Science
Unit 2b:
Plants and Animals in the Local Environment
Recognise that different plants and animals live in the local environment and name some of them; know that flowering plants produce seeds which grow into new plants; describe what they observe as new plants grow; record observations in tables, using these to draw conclusions.
Teaching Activities
Animals reproduce and change as they grow older.
Use "The Swan Story" big book to illustrate to children that animals in their local environment produce young which grow into adults. Use the pictures from the site to sequence the life cycle of a swan and ask the children to describe the changes they can see.
Direct2U Lesson Plan
Children use a web site as a stimulus for a sensory trail around the school observing seasonal changes. They write up observations using a writing frame and e-mail these to the site. A writing frame is provided.
Direct2U
Direct2U Lesson Plan (Birdwatch)
Children use an activity from the RSPB website to learn about garden birds. A data collection sheet on My Favourite Bird is provided W54 Science Y2X.
Direct2U
Photographs of Plants - Sebastian Swan website
Photographs of Animals - Sebastian Swan website
Use data-logging equipment to take a SNAPSHOT record of the light and temperature of the place in which Woodlice live. Compare these data with a SNAPSHOT of at least one other habitat. Guide to using the Logit Explorer
Use the Intel Microscope to examine seeds, frog spawn and/or insects .
A case study on using the intel microscope in a cross curricular activity on seeds
Word Processing
Produce an information sheet using IT about habitats and the animals and plants that are found there.
Children take digital photographs of habits around the school.
Create a Branching Database of Minibeasts
Word Processing - Writing Instructions
Year 2 ICT (Communication) - To use ICT appropriately to communicate ideas through text
Explain to the class that they will be building on their experience of recording the bean-growing activity in science and writing instructions in English. Remind them of the difference between writing fact and fiction.
Ask the children to write the instructions for planting a bean. Discuss what vocabulary is needed and prepare either a word bank, eg bean, jar, blotting paper, cotton wool, water, or a printed list for those children who need it. It may be helpful to produce the instructions in the wrong order and ask the children to sequence them using an interactive whiteboard or data projector. Encourage them to re-read their work on screen to make sure it makes sense. Remind children to use the ‘enter/return’ and ‘backspace’ keys if they make mistakes.
When children have finished, ask them to read their instructions out loud to a partner. Are they in the right order? Have they left anything out? As a whole-class activity, children could read the instructions together and comment on similarities and differences between their versions.
Learning Outcomes
- develop their text on screen
- use appropriate techniques to ensure that their writing is clear, well presented and error-free
ARKive - Images of Life on Earth
The site contains films and images of the world's bio diversity. Think of an organism, then use the search facility to find facts, movies and images about it. When you have found your animal look on the right hand side of the page for the video. The materials could be used for pupil research, including habitat studies and learning how to use databases.
Although the materials are not copyright-free teachers may use them for 'internal educational use' - for example, in lesson plans, presentations, worksheets and projects.
www.arkive.org
Websites
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| Easy Information on Animals Northumberland ICT | Virtual visits to habitats BBC CBeebies website. |
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| IWB Activity Minibeasts www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk |
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