1

We Can Work Together!

How can we work together as a
community?

Grade 1 Unit Plan

Integrated Unit Plan
Roosmarijn Pastink
Education 4738
Rhona Harkness

Title of Unit
Curriculum Area
Developed By

We Can Work Together

How can we work together as a
community?
Social Studies, Science, Math, ELA,
Health, Art, Music
Roosmarijn Pastink

Grade Level

Grade 1

Time Frame

1 month (20 days)

Questions:
Each lesson will start with an overarching question and additional questions will be introduced throughout each lesson:
Is everyone in our classroom community the same?
Are animals different too?
Are plants different too?
How do ants work together?
Can humans act like ants and help each other?
What is a volunteer? How can we volunteer?
How do you grow a plant?
how can we grow a plant?
How can we care for our plant when we are gone?
How can we care for our plant when we are gone?
How does pollination work?
How can animals and plants help each other?
How can animals help plants grow?
How people care for animals?
What does domesticated mean?
How can people take care of their pets?

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
Students will be designing a book together as a class. The book will be called We can work together as a
community by Each student will create one page of the book and write and draw about something that
Product/Performance they have learned about how communities can successfully work together. All the pages will be put together
to make a book that can be kept in the classroom and reviewed often. We will be sharing this book with our
reading buddies to teach them about what we know about how to work together as a community.
Assessments:
*Observations (discussions, think pair shares, question and answer, conversations etc.)
Checklists
Self-assessments (3,2,1 & thumbs up, thumbs down, 2 stars and a wish)
tell me one thing you learned today, one thing that was difficult today, one thing enjoyed today etc.
Assessments will be ongoing and students will be summatively assessed throughout the lessons. The assessments will help me
understand where each student is at and will help me decide where to go next. Assessments will give me information and insight into
student learning and will help me better direct my teaching. I plan on taking the assessments and using them to reflect on my own
teaching as well.
The way I will pass assessment information onto parents is by sending home updates and announcements that have to do with student
learning and this unit. If I discover any changes or abnormal behaviour and learning parents will be contacted and informed.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Where are your students headed? Where
have they been? How will you make sure
the students know where they are going?

The prior knowledge that my students will have is that they have learned about what a
community is and members of community. Students will have already learned about
living and non-living animals and started to talk about plants and animals in science.
The way I will ensure that my students know where they are going is by having a

How will you hook students at the

beginning of the unit?

What events will help students experience

and explore the big idea and questions in
the unit? How will you equip them with
needed skills and knowledge?
How will you cause students to reflect and
rethink? How will you guide them in
rehearsing, revising, and refining their
work?
How will you help students to exhibit and
self-evaluate their growing skills,
knowledge, and understanding throughout
the unit?
How will you tailor and otherwise
personalize the learning plan to optimize
the engagement and effectiveness of ALL
students, without compromising the goals
of the unit?

question each day to focus them and then always reminded them of the big picture
of the unit and often referring back to the main overarching question. Students will
also be told what they are learning and each day and why they are learning it. The unit
is set up in a way that connections can easily be made to the focus of the unit and
connections can be looked at from unit to unit.
I will hook my students at the beginning of the unit by creating the Crayon Box
bulletin board. This activity and bulletin board will have students starting to think
about the differences in the classroom and compare them to differences in the
classroom. This analogy will help students to understand that we are all different but
live together in one crayon box. Having this on the bulletin board will have students
excited about the unit and it will be a good daily reminder that they can observe.
One way that students will start to explore the big idea is by having the big
overarching question posed at the beginning of the unit. The question will be posed in
the classroom and constantly be referred to throughout the unit.
Students will be equipped with the needed skills and knowledge by giving them a lot
of activities and opportunities to explore their learning throughout the lessons.
I will cause students to reflect and rethink by allowing a lot of wait time and posing
numerous questions during class discussions. I have included a few opportunities for
think, pair, and share activities. I will be doing a lot of ongoing formative assessment
therefore allowing students opportunities to revise and refine their work if needed.
I hope to have given students prior knowledge of having skills to self assess and to
practice these strategies throughout the work that they are doing in this unit plan.
I will personalize the learning plan for all students by differentiating each lesson if
needed. I think it is important to provide students with modifications when needed.
These modifications will not affect the goals and outcomes of the unit that students
are to reach, but rather provide different strategies and routes to create student
success. Individual differences will definitely be taken into consideration into this unit
plan. Each lesson is designed in a way that can be differentiated if and when needed
Differentiation will also be ongoing and added when needed throughout the course of

this unit plan because the students will be assessed throughout.

How will you organize and sequence the
learning activities to optimize the
engagement and achievement of ALL
students?

I organized the learning activities to ensure engagement and achievement by all

students by having a mix of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic activities. This will give
all students a chance to work with the material learned. I have tried to organize this
unit plan in a way that is easy for students to make various connections.

KSAs in this unit:

3. The purpose of the Guide to Education and programs of study for subject disciplines
you teach
4. Subject disciplines you teach
5. all students can learn albeit at different rates in different ways
9. There are many approaches to teaching and learning
11. The purpose of student assessment
12. The importance of engaging parents, purposefully and meaningfully, in all aspects of
teaching and learning
13. student learning is enhanced through the use of home and community resources
15. The importance of career-long learning
16. The importance of guiding your actions with a personal overall vision of the purpose
of teaching
Key terms:
Volunteer: a person who does work without getting paid to do it
Role: the position of a person or group of people in a particular situation, or the
duty which someone is expected to perform
Rationale:
This unit integrates numerous subjects as students focus on the topic We can work
together as a community. Integration is important because it helps students to make
connections and to better be able to connect their learning to real life. Community is so
much more than just social studies, and this unit plan includes multiple subjects and
integrates the learning throughout the unit plan. This will help students to make
meaningful connections. This unit plan will give students the opportunity to examine the
question How can we work together as a community?. The first goal for students to
understand is that everyone is unique and a community is filled with many differences.
Through the study of people, animals and plants students will be able to recognize that
we can all work together as a community. They will understand that the ways we can
work together are by accepting these differences and embracing them because differences
in a community are a positive thing. They will also realize that we can work together as
community when we combine together and help each other out when needed.
Differentiation:
Differentiation will be taken into account in my unit plan. Differentiation plans
will be ongoing and may be subject to change due to observations and
assessments.
Differentiation that will have already been set up will be things such as wiggle
chairs, fidgets, breaks,
Some students will have the teacher scribe for them during writing activities and
others may need additional help sounding out letters/words
Some students may need more modeling and strategies and additional questions
and prompts to lead them in the right direction

