Jane R. Hosen
My unit will introduce students to an overview of science topics using the elements as a common theme. This unit aims to reinforce the idea that while science is rapidly being added to and changed, certain methods and practices are constant. It also aims to show students that we are part of nature and have needs in common with all other living things. This unit is connected to many of Connecticut's science standards for second-graders; it addresses soil makeup and classification, life cycles, and food groups and nutrition. There are sections on astronomy, geology, and biology (both botany and zoology). Subtopics such as the skeleton, nutrition, and evolution are included. The unit begins with a brief introduction to the elements. Students will become familiar with the most commonly found elements in our atmosphere and earth and with those in our bodies. Students will learn about planets and the elements of which they are made. The unit will then delve into geology; students will learn about the three different kinds of rocks and the minerals of which they are made. Students will then learn about different types of soil.
(Developed for Science, grade 2; recommended for Science, grade 2)
