ESCI Unit Plan-Natural Surroundings.docx · Web viewIf your class has a helper, they could supervise this station. While students are exploring materials, circulate, making sure

Christina Kelly & Brittany Larson- Unit Plan For ESCI 302- November 2014

Unit Name: Our Natural SurroundingsThroughout this unit, the Kindergarteners will be engaged in an experiential learning

experience in their natural surroundings. The students will be given opportunities to discover and explore the environment using all their senses. Throughout lessons, the students will also understand the perspective of Indigenous people, as well as embark on many out of classroom experiences such as field trips. Within our unit, we will be focusing on seasons, human and animal adaptation, soils, plants, and recycling. Students will also take part in classroom projects to help them engage in a hands-on way. The overall goal is to help students formulate awareness of environmental issues, respect for natural surroundings, and to gain a sense of responsibility for their environment.

Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson #1 – Indigenous Perspective on Seasons

Date: This lesson should be done at the beginning of the lessons on seasons and at the beginning of the year (sometime in September). The next 3 lessons should be done at some point during each season. Subject: Environmental education, Indigenous studies Grade: Kindergarten Time:This lesson will span over a course of four days throughout the year: Day 1: Introduction to seasons and focus on Autumn. 90 minutes. To be done the end of September.Day 2: Focus on Winter. 60 minutes. To be done the end of November/Beginning of December.Day 3: Focus on Spring. 60 minutes. To be done the end of March/Beginning of April.Day 4: Focus on Summer. 60 minutes. To be done the end of May/Beginning of June. Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: Engagement: At the beginning of each lesson we will begin by having a talking circle in our reading area. Here we will discuss the seasons and see what previous knowledge students have. What season do you think it is now? What do we see, feel, hear or smell during this season? What letter does each season start with? Exploration: When our guest speaker is ready, students will get comfortable and listen to a story told by a school Elder. Students will listen to their story and engage in any questions they may have about their story. Explanation: After the guest speaker, the children will re-visit the ideas we discussed previously about the season it is now. We will discuss the message of the Elder's story and understand the indigenous way of knowing. We will then get ready to go outside. Here we will interact with the natural environment in our school yard. Students are asked to focus on what they see, hear, smell and feel.


Elaboration: After we have interacted with our environment and felt the season with all of our senses, students will come back in and draw a picture showing what the season looked like from their perspective. Students may also illustrate what they got out of the Elder's story, or connect the two together. Evaluation: As a class we will discuss the Elder's perspective compared to our own. Students will also communicate their realizations about the senses and the environment.Lesson Purpose:Students will have an understanding of the four seasons from the perspective of indigenous people. Students will also be interacting with their environment through a focus on their senses, making them more aware of what each season feels, smells, looks and sounds like. About / In / For the environment: About = This lesson engages students to think about how seasons affect all aspects of life. Students will begin to have an understanding of how each season can be understood through each sense. In = This lesson engages students in the natural environment because we will be outside interacting with nature, being aware of how these changes can be felt with all senses. For = Students will begin to understand how elements of the environment are interconnected and our seasons are cyclical. They will gain respect for how we can have an impact on the environment as well as how it can affect us. Outcomes & Indicators: Treaty curriculum outcome: Express personal connectedness to nature and one another (e.g. Circle of life, seasons, elements, weather, families, and relatives). Indicators:1) Recognize that all people are connected to each other and to nature. 2) Represent how we are part of an interconnected web (eg. A family member, a community member, a human interconnected to all life.) 3) Share examples of how we experience nature in our lives (e.g. Day and night, wood grain, scales on a fish, heartbeats). NSK Curriculum outcome: Explore features of their natural surroundings (e.g., soil, water, landform, and weather conditions), including changes to those surroundings over time.1) Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings such as “Where did the rain water go?”, “Why is some snow harder than other snow?”, and “Is a grain of sand a rock?”2) Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies such as digital cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, and sketchpads.


3) Describe and illustrate features of their local surroundings such as soil type and weather conditions (e.g., temperature, wind direction and speed, and humidity), presence texture, of water in various forms and states, and landform types (e.g., grassy, rocky, forested, and cultivated).4) Identify, with guidance, changes in one or more aspects of their natural surroundings over a given time interval (e.g., changes in temperature over a day and a week, changes to a tree over a year, changes in soil in a garden or flower bed over two seasons).5) Respond to and acknowledge the ideas of classmates and others such as traditional knowledge keepers and conservation officers who provide information about our natural surroundings.6) Communicate ideas, actions, experiences, and understandings of patterns and cycles in the natural world with others using charts, displays, videos, stories, or other artistic representations. Content Background: In Saskatchewan, we have four seasons. The climate of each season can be variable. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter all have distinct temperatures that can fluctuate, sometimes dramatically. (Tourism Saskatchewan) In Saskatchewan, our winters tend to stay below freezing point. We can see temperatures that range from: -5 to -35 degrees Celsius (Government of Saskatchewan). Saskatchewan also experiences "wind chill", where high winds are added to cold temperatures makes the weather feel much colder than what the thermometer reads (Government of Saskatchewan). Saskatchewan winters also tend to get snow. The weather may be stormy with wind, or mild and calm. In Saskatchewan, the Spring and Autumn months have similar temperatures. They can range from 0 to 15 degrees Celsius (Government of Saskatchewan). The Spring consists of melting and re-growth of plants. Autumn is the end of the plant cycle before winter. We usually see the leaves on the trees change color during the fall months before they fall off. Weather during these months can vary from rainy and cloudy, to warm and sunny (Government of Saskatchewan). Summer in Saskatchewan is another extreme compared to Winter months. Temperatures range from: 15 to 30 degrees Celsius. During this season, the sun index is high. Saskatchewan averages the most sunshine of any Canadian province (Tourism Saskatchewan). References: Dressing for the Weather. (2013). Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.economy.gov.sk.ca/immigration/dressing-for-weather Weather. (n.d.). Tourism Saskatchewan. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/about-saskatchewan/weather Processes Developed:


At the beginning of this lesson, students will be guessing and predicting what they would experience in each season. As a class, students communicate their ideas, where we will record their hypotheses on a piece of paper. While our guest speaker tells a story, students will be engaged in the narrative they tell, being able to classify and organize the new information they learn into their existing knowledge of seasons. At the end, students will be prompted to revisit our ideas about seasons and add in what they learned from the Elder. In our activity outside, students will be using all of their senses to interact with their environment. When we come inside to work on our closure activity, students will be communicating their thoughts and revisiting their hypotheses made earlier. Adaptive Dimension: Lessons may need to be modified based on the weather. (ex. if it is a -40 Celsius day, we cannot do our outdoor activity)Lessons may also need to be modified depending what the Elder chooses to do for their activity.This activity could also be adapted for children with disabilities by focusing on a different sense. (Ex. if a student is blind, focus on what they hear and feel)- wheel chair friendly Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Think and learn contextually - Students will be encouraged to think from the perspective of indigenous ways of knowingThink and learn creatively - Students are encouraged to show their ideas through an art projectThink and learn critically - Students will be able to think about how traditional indigenous ways of knowing is different than oursUnderstand, value, and care for others - Students will respect the Elder and their narrativeConstruct knowledge related to various literacies - Students will be learning through traditional story tellingExplore and interpret the world using various literacies

- Students will explore the world in their imagination from traditional story telling

Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies - Students will communicate their understanding of the lesson through an art creation

Interdisciplinary Connections:


Fine arts: Students will be creating a visual depiction of what they got out of the lesson, and may also create a skit to represent what they learned.Language arts: Students will be engaging in discussion and storytelling. Students will also be encouraged to recognize the letters that each season starts with.Social studies: Students will be encouraged to think about geographical location and how that may affect seasons. Prerequisites: This lesson is a prerequisite learning for other lessons on human and animal adaptations to seasons. Students must have an understanding that seasons change. Materials / Equipment / Safety: The Elder may require additional materials or supplies. The coordinator will have more information once this is arranged.Other materials required: -A big piece of paper -markers to write on the big piece of paper - paper to create art project at the end -markers, pencil and wax crayons -Appropriate season attire for each student Advanced Preparation: This lesson requires a school Elder.This can be arranged through: Sarah Longman Supervisor of Aboriginal Education (306)523-3137 Because a school Elder is coming into the class to work with students, there must be a talk beforehand about respect. Students must have an understanding for how to treat, how to respond, and how to welcome this guest into our classroom. This discussion also helps them understand how to treat future visitors.A letter to parents may also be sent out asking that students have appropriate attire (season pertaining) to allow us to spend time outside. This letter to parents must be typed and photocopied the week before lesson. The day of the lesson:Before the lesson: Set up paper and markers in reading area to be ready for students discussion. Paper and art materials should also be placed on tables beforehand to allow for an easy transition from our activity outside.Elder's presentation may require additional preparation, lesson depending.


Lesson Procedure Procedure the same for Each lesson depending on season and modifications Before the lesson, communication must be done with the Elder to organize how their lesson is going to be executed.Set up paper at front of reading area with markers before inviting students to join you.Students may need a reminder of the conversation you had previously about respect with our guest. Engagement: Begin by having a talking circle in our reading area. Here we will discuss the seasons and see what previous knowledge students have. Pose questions while writing students ideas on the sheet of paper set up at the front: What season do you think it is now?What do we see, feel, hear or smell during this season?What letter does each season start with? After students have finished their ideas, invite students to get comfortable, with their best listening ears and introduce the Elder. Exploration: When our guest speaker is ready, students will listen to a story told by the school Elder. Encourage students to be active listeners. When the guest is finished, students will engage in any questions they may have about their story. Pose questions: What did _____ mean by this in the story?How may this be different than what we experience? Explanation: After the guest speaker, the children will re-visit the ideas we discussed previously about the current season. We will discuss the message of the Elder's story to understand the indigenous way of knowing. We will then get ready to go outside. Here we will interact with the natural environment in our school yard. Students are asked to focus on the what they see, hear, smell and feel. The Elder is welcome to stay for the rest of the activity. Help students get ready to go outside while setting up art materials on tables. When outside, ask students to think hard about how they feel, what they see, what they smell, what they hear while exploring a small radius of the school yard. Pose questions: What does the temperature feel like?What do you smell? Is it fresh, it is rotten?What do you hear? are birds chirping? After 5 minutes of exploring their senses, gather students to go back inside to work on the activity.


Elaboration: After we have interacted with our environment and felt the season with all of our senses, students will come back in and draw a picture showing what the season looked like from their perspective. Students may also illustrate what they got out of the Elder's story, or connect the two together. Instruct students to create an illustration of their experience. What did they get out of the Elder's story? What did they see and feel when outside? Evaluation: As a class we will discuss the Elder's perspective compared to our own. Students will also communicate their realizations about the senses and the environment.When students have all handed in their work, invite students back to the reading area. Engage in a discussion with students to reiterate the message of the Elder's story and see if students had anything to share about their experience outside. Pose questions: What did you see that had to do with _____ season?What did you hear that has to do with _____ season?What did you smell?What did you feel?What sense did you feel most when you were outside? Close by thanking the Elder.

Extensions /Modifications: -To make this lesson easier, we could only focus on one sense at a time instead of all together- to make this lesson more difficult, students may be asked to think about how different areas of the world experience different seasons.- Another way to make this lesson more difficult would be to ask students to write down their ideas individually instead of sharing them as a class- To adapt this lesson for hands-on learners, a skit may be developed and acted out instead of creating a picture of their experience outside or to what pertains in each season- Another way to adapt this lesson for a hands-on learner, would be to use actual materials that they gather from their time outside to use for their art project. Assessment: Assessment of students is done primarily through discussion. Are students able to grasp the moral of the Elder's story? Do students recognize what we experience through the senses for each season? This must be shown through their art project at the end, or through discussion and elaboration.

