Spring Phenology
Unit Title Spring Phenology |
| Grade Level 5K |
| WMELS Standards Addressed: V.C.EL.1, V.C.EL.2,V.C.EL.3V.C.EL.4 |
| ELS Standards Addressed: Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability: ELS.C1.B.e, ELS.C1.C.e, ELS.EX2.B.e, ELS.EX3.B.e, ELS.EX4.A.e, ELS.EX5.B.e |
Checklist for Quality
Yes/ No | Criteria |
Yes | Does the unit: Engage students physically in exploring, investigating, and manipulating elements in their environment? |
Yes | Does the unit: Involve students in asking questions, probing for answers, conducting investigations, collecting and analyzing data? |
Yes | Does the unit: Address questions that are relevant to the child? |
Yes | Does the unit: Encourage children to engage in science process skills such as predicting, observing, classifying, hypothesizing, experimenting, and communicating? |
Yes | Does the unit: Invite students to create, test, and revise theories? |
Yes | Does the unit: Provide opportunities for students to share their observations and ideas with peers? |
The preceding checklist is provided to assist with reflecting on whether the unit lessons support the development of scientific thinking in young children.
References
Selly, Patty Born. Teaching STEM Outdoors: Activities for Young Children. Redleaf Press, 2017.
Wilson, R. “Promoting the Development of Scientific Thinking.” EarlychildhoodNEWS, www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleId=409%20. Accessed 18 Oct. 2019.
Wisconsin. Early Learning Standards Steering Committee. Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards: with Introduction. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction, 2017.
Lesson 1: Late winter (end of March)
Learning Targets (As a result of this experience outdoors, the student will know and be able to do): I can notice and describe changes in the natural environment. | ||||
Success Measures (The student will know they are successful if they can): Students will verbally describe differences and similarities in the woods across the seasons of fall and winter. | ||||
Essential Question: What changes do you notice in your natural environment between the seasons of fall and winter? | ||||
Big Idea (I want my students to understand that…): Nature both changes and stays the same across the seasons. Weather is one factor that brings about these changes. | ||||
Materials Needed: Google presentation, clipboards with paper and pencil, enough for each student. Set up ahead of time: Prepare google presentation to house the classes ongoing unit observations including recordings of our nature observations, weather, dates, photos, etc. Prepare slides of fall woods photographs for projection. Alternatively (or in addition), retrieve students’ drawings and/or written documentation of their noticings of the woods and trees during the fall. Divide students into small groups. Students will remain with the same small group and teacher for the unit. Identify students partners for turn-and-talks and pair-shares. Students will have the same partner for the entire unit. Children are prepared and will bring outdoors: Binoculars, clipboards with pencils, dress for the weather. | ||||
Connect | ||||
Circle-Up/Opening | Teacher | Invite students to make observations of the tree/woods illustrations and photos from the fall. Refer to their written recordings of observations to remind them of what the woods looked like in early fall before the leaves fell. Preview outdoor experience: Tell students that they will be walking through the woods today noticing what about the woods is the same as the fall and what is different. Explain that outside, each of them will be recording what they observe of the woods using a pencil and a piece of paper on a clipboard. | ||
Explore | ||||
Inquiry What inquiry will students be involved in to develop skills/understanding of the learning target? | All | Divide into small groups and walk to the woods. Each small group establishes a sit spot- a place in the woods the group will return to several times during the unit for observation. At the group's sit spot, direct students to look closely at the trees. Ask them what they notice that is the same as the fall photos and what is different. Explain that they will each be recording what they notice. Model selecting a view to document (could try holding up a frame with your hands to look through.) Tell them they can use images, numbers and words to describe what they notice about the woods. Think out loud about what you will include. Demonstrate recording on the paper. Tell them to include a tree in their picture as well as some details of what is around their tree. Allow time to draw and record observations. On the walk back, stop a couple of times and guide students to use their senses (their “science toolkit” from the Amplify curriculum) of hearing, touch, and smell to make more observations about the woods in late winter. | Formative Assessment Student drawings of the woods- looking for no leaves on trees, few plants growing on the forest floor, absence of insects, etc. Student behavior on walk- looking for students using different senses to make observations | |
Engage | ||||
Reflection/Synthesis | All | Back inside the classroom, direct students to sit with their partner and turn-and-talk to share their picture with their partners. With their partners, students should discuss what they noticed was the same and what was different between what they noticed/ drew of the woods today and the photograph/ pictures/ written observations from the fall. As a whole group, invite pairs to share the similarities and differences. Record on google presentation. Invite students to share what they noticed using their other senses (their “science toolkit”). Ask what they noticed about how the woods smelled? How it felt outside? What they heard? Record observations on google presentation. Note: Remember to record the date and weather (temperature, precipitation, wind, cloud cover). Include a description of what students wore outside. | Formative Assessment: Student discussions- looking for students identifying the differences and similarities between the fall and winter scenes. | |
Review and Closure | Review the learning target- I can observe and describe changes in the natural environment from fall to winter. | |||
Lesson 2: Late winter/ very early spring (end of March/ early April)
Learning Targets (As a result of this experience outdoors, the student will know and be able to do): I can use my senses to notice changes in nature. I can use my prior knowledge and experiences to predict how the plants and animals in the woods will change as the season changes from winter to spring. | ||||
