Life Cycle
FIRST GRADE
8 week unit

1. Students should begin to distinguish non-living from living objects.
2. Students should begin to recognize that animals are divided into vertebrates and invertebrates.
3. Students should recognize that most large animals on land are vertebrates.
4. Students should realize that we use animals for many of our needs.
5. Students should recognize the different human senses.
6. Students should recognize the nervous system allows us to feel.
7. Students should understand that fluids circulate through our body.
8. Students should recognize that humans require certain nutrients to make our body strong.
9. Students should know that seeds produce a living plant.
10. Students should begin to recognize that plants are many shapes.
11. Students should begin to realize that plants produce substances that humans need.
12. Students should begin to compare land and water environments.
13. Students should be able to recognize that animals live in different environments.
14. Students should recognize the different habitats of birds.

WEEK 1.
PRE: Distinguishing non-living from living objects.
LAB: Discovering requirements of living objects.
POST: Comparing invertebrates and vertebrates.
WEEK 2.
PRE: Comparing animals with backbones.
LAB: Discovering characteristics of vertebrates.
POST: Exploring the uses of animals.

WEEK 3.
PRE: Discovering the human senses.
LAB: Exploring involuntary and voluntary reactions.
POST: Exploring the central nervous system.
WEEK 4.
PRE: Comparing body systems.
LAB: Experimenting with blood circulation.
POST: Distinguishing between healthy and junk food.

WEEK 5.
PRE: Comparing different types of seeds.
LAB: Examining a seed by finding the 3 basic parts.
POST: Distinguishing the parts of a flower.
WEEK 6.
PRE: Growing two kinds of plants from seeds.
LAB: Exploring stems and flowers.
POST: Analyzing if an item is made from a plant.

WEEK 7.
PRE: Comparing land and water environments.
LAB: Distinguishing characteristics of land and water organisms.
POST: Discovering how organisms live.
WEEK 8.
PRE: Discovering how birds eat.
LAB: Comparing different birds.
POST: Exploring habitats of birds.