themselves.  They could try it by themselves first, but then they should watch the teacher do it so that they are certain to see the experiment conducted correctly. 5.NS.1 Make predictions and formulate testable questions. 5.NS.4 Perform investigations using appropriate tools and technologies that will extend the senses.

5.DP.1 Identify a need or problem to be solved.

Standard: 3.NS.2 Identify fossils and describe how they provide evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago and the nature of their environment at that time.

Extension: Students could create an fossil then research that prehistoric animal. Students could find out when they lived, how common the fossils are, and how they became extinct.

Adaptation: Students could work together in groups to make fossils if resources were limited. Students might make their own fossils, but then work in groups for the research component. This way the ELL and lower English speaking students could handle the research part of the activity.

Standard: 1.NS.3 - Observe, describe and ask questions about living things and their relationships to their environments.

Extension: Students could maintain terrariums for various lengths of time, depending on the goals behind building the terrariums. Students could make representations of what they have observed over time in the terrariums.

Adaptation: ELL students could work with English Speaking students to bridge the language gap needed when following instructions for making terrariums. ELL students could also get support from English Speaking students when writing down what they observe, because it may be unfamiliar language. Graphs and charts could be made as a class, to keep track of height of plants and number of insects.

Extension: Students could make a "My Rock Collection Book" and include drawings and lists of adjectives used to describe the rocks

Extension: Students could make a "My Rock Collection Book" and include drawings and lists of adjectives used to describe the rocks.

Adaptation: Teacher could use leaves, toys, or any other classifiable objects in the room to practice observing and classifying based on visible and physical characteristics

Adaptation: Teacher could use leaves, toys, or any other classifiable objects in the room to practice observing and classifying based on visible and physical characteristics.

Standard: K.NS.1 - Adaptation: Teacher could use leaves, toys, or any other classifiable objects in the room to practice observing and classifying based on visible and physical characteristics

Standard: 5.DP.1 - Describe the weight and volume and measure the weight and volume of various objects.(5.1.1, 5.1.2) Demonstrate that mass is conserved even when a substance has undergone a change in its state. (5.1.3, 5.1.4)

Extension: Students could weigh the materials seperately before combining into the slime mixture and compare and contrast the weight with after the slime has been created. Students could hypothesize where some of the mass was relocated (assuming some moisture was worked out of slime while handling).

Adaptation: Students could make homemade ice cream, and other baked goods to demonstrate the difference between chemical and physical changes.

4.DS.4 - Design a moving system and measure its motion. 4.DS.4.1- Investigate transportation systems and devices that operate on or in land, water, air and space and recognize the forces (lift, drag, friction, thrust and gravity) that affect their motion.

Adaptation - Lesson could be shortened by discussing the principles of flight, reviewing possible designs, then have students design 1 paper airplane based on what they think will work best.

Extension: Students could be given a second chance to construct a paper airplane, providing a written explanation and model drawing for what they did differently.

K.NS.3 - Observe living organisms, compare and contrast their characteristics, and ask questions about them

1.NS.3 - Describe objects in terms of the materials that compose them and in terms of their physical properties

2.NS.3 - Observe, ask questions about and describe how organisms change their forms and behaviors during their life cycles

Standard - 4.NS.2 - Observe, investigate and give examples of ways that the shape of land changes over time.(4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3)

Extension: Students could experiement with different laying techniques of the soil, rock, clay, etc. to see if erosion occurs differently based on the order of earth's layers. This experiment could be completed in small groups, all studying different arrangements of the earthen materials. Students could present their findings to the class or in the form of a report.

4.NS.3 - Observe, describe and ask questions about structures of organisms and how they affect their growth and survival

Adaptations - If large number of students will not be able to reach extended family to complete the chart, class could conduct a study to see how many share traits with immediate family.

Extensions - Students with access to relatives information could try going back as far as they could, creating a "family tree of genes".

For advanced students, Punnit Squares could be introduced and students could find out which traits or dominant and which traits are recessive based on their position in the Punnit Square.