Washington Township Public Schools
Office of Curriculum & Instruction
Course: / Science – Grade 1Written By: / First Grade Science Committee
Under the Direction of: / Barbara Marciano
Description: / The Science curriculum for 1st grade consists of three major units: Living Things (life cycles), Rocks and Minerals (structure and change), Matter and Magnets (properties/forces). The units are designed to facilitate the integration of all curricular areas. A variety of technology and literature activities help to enhance and support students’ understanding of major science concepts.
Dr. Cheryl Simone: Superintendent of Schools
Joseph A. Vandenberg: Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
Barbara E. Marciano: Director of Elementary Education
Written: / Summer 2008Revised: / Aligned with 2009 NJCCCS (7/2010) and 2010 Common Core State Standards (7/2011)
BOE Approval: / 7/18/2011
Unit Overview
Unit #: / 1
Unit Title: / Living Things - Plants
Unit Description: / Life Cycles
Enduring Understandings/Generalizations / Guiding Questions
Students will understand that:
1. Living things have to meet basic needs in order to survive. / 1. What are the basic needs of plants? What happens if the basic needs are not met?
2. Living things have different parts serving different functions. / 2. What are the parts of plants? How do these parts help the plant? Why does the plant need these parts?
3. Different parts work together to help living things survive. / 3. In what ways do the different parts help the plant survive?
4. Living things change as they grow and develop. / 4. What are the different lifecycle stages for plants? What changes do you see at each stage?
5. Living things reproduce to continue the life cycle. / 5. How does a plant begin to grow? What part makes a seed? Why are seeds important?
6. Living things are interdependent. / 6. How do plants and animals help each other?
CURRICULUM – Unit Plan
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1 / Core Content Standards and Cumulative Progress Indicators:Unit Title: / Unit 1/Living Things – Plants / 5.1 / 5.2 / 5.2.2 / 5.2.5
Time Allocation: / 8 Weeks / 5.6.2 / 5.6.4 / 5.6.5 / 5.7.1
Conceptual Lens: / Life Cycles / 5.7.4
A. CONTENT/SKILLS / B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES / C. SUGGESTED MATERIALS / D. STUDENT EVALUATION /
Living things have to meet basic needs in order to survive
· Plants need food, water, air, and shelter to survive
Living things have different body parts serving different functions
· Parts of plants: functions of parts in relationship to survival
Different body parts work together to help living things survive.
· Functions of parts and effect on plants’ survival
Living things change as they grow and develop
· Stages of development of plants
Living things reproduce to continue the life cycle.
· Plants reproduce to continue the life cycle
Living things are interdependent.
· Animals eat plants; use plants for shelter; spread seeds; some help with pollination. / · Observe
· Report information
· List
· Infer
· Observe
· Record
· Diagram
· Infer
· Predict
· Observe
· Infer
· Observe
· Label
· Communicate
· Predict
· Measure
· Listen
· Observe
· Communicate
· Infer
· Manipulate materials
· Make predictions
· Create/Construct / See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner / · Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observations
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observations
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities /
Unit Overview
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1 /Unit #: / 2
Unit Title: / Living Things – Animals – Extinction
Unit Description: / Life Cycles
Enduring Understandings/Generalizations / Guiding Questions
Students will understand that:
1. Living things have to meet basic needs in order to survive. / 1. What are the basic needs of animals? How do animals get their basic needs?
2. Living Things have different parts serving different functions. / 2. What are the different body parts of a (frog, fish, butterfly?)
3. Different parts work together to help living things survive. / 3. How do animals use these body parts? How do different animal parts help the animal to survive?
4. Living things change as they grow and develop. / 4. What are the different stages in the life cycle of (frog, butterfly, fish?) What changes do you see in each stage of development?
5. Living things reproduce to continue the life cycle. / 5. How does the life cycle begin again?
6. Living things are interdependent. / 6. How do plants help animals? How animals help plants?
7. Living things are grouped by similar characteristics. / 7. How are living things of the same kind different from each other?
8. The characteristics of living things can help them to survive when the environment changes. Some living things cannot survive these changes. These groups may become endangered or extinct. / 8. How do changes in the environment affect the life cycle of all living things? Are there groups of living things that are endangered or extinct?
CURRICULUM – Unit Plan
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1 / Core Content Standards and Cumulative Progress Indicators:Unit Title: / Unit 2/Living Things – Animals-Extinction / 5.1 / 5.2 / 5.2.2 / 5.2.5
Time Allocation: / 8 Weeks / 5.6.2 / 5.6.4 / 5.6.5 / 5.7.4
Conceptual Lens: / 5.5
A. CONTENT/SKILLS / B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES / C. SUGGESTED MATERIALS / D. STUDENT EVALUATION /
Living things have to meet basic needs in order to survive
· Animals need food, water, air, and shelter to survive
Living things have different body parts serving different functions
· Parts of frog, butterfly, fish; functions of parts in relationship to survival
Different body parts work together to help living things survive.
· Functions of parts and effect on animals’ survival
Living things change as they grow and develop
· Stages of development of animals
Living things reproduce to continue the life cycle.
· Animals reproduce to continue the life cycle
Living things are interdependent.