Success Measures (The student will know they are successful if they can): Students will describe the woods using multiple senses. Students will draw upon their prior knowledge and experience to predict what changes they will see, feel, hear and smell in the woods as the season changes from winter to spring. | ||||
Essential Question: What do you notice in your natural environment? | ||||
Big Idea (I want my students to understand that…): Nature both changes and stays the same across the seasons. Weather is one factor that brings about these changes. | ||||
Materials Needed: Google Presentation, book “Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring” by Kenard Pak, shovels (optional) Set up ahead of time: None Children are prepared and will bring outdoors: Dress for the weather, shovels (optional) | ||||
Connect | ||||
Circle-Up/Opening | Teacher | Read “Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring” by Kenard Pak. Invite kids to brainstorm what they might see in the woods as the seasons turn from winter to spring. Ask for their predictions of: What will we see? What will it feel like? Smell like? Sound like? Record all of their predictions on google presentation (this list will be used to make a scavenger hunt.) Write down on a piece of paper some of the things to look for today and bring outside. Preview what they will do outside: Today we will all in the woods in our small groups and use our senses (our “science toolkit”) to search for the things we predicted we would notice. Think out loud, “I wonder if it will be more like winter or more like spring in or woods.” | ||
Explore | ||||
Inquiry What inquiry will students be involved in to develop skills/understanding of the learning target? | All | Divide into small groups and walk to the woods. Use the student’s predictions to guide the investigation of the woods: Do they see, hear, smell, feel the things they predicted they would? In preparation of lesson 3, go to a log and look under/ in it for animals. Dig in the dirt to see if the ground is frozen and also to look for animals in the soil. | Formative Assessment Student ideas for scavenger hunt of what they will find in the woods during spring. Student engagement in searching for items they predicted they would notice. | |
Engage | ||||
Reflection/Synthesis | All | Students turn and talk with their partner about what they observed. After the partner discussions, invite pairs to share with the whole class. Record noticings in goggle presentation. Discuss why or why not the things they predicted were in the woods. Remember to include the date, weather, and a description of what students wore outside. | Formative Assessment Student observations of what they notice outside.
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Review and Closure | Review learning target: Today we used our senses (our “science toolkit”) to notice things in the woods and we predicted how the plants and animals in the woods will change with spring. | |||
Lesson 3
Learning Targets (As a result of this experience outdoors, the student will know and be able to do):I can describe changes in nature as the season changes from winter to spring. | ||||
Success Measures (The student will know they are successful if they can): Students will notice things are changing in the woods including plants, animals and weather. Students express wonder regarding whether these changes are related. | ||||
Essential Question: How have things in the environment changed as the seasons turn from winter to spring? | ||||
Big Idea (I want my students to understand that…): Nature both changes and stays the same across the seasons. Weather is one factor that brings about these changes. | ||||
Materials Needed: Google Presentation, copies of the scavenger hunt, shovels, clipboards/pencils, binoculars. Set up ahead of time: Scavenger hunt created from students’ predictions made in Lesson 2 using both words and images (example) Children are prepared and will bring outdoors: Dress for the weather. Scavenger hunt sheets, pencils. | ||||
Connect | ||||
Circle-Up/Opening | Teacher | Refer back to the data gathered from the last outdoor ed lesson, for example, the temperature, what students wore, what they noticed. Remind them how they predicted that things outside would change. Show them the scavenger hunt of things they predicted they would notice in the woods as the seasons changed from winter to spring and go through the ideas together. Preview outside activity: we are going to use our science toolkit to search for the items on our scavenger hunt while we walk through the woods. Before kids get dressed for outside, ask them what they will wear outside today. Observe with them that what they are going to wear outside today is different from what they wore last time. Ponder, I wonder why that is? Students may make the connection that the temperature is warmer and therefore they wear different clothes outside. Invite students to predict if they will observe none, some of, or all of the items on the scavenger hunt. Ask for their reasoning behind their predictions. | ||
Explore | ||||
Inquiry What inquiry will students be involved in to develop skills/understanding of the learning target? | All | Divide into small groups, each group walking to their sit spot. At the sit spot engage in one minute of silent observation where kids are instructed to use their senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch to notice how this spot has changed since their last time here. After the minute, invite kids to do 3 “dandelion breaths” to ground themselves and get ready for exploration. (Dandelions open and close each day. For dandelion breaths, have kids begin with their hands together in front of their chests. As they breath in, they raise their hands up and open their arms up to the sides turning their heads up towards the sky. Then, when exhaling kids bring their arms back up, the. hands back together and down to their center.) Ask kids what they noticed during their silent observation. Refer to the the scavenger hunt, to see if they notice any of things they predicted they would notice. Explore the woods searching for the scavenger hunt items. | Formative Assessment Student engagement in activities, such as paying attention during the moment of silence, sharing their noticings. | |
Engage | ||||
