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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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: oak tree? (living / never alive) → livingPrompt: Does it grow and need food?
  2. Which of these has never been alive? (sunflower / metal spoon / oak tree / child) → metal spoonPrompt: Living things grow, feed and have young.
  3. Living things: which statement is true? (Living things grow. / A teddy bear is alive because it looks like a bear. / Trees are not alive because they do not move around. / Clouds are alive because they move and grow.) → Living things grow.Prompt: Living things grow, feed and have young.

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 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: an empty snail shell? (alive now / once alive (dead) / never alive) → once alive (dead)Prompt: Did it ever grow, feed or come from a plant or animal?
  2. 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?

You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this alive now, once alive, or never alive: a fallen dry leaf? (alive now / once alive (dead) / never alive) → once alive (dead)Prompt: Did it ever grow, feed or come from a plant or animal?
  2. True or false? Anything that moves is alive. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Think: did it ever grow, feed and reproduce?

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/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Fire moves, grows and needs air. Why is it NOT alive?

    • A. Because it is hot.
    • B. Because it is small.
    • C. It does not feed, grow from cells or have young.
    • D. Because it is orange.

  2. Question 2

    True or false? A mushroom is a living thing.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    Is this alive now, once alive, or never alive: a growing oak tree?

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

  4. Question 4

    Which of these was NEVER alive?

    • A. a plastic toy
    • B. a woolly hat
    • C. a paper bag
    • D. a leather shoe

  5. Question 5

    True or false? Anything that moves is alive.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

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

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

  7. Question 7

    True or false? Paper was once alive because it is made from trees.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  8. Question 8

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

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

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

  1. 1. C. It does not feed, grow from cells or have young.

  2. 2. A. True

  3. 3. A. alive now

  4. 4. A. a plastic toy

  5. 5. B. False

  6. 6. A. alive now

  7. 7. A. True

  8. 8. A. alive now