______________________________________________________________________________


Unit Name: Natural Surroundings Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson #2 - Human Adaptations to Seasons

Date: Could be done during any season, must be done after #1 - Indigenous perspective to seasons. Subject: Environmental education Grade: Kindergarten Time: 40 minutes. Could be done multiples times during the year depending on extensions/modifications Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: ENGAGEMENTBefore the lesson, dress up in a bunch of layers. Have snow pants, sweaters, a jacket, boots, mitts and a toque (Could also be done with flip flops, shorts, a tank top, a hat and sun glasses). Walk into class and introduce what you're wearing. See what students notice about your layers or lack-there-of. Students will begin to think about how humans adapt to different seasons. Encourage students to share their ideas. EXPLORATIONAt each group, students will be given a giant board that is made out of cardboard that is divided into 4 sections, each section is clearly labeled with the proper season. Students will have different images made out of felt that they classify by putting them in each section they belong to. As a group they will count how many items there are in each section. EXPLANATIONStudents will work together in groups defining what they see in each season and why it belongs there. Are there patterns around our summer activities vs. winter? Through discussion, students will think critically about other things that were not represented that may belong to different seasons. ELABORATIONInvite students to meet you back in the reading area. Show students the boards with felt pieces. Ask students to elaborate on why we do different activities in each season. Students will be thinking critically about how humans adapt during different seasons. EVALUATIONEnd the discussion by talking about which season it is now and what activities humans can do outside this time of year. Students will be encouraged to think about how humans may also impact the environment.


Lesson Purpose: Students will compare and contrast how humans adapt for different seasons. Students will be able to understand how human actions can also impact the environment we live in. About / In / For the environment: About = Students will be examining how humans adapt during the seasons in Saskatchewan.In = Students will be looking at activities or actions that must be taken to adapt to our environment during seasonal changes.For = Students will understand how the elements change the way humans adapt. Children will also be thinking about the ways in which humans impact the environment. This will encourage them to think critically about their actions and respect for nature. Outcomes & IndicatorsNSK Curriculum outcome: Explore features of their natural surroundings (e.g., soil, water, landform, and weather conditions), including changes to those surroundings over time.1) Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings such as “Where did the rain water go?”, “Why is some snow harder than other snow?”, and “Is a grain of sand a rock?”2) Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies such as digital cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, and sketchpads.3) Describe and illustrate features of their local surroundings such as soil type and texture, weather conditions (e.g., temperature, wind direction and speed, and humidity), presence of water in various forms and states, and landform types (e.g., grassy, rocky, forested, and cultivated).4) Identify, with guidance, changes in one or more aspects of their natural surroundings over a given time interval (e.g., changes in temperature over a day and a week, changes to a tree over a year, changes in soil in a garden or flower bed over two seasons).5) Suggest ways in which human activities intentionally or unintentionally cause changes to natural surroundings (e.g., building houses, mowing lawns, cutting down trees, planting gardens, damming streams, and digging ditches). Content Background: The human body can respond to changing environment in biological and cultural ways. (O'Neil, 2013). We can acclimatize to change in temperature, humidity and altitude. Our bodies constantly adjust to internal and external stressors such as infections, pollution and diet. (O'Neil, 2013). Human ability to adapt has enabled humans to live across the planet. Humans also interact with the environment using technology. Housing, clothing and fire permitted humans to live in temperate and even arctic regions despite the fact we have bodies that have evolved for tropical areas (O'Neil, 2013). "Humans and many other mammals have unusually efficient internal temperature regulating systems that automatically maintain stable core body temperatures in cold winters and warm summers" (O'Neil, 2013).


Humans also adapt their activities during each season. In Saskatchewan, some outdoor winter activities include: tobogganing, skating, snowman building and skiing. In the summer months, swimming and sandcastle building may be enjoyed at the pool and at our many lakes. In the spring, there are lots of puddles to jump in. The fall is back to school, where jumping into piles of raked leaves may be a fun activity for kids. References O'Neil, D. (2013). An Introduction to Human Responses to Common Environmental Stresses. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://anthro.palomar.edu/adapt/Default.htm Processes Developed: At the beginning of this lesson, students will be guessing/predicting why the teacher is wearing the attire they are. During the activity, students will be hypothesizing which items belong in each season. Students will organize the pieces into correct sections, communicating with their classmates their ideas and thoughts about what we find in each season. When we have finished the activity, students will be asked to rejoin in the reading area. Here, students will revisit their guess about why the teacher was dressed in that particular way, prompting a discussion about how human's adapt to seasons in Saskatchewan. Students will also be questioned about ways that humans impact the environment, allowing students to make more hypothesises about how our actions can make drastic changes. Adaptive Dimension: To accommodate students who may have a visual impairment, students could be asked to narrate what they see and what season they think each item belongs to. Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Think and learn contextually

- Students will think about how they adapt during a different season than it is now

Think and learn creatively - Students are creating and re-designing their visual boardThink and learn critically

- Students will be asked to think about how their actions impact the environment

Understand, value, and care for oneself (intellectually, emotionally, physically, spiritually) - Students will realize how they have to change their practices during each

seasonUnderstand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability

- Students will understand how the seasons are cyclical, and our actions impact the environment


Construct knowledge related to various literacies - Students will understand adaptations for seasons in a hands on wayExplore and interpret the world using various literacies

- Students will understand adaptation for seasons with discussion and communication

Use moral reasoning processes - Students will understand how to adapt their behaviours based on the environmentEngage in communitarian thinking and dialogue -Students will reflect on how their actions can have an impact Interdisciplinary Connections: Math: students will be counting the different items in each section of the seasonsSocial studies: students will be thinking about how humans may have to adapt to the seasons in different parts of the world Prerequisite Learnings: Students must have had an introduction to the seasons in previous lessons. Students must understand that humans adapt for the seasons. Materials / Equipment / Safety: Clothing materials required for engagement (season depending) -mitts, a scarf, toques, snow pants, boots, and a coat, a hot chocolate - for contrast during winter month: flip flops, shorts, tank top, sun glasses, a hat, bottle of water Materials for exploration: - enough bristle board for groups, sectioned into 4 parts, each labeled with the name of each season (Winter, Summer, Autumn, Spring) - Ziploc bags to hold each of the groups visual pieces - felt pieces (could also be made of paper) that have sticky tack on the back shapes include: toque - mitts - sun glasses - sandals - boots - shorts - Snowflake - leaf that is green - leaf that is yellow/orange - toboggan - flowers


-raindrops - lemonade - hot chocolate - rubber boots -rain jacket - snowman - sun hat - sand castle - umbrella - jeans - snow pants - sweaters - swimming pool - a bike - running shoes - building that says school - backpack - sunscreen Advanced Preparation: Before class dress in appropriate layers. If it is winter, dress in summer layers so students see significant difference. If it is not winter, dress is winter layers. Students must be separated into groups (this works best if there are different table groups) There must be the same amount of Bristol boards to table groups. Each board should be split into four sections, labeled appropriately for each season. Visuals made out of felt must be created for students to place onto Bristol board. Can also be made of paper print outs if not made of felt. Sticky tack should be placed on the back of each item so that students can place items onto the board and they can be hung around the classroom. There should be as many copies of visuals to number of Bristol boards. Not all groups have to have the same visuals, prompting more conversation at the end comparing all boards. Lesson Procedure To start lesson on human adaptations to season, get dressed into layers. Walk into class and see if students notice the change in your attire. Refresh students about the different seasons and what we feel in each season regarding our senses. ENGAGEMENTSee what students notice about your layers or lack-there-of. Students will begin to think about how humans adapt to different seasons. Encourage students to share their ideas.Pose questions: What temperature does it feel like in the summer compared to the

winter?


What are some things that we do in the fall or summer that we don’t do in the spring or winter?

Etc EXPLORATIONAt each group, students will be given a giant board that is made out of cardboard that is divided into 4 sections, each section is clearly labeled with the proper season. Students will have different images made out of felt that they classify by putting them in each section they belong to. As a group they will count how many items there are in each section. Circulate throughout the class and help students who are stuck placing certain items. EXPLANATIONStudents will work together in groups defining what they see in each season and why it belongs there. Through discussion, students will think critically about other things that were not represented that may belong to different seasons.Ask students: Are there patterns around our summer activities vs. winter?Can some items go in more than one section?Are there any other activities or items you think could fit in each season?Etc. Invite students to meet you in our reading area to initiate discussion. Ask students to bring their board with them. ELABORATIONShow students the boards with felt pieces they created. Ask students to elaborate on why we do different activities in each season. Students will be thinking critically about how humans adapt during different seasons. Encourage students to share their own ideas about different activities or items that could be placed in different seasons. Pose questions: What kind of adaptations do we have to do for each of our senses during the different seasons? What activities can we do in the summer or fall but not the winter? Why must we dress appropriately for each season? What items belong in more than one season? How do people adapt to seasons in different areas of the world? EVALUATIONEnd the discussion by talking about which season it is now and what activities humans can do outside this time of year. Encourage students to share stories about the environment in winter etc. Students will be encouraged to think about how humans may also impact the environment.


Pose questions: If the environment that we live in can cause us to adapt, how do you think that the environment can adapt around us? (This may a hard question for students to grasp at this level. Perhaps accept their ideas and explain that humans change the environment by building buildings and planting trees.This can be shown visually asking students to look outside or at a picture showing a before and after scene) – the point of this question is to get students to begin to think about human impact on the environment If the seasons affect us as humans, how do you think other species must adapt during the seasons? – the point of this question is to get students to think about the next lesson on seasons

Extensions /Modifications: - To make this lesson harder students will have to name something outside of what is given that belongs in each season.-To make this lesson harder, students will be asked to write down one item that they placed in each section.-To make this lesson harder, each group will have different items to place in each season, allowing each group to present their findings at the end.-To make this lesson easier, we could focus on one season at a time, as opposed to all four at once.- This lesson could be repeated, but with a focus on a different area of the world, allowing students to realize how the seasons are different depending on location. Assessment:Assessment will be done based on their participation in the activity and understanding and elaboration through discussion on human adaptations. ______________________________________________________________________________

Unit Name: Natural Surroundings Lesson Number and Title: Lesson # 3: Seasons: Animal Adaptation

Date: Begin this lesson in the middle of fall (end of September or beginning of October). Ideally, this lesson should take place when the winter months are anticipated. Subject: Environment Education Grade: Kindergarten Time: This lesson will span over a course of five days:

Day 1: Focus on the Canadian Goose (migration). 25 mins. Day 2: Focus on the Black Bear (hibernation). 15 mins.Day 3: Focus on the Coyote (fur) . 25 mins.


Day 4: Visitor from Outdoor Environment Education will come to discuss the hypothesis on all previous days. 30 mins.Day 5: Students will revisit and change their hypothesis and will partake in a role playing game to finalize what they learnt. 30 mins.

Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved:

Engagement: Before the start of day one, have children gather up in a circle and discuss all the animals that they see here in Saskatchewan. Pass around pictures of the three animals that will be focused on (see attached sheet for pictures). Ask children what they know about how animals survive in the winter months.

Exploration: During the first three days, students will create a workbook of art that will describe their hypothesis on how animals survive the winter months in Saskatchewan. Children will be given the opportunity to share their ideas with other classmates. In these workbooks, students will also begin to formulate questions to ask the guest speaker. The guest speak from the Outdoor Environment Education Program will come and speak about each of the three animals. They well also bring several smaller taxidermy animals on display for the children to explore by touching.

*Please note that these taxidermy animals have not been hunted or killed by this program. Instead, they were road-kill that was picked up.

Explanation: After the guest speaker, the children will re-visit their workbook of art and change their hypothesis if necessary. There will also be time for a talking circle to discuss some of the things that they learnt from the guest speaker as well as the similarities and differences that they see among the three animals.

Elaboration: After everything has been learnt, children will experience a simple role-playing game in the outdoors. Children will pretend to be the animals studied and will have to think critically on how they will survive the winter months.

Lesson Purpose: Students will compare and contrast how animals, such as the Canadian Goose, Black Bear, and Coyote, adapt for the winter months in Saskatchewan. About / In / For the environment:

About: This lesson engages students to learn about how the environment impacts animals. Through this lesson they should realize that when the environment changes, animals have to react. This particular lesson deals specifically with weather. However, it could lead to other investigations such as looking at how animals are impacted by humans changing their environment.

In: Students will partake in a role playing activity in their natural environment. This role playing activity in the outdoors will help them engage all their senses. It will encourage them to think critically about the way in which they must survive as they pretend to be different animals.


For: Students will learn from an expert about animal adaptation as well as look and touch taxidermy animals. Having this experience with the expert will help the students appreciate the variety of ways animals can adapt to their environment. From this appreciation, students will gain respect for wildlife.

Outcomes & Indicators :

Outcome: NSK.1 Explore features of their natural surroundings Indicators:

a)Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings such as “Where did the rain water go?”, “Why is some snow harder than other snow?”, and “Is a grain of sand a rock?”

b)Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies such as digital cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, and sketchpads.

f)Respond to and acknowledge the ideas of classmates and others such as traditional knowledge keepers and conservation officers who provide information about our natural surroundings.

g)Communicate ideas, actions, experiences, and understandings of patterns and cycles in the natural world with others using charts, displays, videos, stories, or other artistic representations.

Content Background: When a Canadian looks up and sees a flock of geese flying in what seems like “V” shape, they

most likely understand that the seasons are about to change. Although these geese are named after Canada, they will also are found throughout Alaska, Northern United States, and Northern countries such as Greenland (Ducks Unlimited Canada). These geese prefer warmer climates. Therefore, they will migrate over to the United States and even to Mexico (Ducks Unlimited Canada). When the ground begins to freeze, the geese will start to migrate south very quickly. (Ducks Unlimited Canada). However, during the end of winter, the geese will start migrating slowly back to Canada. On their way back, they will make several stops to feed (Ducks Unlimited). In preparation for migration, geese will spend up to 12 hours a day feeding (Ducks Unlimited). This will help them with their long journey a head.

During the winter months, a Black Bear hibernates. This is the ability for an animal to slow down their own metabolism and rest for up to five or six months (Black Bear Hibernation). The preparation for hibernation is quite a long process. First, leading up the hibernation the bear must eat up to 20 000 kcal per day compared to their usual food intake at about 8000 kcal per day (Black Bear Hibernation). As the time gets closer to hibernation, the bear will begin it eat a lot less and drink a significant amount of water (Black Bear Hibernation). Eventually, the bear will start to find a den. This den can consist of a cave, hole in the ground, or just a pile of leaves and branches (Black

brittanyannelarson5, 2014-11-15,

Hey! So for this section I just copied and pasted from the Sask. Curriculum. Then I just gave a very brief description of how I will carry out the indicators. I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do!!! haha


Bear Hibernation). At this point, the Bear begins to rest and relies on body fat and fur for warmth (Black Bear Hibernation).

During the fall, animals begin to develop coats that will protect them from the winter months. This process is referred to as “molting” (Perry, 2011). Their fur becomes thicker and animal’s fur will change to a lighter fur. (Perry, 2011). The fur protects them from the weather climate and the white fur allows them to blend in with the snow, thus protecting them from predators (Perry, 2011). In terms of the Coyote, this animal will have a lighter fur in the summer and a darker fur in the winter. Thus, helping the Coyote blend in for every season (Hinterland Who’s Who-Coyote).

References:Black Bear Hibernation Habits. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2014, from

http://www.blackbearkingdom.net/black-bear-hibernation.htmlCanada Goose - Ducks Unlimited Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2014, from

http://www.ducks.ca/learn-about-wetlands/wildlife/canada-goose/Hinterland Who's Who - Coyote. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2014, from

http://www.hww.ca/en/species/mammals/coyote.htm

Processes Developed: At the beginning of this lesson, students will be hypothesizing how each of the three animals adapt differently during the winter months. They will be recording their ideas and predictions in their workbook, as well as communicating with their peers about their ideas. Next, the students will embark on designing and developing questions that they will ask the guest speaker about how these animals survive in the winter. Next, students will analyze several taxidermy animals and classify which ones migrate, hibernate, or changes their fur coat in order to survive. After this, students will return to their hypothesis and make any changes necessary.

Adaptive Dimension:

● For students who are visually impaired and not able to draw or paint, have the student describe a story orally on how they think animals adapt to weather.

● For the role playing game, have a buddy pair up with the visually impaired to help guide.

● For the role playing game, if there are any physical disabilities (i.e wheelchair), have children team up with one another to help each other through the game. If this is the case, it is really important to take in the consideration of where the role playing game takes place. Will the wheelchair be able to get around?

● Please note for any behavioural problems. The child will need to be prepared for the guest speaker and the special items that will be presented.


Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s):

Think and learn contextually:● Analyze connections or relationships within and/or among ideas, experiences, or

natural and constructed objectsThink and learn creatively:

● Show curiosity and interest in the world, new experiences, materials, and puzzling or surprising events

● Experiment with ideas, hypotheses, educated guesses, and intuitive thoughtsThink and learn critically:

● Distinguish among facts, opinions, beliefs, and preferencesConstruct knowledge related to various literacies:

● Understand that literacies can involve words, images, numbers, sounds, movements, and other representations and that these can have different interpretations and meanings

● Evaluate the ideas and information found in a variety of sources (e.g., people, databases, natural and constructed environments)

Explore and interpret the world using various literacies:● Inquire and make sense of ideas and experiences using a variety of strategies,

perspectives, resources, and technologiesExpress understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:

● Create, compute, and communicate using a variety of materials, strategies, and technologies to express understanding of ideas and experiences

● Respond responsibly and ethically to others using various literacies● Communicate ideas, experiences, and information in ways that are inclusive,

understandable, and useful to othersEngage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:

● Model a balance in speaking, listening, and reflecting● Ensure that each person has an opportunity to contribute● Demonstrate courage to express differing perspectives in a constructive manner● Be sensitive to, and respectful of, diversity and different ways of participating


Art: Students will be practicing their drawing skills and painting skills. Language Arts: Students will have to describe their art representation of how animals adapt to the teacher and to fellow classmates. This works on their language development. Physical Education: Students will spend time outside pretending to run, fly, and walk like animals. Fine Arts: Students will be given the opportunity to participate in dramatic role playing.

Prerequisite Learnings:

● Students must understand that the environment has an impact on animals. ● Students must understand the changes of season.


Materials / Equipment / Safety:

● prepare workbooks for students to draw and paint in● paint brushes, paint, water cups, water, newspaper, crayons, markers, pencils● large piece of paper to write out questions for guest speaker● blankets for role playing game (towels will work as well)● make sure to mark boundaries of playground● compass

Advanced Preparation:

-In preparation for this all, I need to book a date with the Outdoor Environment Education program. Contact info:

● Manager: Lori Milligan● Phone: (306) 523-3152 ● Email: [email protected]

Day One: Workbooks will need to be prepared before this day. Pictures will need to be printed off and cut out before class. The supplies such as crayons, pencils, and markers will be needed for this day.

Day Two: We will be painting for this day. Scatter the newspaper over the tables, fill up small water cups, set out paint and small paint brushes, as well as work books before class starts. Make sure the pictures of the Black Bears are ready to show the students.

Day Three: Have all colouring supplies ready to go with their workbooks. Have large paper and markers that will be used to write down the questions students have.

Day Four: The guest speaker will be taking over the class. Make sure to have enough table space for the taxidermy animals. Also, meet with the guest before class starts to help organize anything that is necessary.

Day Five: Hide blankets/towels throughout the playground area. Ideally, I want the teacher assistant to do this as the Kindergartens are inside with me. Make sure the compass is on hand.

Lesson Procedure: Day One: Focus on the Canadian Goose (migration)Engagement:

-To begin the lesson, have the students join you in circle time. Ask the following questions:

● What type of animals do we see in Saskatchewan?


● Ask the children if they have ever wondered how animals survive in such cold conditions. Connect this part to the previous lesson on how humans survive cold conditions.

-Show students several pictures of the different animals.

Exploration:-Direct students to their tables and hand out their pre-made workbooks. Make sure children have pencil, crayons, and markers.-On the very first page, direct students to draw their predictions on how geese survive winter. -During this activity, go around and have children describe their hypothesis to you. Write this down in their workbook. -At the end of the activity, ask if any children would like to share their hypothesis with the class. Write their hypothesis down as they speak if you have not already.

Day Two: Focus on the Black Bear (hibernation)

-Remind students of the project that they are working on and the hypothesis that they came up with about the Canadian Geese.

-First off, pass around picture of the Black Bears and explain that they will now be creating hypotheses of Black Bear survival in the winter. However, this time they will be

painting.-Continue to follow the previous format of the activity described above.

Day Three: Focus on the Coyote (fur)

-Students will now hypothesis about a Coyote. Follow the same format as previous days. -Have the children draw their predictions in their workbooks with crayons, pencils, and

markers. -After the students have completed their activity and shared it with the class, direct them to have circle time. -Explain to students that they will be having a special guest that will talk to them about the three different animals. Ask children what questions that they would like to ask the guest speaker about how the three animals survive in the winter. Make sure to write these questions on the large piece of paper.. At this point, direct students to think about their hypotheses and have them begin to question their predictions.-Potential Questions:

● Why do we see a large flock of geese fly over us every year?● Where are these geese going? Why are they leaving?● What is a “bear den”? Why do they sleep all winter long?● If the bears are sleeping, then how do they eat?● Why does animals fur change colours in the winter?

-Assign questions to each child so they can present it to the guest speaker.


Day Four: Visit from Guest SpeakerExplanation:

-Introduce the guest speaker and explain why they are here. Guest speaker should know the previous work that we have done in our workbooks, as well as potential questions the students have. Allow the guest speaker to lead the discussion and have children explore the taxidermy animals by touch.

Day Five: Revisit Hypotheses and Participate in a Role Playing Game

-Before the students re-open their workbooks, discuss all the things that they should have learnt from the guest speaker:

● Canadian Geese fly south to survive the winter.● Bears spend a significant time eating to help keep them warm and also

drink lots of water. They then find rest in a den for the winter. ● Coyotes fur becomes very thick to protect them from the winter.

-After this, have the children draw all the things that they have learnt. Have them describe verbally all that was learnt to you and write this in their books. -Have the students hand in their workbooks.

Elaboration:-After the children have finished their workbook, gather them outside and explain the

following game to conclude the lesson experience:

● There are many blankets scattered throughout the playground area. In partners, because coyotes often travel in packs, go and find a blanket for you and your partner. Once you have the blanket, run back to me. Once the children have returned with their blankets, tell them to wrap themselves up and ask the following questions:

○ Do you feel a lot warmer now that you have a blanket?

● After the students hand in the blankets, tell them that they are now bears ready to hibernate. They have already ate and drank all that they need. Ask the students what they will need to find in order to survive the winter. The children should respond and say a “den”. Allow students to use their imagination to build their den. Perhaps students will build a den with leaves and fallen branches or find a tree to hide in. The blankets can be used as an option as well.

● After some time pretending to be bears, gather the students and explain that they are now geese and its almost winter. Ask the students what they need to do now. Let them describe that geese will migrate south for the winter. As a group, have the children guess what way is south. After a few moments, pull out a compass and


show them what way is south. Have the entire class fly like geese to the south side of the playground.

Evaluation:● After the students have reached the south side of the playground,

gather them in a circle and ask the following questions:-Do you think that the Coyote would feel a lot warmer with a “blanket” of fur in the winter? Why?-What was it like to try and find a den? Were you worried about anything happening to you as you were hibernating?-Do you think the birds had to fly a lot further than wejust flew? Do you think they would get hungry on such a

long journey?

● To conclude, give the children time to ask any questions or to describe their experience about pretending to be one of the animals.

Extensions /Modifications:

● To make the lesson more challenging, have student hypothesis about other different animals that they have thought up personally instead of the ones given.

● Have students hypothesis about the different animals that will be shown by the program.

● To make the lesson less challenging, have student focus on only one or two animals.● Have students role play different animals than the ones that were studied. This way,

they will have to apply prior knowledge.

Assessment:-Students will hand in their workbooks with their verbal description of their art work

written down by the teacher. Observation notes of the students will considered as well for assessment.____________________________________________________________________________

Lesson Number and Title: Lesson # 4: Experiments with Ice

Date: Must be done during the winter months. Subject: Environment Education Grade: Kindergarten Time: This lesson will span over a course of three days:


Day One: Hypothesis of what will happen to water in different temperatures. (20 mins)Day Two: Discover what happens to water in different temperatures. (20 mins)Day Three: Build Ice Sculptures (30 mins)


Engagement: To introduce the lesson, students will partake in a silly and interactive poem about a snowman melting as the winter comes to an end. This poem demonstrates the effect weather has on water.

Exploration: Students will put cups of water in different parts of the room such as in the fridge, freezer, by the window, away from any cool place, and outside. Students will hypothesis what will happen to the cups of water. Students will also touch the water to feel the temperature.

Explanation: Students will revisit the cups of water located at different places and will see and feel how the temperature in that area affected the water. Students will have to think critically about their hypothesis at the beginning of the project.

Elaboration: Students will set out several styrofoam cups, cardboard milk jugs of various sizes, and ice cube holders outside to freeze. On the following day, students will build ice sculptures with the different ice cubes.

Evaluation: Record students hypotheses of what might happen to the water in the different temperatures and record what they have learnt after observing the different water cups over time. Have them draw this in their workbooks to help evaluation. To conclude the lesson, students will also be led in a brief discussion about everything they learnt.

Lesson Purpose:Students will examine how freezing temperature impacts the environment around them.

About / In / For the environment:

About: Students will be learn how the freezing temperature has a significant impact on the environment. In the previous lessons, students learnt about the impact it has on humans and animals. In this lesson, they will focus on the impact it has on water. Now that the students are experimenting with water, they will begin to understand the importance of water. Therefore, this will lead to environmental questions that will lead to other environmental issue lessons such as:

● Where do we get our water? ● Does everyone in the world have the same amount of water as we do?● Will water ever run out?● If water can run out, how are we going to save it?


In: Students will engage in an outdoor experience through sculpture building. Through this, students will learn that ice sculptures can only be successfully done in cold temperatures.

For: Through interacting with water and ice and reflecting on other ways they use water besides for the experiment, students will begin to value the importance of water in their environment. This will lead to the start of students asking questions about their water supply because of genuine concern. This genuine concern can lead to helpful actions such as finding ways to conserve water for the environment.

Outcomes & Indicators:

Outcome: NSK.1: Explore features of their natural surroundingIndicators:

a)Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings such as “Where did the rain water go?”, “Why is some snow harder than other snow?”, and “Is a grain of sand a rock?”

b)Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies such as digital cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, and sketchpads.

c)Describe and illustrate features of their local surroundings such as soil type and texture, weather conditions (e.g., temperature, wind direction and speed, and humidity), presence of water in various forms and states, and landform types (e.g., grassy, rocky, forested, and cultivated).



Content Background: -The freezing point and melting point, the state at which the water turns from solid to liquid

or vice versa, is said to have the same temperature at 0 degree Celsius (Helmenstine, 2011). However, Helmenstine explains in her article that it is possible for water to be supercooled and not solidify. Supercooling refers to water staying in its liquid while it’s well below its freezing point (Schulli, 2010). In this article, Schulli explains that in order for freezing to happen, there must be a nucleus present so that crystal can grow. If the water does not have the nucleus, it will not freeze. It is also noted that crystallization will most likely happen when the water is touching a solid surface or the liquid contains impurities (Schulli, 2010). Therefore, this would explain why clouds, at high altitudes with a temperature well below the freezing point, can produce water droplets (Schulli, 2010).


References: Helmenstine, A. (2014, January 1). What Is the Freezing Point of Water? Retrieved November 17,

2014, from http://chemistry.about.com/od/waterchemistry/f/freezing-point-of-water.htmSchulli, T. (2010, December 7). Science is cool... supercool | Science in School. Retrieved November

17, 2014, from http://www.scienceinschool.org/2010/issue17/supercooling

Processes Developed:

-Students will begin to engage with the learning process through a short poem of a snowman melting. They will then hypothesis what will happen to the snowman if it was inside the classroom. Students will then investigate their hypothesis by putting cups of water in various areas of the room and outside. After they are done their investigation, students will revisit their prediction and be asked to correct it if necessary. Students will then be asked to record what would happen to a snowman if it were to be put outside in the winter weather. They will be able to answer this questions through exploring the water cups that were put in various temperatures. After, students will design ice sculptures with partners.Throughout this whole process, students will communicate their ideas to other classmates and teachers.

Adaptive Dimension:

● Have student create a story verbally about the snowman in the classroom instead of drawing. This may help the visually impaired

● For the sculpture building, have a sled to pull anyone who is not capable of walking in the deep snow.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s):

Think and learn contextually:● Apply prior knowledge, experiences, and the ideas of self and others in new

contextsThink and learn creatively:

● Experiment with ideas, hypotheses, educated guesses, and intuitive thoughts● Imagine and create central images or metaphors for subject area content or cross-

disciplinary ideas.Think and learn critically:

● Analyze and critique objects, events, experiences, ideas, theories, expressions,situations, and other phenomena

Understand, value, and care for others:● Demonstrate openmindedness toward, and respect for, all

Construct knowledge related to various literacies:● Understand that literacies can involve words, images, numbers, sounds,

movements, and other representations and that these can have different interpretations and meanings


Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:● Create, compute, and communicate using a variety of materials, strategies, and

technologies to express understanding of ideas and experiences● Respond responsibly and ethically to others using various literacies● Communicate ideas, experiences, and information in ways that are inclusive,

understandable, and useful to othersEngage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:

● Model a balance in speaking, listening, and reflecting● Ensure that each person has an opportunity to contribute● Demonstrate courage to express differing perspectives in a constructive manner● Be sensitive to, and respectful of, diversity and different ways of participating

Interdisciplinary Connections: Art: Students will be building ice sculptures.Language Arts: Students will engage with a poem.Fine Art: Students will act the poem as they say it.Math: Students can engage with math by counting the number of ice blocks and compare the sizes of ice blocks.

Prerequisite Learnings:

-From previous lessons, students have gained the understanding that the environment impacts the things that are found it. Therefore, students are now ready to learn about how different environmental conditions, such as freezing temperatures, impact the things that are found in the natural world.

Materials / Equipment / Safety:● several milk jugs, styrofoam cups, ice cube holders and any other things to freeze

water in ● water jug ● towel● workbooks● crayons, pencils, markers

Advanced Preparation:-Send home a newsletter stating that the class will be collecting cardboard milk jugs weeks before the project begins.-Prepare workbooks-Day One: Gather workbooks, markers, crayons, and pencils before class starts. Make sure that water jug and cups are ready to go. Day Two: Gather workbook materials for the day. Fill up cups, ice cube holders, milk jugs with water and put them outside for the ice sculptures tomorrow. Day Three: Get the ice cubes ready for the sculpture building by ripping off the styrofoam cups or milk jug before class.


Lesson Procedure

Day One: Hypothesis of what will happen to water in different temperatures.Engagement: -To begin this lesson, lead children into the poem shown below:

● I am a little snowman. (Have children crouch low)I am so fat and round. (Have children rub their tummies)I started from a snowflake (Have children fall softly to the ground)

that fell upon the ground.I have two buttons for my eyes, (Have children hold fist to eyes)

a great big scarf of red, (Pretend to wrap a scarf around neck)I have a carrot for a nose, (Have children hold fist to nose)

a hat upon my head. (Pretend to put hat head)Watch me as I melt to the ground. (Have children slowly melt to the ground)

*Note: This poem was taken from http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems7.html. The author was not listed. This site is for teacher resources for elementary grades.

-After this poem ask the following question:● Why did the snowman melt at the end of the poem?● Explain how the environment impacted the snowman (spring).● Explain to students that they will now be investigating how cold weather

affects the snowman (water).

Exploration:-After the poem, have a jug of water with several styrofoam cups and a towel on hand. Have the children touch the water and describe what it feels like (is it cold or warm?). Next, ask students where they should put the water cups (freezer, fridge, by the window, on the teacher’s desk, and outside). As children are giving you ideas of where to put the water cups, have them tell you what they think will happen to the water if it is put in that place. -Finally, have children return to their desk and instruct them to do the following:

● In your workbooks, I want you to draw what would happen to the snowman in the poem if he were to be put in our classroom. Spend a moment with each child and have them describe their picture to you. Write their description down.

Day Two: Discover what happen to water in different temperaturesExplanation:

-Gather all the cups and during circle time show the children what happened to the water. Have them feel the water in each cup. Ask the following questions:

● Why did the cups outside and in the freezer become ice?● Why did the other cups stay as liquid?● Explain to children that it is due to the difference in temperatures.

-Have children revisit their snowman pictures and ask the following questions:● If we were to build a snowman in this classroom, what would happen to it?● If children’s picture/description did not demonstrate the snowman melting

in the classroom, have them revisit and change their hypothesis.


● For the second picture, have the children draw a snowman outside. Have them describe to you what would happen. Write this description in their workbooks.

Day Three: Ice SculpturesElaboration:

-In groups of two, give several ice cubes of various sizes. These were prepared the day before (see preparation for more information). Encourage students to build ice sculptures with the ice cubes and the snow on the ground.

Evaluation:- During this activity go around to each group and ask the following questions:

● Can you describe how these ice cubes feel?● What do you think would happen to these ice sculptures if we were to build

them inside? Why?-Make sure to record the group answers-To conclude lesson, have the children gather around and lead them in the snowman poem.

Extensions /Modifications:

● Create larger group sizes for the ice sculptures (3 or 4) to make less challenging.

● Use other objects to freeze such as pine cones, leaves, dirt, and etc..● Have student focus on one water cup at a time, instead of the several cups

found in various parts of the room/outdoors. Assessment:

-Students will be handing in their workbooks for assessment. They will also be meeting with the teacher in small groups. ______________________________________________________________________________

Date: Beginning of the school year (September) or end of school year (June). Lesson Number and Title: Lesson # 5: Natural Materials

Subject: Environment Education Grade: Kindergarten Time: This lesson will span over three days:

Day One: Explore and Gather (30 mins)Day Two: Field Trip to Pond (half day)Day Three: Conclude and Compare (15 mins)



Engagement: To begin this lesson, students will embark on a scavenger hunt around their school yard. They will collect the things that they find, show their class, and compare their findings to others. This will prepare them for their field trip.

Exploration: After their nature scavenger hunt, students will create a piece of art out of their natural materials (pine cones, dead leaves, fallen branches, grass, rocks, sand, dirt, mud).

Explanation: Students will partake on a field trip at a local pond. They will study and identify natural aspects of the environment that they are in such as:

● pond water ● organisms found in the pond water● mud● insects and bugs ● grass ● plants around the pond

Elaboration: On the following day of the field trip, students will compare the things that they found in their school yard to the things found at the pond.

Evaluation: Observe children throughout the field trip. On the following day, have children journal in their workbooks the things that they found at the pond. Also, have children describe their highlights of the field trip.