· Animals eat plants; use plants for shelter; spread seeds; some help with pollination. / · Observe
· Report information
· List
· Infer
· Observe
· Record
· Diagram
· Infer
· Predict
· Observe
· Infer
· Observe
· Label
· Communicate
· Predict
· Measure
· Listen
· Observe
· Communicate
Infer
Manipulate materials
Make predictions
Create/Construct / See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner / · Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observations
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observations
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities /
Unit Overview
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1Unit #: / 3
Unit Title: / Rocks & Minerals
Unit Description: / Structure and Change
Enduring Understandings/Generalizations / Guiding Questions
Students will understand that:
1. Rocks have observable properties and can be classified according to these properties. / 1. How can rocks be grouped?
How can we label these groups?
2. Rocks are always changing due to weathering. / 2. What is weathering?
What are the causes of weathering?
How can rocks change?
3. Rocks have many uses. / 3. What are some ways we can use rocks? How has the appearance of rocks changed?
4. Soil has different components and characteristics. / 4. What can we find in soil?
How do you think pieces of rock got into the soil?
CURRICULUM – Unit Plan
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1 / Core Content Standards and Cumulative Progress Indicators:Unit Title: / Unit 3/Rocks / 5.2.1 / 5.2.2 / 5.4.4 / 5.10.2
Time Allocation: / 2 Weeks
Conceptual Lens: / Structure and Change
A. CONTENT/SKILLS / B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES / C. SUGGESTED MATERIALS / D. STUDENT EVALUATION /
Rocks have observable properties and can be classified according to these properties
· Rocks have a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, textures, and hardness
Rocks are always changing due to weathering
· Weathering is the wearing away of surfaces by water, wind, and ice
Rocks have many uses
· We use rocks for building roads, decorating, jewelry, fuel, powder, writing, and tools
Soil has different components and characteristics
· Soil forms from breakdown of rock; soil is a mixture of weathered rock and organic matter (leaves, insects, twigs, etc.) / · Observe
· Classify
· Infer
· Formulate
· Models
· Observe changes
· Observe
· Extract information
· Generate meaning
· Observe
· Describe
· Draw conclusions / See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner / · Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities /
Unit Overview
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1Unit #: / 4
Unit Title: / Magnets
Unit Description: / Forces
Enduring Understandings/Generalizations / Guiding Questions
Students will understand that:
1. Magnets can attract only certain metals. / 1. What will stick to a magnet?
2. Magnets can attract through different materials. / 2. Can a magnet attract through different materials?
3. The stronger the magnet, the greater the force it exerts. / 3. Are some magnets stronger than others are?
4. In magnets, like poles repel, opposites attract. / 4. When do magnets attract/repel?
CURRICULUM – Unit Plan
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1 / Core Content Standards and Cumulative Progress Indicators:Unit Title: / Unit 4/Magnetism / 5.2.2 / 5.2.5 / 5.5.3 / 5.9.3
Time Allocation: / 10 days
Conceptual Lens: / Force
A. CONTENT/SKILLS / B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES / C. SUGGESTED MATERIALS / D. STUDENT EVALUATION /
Magnets attract only certain metals.
· Magnets attract iron and other magnets
Magnets can attract through different materials.
· Magnets can attract through foil, water, paper, etc., depending on strength of magnet and thickness of material
The stronger the magnet, the greater the force it exerts.
· Magnets vary in size, shape, and strength; people use magnets in many ways.
In magnets, like poles repel, opposites attract.
· Meanings of words “attract” and “repel”; terms north, south poles; and like poles repel, opposites attract. / · Observe
· Infer
· List
· Predict
· Generalize
· Observe
· Infer
· Manipulation
· Materials
· Predict
· Experiment
· Collect data
· Record
· Recognize cause/effect
· Generalize / See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner / · Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities /
Unit Overview
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1Unit #: / 5
Unit Title: / Matter
Unit Description: / Properties
Enduring Understandings/Generalizations / Guiding Questions
Students will understand that:
1. Matter can be sorted and classified according to its properties. / 1. What are the properties of matter?
How is matter the same or different?
2. Matter exists in different states. / 2. What are the three states of matter?
Can you name an example of each of the states of matter?
3. Matter takes up space. / 3. How can we tell that matter takes up space?
4. Matter changes by heating and cooling. / 4. What changes can we see by heating and cooling matter?
CURRICULUM – Unit Plan
Course Title: / Science – Grade 1 / Core Content Standards and Cumulative Progress Indicators:Unit Title: / Unit 5/Matter / 5.2.2 / 5.2.5 / 5.5.3 / 5.8.1
Time Allocation: / 10 days
Conceptual Lens: / Properties
A. CONTENT/SKILLS / B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES / C. SUGGESTED MATERIALS / D. STUDENT EVALUATION /
Matter can be sorted and classified according to its properties.
· Properties include size, weight, state, color, and shape.
Matter exists in different states.
· Three states of matter into which objects are classified: solid, liquid, gas.
Matter takes up space.
· Water and air take up space in different ways.
Matter can change by heating or cooling.
· Water can be changed to a different state by cooling or heating. / · Compare/Contrast
· Classify/Sort
· Observe
· Compare/Contrast
· Classify/Sort
· Observe
· Describe/Observe Changes
· Record Cause/Effect
· Describe/Observe Changes
· Record Cause/Effect / See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner
See Lesson Planner / · Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities
· Teacher Observation
· Questioning/Discussion
· Completion of Activities /