Instruction in the standards requires a focus not only on the learner concepts and competencies but the supportive practices employed by the adults in the classroom setting. 

 

Concepts and Competencies

The learner will:

• Observe, describe, and document the growth of living things (e.g. drawing, writing, and/or photos)
• Observe, describe, and document a life cycle of a living organism
• Create and label a diagram to demonstrate the life cycle of a living organism
• Observe the life cycle of an animal (e.g. egg to chicken or duck)
• Observe the life cycle of a plant (e.g. vegetable, fruit)

Supportive Practices

The adult will:

• Provide illustrations to demonstrate stages in life cycles
• Provide opportunities to observe plants or animals over time (e.g. classroom garden)
• Provide opportunities to create and label a life cycle diagram
• Provide inquiry time for exploration (e.g. seed or vegetable/fruit comparison)
• Provide simple tools (e.g. magnifying glass, ruler, scale, microscope) for hands- on exploration
• Ask open ended questions to encourage further investigation
• Facilitate a discussion of  students’ findings from investigations

 

This resource was created by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). 

Contact: RA-PWPAELS@pa.gov 

 

Office of Child Development and Early Learning, OCDEL, Environment and Ecology