Science 1: Associate degree in Education - Lecture 12: Age Appropriate Science Teaching

Lecture # 12 SCIENCE 1 ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN EDUCATION Age Appropriate Science Teaching Grade 1-3Examines characteristics of plants and animals and describes how those characteristics help the organism to live. Identifies physical characteristics that enable an organism to survive (e.g. legs for moving, sharp teeth for eating, a hard shell for protection). Provides examples of diverse structures (e.g. wings, legs, fins) that serve similar functions (e.g. movement). Describes structures of plants and animals that help them meet basic needs in different environments. Describes structures of animals and how those structures help the animal live in a particular environment. Describes structures of plants and how those structures help the plant live in a particular environment. Grade 4-6Compares and contrasts structure and function among different organisms. Observes, investigates, and explains the functions of different parts of plants (e.g. seeds, leaves, flowers). Identifies examples of plant structures that serve the same function but differ in appearance (e.g. seeds, leaves, flowers). Compares and contrasts structures that animals use to obtain food and protect themselves. Identifies examples of structures in animals that serve the same purpose but differ in appearance (e.g. bird beaks). Draws conclusions about the functions of plant and animal structures seen in fossils. Grade 4-6 continue .Builds an awareness of variations and similarities in organisms. Illustrates through simulations how different variations of a structure (e.g. bird beaks) are suited to specific functions (e.g. cracking seeds, digging for worms). Describes that internal and external cues influence the behaviour of organisms. Identifies variations and similarities in the behaviour of organisms. Classifies animals according to various organizational schemes and recognizes that the organizing schemes can vary according to purpose. Investigates adaptations of structures that carry out essential functions. Provides examples of adaptations in structures that carry out essential life functions after studying various organisms and ecosystems (e.g. radulae in snails, gills in fish, cilia in rotifers). Grade 7-8Explains how adaptive characteristics of a species affect their chance for survival or extinction. Assesses through observations and investigations the reproductive advantage of different trait variations in various environments. Provides examples of situations in which an environment changed, the adaptive characteristics of a species were insufficient, and the species became extinct. Investigates and describes conditions that can result in extinction. Observes fossil records and examines them for evidence of adaptation, environmental change, and extinction. Differentiates between inherited physical traits and those that are not inherited in animals or plants. Discusses that when plants/animals reproduce, both biological parents pass on information that determines characteristics of the offspring. Lists physical characteristics of animals that are caused by interaction with the environment and those that are inherited. Explains that learned behaviors are not passed on to the next generation.