Parent information
Parents will be given information about this unit informing them of what we will
be learning and list of the books that will be used in this unit plan. Parents will be
informed about what their children will be learning by giving them a list of books
that we will be exploring throughout the unit. This is done so that parents can read
these books with their children as well and be more connected to what their
children are learning. It is also great for students to keep rereading these books
and keep making connections. Parents will also be provided with the overarching
question and a list of the questions that will be asked each day.
Parents will also be updated often as assessments are done daily and will be
notified of student progress and any major changes.
Literature connection:
Almost every lesson begins with a book and the lesson will be focused on
learning taken from the book. Literacy is very important to incorporate into the
lessons because students can make connections (text to text, text to self and text to
world). These connections will help students to relate and give them a great
source of information that they can build on as they are working with the material
and information given.
Photograph documentation: will also be on display for both students and parents.
Displaying these will help parents to better understand what their children are
doing during this unit plan and also to see their childs growth. Displaying these
also has great benefits for the student because
Bulletin board
Crayon cutout
The first couple lessons will be talking about differences in the classroom, in
order to relate this idea to differences in the community. The first activity will to
have students design a crayon, and all crayons will be going into a box on the
bulletin board. This bulletin board will include a title and the poem students will
be learning about differences.
Resources:

https://www.cip-icu.ca/Files/Resources/kidsguide.aspx
http://www.learnnc.org/search?area=lesson+plans&phrase=plant+growth
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/science-fair-projects/45956-bean-plantexperiments/
http://www.learnalberta.ca/Search.aspx?
lang=en&search=&grade=Grade+1&subject=Science
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ngs/index.html?
ID1=&action=v&video=worldofpetscats_choosing.smil
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ngs/index.html?
ID1=&action=v&video=petsandtheirrelatives_comparing.smil
http://www.neok12.com/Pollination.htm

http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-pollination/
http://www.thekidsgarden.co.uk/teachkidsaboutpollination.html
http://www.saps.org.uk/attachments/article/238/Reproduction%20and
%20Life%20Cycles%202%20-%20Part%20C.pdf
https://gardenatschool.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/seed-dispersal-ideas/
http://www.playbasedlearning.com.au/2011/06/peter-pan-seed-dispersaltheory/
http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/downloads/seeds.pdf
http://mathforum.org/paths/measurement/plant.html
https://preschoolstem.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/growing-and-measuringplants/
Edmonton Public Schools SAM Grade 1 The needs of plants and animals

_______________________________________________________________________

Day 1 Introduction Lesson

Classroom differences
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: Is everyone in our classroom community the same?
Book focus: The Crayon Boxed that Talked Shane Derolf

GLO and SLOs

Social Studies:
GLO: 1.1 My World: Home, School and Community
SLO: 1.1.1 value self and others as unique individuals in relation to their world
o 1.1.1.2 appreciate multiple points of views, languages, cultures and
experiences within their groups and communities
Art:
3A: art takes different forms depending on the materials and techniques used
Health:
R-1.9 recognize and accept individual differences within groups
English Language Arts:
GLO 1:
1.2 clarify and extend
o Combine ideas: group ideas and information into categories determined by
an adult
o Extend understanding: ask questions to get additional ideas and information
on topics of interest
Math:
GLO: Number sense
SLO:
o 3. Demonstrate an understand of counting by:

 Indicating the last number said identifies how many

o 4. Represent and describe numbers to 20, concretely, pictorially and
symbolically
Activities:
Hook: new boxes of crayons at the tables
KWL Chart
o Discuss what they know about people in a community, what they want to
know and then explain that they will be adding to the L section
Drawing with one crayon versus a whole box
o Give each student a piece of drawing paper and allow each student to pick
one crayon from the box
o Tell the students to draw a picture with that one crayon
o Then give each student another piece of drawing paper and tell them to
each grab their own boxes of crayons
o Explain that this time, they may use all the colors to draw a picture
o When students are finished drawing their second pictures, ask them to
compare the two pictures.
o Ask the students which picture they liked better? Which picture would you
display in your bedroom or out in the hallway and why?
Reading The Crayon Box that Talked
o Move over to the reading area and read the book
o Have a discussion about how the crayons were different and we are
different too
Graph
o Discuss how one difference we can have in the classroom likes different
color crayons. Ask students to think about what their favorite color is. As a
class create a graph and count how many people like each different color.
Differentiation:
if students do not know what to draw give them a prompt such as what they did at
recess time or their favorite animal.
KWL chart when asking students what they already know about the community. If
you have students that are unsure, come prepared with questions that might lead them
into remembering their previous learned knowledge about communities
If a student is having trouble making a connection from the differences of crayon
colors to the differences between the students in the classroom you can explain it in
a different way. Explain some differences between that student and another student(s)
in the classroom.
Assessment:
Think, Pair, Share with students

o Turn to your elbow buddy and come up with one difference between the
two of you. (scaffold this for students choose a volunteer and come up
with something that is a difference between the two of you)
o (something they like to do, something they are good at etc).
o Assess by using a checklist to ensure students can tell you a difference and
that they seem to understand that not everyone in the classroom is the
same.
Materials needed:
Box of crayon
2 sheets of drawing paper per student
Students each need there own box of crayons
Large graph paper
The Crayon Box that Talked book
Resources:
http://oneworldoneheartbeating.com/for_teachers/teaching-tolerance/
_______________________________________________________

Day 2
Community Differences
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: Is everyone in a community the same?
Book focus: The Crayon Boxed that Talked Shane Derolf
GLO and SLOs
Social Studies:
GLO: 1.1 My World: Home, School and Community
SLO: 1.1.1 value self and others as unique individuals in relation to their world
1.1.1.2 appreciate multiple points of views, languages, cultures and experiences
within their groups and communities
Health:
R-1.9 recognize and accept individual differences within groups
English Language Arts:
GLO 1:
1.1 Discover and explore
o Share personal experiences that are clearly related to oral, print and other
media texts
o Talk with others about something recently learned
1.2 clarify and extend
o Combine ideas: group ideas and information into categories determined by
an adult
o Extend understanding: ask questions to get additional ideas and information
on topics of interest

