PHILLIPSBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT
COURSE GUIDE
Curricular Area: Science / Grade(s): 1Description:
In order to ensure college and career readiness, the Phillipsburg Elementary Schools utilize a hands-on approach to learning science in all first grade classrooms. By utilizing Science Techbook by Discovery Education, the science curriculum incorporates high interest topics infused with literacy that is then combined with interactive projects. The curriculum embeds scientific practices in physical, life, and earth sciences.
Essential Questions:
· What are 3 properties used to sort objects?
· What are some examples of solids, liquids, and gases? What are the differences? What does water look like in each state?
· What are magnets? What materials do they attract? Which poles attract and which repel?
· What are some objects that reflect or transmit light? What happened when light strikes different materials?
· What objects and actions release heat? How does heat affect temperature? What actions create friction?
· What is energy, and how does it make things move?
· How do you know if an object is living or non-living? How are plants and animals alike and different? What happens if their needs are not met?
· How do the physical features of plants and animals help them survive? How do habitats help plants and animals meet their needs? How do plants and animals help each other?
· What are the stages of animal and plant life cycles? How are they alike and different?
· What are rocks and minerals? How are they different? How do we use them?
· What is soil made of? What are the different layers of soil? How is soil formed?
Core Activities:
· Techbook Centers with interactive experiments, vocabulary, reading passages, videos, and other activities
· Butterfly Garden Life Cycle
· Sorting objects by characteristics
· Sydney and Simon: In Water Wonders: Read aloud and project
· Nature Walks and planting
· Reading leveled books during the Literacy block
· Wallaby Tales presentation on animal characteristics
· Grand Falloon assembly on Earth Day themes
Assessments:
· Class participation/Group discussions
· Science Journals/Observation sheets
· Teacher observation
· Experiments
· KWL charts
· Quizzes/Tests/Brief constructed response questions
1 6/27/2014