Early Stage 1

STe-1WS-S

Explores characteristics, needs and uses of living things.

STe-4MW-ST

Identifies that objects are made of materials that have observable properties.

STe-2DP-T

Develops solutions to an identified need.

What do we notice about living things?

How can living things be used to meet our needs?

How do the properties of materials affect their use?

Students will:

• join a group reading of Martin Jenkin’s ‘Bird Builds a Nest’.
• view a range of bird nests noting how nests are made and the materials used by birds.
• work in small groups to construct their own bird nest.
• test their nest using design criteria.

STE-SCI-01

Identifies and describes characteristics of living things, properties of materials, and movement.

Living things have characteristics that help them survive in their environment.

• Describe how living things get air, water and energy to survive in their environment.

• Recognise that plants produce their own food, and animals need to find their food.

Students will:

• listen to a shared reading of 'Where's My Teddy?' by Jez Alborough.
• learn about the PAWS (plants, air, water, shelter) animals need to survive in their environment.
• take their teddies on a schoolyard scavenger hunt to learn about the survival needs of the different kinds of animals that live in their backyards/school.
• explore various plants that humans eat for survival.
• enjoy a recess/lunch picnic in the playground with their teddies.

STE-SCI-01

Identifies and describes characteristics of living things, properties of materials, and movement.

Living things have characteristics that help them survive in their environment.

Objects are made of materials that have observable properties.

Living things and objects move in different ways.

Students will do a selection of the following:

• Is it waterproof? - Use water spray bottles to test a variety of materials to see if they shed or absorb water. Group materials based on observations made.
• Keeping dry - Look at the images of different shelters and use materials supplied to make a model shelter. Test their shelter by spraying it with water.
• Carrying water - Look at the images of different kinds of water carriers. Use the materials supplied to make something that will hold water.
• Painting with rock - Look at the samples of different coloured ochre. Use the supplied dry clay to grind the clay into a powder using the grinding stone. Add some water to the powdered clay on the bark and paint several symbols from the posters on a tree.
• Taking flight - Observe the different shapes of boomerangs. Compare the shape of the wooden returning boomerang with the shape of the plastic boomerangs. Try throwing a plastic boomerang.