Science lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 45 minutes
Animal groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians
Animals and habitats
CCSS NGSS.1-LS1-1CCSS NGSS.3-LS4-2England: KS1 Y1 Animals, including humans
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Animal groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians.
- 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: Animal life cycles; Vertebrates and invertebrates; Animal body parts and the jobs they do
Materials: Animal picture cards, Habitat maps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 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.
- Is it living or never alive: grass? (living / never alive) → livingPrompt: Does it grow and need food?
- Which of these has never been alive? (cloud / mushroom / sunflower / goldfish) → cloudPrompt: Living things grow, feed and have young.
- Living things: which statement is true? (Trees are not alive because they do not move around. / Living things grow. / A teddy bear is alive because it looks like a bear. / Clouds are alive because they move and grow.) → Living things grow.Prompt: Living things grow, feed and have young.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a picture of an unusual animal and ask where it might live and how it survives there.
- Share the objective: Animal groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which animal group does a crocodile belong to?
- Step 1: Reptiles have dry, scaly skin and most lay eggs on land.
- Step 2: So the answer is: reptile
- Answer: reptile
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which animal group does a gecko belong to? (amphibian / fish / mammal / reptile) → reptilePrompt: What covers its body: fur, feathers, scales or moist skin?
- Which of these animals is a fish? (owl / seahorse / human / elephant) → seahorsePrompt: Think about what covers each animal's body.
You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which of these animals is a bird? (kangaroo / toad / mouse / chicken) → chickenPrompt: Think about what covers each animal's body.
- A whale lives in the sea, breathes air with lungs and feeds its calf milk. What is it? (a fish / a mammal / an amphibian / a reptile) → a mammalPrompt: Which group feeds its young on milk?
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
- Move on to: Animal life cycles; Vertebrates and invertebrates; Animal body parts and the jobs they do.
- 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-1.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder