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What young child is not fascinated by the natural world around her?
Living Things taps into that natural curiosity and
excitement by providing kindergarten and first-grade children with the
opportunity to explore and observe the living things in the area around
and near school. Throughout the module, children observe the changes
in a tree (or bush, if trees are not available). They look at the
plants and animals living around, in, and on the trees and at the
other living things nearby. As the dlildren observe the living things,
they think about the many needs of these plants and animals and how
they are met.
In the classroom, the children plant terraria. As they plant, they use
the knowledge they gained in their observations of the outdoor
environment. They think about the needs of the plants and animals in
the terraria and the dependence of these things on one another.
Throughout, the emphasis of the module is on observation, exploration,
and discovery, using all the senses. Children compare living things
and look for similarities and differences. They learn to describe
their observations in detail and to record them in their science
notebooks. These are the science thinking, processing, and recording
skills that give children a firm foundation for future explorations
in science.
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