GLO 2:
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
o use knowledge of how oral language is used in a variety of contexts to
construct and confirm meaning
2.2 Responds to Texts
o construct meaning from text: relate aspects of stories and characters to
personal feelings and experiences
Activities:
Review the crayon book ask students what it was about and if they can re-tell the
story
o Turn to your elbow buddy and each talk about one thing that you
remember about the story we read yesterday
o Have a discussion about why the crayons realized it was good for them to
be different colors. What would happen if they were all the same?
o Add student answers to the T chart
Discussion
o Then have a discussion about how a crayon box is like a community and
people are like the crayons. Our classroom is a community so does that
mean our classroom is filled with differences? Or are we all the same?
Poem
o Teach the students a poem tell it to them then practice saying it together
"We are a box of crayons, each one of us unique. But when we get
together the picture is complete."
Crayon cutout
o Give each student a cut out of a blank crayon and have them write their names
and draw and write about something they are good at or something that they
like (something that may make them different) and then hang them all up on
the bulletin board with a large crayon box and the poem on it
o When everyone is done talk about some of the differences and compare
this to the book
Differentiation:
If a student cannot remember what the book was about have some prompting
questions for them to help them remember
Crayon cutout activity if students are having a trouble writing about something
that makes them unique have students attempt to write a sentence, than assist
students by sounding out the words.
o Scribe for students if needed
Assessment:
Student crayon list to see if students can come up with something that may
make them different from some one else in the class (remembering the think, pair,
shares from yesterday)

Use checklist to keep track

Materials needed:
Poem on poster board
Blank Crayon cutouts for every student
Large crayon box cutout for bulletin board
Print out poem for bulletin board
The Crayon Box that Talked book

Resources:
http://oneworldoneheartbeating.com/for_teachers/teaching-tolerance/
________________________________________________________________

Day 3
Community Differences
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: Is everyone in the community the same?
Book focus: The Crayon Boxed that Talked Shane Derolf (reread)
GLO and SLO
Social Studies:
GLO: 1.1 My World: Home, School and Community
SLO: 1.1.1 value self and others as unique individuals in relation to their world
1.1.1.2 appreciate multiple points of views, languages, cultures and experiences
within their groups and communities
Health:
R-1.9 recognize and accept individual differences within groups
English Language Arts
GLO 1
1.2 clarify and extend
o Combine ideas: group ideas and information into categories determined by
an adult
Music:
Skills: Listening follow a story told by music
Activities:
Review and recite the poem from yesterday
Review the book - The Crayon Boxed that Talked (reread if needed)
o ask students what they remember about the story
o Review the T chart that was made yesterday

o Ask students to this time be thinking about how crayons in the story can
be like people in the community.
o Tell them you will be asking why it might be good to have different types
of people in a community? What are differences amongst people? What
advantages are there to having differences in the community?
Sing the Everyone is Different song
o Talk about that the song is telling a story
o What can we learn by listening /singing the song?
T Chart
o Fill in the other side of the T chart with students responses when you ask
them why it might be good to have different people liking different things?
Being good at different things etc.
o Talk about how just like people in our class are different, people in the
community are different and are good at different things
o Makes our community a better place

Differentiation:
If students are having trouble making connections between
differences in a classroom to the differences in a community
review what a community is and how a community is made up of
people. Give some examples to some of the types of people and
the roles they have for example police officers, doctors, and
bus drivers etc. this may help students understand that people
in communities are different and unique.
Assessment:
Observation T chart responses
o Are students understanding and recognizing that there are differences in the
community and that they can show appreciation of these differences
Materials needed:
Poem
T chart
Everyone is different song

Resources:
http://freesongsforkids.com/audios/everyone-different
________________________________________________________________________

Day 4
Animals and plants live as a community
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: Are animals different too?
Book focus: Not All Animals are Blue by Batrice Boutignon

GLO and SLO/Subject

Science:
SLE:
3: identify ways in which living things are valued, ex: as part of a community of living
things; as sources of food, clothing, or shelter
4. Classify some common local plants and animals into groups on the basis of visible
characteristics; e.g., adaptations for survival, such as claws, beaks, prickle.
Math:
GLO: Patterns and Relations
SLO 3: sort objects, using one attribute, and explain the sorting rule
English Language Arts:
GLO 1 1.2 Clarify and Extend
Combine ideas - Group ideas and information into categories determine by an
adult
GLO 2 2.1 use strategies and cues
Talk abut print and other media texts previously read or viewed
GLO 5 5.2 work within a group
Cooperate with others work in partnerships and groups
Work in groups take turns sharing ideas and information
Health
R-1.8 work cooperatively with a partner, e.g., takes turns, respect space and property of
others
Activities:
Read Not All Animals are Blue
o Talk about animals being part of a community
o Can also be part of our community too
o Were the animals in the story the same or different?
o Write student ideas on the board or chart paper
Grouping Animals hula hoop sorting!
o Model this strategy for students before hand
o ask students to sort their pictures of animals into two groups .They will
have two different hula hoops. (one hula hoop is one category and the
other is another category)
o Give them some examples of some of the differences between animals and
some grouping methods they may want to use (for example black animals
and brown animals, big animals and small animals etc).
o Give each group pictures of animals
o Take a picture of students grouping the animals
o Come back together as a class, and ask each group what method they used.
Write them on the board

o Discuss with students the differences they found amongst animals

Differentiation
If a student is having trouble understanding the story and making connection
about animals being different ask them if they have any different pets or know
of any animals. If they do discuss some differences between those two animals
If students need help sorting you could give them a prompt by
helping them look at their pictures
If a student has trouble writing a sentence you could have them try and then assist
them in sounding out the letters of the words they want to write
Assessment:
Photo documentation
o Print the pictures you took of students doing their hula hoop sort and have
students write a sentence about the method of grouping that they used
o Assess if students understand that animals have differences too and that
they can group a set of pictures
Materials needed:
2 hula hoops per groups
a set of animal pictures per group
camera/printer
Not All Animals are Blue book
Resources:
Edmonton Public Schools SAM Grade 1 The needs of plants and animals
Not All Animals are Blue book

Day 5
Plants live as a community
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: Are plants different too?
GLO and SLO
Science
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
SLE:
3: identify ways in which living things are valued, ex: as part of a community of living
things; as sources of food, clothing, or shelter
4. Classify some common local plants into groups on the basis of visible characteristics;
e.g., adaptations for survival, such as claws, beaks, prickle.
Math

GLO: Number sense

SLO:
3. Demonstrate an understand of counting by indicating the last number said identifies
how many
4. Represent and describe numbers to 20, concretely, pictorially and symbolically
Activities:
Plant Display bring in a sunflower, cactus, succulent, tomato plant and potted
geranium
o have students determine differences
o count together as a class: how many of the plants have leaves, flowers,
vegetables, more than one color etc.
o write the numbers on the board and create a graph as a class
Uses of a plant
o Teach students a few uses of plants (vegetables, cooking oil etc).
o Students will find out what different plants can be used for
o Learn that not all plants are used for the same thing we need different
plants for variety
Matches of plant
o Give each student a few pictures of plants a few pictures of what those
plants are used for have students match them up
Differentiation:
If students are having trouble with the matching game help them by giving them
hints as to what each plant makes and how we use them
Assessment:
Checklist can students match up what the plants are used for
When checking students matching ask students to pick two of the plant pictures
and tell you a difference between them
Materials needed:
group of pictures for each student
plants: sunflower, cactus, succulent, tomato plant and potted geranium
Resources:
Edmonton Public Schools SAM Grade 1 The needs of plants and animals

Day 6
Ants Case Study
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: How do ants work together?