Lesson Purpose: Students will identify different aspects of nature (i.e. pond, insects, pine cones, sand, mud, rocks) by exploring their natural surrounding. About / In / For the environment:

About: Students will be identifying and learning about several different aspects of the environment such as bugs, insects, pond life, and plants. This will be the very start of learning about how organisms interact with their environment (ecology). In: The student’s learning experience will take place in their school yard and at a nearby pond.For:Through this experience, students will have a connection with the natural world and gain respect for taking care of their environment. Students will learn the importance of carefully observing, but not disturbing the natural environment. Outcomes & Indicators: Outcome: NSK.1: Explore features of their natural surroundings

Indicators:a)Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings


b)Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies

c)Describe and illustrate features of their local surroundings such as soil type and texture, weather conditions



Content Background:

-A pond is a small body of water that is significantly smaller than a lake. It is shallow enough that sunlight reaches the bottom and allows growth for rooted plants (Laqua, 2014). In Laqua’s article, she goes on to explain that the purpose of ponds is to “form a freshwater environment for an abundant species of wildlife”. Ponds allows many insects to breed and live, as well as give predators, such as bats, an opportunity to catch prey (Laqua, 2014). Common living things found in ponds to discuss with children: -Frogs: They begin their life as black tadpoles with tails and gills (Laqua, 2014). As they grow, they begin to develop legs and lose their gills (Laqua, 2014). They are now developed as a frog. -Leeches: They are approximately 8 centimetres long, have 34 body segments, five eyes and it’s “sucker” is located on the end of its tail (Laqua, 2014). Laqua explains that leeches will grab on to their prey and suck the blood from them. She goes on to say that when they are finished sucking, they will detach themselves and can go as long as six months before feeding again.

References:

Laqua, D. (2014, January 1). Pond Life. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.wildengland.com/wild-animals/pond-life

Processes Developed: -To begin the lesson, students will be discovering the different natural materials in their playground. They then will gather with their classmates and communicate the different things that they found in their environment. On the following day, students will participate in a field trip where they will classify, organize, and record the different aspects of the pond area. Students will then return and design an art piece of their representation of the learning experience.

Adaptive Dimension:


● Contact Environment Outdoor Education program about any physical disabilities. They have ways to help people get around.

● Have students describe a story about the snowman in the classroom orally if they are not able to draw their predictions.

● When going out in the school yard, make sure it is accessible to people who are in wheelchairs or any other physical disability.

● Beware of any behavioural problems for the field trip. Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Think and learn contextually:

● Analyze connections or relationships within and/or among ideas, experiences, or natural and constructed objects

Think and learn creatively:● Show curiosity and interest in the world, new experiences, materials, and puzzling

or surprising events● Create or re-design objects, designs, models, patterns, relationships, or ideas by

adding, changing, removing, combining, and separating elementsUnderstand, value, and care for oneself:

● Develop skills, understandings, and confidence to make conscious choices that contribute to the development of a healthy, positive self-identity

● Demonstrate self-reliance, self-regulation, and the ability to act with integrity● Develop personal commitment and the capacity to advocate for self.

Understand value, and care for others:● Demonstrate openmindedness toward, and respect for, all● Advocate for the well-being of others

Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainabillity:● Demonstrate a commitment to behaviours that contribute to the well-being of the

society, environment, and economy – locally, nationally, and globally.Construct knowledge related to various literacies:

● Evaluate the ideas and information found in a variety of sourcesExpress understanding and communicate meaning using various litracies:

● Create, compute, and communicate using a variety of materials, strategies, and technologies to express understanding of ideas and experiences

Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:● Model a balance in speaking, listening, and reflecting● Ensure that each person has an opportunity to contribute● Demonstrate courage to express differing perspectives in a constructive manner● Use consensus-building strategies to work towards shared understanding● Be sensitive to, and respectful of, diversity and different ways of participating.


Art: Drawing, clay work, and nature art


Math: Count, add, and subtract with all the materials found in the playground.Physical Education: The class will be spending a significant time outside and moving a lot.

Prerequisite Learnings:-Before this lesson can take place, students need to understand the importance of

respecting the environment is. For example, when students are collecting natural materials they must not take a leaf or branch off of a tree. Instead, they can take a fallen leaf or branch that is on the ground. Materials / Equipment / Safety:

● pails for each student● workbooks, crayons, markers, and pencils● clay for each student, newspaper, wet clothes to clean hands and tables ● camera to take pictures● bugspray for field trip ● med-kit for field trip● permission slips● chaperones for field trip● make sure playground is safe before scavenger hunt

Advanced Preparation:

-Before beginning this lesson, make sure to contact administrators to get this approved. Then call the Outdoor Environment Education program to book a date. Contact info:

● Manager: Lori Milligan● Phone: (306) 523-3152 ● Email: [email protected]

-After this, make sure to send out permission slip with the following information:● Date, time, and location● packed lunch, water bottle and any other necessities● Ask for chaperones (depends on number of students)● Purpose of field trip

-Need to make driving arrangements for this day.-Day One: Pails need to be ready for this day. Contact Outdoor Environment Ed. program to and chaperones to confirm about the field trip. Make sure to do a ground check before you take the students outside for safety reasons.-Day Two: Have all necessities ready for the field trip such as permission slips, med kit, camera and etc..-Day Three: Have slide show ready to go that was made the night before. Set out news paper, clay, and hand washing station for the art project.

Lesson Procedure

Day One: Explore and Gather


Engagement: -During circle time ask students the following question:

● What kind of things do you see outside? These could be things that you see in your backyard or in the school playground. For example, in my backyard I see (list things that you see in your backyard).

-Explain to students that they will be exploring their school yard and picking up things in the environment to explore. -Give each child a pail to place the the things that they find.-Make sure students know not to disturb the natural environment (see prerequisite

learning above).-After students have been given enough time to gather their objects, bring them back in and split them up into groups of two.-Have group members show each other their different natural materials.

Exploration:-Next, instruct the students to combine their natural materials and make an art piece. You may demonstrate what this might look like.*Note: This idea of making art with nature comes from Camp Kinasao in Northern Saskatchewan. They run an outdoor education program and this was one of their activities that I saw.-Go around to each group and take a picture of their art and have them explain to you the things they have found.-At the end of this activity, remind children about the field trip and have them return to their workbooks and draw their answer to the following question:

● What do you think we will find at the pond? Do you think we will find similar things that we found in our school yard or backyard?

Day Two: Field Trip to Pond:Explanation: -This field trip will be led by one of the Outdoor Education Program leaders. Make sure to contact them before hand to discuss the day. Throughout this day, take pictures of the children and record any observations necessary from each child for evaluation.

Day Three: Conclude and CompareElaboration: -Gather students together at circle time and show them a slideshow that has been made after the field trip. The slideshow will consist of pictures in the school yard and their nature art work, as well as pictures at the pond.

-During the slide show ask the following questions:● What are some natural materials that we found in the school yard? Have

children point to the pictures.● What did we find at the pond site?● What are some of the same natural things that we found?


● What are some of the different natural things we found?Evaluation: -For closure, have students create with clay whatever comes to mind about their learning

experience. Make sure to go around and write down a description of each representation Extensions /Modifications:

● Have student compare and contrast the things that they find in their backyard, school yard, and the pond.

● Have student focus on one natural environment at a time.● Ask student what they would find in other natural environment such as the forest.

Assessment:

-For assessment, take in the children’s workbook and clay sculpture. Make sure the clay sculpture has a written description of the representation (go around and ask children). Use observation notes of each student that was taken at the field trip.

________________________________________________________________________________

Unit Name: Types of soils and plants Lesson Number and Title: Lesson #6 - Types of soils and plants

Date: This lesson can be done at any point during the year but is best done in the spring. Subject: Science Grade: Kindergarten Time: Can be done once or multiples times throughout the school year - 40minutes. Should be done after a lunch or recess period to allow for proper set up time. Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: ENGAGEMENTStudents will be asked to meet in our reading area. Here students will be asked if they know what the 5 senses are. Students will describe what they know before we watch a video sing-along. The video describes the 5 senses with a familiar tune that is easy to follow. Students will be encouraged to point to each sense while singing.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtwV9Mi_aNk EXPLORATIONStudents will travel from station to station. Each station is clearly marked. At the "touch station" students will be putting their hands into jars containing natural materials, describing how the material feels. At the "sight station" students will be describing the materials they see. At the "smell


station" students will be sniffing the materials inside the containers, describing how they smell. At the "sound station" students will shake containers to hear the sound of what is inside. Lastly at the "taste station" students will taste natural "material" to describe how it tastes. EXPLANATIONEach student has a piece of paper with them that they carry from station to station. On this paper there are 5 sections for the 5 senses. After experimenting with a sense at a station, students record their findings by either pictures, numbers or words or scribbles. (Most students are not able to write words yet, but all scribble and doodles work towards literacy). ELABORATIONWhen students are finished cycling through the stations, we will meet again at the reading area. Here we will discuss the 5 senses and the materials that we interacted with. Students will be prompted by showing them the materials that were in each container. EVALUATIONAfter our discussion about the senses and materials we interacted with, students will be asked questions that relate the senses and natural materials we explored back to their own life.The lesson will then be concluded by showing students another video sing-along for the 5 senses. Students will be encouraged to sing along and use gestures to point out their 5 senses.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUe1WCB4GcA Lesson Purpose:Students will examine and manipulate different plants and soils using their senses. Students will begin to understand the differences in our natural environment. About / In / For the environment:- about = Students will be identifying and learning about several different aspects of the environment by exploring natural materials (rocks, leaves, etc) with their senses- in = students will be interacting with natural materials that are found in the environment.- for = Students will become more aware of the physical features of nature. This is one of the first steps to learning to respect the environment. This lesson may cause students to think critically about how nature can be felt through every sense. Outcomes & Indicators:NSK Curriculum outcome: Explore features of their natural surroundings (e.g., soil, water, landform, and weather conditions), including changes to those surroundings over time. 1) Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings such as “Where did the rain water go?”, “Why is some snow harder than other snow?”, and “Is a grain of sand a rock?” 2) Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies such as digital cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, and sketchpads.


3) Describe and illustrate features of their local surroundings such as soil type and texture, weather conditions (e.g., temperature, wind direction and speed, and humidity), presence of water in various forms and states, and landform types (e.g., grassy, rocky, forested, and cultivated). Content Background:The 5 senses allow us to interact with our world. They help us to enjoy and protect ourselves. (Dialogue for Kids) The sense of "taste" comes from taste buds on our tongue. The tongue is only able to taste four separate flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. Flavors may taste different than just specifically "sweet" when they are mixed with other flavors (Dialogue for Kids). Smell also impacts how foods may taste in our mouth. The tongue can also pick up on texture and temperature, allowing us to distinguish if foods are "crunchy" or "hot" (Dialogue for Kids). Sight is a sense that is dependent on the eyes. "A lens at the front of the eyeball helps to focus images onto the retina at the back of the eye. The retina is covered with two types of light sensitive cells - the cones and the rods. The cones allow us to see color and the rods allow us to see better at night and also aid us in our peripheral vision. All of this information is sent to the brain along the optic nerve" (Dialogue for Kids). Your brain uses the images transferred from both eyes to create a 3dimentional image, allowing us to perceive depth. Some people may lose their sight causing them to become blind. Smell is the sense that we get from our nose. Inside our nose, we have mucous membranes. These have smell receptors that connect to a nerve called the olfactory nerve (Dialogue for Kids). Smells are made of fumes of various substances. The smell receptors react with molecules of fumes, which send messages to the brain (Dialogue for Kids). Our sense of smell is capable of identifying seven types of scents: camphor, musk, flower, mint, ether, acrid, or putrid (Dialogue for Kids). The nose also works to clean the air that we breathe through the nose, and can impact the sound of our voice (Dialogue for Kids). Our ears are the organ that allow us to hear. Ears are made up of two separate parts: the inner and outer ear (Dialogue for Kids). The outer ear is made of skin and cartilage and is what we can see on the outside. It works like a cup to catch sound. Sound travels to the tympanic membrane and then to the inner ear by three of the smallest bones in your body (Dialogue for Kids). The inner ear translates vibrations into sound, sending these messages to the brain through the auditory nerve. The brain uses sounds from both the right and the left side to determine distance and direction of sound (Dialogue for Kids). People may also lose their hearing, making them deaf. The sense of touch is experienced through the whole body. Nerve endings in the skin and other parts of the body send information to the brain (Dialogue for Kids). There are four kinds of touch sensation that can be identified: cold, heat, contact, and pain. The body has hair to act as a warning system for the body, helping it protect itself (Dialogue for Kids). Humans have higher concentrations of nerve endings in different areas of the body, making touch more sensitive


