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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes

Alive, once alive, or never alive?

Animals and habitats

CCSS NGSS.K-LS1-1England: KS1 Y2 Living things and their habitats

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Alive, once alive, or never alive?.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Living and non-living things

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Animal picture cards, Habitat maps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Living and non-living things). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is it living or never alive: goldfish? (living / never alive) → livingPrompt: Does it grow and need food?
  2. Which of these is living? (rock / robot / toy car / oak tree) → oak treePrompt: Living things grow, feed and have young.
  3. Living things: which statement is true? (Trees are not alive because they do not move around. / Clouds are alive because they move and grow. / A teddy bear is alive because it looks like a bear. / Living things grow.) → Living things grow.Prompt: Living things grow, feed and have young.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a picture of an unusual animal and ask where it might live and how it survives there.
  • Share the objective: Alive, once alive, or never alive?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is this alive now, once alive, or never alive: a mushroom in the woods?
  • Step 1: Living things grow, need food and water, and can reproduce.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: alive now
  • Answer: alive now
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is this alive now, once alive, or never alive: a glass marble? (alive now / once alive (dead) / never alive) → never alivePrompt: Did it ever grow, feed or come from a plant or animal?
  2. Fire moves, grows and needs air. Why is it NOT alive? (Because it is hot. / It does not feed, grow from cells or have young. / Because it is small. / Because it is orange.) → It does not feed, grow from cells or have young.Prompt: Living things do ALL of the life processes, not just some.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. A wooden chair is made from a tree. Which group does the chair belong to? (alive now / once alive / never alive) → once alivePrompt: Was the wood ever part of a living thing?
  2. Is this alive now, once alive, or never alive: water? (alive now / once alive (dead) / never alive) → never alivePrompt: Did it ever grow, feed or come from a plant or animal?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Living and non-living things.
  • Use concrete materials: animal picture cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Alive, once alive, or never alive?

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Is this alive now, once alive, or never alive: a dandelion?

    • A. alive now
    • B. once alive (dead)
    • C. never alive

  2. Question 2

    True or false? A mushroom is a living thing.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    A wooden chair is made from a tree. Which group does the chair belong to?

    • A. never alive
    • B. alive now
    • C. once alive

  4. Question 4

    Is this alive now, once alive, or never alive: a feather on the ground?

    • A. alive now
    • B. once alive (dead)
    • C. never alive

  5. Question 5

    True or false? A rock was never alive.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    A seed in a packet does not seem to do anything. Is it alive?

    • A. Only on Sundays.
    • B. Yes, it is alive but resting until it gets water and warmth.
    • C. No, it is a stone.
    • D. No, it was never alive.

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Answer key: Alive, once alive, or never alive?

  1. 1. A. alive now

  2. 2. A. True

  3. 3. C. once alive

  4. 4. B. once alive (dead)

  5. 5. A. True

  6. 6. B. Yes, it is alive but resting until it gets water and warmth.