Book focus: Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros and The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles
Micucci
GLO and SLO
Science:
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
SLE:
3: identify ways in which living things are valued, ex: as part of a community of living
things; as sources of food, clothing, or shelter
Health: R-1.8 work cooperatively with a partner, e.g., takes turns, respect space and
property of others
English Language Arts:
GLO 1
SLO 1.1
Express ideas and develop understanding
Share personal experiences that are clearly related to oral, print and other media
texts
GLO 2
SLO 2.1
Use prior knowledge
Use previous experience and knowledge of oral language to make connections
to the meaning of oral, print and other media texts
Talk about print and other media texts previously read or viewed
GLO 3
SLO 3.1
Focus attention
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topics of study
Activities:
Read the two books to find out information about ants
o Discuss how ants work together
o Could ants do their work alone? they need each other to work together
as a community
o Try to make text-to-world connections has anyone ever seen an ant at
work? (tell them - I have seen several ants working together to carry a fly
outside my parents house.) (ask students if they can make connections)
o Talk about the different jobs of ants, carrying different things and the
soldier and guard ants.
o Write a list on the board/chart paper from what we learned about in the
books about the different ways that ants work together
Working Together activity

o Divide students into groups of 4

o Give each group a large flattened cardboard box or a poster paper. The
groups are to work together to carry the item on their back from point A to
point B
o This is to get a sense of how ants work together to bring food to their
homes
o Talk about why they work together. Would that activity be easy to do with
just one person in every group? Or is it easier to carry the item when all
the ants work together?
o Discuss how ants work together in many different ways. (real sense of
community/working together)
If I were an ant writing activity
o Create a ant cutout for each student
o Cut out a picture of student faces and place them on the face of the ant
o Have students write a sentence - If I were an ant, I could help by
_____________.

Differentiation:
If students have never seen an ant or are confused about how ants work together
show a short video clip of ants working together or show pictures of ant hills etc.
Assessment:
If I were an ant writing activity do students understand that ants work
together as a community and always help eachother
o making connections to the books read as a class
Materials needed:
2 books : Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros and The Life and Times of the Ant by
Charles Micucci
large piece of cardboard or poster paper
picture of each student
ant cutout with area for students to write a sentence
Resources:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/ant-cities#cart/cleanup

Day 7
Helping each other
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: Can humans act like ants and help each other?
Book focus:
Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros and The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles Micucci
Good People Everywhere by Lynea Gillen

GLO and SLO

Social studies
GLO 1.1
SLO:
1.1.2 value the groups and communities to which they belong
1.1.2.2 appreciate how their actions might affect other people and how the actions of
other people might affect them
1.1.4 determine what makes their communities thrive by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions for inquiry:
1.1.4.3 in what ways do people help one another at home, at school and in groups to
ensure the vitality of their community
1.1.4.4 how do our actions and decisions contribute to the well-being of groups and
communities
Health
L-1.6 demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which people perform responsibilities in
the community, including paid and unpaid work
English Language Arts
GLO 1
1.2 clarify and extend
Combine ideas: group ideas and information into categories determined by an
adult
GLO 2
SLO 2.1
Use prior knowledge
Use previous experience and knowledge of oral language to make connections
to the meaning of oral, print and other media texts
Use comprehension strategies
Talk about print and other media texts previously read or viewed
GLO 3
SLO 3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
SLO 3.3 organize, record and evaluate
Identify or categorize information according to sequence, or similarities and
differences
Activities:

Reading books
o Talk about Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros and The Life and Times of the Ant
by Charles Micucci have students volunteer to talk about what they
remember and what they learned from the books

o put emphasis on text to self connections. Can humans act like ants and

help each other?

o Read Good People Everywhere before reading tell students to keep in
mind the books we read about ants and think about how this book is
similar. How can people be like ants? (by helping each other)
Think, Pair, Share

o Have students partner up and talk to each other. Have them discuss
how people can be like ants? How can people help each other
o Create a Venn diagram as a class with student answers about what they
talked about in regards to the similarities and differences in the books.

Is this helping activity? Movement activity

o Come up with scenarios that are examples and non-examples of
ways people can help each other in communities.
o Have one wall in the room be a YES wall and another wall be a NO
wall
o As you read out the scenario have students walk to the YES or NO
wall depending on if they think it is helpful or not
Example: if someone dropped their groceries on the way
home and you and your dad helped them pick them up. Is that
being a helper in the community?
Differentiation:
If students are having trouble making connection between people and ants try to
come up with examples that can connect to their lives
Assessment:
Observations during movement activity are students understanding the
difference between something that is helpful in a community and something that
is not
Checklist have each student list one thing that is helpful in a community
Materials needed:
Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros and The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles
Micucci and Good People Everywhere by Lynea Gillen books
Venn diagram on chart paper
YES and NO signs
Resources:
Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros and The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles
Micucci

Day 8&9
Volunteering

Length: 45 minutes (each day)

Question of the day: What is a volunteer? How can we volunteer?
Book focus: Helping out is cool by Ellen Feinman Moss
Key term: volunteer
GLO and SLO
Social
1.1.2 value the groups and communities to which they belong
1.1.2.2 appreciate how their actions might affect other people and how the actions of
other people might affect them
1.1.4 determine what makes their communities thrive by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions for inquiry:
1.1.4.3 in what ways do people help one another at home, at school and in groups to
ensure the vitality of their community
1.1.4.4 how do our actions and decisions contribute to the well-being of groups and
communities
1.1.4.5 how does caring for the natural environment contribute to the well-being of
our community
Health
L-1.6 demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which people perform responsibilities in
the community, including paid and unpaid work
L-1.7 describe ways people volunteer in the school and in the community
L1.8 select and perform volunteer tasks in the classroom
English Language Arts
GLO 2:
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
Talk about print and other media texts previously read or viewed
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture books,
concept books, people and field trips
Activities:

DAY 8 part 1

What does volunteer mean?

o Show the students the word volunteer and ask them if they know what it
means?
Listen to and view the book Helping out is cool by Ellen Feinman Moss on
Tumblebooks

o Ask students what they learned from the book about what a volunteer is
and does
o Explain to students that a volunteer is a person who does work without
getting paid to do it. This work is done to help out others.
Thank you cards
o Have students think of any examples of volunteers in our
school/community (hot lunch, parent/grandparent helpers and drivers etc).
o Talk about being thankful for volunteers and the things that they do
o Have students create a thank you card for different volunteers in the
school/and or community to show appreciation for them and what they do.
How can we volunteer?
Volunteer Ideas Worksheet
Work as a class to fill these in to create some ideas on how we can become a volunteer.
Needs of kids at our school:
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________
Things that need to be done around school:
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
Things that need to be done in our neighbourhood:
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
Things that need to be done in our community:
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________

o Come up with a list of ideas as to how we can be volunteers and

community helpers

DAY 9 part 2

Volunteer Opportunity (if possible get parent helpers to help supervise and
volunteer)
o Tell students that they will have a chance today to be volunteers and to
help other people!
o If possible:
Have some students work with the custodian to help clean the
school (garbage, recycling, sweeping, dusting etc.)
Have some students clean up garbage/recycling outside the school
(other jobs may be available as well.. helping the principle with
things or other opportunities may come up).
o Take pictures of students doing these jobs
We Can Volunteer photograph documentation
o When students are done print their pictures and have them write about
what they did to volunteer and possibly how it made them feel.
o When all pictures and writings are complete hang the pictures up with a
title We Can Volunteer!

Differentiation:
If students are having trouble understanding how volunteers help find an
example of where a volunteer has helped that student directly and talk to them
about that experience
If a student has trouble writing a sentence you could have them try and then assist
them in sounding out the letters of the words they want to write
Assessment:
Observations are students understanding that volunteers can help a community
Photograph documentation: have students write under their picture of them
volunteering. Assess if they understand how helping can be a positive thing in
their community
Materials needed:
Helping out is cool tumblebook on smart board
Camera and printer
Poster paper
Thank you cards
Gloves and garbage bags (picking up trash)
Resources:

http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit119/lesson5.html
tumble book: http://www.tumblebooks.com/syndication/excite/hoic_full.swf

Day 10
The needs of a plant
Length: 60 minutes*
Question of the day: How do you grow a plant?
GLO and SLO
English Language Arts
GLO 1
1.2 clarify and extend
o Combine ideas: group ideas and information into categories determined by
an adult
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture books,
concept books, people and field trips
3.2 select and process
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture book,
concept books, people and field trips
Use questions to find specific information in oral, print and other media texts
3.3 organize, record and evaluate
Identify or categorize information according to sequence, or similarities and
differences
Science
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
SLE:
7: identify the requirements of plants to maintain life: air, food, water, shelter, space and
recognize that we must provide for these plants in our care
Social
Skills and processes
Research for deliberative inquiry
1.S.7 apply the research process
Ask questions to make meaning of a topic
Activities:
Growing plants

o Tell students that we have something very exciting coming up

o Tomorrow we will start growing out very own plants!
o But before we can start we need to do some research on what a plant needs
and how we can grow a plant?
o We need to know how people can take care of plants
o We will be having a special visitor come to our classroom today! This
special guest will tell us all about how to care for a plant! But before we
comes we need to come up with a list of questions to ask her about plants
Special visitor (someone who works in a greenhouse or a gardener)
connect this to a volunteer
Explain to students that this person is coming and
volunteering their time to help us learn about what plants
need
Have a thank you card and have each student write their
name and give it to this special guest at the end to show
appreciation
What do plants need research? (What do we need to know in order to take
care of a plant)
o First lets talk about what people need to survive?
Make a list as a class
Suggestions should include:
o Food
o Water
o A place to live
o Ways to stay warm when the weather is cold and cool
when the weather is hot
o People to help and protect them
Now using our list we created about what we as people need? Lets
think of someone questions we can ask about what plants need?
What does a plant eat?
How much water does it drink?
Will our plant like sunlight or darkness?
How much dirt will our plant need?
Where in the classroom could we store our plants?
Special visitor! (expert gardener or greenhouse worker etc).
o Class asks the volunteer our questions (what we want to learn about
plants)
o Special guest will answer questions and tell students about what plants
need to live and grow.
What plants need list (make with special visitor)
Make a list on a chart paper about what plants need to live
Keep this in the classroom as a reminder of how people can
help plants and as a reminder when we make our own plants

Differentiation:
If students are having trouble making connections to what we as people need to
what plants need talk them through the process and aide them with showing
pictures as well
Assessment:
Self assessment observation do students understand the main things that plants
need in order to survive
Materials needed:
Chart paper
Thank you card
Resources:
http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/look-at-those-seeds-grow/
SAM: needs of plants and animals Edmonton Public Schools binder

Day 11
Growing a plant!
Length: 60 minutes
Question of the day: how can we grow a plant?
Book focus: One Bean by Anne Rockwell
GLO and SLO
Science
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
SLE
7: identify the requirements of plants to maintain life: air, food, water, shelter, space and
recognize that we must provide for these plants in our care
English Language Arts
GLO 2:
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
Use previous experience and knowledge of oral language to make connections to
the meaning of oral, print and other media texts
Talk about print and other media texts previously read or viewed
3.3 organize, record and evalutate
List related ideas and information on a topic, and make statements to accompany
pictures
Activities:

