Georgia Curriculum Standard -
Science Standards that apply to learning about animals
PK - 5

Select one or part of one that you will be emphasizing  as you develop your lesson
The Topic Page will include 2 sections
Page 1 introduces the student to knowledge about the animal with a lesson that involves exploring web sites and learning  by exploring information.  It also includes a HANDS ON Activity that students will do to reinforce their knowledge.
Page 2 includes a story or a book that is about the animal and how it is depicted in the literature.  The animal does not have to be the central figure in the story.  This lesson includes questions, and gaining knowledge from the actual story.  The web site includes questions about the story and a review of the book.  This lesson also involves hands on activitty.


Bright from the Start Curriculum  PK

SD 2 Children will acquire scientific knowledge related to life

science

Performance Indicators

SD 2 a Observes, explores, and describes a wide variety of animals and plants

•Uses picture cards and matches animals and their offspring

•Describes the different types of leaves on the trees on the playground

•Sorts animals according to skin coverings (feathers, fur, and scales)

SD 2 b

Recognizes there are basic requirements for all common lifeforms

•Takes care of familiar plants and animals in the classroom

SD 2 c

Observes, explores, and describes a variety of living and non-living objects

•Makes collections of non-living objects such as rocks and buttons

SD 2 d Understands that plants and animals have varying life cycles

•Observes life cycle of insects or amphibians

•Reads books about life cycles such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar

SD 2 e Participates in activities related to preserving the environment

•Places scrap paper in the classroom recycling bin

•Assists in planting a tree

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

GEORGIA CURRICULUM STANDARDS  K-5

SKCS6 Students will understand the important features of the process of scientific inquiry.

Students will apply the following to inquiry learning practices:
a.   In doing science, it is often helpful to work with a team and to share findings with others.
b.   Tools such as rulers, magnifiers, and balance scales often give more information about things than can be obtained by just observing things without help.
c.   Much can be learned about plants and animals by observing them closely, but care must be taken to know the needs of living things and how to provide for them (classroom pets).

S1CS7 Students will understand important features of the process of scientific inquiry.
Students will apply the following to inquiry learning practices:

a. Scientists use a common language with precise definitions of terms to make it easier to communicate their observations to each other.
b. In doing science, it is often helpful to work as a team. All team members should reach individual conclusions and share their understandings with other members of the team in order to develop a consensus.
c. Tools such as thermometers, rulers and balances often give more information about things than can be obtained by just observing things without help.
d. Much can be learned about plants and animals by observing them closely, but care must be taken to know the needs of living things and how to provide for them. Advantage can be taken of classroom pets.

S2L1 Students will investigate the life cycles of different living organisms.
Teacher note: Instruct students not to touch wild plants and animals when they observe them. Always wash hands after handling any plants or animals. Caution students not to eat wild plants they find.
a. Determine the sequence of the life cycle of common animals in your area: a mammal such as a cat or dog or classroom pet, a bird such as a chicken, an amphibian such as a frog, and an insect such as a butterfly.
b. Relate seasonal changes to observations of how a tree changes throughout a school year.
c. Investigate the life cycle of a plant by growing a plant from a seed and by recording changes over a period of time.
d. Identify fungi (mushrooms) as living organisms.

S3L1 Students will investigate the habitats of different organisms and the dependence of organisms on their habitat.
a. Differentiate between habitats of Georgia (mountains, marsh/swamp, coast, Piedmont, Atlantic Ocean) and the organisms that live there.
b. Identify features of green plants that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.
c. Identify features of animals that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.
d. Explain what will happen to an organism if the habitat is changed.

S4L1 Students will describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem.
a. Identify the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a community.
b. Demonstrate the flow of energy through a food web/food chain beginning with sunlight and including producers, consumers, and decomposers.
c. Predict how changes in the environment would affect a community (ecosystem) of organisms.
d. Predict effects on a population if some of the plants or animals in the community are scarce or if there are too many.

S5L3 Students will diagram and label parts of various cells (plant, animal, single-celled, multi-celled).
a. Use magnifiers such as microscopes or hand lenses to observe cells and their structure.
b. Identify parts of a plant cell (membrane, wall, cytoplasm, nucleus, chloroplasts) and of an animal cell (membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus) and determine the function of the parts.
c. Explain how cells in multi-celled organisms are similar and different in structure and function to single-celled organisms.