especially in the fingertips. People who are blind, can use their sense of touch to read "Braille", a kind of writing system that uses bumps to represent different letters in the alphabet (Dialogue for Kids). References: The 5 senses. (2014). Dialogue for Kids. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://idahoptv.org/dialogue4kids/season10/senses/facts.cfm Processes Developed: At the beginning of the lesson, students will be guessing what they already know about the 5 senses. As a class, students will communicate their ideas. They will engage in a video, where students are organizing the information presented about the 5 senses into their existing knowledge. When students begin the stations, they will be experimenting with their senses, classifying each sensation to a particular sense. Students will be recording their finds on a piece of paper. When everyone is finished their activity, we will meet back at our reading area to discuss our findings. Students will be shown the materials that they interacted with, prompting them to organize the new information they learned by interacting. Students will also make connections to their own environment and experiences. To conclude the lesson, students will be engaged in a video sing-along, reinforcing the 5 senses. Adaptive Dimension: This lesson is friendly to students with disabilities because it can be focused on any sense. (ex. If a student is deaf, they can explore their other senses)This lesson may have to be adapted depending on the time of year, and natural materials that are available. Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Think and learn contextually -Students are able to understand their senses in a variety of contextsThink and learn critically - Students will be distinguishing between natural materials and their sensesUnderstand, value, and care for oneself (intellectually, emotionally, physically, spiritually) -Students will better understand their physical body and sensesConstruct knowledge related to various literacies - Students will be understanding the natural environment through their sensesExplore and interpret the world using various literacies - Students will be learning through a video and dancing signalsExpress understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies - Students will record their data on a piece of paper as well as discussion


Interdisciplinary Connections: Fine arts: Creating a picture of what they discover with their senses, dancing to videoLanguage arts: writing to the best of their abilities what they experience at each stationHealth: Exploring the senses and better understanding the human bodyMath: counting the 5 senses with video Prerequisite Learnings:An understanding of the human body and physical elements in the natural environment (Ex. leaves, sand etc). Materials / Equipment / Safety: Natural materials (could be limited or expanded on): -Grass - Sand - Rocks - Leaves - Sticks - Flower petals - Salt water - Honey suckle - Vegetables - Seeds - Roots - Egg shells - Shells - Honey - Burnt Piece of wood or charcoal - Berries - Herbs Other materials: - Containers to hold natural materials - must be sealable and preferably dark in color with lids (for the sense of sound, they should be closed, and for the sense of touch, they should not be able to reveal what is inside) - popsicle sticks for tasting -Video sing-alongs on 5 senses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtwV9Mi_aNk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUe1WCB4GcA - Sheets of paper for students that are separated with the 5 senses


Advanced Preparation: The work sheet with 5 senses should be created and photocopied prior to lesson. The first video should also be cued up on the smart board before students are invited to join in the reading area.Containers should be filled with natural materials and separated by sense. Choose materials that should be examined for each sense - sight, touch, sound, smell and taste. There should be 4-5 materials at each sense station for students to examine. Materials that work best for smell are: grass, leaves, honey, salt water, flower petals, a burnt piece of wood and vegetablesMaterials that work best for taste are: honey, salt water, honey suckle, vegetables, herbs or berriesTo create sensory containers, place natural materials in containers (use your judgment on amount - may vary depending on sense) and place at 5 stations in the classroom. This works great if tables are in groups, allowing a nice flow from each station. Each station must be labeled with visuals. A piece of paper that says "Touch" with a hand and so on for each spot should be placed clear for students to see. The students should be placed in 5 groups a few classes prior. Lesson Procedure Lessons should be set up at tables while students are at recesses or lunch, make sure that each station is labeled appropriately. To begin the lesson, cue up youtube video on 5 senses sing-along.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtwV9Mi_aNk ENGAGEMENTStudents will be asked to meet in our reading area while bringing a pencil with them. Here students will be asked if they know what the 5 senses are. Students will describe what they know before we watch a video sing-along.Pose questions: What sense do we use to see? What do we have in our mouth that helps us taste? What senses do we use when we have play time? etc Introduce a video on the 5 senses. The video has a familiar tune that is easy to follow. Encourage students to point to each, singing and engaging them in acting out each sense. When the video is over, explain to students how each station works while students sit and observe. Hand out observation sheets and instruct students that their findings must be recorded in each section (make sure they put their names on it). Explain to students that they can only move onto the next station when you tell them to. (could have a whistle to blow or play certain song for rotation)Split students into the 5 groups that were created previously and direct them where to go. EXPLORATIONStudents will travel from station to station when you tell them to switch. Each station is clearly marked. At the "touch station" students will be putting their hands into jars containing natural materials, describing how the material feels. At the "sight station" students will be describing the materials they see. At the "smell station" students will be sniffing the materials inside the


containers, describing how they smell. At the "sound station" students will shake containers to hear the sound of what is inside. Lastly at the "taste station" students will taste natural "material" to describe how it tastes. Students will use one popsicle stick to dip into each container with natural materials to taste. It should be clear that no double dipping or cross dipping is allowed. This station may need to be monitored. If your class has a helper, they could supervise this station. While students are exploring materials, circulate, making sure that students are properly using their senses and recording their data. EXPLANATIONEach student has a piece of paper with them that they carry from station to station. On this paper there are 5 sections for the 5 senses. After experimenting with a sense at a station, students record their findings by either pictures, numbers, words or scribbles. (Students are not able to write words yet, but all scribble and doodles work towards literacy). This is students opportunity to act like a real life scientist. Encourage students to write down as much information as they can helping them contribute to their previous assumptions about the senses. ELABORATIONWhen students are finished cycling through the station, we will meet again at the reading area. Collect students work on the way.In our reading area, students will discuss the 5 senses and the materials that we interacted with. Prompt by showing them the materials that were in each container. See if students can identify most of the natural materialsPose questions: What does this look like? What did the ____ taste like? What did the ____ feel like? Etc EVALUATIONAfter our discussion about the senses and materials we interacted with, students will be asked questions that relate the senses and natural materials we explored back to their own life.Pose questions: Have you ever felt the sand at the beach? What does it feel like? What flowers smell like in your garden? What does the mud look like after it rains? The lesson will then be concluded by showing students another video sing along for the 5 senses. Students will be encouraged to sing along and use gestures to point out their 5 senses. This video includes counting the 5 senses. Students should be encouraged to count to 5 with their fingers. Students may also dance and act out senses.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUe1WCB4GcA


Extensions /Modifications: -To make this lesson more difficult, students could compare natural and man-made materials- Another way to make this lesson more difficult for students, would be asking students to make a comparison to what they experience with each sense. (ex. This is green, which is the same color as my t-shirt)- To make this lesson easier for students, it could be focused around one or two senses at a time as opposed to all the senses at once.- Another way to make this activity easier for students would be removing the sheet they record data on, instead allowing students to focus on the activity without recording their findings.- To make the lesson easier, all materials for each sense station could be the same, allowing students to explore fewer materials. Assessment:Students will be assessed on three things, their communication in the discussion, their participation in the stations and sing along, as well as the piece of paper with their recordings from each station.

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Unit Name: Our Natural Surroundings Lesson Number and Title: - Lesson #7 - Plant growth and Survival

Date: This lesson should be started at the beginning of May and ends the middle of June Subject: Science Grade: Kindergarten Time: This lesson will take several class times. These may have to be revised depending on how fast the plant growth goes. Day 1: Engagement Day 2: Exploration Day 3: Explanation Day 4: Elaboration Day 5: Evaluation Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved: ENGAGEMENT


At the start of the lesson, students will be asked how plants grow. Students will share their ideas and hypothesize about the plant cycle. Students will be shown a variety of seeds and it will be explained to them that they come in all shapes and sizes, just like humans. EXPLORATIONAs a class, we will begin to grow our own bean plants. Students will plant their own seeds in potting soil and plants will be set on the windowsill to grow. Students will understand that plants need sunlight and water to create their own food (photosynthesis). EXPLANATIONAs plants begin to grow, they will show sprouts and eventually leaves. Students will examine their plants each week, watching as the seed sprouts and grows. Here students will be encouraged to ask questions about how different plants grow in different areas of the world. ELABORATIONIn early June, if the weather permits, plants will be transplanted to a garden plot in the school yard. Here students will realize how plants grow in nature. As a class, students may also decide to take their plants home and plant them in their own garden. EVALUATIONBy the end of the lesson, students will have an understanding of how to care for plants. They will realize what they need to be nurtured for growth. This could also be related back to plants and animals and what they need to survive. Lesson Purpose:Students will recognize the different stages of plant growth and what a plant needs to survive by growing their own bean plants. About / In / For the environment:About = Students will learn how plants survive in their natural surroundings.In = Students will be growing plants, and then re-planting them in a garden.For = This activity helps students foster an understanding of plant growth. They will have a respect for what plants need to survive and a better understanding of the care and respect that plants need. This will help them be more conscious of the impact they can have on the environment by affecting living things. Outcomes & Indicators:NSK outcome: Explore features of their natural surroundings (e.g., soil, water, landform, and weather conditions), including changes to those surroundings over time. [DM, SI]1) Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings such as “Where did the rain water go?”, “Why is some snow harder than other snow?”, and “Is a grain of sand a rock?”


2) Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies such as digital cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, and sketchpads.3) Describe and illustrate features of their local surroundings such as soil type and texture, weather conditions (e.g., temperature, wind direction and speed, and humidity), presence of water in various forms and states, and landform types (e.g., grassy, rocky, forested, and cultivated).4) Identify, with guidance, changes in one or more aspects of their natural surroundings over a given time interval (e.g., changes in temperature over a day and a week, changes to a tree over a year, changes in soil in a garden or flower bed over two seasons).5) Suggest ways in which human activities intentionally or unintentionally cause changes to natural surroundings (e.g., building houses, mowing lawns, cutting down trees, planting gardens, damming streams, and digging ditches). Content Background: Plants produce all kinds of seeds. Bean seeds are produced in pods that form on the bean plant. As the bean plant matures, the pod dried out and splits open in the sun. This causes the seeds to fall to the earth where they either can be collected, or are naturally replanted. (Grunert, 2014) Bean seeds are comprised of two halves called cotyledons. Each contains a food source of the emerging plant. New bean plants can survive off the stored food in the cotyledon for several days, until they can reach nutrients in the soil (Grunert, 2014).There are four stages in the life of a bean plant. The first is germination. This is when the bean begins to sprout. This occurs when water is absorbed and cracks open the hard casing around the seed. Warmth speeds this process along (Grunert, 2014). After the casing splits, the first thing to emerge from the bean seeds are the roots. Roots reach out for moisture and nutrients (Grunert, 2014). Beans need nutrient rich soil to survive. As roots descend, they pull water and nutrients from the soil into the seed, allowing the seed to receive the nutrients it needs to make leaves. After the seed germinates and grows roots, the bean plant begins to push out a stem. As it emerges from the soil, two leaves emerge (Grunert, 2014). The first leaves are rounded in shape and help the plant grow more quickly. Within the leaves are special cells containing chlorophyll. This transforms sunlight into usable energy for plant growth. As the plant receives warmth from the sun, moisture and carbon dioxide, it is able to transform those elements into sugars. These allow growth and maintenance of the plant. New leaves emerge to allow the entire plant to form (Grunert, 2014). The end of the bean's life cycle is flowering. Flowers are the reproductive portion of the plant (Grunert, 2014). The time it takes for a plant to grow flowers may vary but generally happens within 6-8 weeks of germination. When the flowers are pollinated or fertilized, seed pods develop. Seed pods mature and are picked for food or left to mature and dry in the sun (Grunert, 2014). If beans are left, the life cycle of the bean plant may resume to its starting point again. References:


Grunert, J. (2014). Life Cycle Bean Plant. LovetoKnow Garden. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://garden.lovetoknow.com/garden-basics/life-cycle-bean-plant Processes Developed: In this lesson, students will be hypothesizing and sharing their knowledge about plant growth and survival. As we begin to plant the bean seeds, our class will require careful planning to ensure our plants can grow successfully. As our plants grow, students will be predicting and classifying the new information they learn about what plants need to survive. Throughout, students will be encouraged to communicate their thoughts and ideas. As plants are eventually planted into a garden, students will revisit their predictions about how plants grow and communicate their new findings from this experiment. Adaptive Dimension: This lesson can be accommodating to students who are visually impaired, by explaining what the cycles look like, and allowing them to interact with the growth of a plant through their sense of touch. Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Think and learn contextually -Students will think about how plants grow in other areas of the world/in different

seasonsThink and learn critically -Students will understand how their actions can affect the growth of their plantUnderstand, value, and care for others -Students will foster respect for living things (plants) Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependence and sustainability -Students will understand how we are dependent to plants Explore and interpret the world using various literacies -Students are interpreting plant growth by growing their ownUse moral reasoning processes -Students will understand how their actions may impact the lifespan of their plantEngage in communitarian thinking and dialogue -Students will reflect on the plant growing process and how it is important Interdisciplinary Connections: Social studies: Students will be encouraged to think about how different plants grow and survive in different areas of the world


Prerequisite Learnings:Students must have an understanding that plants grow around the world. Materials / Equipment / Safety: A parent volunteer is needed for the planting processEngagement materials: -a variety of seeds (all shapes and colors) in Ziploc bags -a slide show with different plants Plant growing materials: -enough bean seeds for each student to have 2 beans each -potting soil -small shovel to scoop potting soil -clear plastic cups -water and watering can -a windowsill with sunlight -tape and a marker to label each cup with student's name -shovel to transplant plants in school garden (If decide to plant them at school) Advanced Preparation: A note to parents should be created and sent out a week before activity. This note should ask for a parent volunteer to come into class and help for an hour while we begin to plant our beans in potting soil.Another note home will need to be sent asking for another volunteer, depending if the class decides they want to plant their beans in the school garden. If students decide to take beans home, parents should be informed of proper plant care and transplanting. A PowerPoint should be created with a slideshow of different kinds of plants (all different shapes and sizes). The last slide should be a picture of a bean plant growing in a cup. Potting soil, watering can, beans and plastic cups should be purchased the week before the lesson.For planting day: potting soil and shovel must be set up so that parent volunteer can scoop a small amount into each cup. Watering can must be full of water.Names of students must be written on each cup ahead of time. Lesson Procedure Day 1:To begin the lesson, pass around ziploc bags with different seeds inside.Pose questions: What are they? How do they grow? What do they grow into?


ENGAGEMENTAt the start of the lesson, students will be asked how plants grow. Students will share their ideas and hypothesize about the plant cycle. Students will be shown a variety of seeds and it will be explained to them that they come in all shapes and sizes, just like humans. Allow students to examine seeds while you play a PowerPoint of different plants.Pose question: What do you think their seeds looked like? At the end of the slideshow, the picture of the bean plant in a cup should be shown. Explain to students that we will be growing plants just like this to examine how plants grow and what they need to survive. Day 2:At the start of this day, make sure the parent volunteer is comfortable scooping potting soil for students and pouring water, allowing you to circulate and help students. Potting soil and watering can must be ready before the lesson starts. As a class, discuss the process involved in planting. Do an example at the front of the class for students to see. Students must be observing and asking questions if need be. Have a clear cup filled close to the top with potting soil. Show students that two bean seeds must be planted towards the outside of the cup about an inch down. The seeds should be visible on the side next to the clear cup. Then pour a small amount of water in the cup. Explain to students that just like humans, plants get thirsty. Place your cup on the window sill. Handout cups with names on them. Each table group should be called up individually to receive potting soil from volunteer. When students have their soil, circulate and make sure students are pushing beans to proper depth in the cup, and against the side of the cup so it can be observed as it grows. When students have planted their seeds, Have them visit the parent volunteer to receive water, before placing them on the windowsill. EXPLORATIONAs a class, we will begin to grow our own bean plants. Students will plant their own seeds in potting soil and plants will be set on the windowsill to grow. Students will understand that plants need sunlight and water to create their own food in order to grow. When all students have finished, invite students back to their seats and generate discussion.Pose questions: What do you think will happen to the plants if they don't have sunlight? What do you think would happen if they don't get any water? What do you think will happen if they get too much water?Explain to students that plants make their own food by the sunlight and water. This allows plants to breathe, and create oxygen. Humans need oxygen. That is why we need plants on our earth to survive.


Pose questions: What do we use plants for? How can we make sure that we take care of these plants so they survive? Day 3:As a class, make sure that plants are watched and watered when dry. This could be done by a classroom helper of each day, or by randomly selecting a student. The students must be aware of how much water they need, making sure that they are not over watered.Pose questions: What happens when our plants don't get sunlight every day? How come some plants sprout, but others did not? Encourage students to observe plants each day, noticing if there are any changes (ie. Sprouts, leaves etc.)Generate discussion connecting to human growth.pose questions: Just like humans, plants grow. What do we have that grows on us? EXPLANATIONAs plants begin to grow, they will show sprouts and eventually leaves. Students will examine their plants each week, watching as the plant grows. Here students will be encouraged to ask questions about how different plants grow in different areas of the world. Generate discussion encouraging students to think about plants in different areas of the world.Pose questions: How do plants grow in different areas of the world? Why do they have palm trees in California but not here in Saskatchewan? What environmental factors affect plant growth? How do plants adapt to survive during different seasons? Day 4:At the beginning of class, begin a discussion with students on whether they would like to take home their plants to plant in their own garden, or if they would like to plant them in the school yard so we can continue to track their growth until the end of the year. Generate discussion with students about how plants grow in nature and their natural environment.Pose questions: What happens if we are unable to water plants that we grow in our garden? How do plants survive if no humans are there to water it? How do seasons help foster the growth of plants? ELABORATIONIn early June, if the weather permits, plants will be transplanted to a garden plot in the school yard. Here students will realize how plants grow in nature. As a class, students may also decide to take their plants home and plant them in their own garden. Regardless of students decision, a letter should be sent home to parents informing them of our decision. If students want to plant them in the school yard, we will require two parent volunteers to help with the transplanting. If students decide they want to take their plants home, encourage


parents to foster the growth of the plant and give any further instructions they may need to transplant their bean plant to a garden area. Day 5:If students decide that they want to transplant the beans into a school garden, make sure that parent volunteers know what their duties are before the class starts. As the class heads outside, the 3 adults will dig small holes in the ground. The bean plants must be carefully removed from their clear cup and placed in the hole, then soil filled in around and tamped. Encourage students to help water and press down soil where the beans have been planted. Each day , as a class, visit the plants and water them if necessary. If students decide to take their plants home, generate the same discussion. Generate discussion about plant growth in nature.Pose questions: Do you think that these plants are getting enough sunlight here? If we stopped watering these plants, how would they get their water? Are the plants bigger now that they're in nature? If so, why? EVALUATIONBy the end of the lesson, students will have an understanding of how to care for plants. They will realize what they need to be nurtured for growth. This could also be related back to plants and animals and what they need to survive. Finish the discussion in class by asking students what they learned about plant growth. How can we relate the growth of plants back to humans and animals? Extensions /Modifications: -This lesson can be made easier by just growing one or two plants per class, instead of each student growing their own-This lesson may be made more difficult by requiring students to record the data they find during the stages of plant growth-This lesson may be made more difficult by growing more than one different kind of plant, comparing their growing time, sprouts and leaves etc-This lesson can be adapted for visual learners by having seeds that are not watered, or do not have contact of sunlight. This shows students how important these two factors are for plant growth Assessment: Students will be assessed based on their discussions and ideas about the plant growth cycle. Students will also be assessed on how they care and nurture for their plant as well as their participation in activities.


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Lesson Number and Title: Lesson # 8: Human Impact on Recycling and ReusingDate: This lesson can take place any time after the students have investigated what recycling and reusing exactly are. Subject: Environment Education Grade: Kindergarten Time: This lesson will span over several weeks:Week One: -Day One: Never Ending Garbage (30 mins) -Day Two: Questions for Sarcan (15 mins)Week Two: -Day One: Field Trip (half day) -Day Two: Reflection (20 mins) -Day Three: School Initiative Project (30 mins) -Day Four: Poster Display and Show & Tell (30 mins)-The students will continually check their recyclable bins for weeks to come. Parts of the Learning Cycle Involved Engagement: To introduce the lesson to the students, they will begin off reviewing their previous knowledge of garbage, recycling, and reusing. They will then partake in a game and an illustration that will reinforce the issue of how garbage does not simply disappear after we throw it out. Therefore, something needs to be done with this issue for the sake of the environment that we live in. Recycling and reusing can help contribute to the welling being of the natural world. Exploration: Students will begin to explore their previous work from past lessons on garbage, recycling, and reusing and will begin to develop questions for their field trip. Explanation: Students will partake in a field trip to help them investigate more on recycling. Elaboration: Students will be participating in a school wide project. They will be responsible for encouraging other students to recycle and reuse. They will also be responsible for a few recycling bins around the school.


Evaluation: For the closure, students will reflect on why they are doing this project in a talking circle led by the teacher. They will then partake in a Show & Tell of several reusable items. Lesson Purpose: Students will understand how their actions impact the environment through recycling and reusing. About / In / For the environment: About: This lesson will address the environmental issue that waste is a major concern for the wellbeing of our natural world. If there is more waste, then there is a need for more landfills. If there is more landfills, then this means that more toxic chemicals are put into the environment. Having more landfills also means that forest, or any other natural environment, will have to be cut down to create more space. This all results in a negative impact on the world around us, as well as our lives and animals lives. Therefore, this emphasises the need to recycle and reuse, which will be the main theme of this lesson. In: To investigate the ways in which students can contribute to the wellbeing of the environment, they will participate in a field trip to Sarcan. They also will begin a school wide initiative project of recycling. For: Through their field trip, school wide initiative project, and finding ways to reuse products, students will gain a sense of urgency to work towards the wellbeing of the natural environment. Hopefully, this will impact the decisions that they make for the environment for many years to come. Outcomes & Indicators:

a. Outcome: NSK.1 Explore features of their natural surroundings Indicators: a) Pose questions related to features of their local surroundings b) Gather and record information about characteristics of their natural surroundings using all of their senses and technologies such as digital

cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, and sketchpads. e) Suggest ways in which human activities intentionally or unintentionally

cause changes to natural surroundings. f) Respond to and acknowledge the ideas of classmates and others such as traditional knowledge keepers and conservation officers who provide

information about our natural surroundings.


Content Background:

Recycling:There has and still is a major concern that landfill is filling up and it is becoming more

difficult to find new sites (Baabooram & Wand, 2007). This article goes on to explain, that in Canada the landfills produce approximately 25% of very detrimental greenhouse gases. Therefore, one the best ways to save natural resources from being destroyed is to recycle. This will help reduce the amount of waste being put in landfills.

Importance of Recycling (Recycling Guide, 2003):-reduces harmful chemicals that come from landfill sites -recycling uses much less energy than raw materials and is cheaper-preserves natural resources -not enough space for the waste

How to recycle in the classroom and school (Recycling Guide, 2003):-have a “paper only box” -have a “cans only box” -contact local council and ask about a compost bin

Reusing:With any product that is being used, it is important to ask yourself “could I reuse this?”. Items to reuse (Recycling Guide, 2003): -reuse plastic bags

-use envelops again by sticking labels over them -jars -news paper

-old clothes -wood scraps -garage sale

References:

Babooram, A., & Wang, J. (2007, January 1). Recycling in Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/16-002-x/2007001/article/10174-eng.htm

Recycling in schools. (2003, January 1). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/schools.html

Processes Developed:

-Through this lesson, children will be developing questions to ask experts on recycling to help further their understanding. They also will be planning and organizing a school initiative product to act on their knowledge about the positive impact recycling and reusing has on their environment. Through a Show and Tell, students will also be classifying what is reusable.