Read One Bean by Anne Rockwell

To learn about what happens when we plant one bean seed
Discuss how they planted their bean in the book
How did they take care of their bean plant
o Make connections to yesterdays guest speaker and the list they made
yesterday text to world connections
How will we plant our bean seed?
Talk about what we need to plant the bean plant
o Make a list of materials needed as a class
Talk about steps (first, next, last)
o Show students the list of steps that they will be following
Planting our bean!
Give each student a cup and have them write their name on the cup
Read out each instruction to students and have them follow along together as a
class
o Say each direction one at a time
*Take pictures of the students planting their plants
water the plants as a last step
when finished ask students where would be a good idea to store our plants
based on what we learned yesterday
Differentiation:
if a student does not understand connections between the book and how we take
care of plants, draw a diagram of the plants we will be growing and explain each
part (soil, water etc.)
if students are confused by the steps draw them and break them down further
can write names on cups for students previous to activity if needed
might need to assist giving water to plants if needed
Assessment:
Picture documentation
print out student pictures and have them each write about their picture. How did
they plant their bean plant?
Observation from discussion do students understand what their plants need
Materials needed:
cups for each student
1 cup of soil for each student
1 bean seed per student
markers
1 watering device per table
Resources:

http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/look-at-those-seeds-grow/
SAM: needs of plants and animals Edmonton Public Schools binder

Day 12
Caring for our plants
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: How can we care for our plant when we are gone?
GLO and SLO
Science
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
SLE
7: identify the requirements of plants to maintain life: air, food, water, shelter, space and
recognize that we must provide for these plants in our care
English Language Arts
GLO 1:
1.1 Discover and explore
Talk with others about something recently learned
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
GLO 4:
4.1 enhance and improve
Print letters legibly from left to right, using lines on a page as a guide
Use appropriate spacing between letters in words and between word in sentences
GLO 5:
5.1 respect others and strengthen community
Use appropriate words, phrases and sentences to ask questions, to seek and give
assistance, and to take turns
Social Studies
GLO 1.1
SLO:
1.1.3 examine how they belong and are connected to their world by exploring and
reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry:
in what ways do we benefit from belonging to groups and communities?
1.1.4 determine what makes their communities thrive by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions for inquiry:
in what ways do people help one another at home, at school and in groups to ensure
the vitality of their community

Activities:
Review list
o Review the list you made as a class about how to care for our plants
o Talk about the things we are doing now to help our plants
Sunshine and watering every day
o Ask students what will happen if we are gone for the weekend. We cannot
water our plants when we are not here
o Ask students to briefly talk to their elbow buddy to come up with a
solution of what to do on the weekends? (we can ask someone!)
o Tell students that we could ask the custodian to water the plants on the
weekend
This is a way that we can help each other out in a community
o We will write a letter to ask him and to tell him what our plant needs (how
much water, sunlight, etc.)
Letter writing
o Minilesson how to write a letter
o Model this for students
o Hand out letter templates and work with students to create a letter to ask
the custodian to care for their plants on weekend
Differentiation:
Letter writing
o May need to help students sound out some of the words
o May need to script for some studenta
Assessment:
Letters: Does their letter contain evidence of understanding about what their
plants will need when they are gone (sunshine and water)
Observation and discussion: do students understand that people in our community
can each other when needed (and understand that asking our custodian is an
example of this)
Materials needed:
Letter writing template
Resources:
SAM: needs of plants and animals Edmonton Public Schools binder

Day 13
Animals help plants bees
Length: 45 minutes

Question of the day: How do insects help plants grow?

Book focus: The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller
GLO and SLO
Science:
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
10: give examples of ways in which plants depend on animals. Ex: particular plants may
serve as a source of food and shelter; animals may help spread pollen and seeds
English Language Arts:
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
GLO 1:
1.2 clarify and extend
o Extend understanding: ask questions to get additional ideas and information
on topics of interest
GLO 3:
3.2 select and process
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture book,
concept books, people and field trips
Use questions to find specific information in oral, print and other media texts
Music:
Skills: Listening follow a story told by music
Math:
GLO: use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems
SLO:
1. demonstrate an understanding of measurement as a process of comparing by:
identifying attributes that can be compared
ordering objects
making statements of comparison
Activities:
Measure our bean plants
o record each students measurements on a poster paper
read The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller
o before reading talk about how insects can help plants. Ask if anyone
knows how? (look at the picture for clues)
o When reading tell them to listen carefully as to how insects help plants
What is pollination?

o Nectar: a sweet liquid reward for pollinators that is produced by flower

glands called nectaries
o Pollen: the fine, powder-like material produced by the anthers of flowering
plants
sing and dance to pollination rock
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5yya4elRLw
Interview a bee!
o (Get a volunteer to be the bee puppet if possible)*
o have the questions written out on cards and have the class say them
together
o Questions:

1. How do you eat?

Bees are suckers, using a feeding tube in their mouths to get the sweet liquid called nectar from the
flower to make honey.
2. What do you eat?
Bees eat both the flower nectar and the flower pollen which is a yellow grain powder. They carry
the nectar back in their honey stomach (they have two stomachs). They carry the pollen back in two
shopping bags on their back legs. The nectar and pollen are mixed for food. Extra food is stored in
wax cells and is called honey in a honeycomb.
3. Where do you live?
Bees live in hives nests, man-made bee boxes, on trees, in houses, everywhere.
4. How do you travel?
Bees walk, and they fly with two pairs of wings. They tell other bees where to find food by dancing
as a language. They make a bee line to the flowers and home again.
5. When are you awake?
Bees are awake during the daytime and have good eyes to see the sun, trees, flowers. They feel with
their antennae.
Who are the pollinators? A pollinator is anything that helps carry flower pollen to the pistil. These
include bees, wasps, moths, wind, birds, butterflies, bats, and flies.

Differentiation:
Some students may need assistance measuring their bean plants
o Instead of ruler measure with blocks or other manipulatives that are
easier
Assessment:

Tell me one thing you learned as they are lining up to go outside for recess

Materials:
Bee puppet
Bee script
Rulers or blocks to measure plants
Graph paper or poster paper to record plant measurements
Resource:
http://www.kidsgardening.org/node/11422
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5yya4elRLw

Day 14
Animals help plants - pollination
Length: 60 minutes
Question of the day: How does pollination work?
Book focus: The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller
GLO and SLO
Science:
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
10: give examples of ways in which plants depend on animals. Ex: particular plants may
serve as a source of food and shelter; animals may help spread pollen and seeds
Social Studies
GLO 1.1
SLO:
1.1.3 examine how they belong and are connected to their world by exploring and
reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry:
in what ways do we benefit from belonging to groups and communities?
Music:
Skills: Listening follow a story told by music
English Language Arts:
GLO 1:
1.1 Discover and explore
o Talk with others about something recently learned
o Make observations about activities, experiences with oral, print and other
media texts

GLO 2:
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
o Use previous experience and knowledge of oral language to make connections
to the meaning of oral, print and other media texts
o Talk about print and other media texts previously read or viewed
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Activities
Reread The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller
o Ask students what they remember about the book before reading
o This time have students focus on how pollination works
Pollination power
o Using juice boxes and Cheetos to represent how pollination happens
o Tell the students they are the pollinators
o The kids each began the lesson with a flower di-cut, juice box,

and Cheetos on their desk.

o Explain that the flowers color and smell attracted the students.
Once the students landed on their flower, they drink a little
bit of nectar (from the juice box under the flower).
o As they were drinking, pollen just happened to find its way
onto their fingers. (For this part, the students are instructed to
eat their Cheetos without wiping their hands. The cheese dust =
pollen!)
o After they finish their juice box, they fly around the room to
other flowers. When they land on other flowers, (wipe their
hands on another flower) they can see the power of pollination!

