Grades 1-2 Lesson Plans

The strong knowledge and skill base begun in Preschool and Kindergarten is extended and reinforced. At the 1st and 2nd grade level more emphasis is placed on critical engagement with a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts and web based resources. In addition, making graphs and charts and using science lab sheets to record information takes on new importance as small groups use this information to come to conclusions they share with the entire class. Content continually reinforces a variety of language and literacy related activities. 

 

Teachers find that the LiteraSci curriculum is easy to use because it meets children’s preferred learning style by being based on direct, hands-on participation in activities.
Each day’s science lesson is structured according to a simple cycle of scientific reasoning:

• Reflect and ask
• Plan and predict
• Act and observe
• Report and reflect

This cycle provides a structure that supports teachers as they help children learn to ask questions and discuss their experiences. The daily science lesson is supported by children’s literature that is read aloud, by mathematics activities that are built around the science topic, by props included in the various learning centers, and by planned activities for art and outdoor play. In this way, all areas of content and learning are integrated into the science activities on a daily basis.

Each module at these grade levels includes three lessons per week, each of which takes about 45-60 minutes of classroom time. Lessons include large groups discussion time around a question, a read-aloud and discussion, and then small group, pair or individual hands-on exploration of the topic for the day. The lesson concludes with a large group discussion to summarize what the children have learned that day.

Within each module, each lesson builds on the content of previous lessons and provides a foundation for subsequent lessons.
 

The hallmark of this approach is the investigation of a smaller set of core ideas and practices in science over an extended period of time.

Instructional sequences weave together the four strands of scientific inquiry: knowing, using and interpreting scientific information (facts); generation of evidence and explanations; understanding where scientific knowledge comes from; and participating in scientific practices as a community of learners. Children develop the ability to

• obtain and reason with evidence
• develop and evaluate explanations
• develop and evaluate standards of evidence
• represent and communicate scientific data and ideas
• engage in discussion

“I think the children learned quite a bit as they were very engaged with the lessons. They enjoyed it! They were engaged and excited!” - Second grade teacher

“The lesson plans were great! The children were more inquisitive and asked more questions!” - First grade teacher

“I particularly enjoyed the trees and schoolyard environment modules. I love studying nature and there were so many hands-on opportunities!”- Kindergarten teacher

“The children are always excited about science because observation and discovery times are less structured and so it is fun to learn. They want to do it every day?!” - Kindergarten teacher

“I love science because we get to investigate things! I learned to look at things carefully.” - First grade student

“I love science because it is interesting and once my face lit up because it was so cool!” - First grade student

“I like science because you do experiments and figure things out!” - Second grade student

“I wish we could spend more time doing science so we can learn a lot of stuff about the world!” - Second grade student

“Scientists (speaking about her fellow students) in our classroom talk to one another so they can combine ideas to make a big idea to help the earth.” - Second grade student

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The LiteraSci curriculum for grades 1-2 is designed to be used during the period of the day designated as science time. However, there are still opportunities to use science as the center of an integrated curriculum. Each grade 1-2 science module suggests activities for language arts, math, artistic expressions, large motor activities, and field trips. An extensive book list is included. Science books can be used for guided reading lessons and science topics can be a part of guided writing time. In these ways, the teacher can capitalize on the children’s interests in the science investigations to extend learning in many different directions.

Field trips: pumpkin patch, farm market, apple farm