Further, children will be communicating constantly with each other, the teacher, and other experts throughout the lesson to help gain more understanding. Adaptive Dimension:

· If there is anyone who cannot communicate verbally, consider changing “Show and Tell” to “Show and Share”. This will not force anyone to communicate verbally.

· If a student has a physical disability such as a wheelchair, make sure to contact Sarcan about this.

· For the illustration of the juice box and pitcher, have a person feel with their hands if they are visually impaired.

· If a child struggles with picking stuff of the ground (i.e wheelchair), pair them up with a buddy for the “Never Ending Garbage” game. Their buddy can help them pick things off the ground.

Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC’s): Think and learn contextually:

· Apply prior knowledge, experiences, and the ideas of self and others in newcontexts

· Analyze connections or relationships within and/or among ideas, experiences, ornatural and constructed objects

Think and learn creatively:· Show curiosity and interest in the world, new experiences, materials, and

puzzlingor surprising events

Think and learn critically:· Analyze and critique objects, events, experiences, ideas, theories,

expressions,situations, and other phenomena

Understand, value, and care for others:· Advocate for the well-being of others.

Understand and value social, economic, and environmental interdependenceand sustainability:

· Analyze how one’s thinking, choices, and behaviours affect living and non-living things, now and in the future

Construct knowledge related to various literacies:


· Evaluate the ideas and information found in a variety of sourcesExpress understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies:

· Communicate ideas, experiences, and information in ways that are inclusive,understandable, and useful to others

Use moral reasoning processes:· Evaluate the possible consequences of a course of action on self, others, and

theenvironment in a particular situation

· Consider the implications of a course of action when applied to other situations

Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue:· Model a balance in speaking, listening, and reflecting· Ensure that each person has an opportunity to contribute

Take social action:· Demonstrate respect for and commitment to human rights, treaty rights, and

environmental sustainability Interdisciplinary Connections: Art: PaintingLanguage Arts: Students will practicing language through Show and Tell.Health: Recycling and reusing is contributes to our health. Prerequisite Learnings: -Prior to this lesson, students should have several other lessons related to garbage, recycling, and reusing. This lesson will reinforce their previous learning about what exactly is recycling and reusing and the implication it has on the environment. However, this lesson focuses on student’s actions and making a difference to their environment. Therefore, they must have a solid foundation on recycling and reusing. Materials / Equipment / Safety:

· Newspaper, paint, brushes, water cups for painting· Duct Tape· Medium size garbage cans for recycling bins (about 6)· Juice boxes, pitchers, reusable cups· Camera, field trip permission slips, med-kit, Show and Tell forms· Workbooks· Slide show


. recyclable items (bottles, juice boxes, cans etc.) Advanced Preparation:

-Before this lesson can begin, make sure to connect with administration to get this lesson approved. With the administration, you will also need to address the financial part of this lesson. You will also need to call Sarcan. There are several listing of Sarcan’s in Regina. Pick one that is closest to you. After you have booked a date, you will need to contact a bus driver for transportation. Finally, it is very important to hand out permission slips and describe the field trip and its purpose. On the permission slip, ask for parental supervision. Make sure to hand out these permission slips weeks before the lesson begins. Week One, Day One: -You will need to make sure that newspaper is crumpled into balls and the duct tape is ready for the day. Put newspaper in a box before the game begins. Juice boxes, reusable cups, pitchers, and Snow and Tell forms are ready for the day. The reuseable items will be needed for this day to show the students. Week One, Day Two: Call Sarcan and parental supervisors to confirm. Week Two, Day One: This is the field trip day. Make sure permission slips with the emergency contact information, med kit, camera, and any other necessities are ready for the day. After field trip, create a slideshow of pictures taken. Week Two, Day Two: -Workbook and slide show both need to be ready. Week Three, Day Three: Large white paper, paint, brushes, water cups, and newspaper need to be ready for the craft. Make sure to lay out the newspaper and all the painting supplies on the table. Tape will also be needed this day to post the labels and posters. IMPORTANT: Make sure to let all the teachers know that you will be placing recycling bins around the school so that they can encourage their students to use them.

Lesson Procedure

Week One:Day One: Never Ending GarbageEngagement:-Before this lesson begins, the children must be reminded about all the things that they have previously learnt about recycling and reusing. Gather them up during circle time and ask the following questions to help them remember what was just learnt:

1) What do you remember about recycling?


2) What do you remember about reusing?-To illustrate this further, pass around the several recyclable items (see material section) for children to examine. Explain that these are all old items can be made into something brand new. Therefore, we do not have to throw them in the garbage.-After this, have the children return the items. Pull out a reusable lunch kit and a paper bag. Ask the following questions:

1) Which one is reusable and which on is not? Why is it better to use the lunch kit to put my snack in rather than the paper bag?

-Finally, explain to children that they will be participating in a game called the “Never Ending Garbage”. Split the students into two teams and direct the teams to different sides of the room (make sure there is enough room to play this game, the gym may be the best option). Duct Tape a line in the middle of the floor to distinguish sides.

Explain the following rules to the students: -Each team will be given the same amount of newspaper that is already

crunched up into a ball. Pretend that the newspaper is your garbage and you really want to get rid of it!-On the count of three, you will begin to throw the newspaper to the other team’s side. Continue to throw until I say “Freeze”. One I say freeze, each team will gather up and count their “garbage”.

-Have the children line up along the two different sides. Spread the newspaper throughout both sides. Say “GO” and allow them to play the game for one minute. Have them do this a few times and then gather them up and askthe following questions: 1) Was it hard to get rid of your “garbage”?

2) Did you ever feel like it was impossible to get rid of all the garbage?

-Explain to students that when we throw out garbage, it does not disappear. Instead, it goes somewhere else. Have students guess where this place is. After a moment of guessing, explain that it goes to a “landfill” or what you might know as the “dump” after the garbage truck comes to pick it up from our homes. Explain to students that if garbage does not disappear after we throw it out, we have to find a way to make less garbage.

3) What are some ways we can make less garbage? -Students should apply their previous knowledge about recycling and reusing. Makesure to emphasise that recycling and reusing are positive impacts by humans that will contribute to human health, well being of the environment and animals.


-Continue to play game, if desired.

*Note: This game is a reminder for them. Before this lesson, students have studied and understand that garbage is a major concern for the environment.

-After this game, have students get their snack for the day and return to their tables. Make sure they do not begin to eat. Pull out two packages of juice boxes and one large pitcher of juice. Show the class what you have. Ask the following question: 1) Do you think we should drink the juice in the reusable pitcher or drink the juice

boxes? 2) Which one produces more waste? 3) Why do the juice boxes produce more waste?

4) As a class, let’s make a decision that is best for the environment. What should we drink? The juice boxes or from the pitcher?

-After this, hand out the juice from the pitcher into several reusable cups. Make sure to not use cups that will be not be thrown out! This small illustration, should reinforce the importance of reusing. *Note: This illustration was taking from the following site:http://pbskids.org/eekoworld//parentsteachers/lessons.html#lessonk -At the end of this day, tell students that they will be doing their Show and Tell differently. Explain that in one week, they need to bring an item in their home that is reusable. Reusable items can be things such as, grocery bag, twist tie, lunch kit, and plastic containers. Explain to students that they will need to describe what their item is and why it is better for the environment. Make sure to hand out reminder forms to the parents. Day Two: Questions for SarcanExploration: -Before this lesson, students have spent a significant time learning about garbage, recycling, and reusing. Explain to students that they are now “experts” and will be taking action to help the environment through recycling and reusing. Explain to students that they will be visiting other “experts” at Sarcan. Make sure they understand that Sarcan is a place where recycling happens and where people get paid to bring in their recyclables. During circle time, gather students and ask them what questions that they could ask Sarcan about recycling. At this point, children may need to visit some of their later work to help them ask questions about recycling. Direct them to this place, whether it be in their workbooks or a bulletin board on the wall. Potential questions: 1) What kind of things do you recycle at Sarcan? 2) How do you recycle?


3) Why do you recycle? 4) Why do you sort the recyclables? -Make sure to write down all the questions that the students have.

-This part of the lesson should happen days before the actual Sarcan field trip. Therefore, students can continue to reflect on their questions for Sarcan. Continue to talk about Sarcan for the days to come and get the students excited for the upcoming field trip! -Make sure to remind the kids about the Show and Tell! Week Two:Explanation:Day One: Field Trip -Prepare anything necessary for this day. See Advanced Preparation.

Day Two: Reflection -During this week, students will visit Sarcan. On the following day of the field trip gather students around in a circle to discuss all that was learnt. On this day, have a slideshow of pictures that were taken while at Sarcan to help them remember their experience. Ask the following questions: 1) Why do you think we had a visit with Sarcan?

2) What are some things that you saw? Make sure to point to pictures on the slide show to help them remember. 3) What did you learn? 4) Is recycling important for our environment? Does recycling help reduce garbage? Why?

-Have students return to their workbooks to draw some of the things that they have learnt on their reflection. Meet with students individually to hear what they have to say about the field trip. Day Three: School Initiative ProjectElaboration: -Now that the students have a depth of knowledge about garbage, recycling, and reusing. They are now ready to take action, make decisions, and to encourage the rest of the school to recycle and reuse. -Gather students during circle time and explain that they will be encouraging students to recycle and reuse throughout their entire school. Tell students that they will be placing recycling bins all over the school as well as posters that encourage students to reuse any products that they can. Explain to the students that they will be responsible for checking the bins and also sorting the different types of recyclables such as bottles. Group


the Kindergarteners into three groups. Two groups will be responsible for designing labels for the bottle bins and for the paper bins. The third group will be responsible for designing posters that encourage students to reuse items. Group One:-This group will be responsible for designing the bottle bin label. Hand out about three pieces of paper that is painted already “BOTTLES, CANS, JUICE BOXES” by the teacher. Encourage the students to paint around the painted words so that everyone can read it. Suggest to paint ideas such as juice boxes to represent their bin. Group Two:-This group will be doing the same as the previous. However, their papers will read “PAPER ONLY”. Encourage students to paint things that will represent their bin. Group Three:-This group will be doing the same as the previous. However, their posters will read “Before you throw it, can you REUSE it?” -After the students are finished with their painting, set it aside to dry. -Remind students about Show and Tell! Day Four: Poster Display and Show and TellEvaluation: On the following day, once the posters and labels have dried, take the students around to post their labels and posters. This will help them know exactly where the bins are. As you do this, remind children that they will be responsible to check the bins weekly. Once they are filled, it is the classrooms duty to empty them. Encourage the students to check the bins whenever they are walking in the halls. After this, gather students and ask the following questions during circle time:

1) Why do you think we put recycling bins and reusable posters throughout the school?

2) Why do you think it is important we are doing this?3) Does this help protect our environment from overflowing with more and

more garbage?4) How does recycling and reusing protect our environment?

-After this brief discussion, send students to gather their Show and Tell. Ask the child the following questions: 1) Describe your item. 2) Is it reusable?


3) How do you reuse it?*Note: If the class is large, consider splitting the days up for show and tell. Extensions /Modifications:

· Have a student distinguish what is and is not recyclable or reusable by presenting them with a various items.

· Have student go around the classroom and identity what items are reusable.

· Focus on recycling and reusable one at a time instead of both during the weeks for the student.

Assessment: -For assessment, students will be observed continually. They also will have individual and small group conferring with the teacher.

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Documents

ESCI Unit Plan-Natural Surroundings.docx · Web viewIf your class has a helper, they could supervise this station. While students are exploring materials, circulate, making sure