Animals 2x2 Kindergarten Unit A Focus On Snails By: Dawn Gardner Technology Coach

Unit Summary Your child will participate in learning activities that are standards based, as well as valuable. These projects will allow students to participate in hands-on experiments and will give them experience to work with others while learning with the Foss Science Kits. Each of these Kits are designed age appropriate for Kindergarten Students. This 9 weeks, students will study the Animals 2x2 unit.

Curriculum Framing Questions Essential Question: How can Science help me understand the world around me? Unit Question: How can Animals and People live together successfully? Content Questions: How are Animals different from People? Do they need different care than we do? How can the behavior of an Animal protect them from getting hurt?

Sample Student Project Students observe the structures and behaviors of Land and Water snails. They will prepare to race the snails. Before racing, students will make predictions as to what snails will be fastest. (Water snails are compared to land snails). Then Students will track their snail to other snails in the classroom to see which type of snails are faster. We will chart the results as a class on the Smart Board.

Gaging Student Needs with KWL Purpose of KWL Assessment- To gather what students already know about snails, what they want to learn about snails and (after the unit is finished) what they have learned about snails. What do I already know about Snails? (Before Unit) What do I want to know about Snails? (Before Unit and Possibly During Unit) What did I learn about Snails? (After Unit)

This Unit Will Help Students: Develop a curiosity and interest in the living world around them. Observe and describe the structures of a variety of common animals—such as snails Compare structures and behaviors of different pairs of animals. Observe interactions of animals with their surroundings. Communicate observations and comparisons. Acquire the vocabulary associated with the structure and behavior of animals. Handle animals carefully, and participate in the care and feeding of classroom animals.

What Goals Do I Want My Students To Achieve? I want my students to become more independent in completing the student-based project. The snail race will allow them to make predictions while using their Science Journals and Calculate results using the Smart Board. Digital Pictures are taken during the race to see real life change (time stamps of progress)

Request for Suggestions/Feedback How can we gather snails locally if we have casualties? How can the snail race be extended in other projects/activities?