Discussion
o Talk about how this activity was like what they learned about in the book

Differentiation:
Strong readers could have the opportunity to read the book with an EA in the
hallway
Some students may need to sit on wiggle chair instead of the carpet
Fidgets may be used by some students during the story time
Some students may need to work with an EA to have a more hands on approach to
reading this story using a story board and bee manipulatives to fully understand
the concept of pollination
A student may need an EA to assist them and walk them through the activity
If this activity is too busy for a student, a mini pollination power activity can be
set up in the hallway or another room. That student can have their juice box and
flower, and then spread the pollen to other flowers that are spread out.
Assessment:
Checklist: by observations and discussions to determine if students understand
how pollination works and that pollination is a form of animals (insects) helping
plants.
Materials needed:
Bag of cheetos
Juice box per student
Flower cutout per student
Napkin/paper towel per student
Video camera/ Ipad and hook up for computer
Resources:
Pollination Power idea - http://aroundthekampfire.blogspot.ca/2014/04/poetry-andpainting-and-butterflies-oh.html

Day 15
Seeds on the move
Length: 50 minutes
Question of the day: How can animals help plants grow?
Book focus: Who will plant a tree? by Jerry Pallotta

GLO and SLO

Science:
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
10: give examples of ways in which plants depend on animals. Ex: particular plants may
serve as a source of food and shelter; animals may help spread pollen and seeds
English Language Arts:
GLO 2
2.1 Use textual cues
Preview book cover, pictures and location of text to assist with constructing and
confirming meaning
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
Art:
1. A: everyday activities can be documented visually
7. A. Drawing
Make drawings from direct observation
Activities
Read Who will plant a tree? by Jerry Pallotta
o Before reading the book have students examine the cover and talk to an
elbow buddy about predications on what the book might be about
o Talk about what is seed dispersal?
Seed dispersal is the process in which seeds are scattered and
distributed to new places to find space and water to grow
o Animals help plants grow by helping to spread their seeds
o List the ways that animals do this
Seed Dispersal Movement Activity
o have Ping-Pong balls around the classroom these represent seeds
o students will be representing different animals
o explain a scenario to student and have them act out what they would do
o Scenarios:
Students are squirrels and they have to find an acorn (ping pong
ball) and pick them up. Accidently drop the acorn at another part of
the classroom where there are no acorns (ping pong balls)
Pretend youre a bear walking around looking for food. Pretend
that the Ping-Pong balls are burrs (talked about them in book).
Pretend that one of the burrs is stuck to you. Walk around to
another part of the room until your burr falls off
Pretend youre a bird looking for a berry. Pretend to put a berry in
your mouth and fly to another place and drop the berry

Draw a picture of one of the animals that we learned about that can help plant a
tree and show how they move the seed

Differentiation
If a students have a hard time visualizing this attach tapes to the ping pong balls
to make it more realistic and seem like the balls are sticking to the students
If students prefer not to draw have them write a sentence about how an animal
can help move a seed
Assessment
Assess student pictures to ensure that students understand that animals can help
move seeds to a new area and cause that seed to grow a plant
Observations and discussions to determine that students understand that this is an
example of animals helping plants
Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5yya4elRLw
Who will plant a tree book

Day 16
Helping out the animals
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: How people care for animals?
Book focus: Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore
GLO and SLO
Math:
GLO: use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems
SLO:
2. demonstrate an understanding of measurement as a process of comparing by:
identifying attributes that can be compared
ordering objects
making statements of comparison
GLO: develop number sense
SLO:
1. say the number sequence 0 to 100 by
1s backward form 20 to 0
Social Studies:
1.1.3 examine how they belong and are connected to their world by exploring and
reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry:
in what ways do we benefit from belonging to groups and communities?

1.1.4 determine what makes their communities thrive by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions for inquiry:
1.1.4.3 in what ways do people help one another at home, at school and in groups to
ensure the vitality of their community
English Language Arts:
GLO 2:
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
Talk about print and other media texts previously read or viewed
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture books,
concept books, people and field trips
Activities:
Measure our bean plants
o Record each students measurements on a poster paper
o Compare these numbers to the last time we measured bean plants
Get your ducks in a row math game
o Split the students into 2 or 3 groups and give them each a rubber ducky
with a number on it (1-10)
o When I say get your ducks in a row students have to stand up and get
in numeric order from 1-10 (or 10-1) depending on which duck they are
holding
o Can be done numerous times
Read Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore
o Questions:
Who helped the ducklings?
Why did they put the ducklings in a bucket of water?
How can we help animals if they are in trouble or hurt?
Why is it a good thing to help these animals
o Talk about community helping each other
Differentiation:
Some students may need assistance measuring their bean plants
o Instead of ruler measure with blocks or other manipulatives that are
easier
Ducks in a row game
o May want to split students up into different groups and give them different
numbers depending on their strength in math
Some groups may have 1-5, and other groups may have 1-10 or
every other number etc.