Reflection/Synthesis | All | Document on google spreadsheet what the kids noticed- some things might be from the scavenger hunt and some not. Add temperature, weather and what students were wearing to the data in the google spreadsheet. Extension: It is likely kids will have heard more birds in the woods. Invite kids to think about the birds visiting the feeders outside the classroom this next week and notice if any different birds are coming to feed. | Formative Assessment Scavenger hunt observations. | |
Review and Closure | Review the learning target-I can describe changes in nature as the season changes from winter to spring. | |||
Lesson 4
Learning Targets (As a result of this experience outdoors, the student will know and be able to do): I can describe how warmer spring temperatures affect plants and animals. | ||||
Success Measures (The student will know they are successful if they can): Students will identify changes in plants, animals and weather and create theories about how these changes are related. | ||||
Essential Question: How and why have things in the environment changed? | ||||
Big Idea (I want my students to understand that…): Nature both changes and stays the same across the seasons. Weather is one factor that brings about these changes. | ||||
Materials Needed: “A Log’s Life” by Wendy Pfeffer, Google Presentation Set up ahead of time: Possibly identify some logs to investigate with students. Transfer data from slides from each individual lesson to the table on slide 13 for analyzing trends. Children are prepared and will bring outdoors: Dress for the weather. Scavenger hunt sheets and pencils. | ||||
Connect | ||||
Circle-Up/Opening | Teacher | Read the book “A Log’s Life” by Wendy Pfeffer. Invite kids to share their reflections on the book. Preview outside activity: While we are outside, we will stop to look at a log and see if there are different animals or plants growing on the log from when we looked a few lessons ago. | ||
Explore | ||||
Inquiry What inquiry will students be involved in to develop skills/understanding of the learning target? | All | Divide into groups to walk in the woods. Using the scavenger hunt to look for what the students did/ did not notice last time. What is the same? What is different? Take the group to a log lying on the ground. Turn over to examine what is living under and in the log. | Formative Assessment Students completing scavenger hunt, participating in investigation of life in and under a log. | |
Engage | ||||
Reflection/Synthesis | All | Record findings in google spreadsheet while comparing similarities and differences between what was observed last time and this time. Invite students to speculate why they observed different things this time, new plants, animals, insects. Together, look at all the information they have gathered regarding weather, animals, and plants and look for patterns. Instruct students to turn and talk with their partner to discuss what they think the relationship is between there being more plants with leaves and flowers in the woods, more insects and birds, and warmer temperatures. (Be ready in case kids notice that days are longer too! Possibly integrate day length in the future) | Formative Assessment Student observations, participation in the scavenger hunt, and their theories about why things are changing. | |
Review and Closure | Review the learning target-I can describe how warmer spring temperatures affect plants and animals. | |||
Lesson 5
Learning Targets (As a result of this experience outdoors, the student will know and be able to do): I can record my observations of the woods in spring. I can explain how and why nature changes as the season changes from winter to spring. | ||||
Success Measures (The student will know they are successful if they can): Students will document in images, words, and numbers changes they observe in nature as the seasons turn from winter to spring. | ||||
Essential Question: How and why are things changing in the environment? | ||||
Big Idea (I want my students to understand that…): Nature both changes and stays the same across the seasons. Weather is one factor that brings about these changes. | ||||
Materials Needed: “Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring” by Kenard Pak, Clipboard, paper and pencils, enough for each student, Google Presentation Set up ahead of time: None Children are prepared and will bring outdoors: Clipboards with paper and pencil. Dress for the weather. | ||||
Connect | ||||
Circle-Up/Opening | Teacher | Re-read “Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring” by Kenard Pak.k. Ask students, if we were in this book, what page would we be on? Is it more like winter in the woods or more like spring? What evidence leads you to think that? What have you observed that is the same as what the author describes in the book? Have you noticed any spring changes that the author didn’t mention in the book? | ||
Explore | ||||
Inquiry What inquiry will students be involved in to develop skills/understanding of the learning target? | All | Divide into small groups and return to the group’s sit spot. Tell students to make a record of a tree on their paper (now that the leaves are out). Encourage them to look closely at the tree, especially the twigs, buds and leaves. Suggest they use pictures, numbers and words to record their observations. Invite them to add details of what they notice around the tree. Bring the whole class together for a “Spring Celebration” involving a game of spring charades and a snack. For spring charades the teachers take turns acting out the items from the scavenger hunt or other things observed during the unit and the kids guess what they are, while eating an allergy free snack. | Formative Assessment Students ability to correctly guess spring noticings | |
Engage | ||||
Reflection/Synthesis | All | Pass out student drawings from Lesson 1. In partners, share drawings and discuss what is the same and what is different between their drawings of winter and spring. Discuss with their partner why things in nature have changed. | Formative Assessment Students identify several things that are different between winter pictures and spring pictures. Students explain that weather contributes to those changes. | |
Review and Closure | Review the learning target-I can record my observations of the woods in spring. I can explain how and why nature changes as the season changes from winter to spring. | |||
UNIT SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Student drawings and recordings identify several differences between the woods in winter and spring.