This lesson is for kindergarteners as they study the needs for survival of plants and animals. The students gather information about an invasive species that changes the soil so that plants have a more difficult time getting nutrients. They learn what they can do to help in preventing the spread of these species.  Pursuits addressed: Identity: This lesson addressed the 'who you desire to be' part of Identity. The scientist that is spotllighted in this video is a non-traditional scientist who is African and studies worms. Students who are of African descent or African American and any student who may feel that the doors to science careers may be closed to them due to the color of their skin, may feel encouraged by this video to nurture the possibility of being a scientist. The fact that this scientist studies something that many students may be interested in may foster new ideas that scientists can be people who spend a lot of time outdoors looking at interesting things. Intelligence: This lesson gives students real-world knowledge and some tools to make a difference in their community with this knowledge. It has immediate implications in the students' lives. 

This lesson incorporates the pursuits from Cultivating Genius (framework by Gholdy Muhammad) to a science lesson that can be taught during the science lesson for kindergarteners on 'wants and needs'. Or what living things need to survive. K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to surviveThe Pursuits addressedIdentity is addressed in this lesson as students are thinking about what they need to learn and how it is similar and different from that of their peers. They are thinking about their individual role in helping the community reach the goal of everyone learning and why everyone learning is important to them. Intelligence is addressed as students are assessing their own skills and knowledge and putting it to an action of making their classroom community a better place. Joy is a pursuit addressed in this lesson as students will feel a strength in their own ability to change the community in a positive way for everyone, respecting the different needs of each student in the classroom and working towards a shared goal.

DQ: How do plants get lightThis is a lesson that can be used with second grade science around the time or before the students conduct the investigation on whether plants need light to survive. The students will learn to work collaboratively and trust their own experiences about plants and engage in a modeling activity. This lesson has been edited to add the Cultivating Genius Framework by Gholdy Muhammad to the lesson. Pursuits addressed : Intellectuality, skills