Assessment:
Have students get into groups of 2 or 3 and act out how they can help animals
o Can be an example from the book read
o Can be their own experiences (text to world connections or text to text
connections)
o Assess if students understand how they are
o Ask questions to ensure each of the two students understands not just the
group
Materials needed:
Ruler or blocks to measure plants
Plant measurement chart (and previous numbers)
lucky ducklings by Eva Moore
rubber duckys with numbers on them
Resources:
http://www.rif.org/documents/us/Lucky_Ducklings.pdf

Day 17
What are pets?
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: What does domesticated mean?
Book focus: I want a pet by Lauren Child
GLO and SLO
Science:
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
SLE:
5: identify examples of plants and animals that are normally under human care
(domesticated)
English Language Arts:
GLO 1:
1.1 Discover and explore
Share personal experiences that are clearly related to oral, print and other media
texts
Talk with others about something recently learned
Make observations about activities, experiences with oral, print and other media
texts
1.2 clarify and extend

Combine ideas: group ideas and information into categories determined by an

adult

GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Ask and answer questions to satisfy information needs on a specific topic
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture books,
concept books, people and field trips
3.2 select and process
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture book,
concept books, people and field trips
Activities:
What does domesticated mean?
o Domesticated: an animal that is tame and kept as a pet or on a farm.
o Talk about different pets that the students may have
Read: I want a pet by Lauren Child
Domesticated Hula Hoop Sort
o Split students up into groups
o Give students a set of pictures (domesticated and non domesticated
animals: goldfish, cats, dogs, bears, horses, deer, etc).
o Each group will have 2 hula hoops one will be for domesticated animals
and the other one will be for non-domesticated animals
o Have students sort out each animal if they think they are domesticated or
non domesticated
Differentiation:
If students are having trouble distinguishing differences between the animals give
them clues to look for
Some groups can have more pictures than other groups
Assessment:
Students draw one picture of an animal that is domesticated (pet) and another
picture of an animal that is not domesticated. Have students try to write the name
of their animals on their pictures.
Materials needed:
Set of pictures per group
2 hula hoops per group
paper for each student
Resources
I want a pet by Lauren Child
http://www.anglomaniacy.pl/domesticAnimalsTopic.htm

Day 18
Taking care of our pets
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: How can people take care of their pets?
Book focus: the New Puppy by Anne Civardi
GLO and SLO
English Language Arts:
GLO 1:
1.1 Discover and explore
Share personal experiences that are clearly related to oral, print and other media
texts
Talk with others about something recently learned
Make observations about activities, experiences with oral, print and other media
texts
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Find information on a topic, using a variety of sources, such as picture books,
concept books, people and field trips
SLO 3.3 organize, record and evaluate
List related ideas and information on a topic, and make statements to accompany
pictures
Science
GLE 1-11: describe some common living things, and identify the needs of those living
things
SLE:
5: identify examples of plants and animals that are normally under human care
(domesticated)
10: give examples of ways in which plants depend on animals. Ex: particular plants may
serve as a source of food and shelter; animals may help spread pollen and seeds
Social
GLO 1.1:
1.1.4 determine what makes their communities thrive by exploring and reflecting upon
the following questions for inquiry:
1.1.4.3 in what ways do people help one another at home, at school and in groups to
ensure the vitality of their community
Art:
7. A. Drawing: Make drawings from direct observation

Activities:
Read the New Puppy by Anne Civardi
What do our pets need?
o Ask students what they know about what a pet needs
o Make a list with the students about what a pet needs together as class
I can take care of my pet by
o Have students draw a picture of their pet and write how they can take care
of their pet
o If they dont have a pet have them choose a pet they would like to have
and a way they could take care of that pet
Differentiation:
Some students could make their own list of what a pet needs
Some students could draw a list of things that they know that their pet needs
If students do not have a pet print pictures of some different pets and allow them
to chose one of those pictures more personal and will not feel as left out
Some students may need scribing
Some students could do this for more than one pet
Assessment:
Observation
Assess student drawings/sentences for understanding of some of the ways that we
can care for animals
Materials Needed:
I can take care of my pet by worksheet
the New Puppy by Anne Civardi
Resources:
the New Puppy by Anne Civardi
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/pets/article7.html

Day 19
Measuring Plants!
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: How much have our plants grown?
Book focus: One Bean by Anne Rockwell
GLO and SLO
English Language Arts:

GLO 1:
1.1 Discover and explore
Share personal experiences that are clearly related to oral, print and other media
texts
Talk with others about something recently learned
Make observations about activities, experiences with oral, print and other media
texts
GLO 3:
3.1 plan and focus
Connect information from oral, print and other media texts to topic of study
Math:
GLO: Number sense
SLO:
3. Demonstrate an understand of counting by indicating the last number said identifies
how many
4. Represent and describe numbers to 20, concretely, pictorially and symbolically
GLO Patterns and relations
SLO:
3: sort objects, using one attribute, and explain the sorting rule
GLO: use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems
SLO:
3. demonstrate an understanding of measurement as a process of comparing by:
identifying attributes that can be compared
ordering objects
making statements of comparison
Activities:
Reread One Bean by Anne Rockwell
o before reading ask students what they remember about the book
o review the ways that students have taken care of their plants and how they
started planting their beans
o review the list students made on how to take care of plants
o Have students look at their pictures to remind them of when they planted
their beans and how their cups looked on Day 1
Measure our plants
o Look at each plant and take a guess as to whose is longest and shortest
before measuring?
o Measure each plant and add them to each to the previous charts
o Measure with different materials
Ruler
Blocks

String
Graph our measurements!
o Make a graph with each height of the bean plant
Photo documentation: take a picture of each student with their plant and have
them write down how they made their plant grow!

Differentiation:
Students will choose 2 different ways to measure their plants string, blocks,
ruler
Give some students the task of seeing which plants are taller and which are
shorter give other students the task of measuring differences between the a few
of the plants
Written some students can write a few words others can write a couple
sentences
Some students may need scribing
Assessment:
Student photo documentation do they understand the things that helped them
make their plant grow
Materials needed:
Ruler
Blocks
String
Student bean plants
Large graph paper/poster paper
Camera/printer
Pictures from when students were planting their bean plants
One Bean by Anne Rockwell
Resources:
https://preschoolstem.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/growing-and-measuringplants/

Day 20- Performance Task

Teaching others about what we have learned
Length: 45 minutes
Question of the day: How can we answer our question How can we work together as
a community?
Activity:

Add to the L section of our KWL chart

o to prepare for this book, we will fill in the L section of our KWL chart
in order to remind students of what we have learned over the course of the
unit
o this will also help students form ideas about what they want to write/draw
about
Classroom book - We can work together as a community by
o Students will be designing a book together as a class. The book will be
called We can work together as a community by Each student will
create one page of the book and write and draw about something that they
have learned about how communities can successfully work together. All
the pages will be put together to make a book that can be kept in the
classroom and reviewed often. We will be sharing this book with our
reading buddies to teach them about what we know about how to work
together as a community.

Differentiation:
Some students may need scribing
Some students may require some prompting questions
Assessment:
Observation - KWL chart
Book page do they understand some of the ways that we can work together as a
community
Materials needed:
KWL chart
Paper
Laminator