Science Lesson Plan: Living and Non-Living Things
Grade Level: Year 1
Duration: 30 minutes
Topic: Living and Non-Living Things
Objective
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Identify and describe characteristics of living and non-living things.
- Sort objects into living and non-living categories.
- Understand the basic needs of living things.
Materials Needed
- Pictures of living and non-living things (e.g., plants, animals, rocks, toys)
- Chart paper and markers
- Sorting bins or boxes
- A sample plant and a toy for demonstration
- Worksheet for drawing and labelling living and non-living things
Introduction (5 minutes)
- Engage the Students: Start by asking the students what they think makes something alive. Encourage responses such as movement, growth, and need for food or water.
- Introduce Concepts: Explain that today, we will learn about living and non-living things. Provide definitions:
- Living things grow, need food, reproduce, and respond to their surroundings.
- Non-living things do not grow, do not need food, and do not respond to their environment.
Direct Instruction (10 minutes)
- Show Examples: Use the sample plant and toy to highlight differences.
- Ask questions: "Does this plant need water?" "Can this toy move by itself?"
- Visual Aid: Display a chart with pictures of various living and non-living things. Go through each picture, discussing why they fit into each category.
- Interactive Discussion: Invite students to share other examples of living and non-living things they know.
Activity (10 minutes)
- Sorting Activity:
- Divide students into small groups.
- Provide each group with a mix of pictures of living and non-living things.
- Have them work together to sort the pictures into two categories: living and non-living.
- Group Discussion: After sorting, let groups present their categories and reasoning to the class.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
- Recap: Summarise the key points about living and non-living things.
- Worksheet Activity: Hand out the drawing worksheet where students will draw one living thing and one non-living thing and label them.
- Closure: Encourage students to look around their homes or playgrounds and think about what they see. Ask them to identify living and non-living things during the next outdoor playtime.
Assessment
- Observe student participation during the sorting activity and group discussions.
- Review the completed worksheets to assess understanding of the topic.
Differentiation
- For students who need additional support, offer a more guided sorting activity with fewer pictures.
- For advanced learners, encourage them to think about how living things interact with each other and their environment.
References
- Australian Curriculum: Science - Year 1
- Local resources and pictures of flora and fauna for visual aids
This lesson plan provides a thorough introduction to the essential concepts of living and non-living things, fostering understanding through direct instruction, discussion, and hands-on activity, all tailored to Year 1 students in an Australian context.