Exploring Living Things

Grade Level

Grade 3 (ages 8-9)

Duration

25 minutes

Alberta Science Curriculum Connections

Topic: Biodiversity and Ecosystems
Specific Learning Outcomes:

• Describe the characteristics and basic needs of plants and animals (Grade 3, Science 3-3)
• Identify and classify local plants and animals according to observable features (Science 3-4)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the interdependence of living things and the environment (Science 3-6)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify the basic needs of living things (plants and animals).
• Classify examples of local plants and animals based on observable characteristics.
• Understand how living things depend on their environment and on each other to survive.

Materials

• Picture cards of local plants and animals (with clear images)
• Large poster board or whiteboard
• Sticky notes or index cards
• Magnifying glasses (optional)
• "Living Things Checklist" worksheet (basic needs and characteristics)
• Plastic bins or trays (optional for tactile material)

Lesson Outline

1. Engage (5 minutes)

• Begin with a quick interactive question: “What do all living things need to live?” Write student responses on the whiteboard.
• Show picture cards of a variety of local plants (e.g., spruce tree, dandelion) and animals (e.g., squirrel, robin). Ask the students to name each and discuss something interesting they know about it.
• Pose a thought-provoking question to the class: “How do you think these plants and animals get their food and water?”

2. Explore (10 minutes)

• Introduce the Living Things Checklist worksheet with columns for “Needs,” “Characteristics,” and “Examples.”
• In pairs, students use the picture cards to sort plants and animals based on whether they have roots, leaves, fur, feathers, or legs, recording what they observe. Provide magnifying glasses to inspect details (optional for tactile engagement).
• Guide students to identify basic needs like sunlight, water, food, and air for plants and animals. Have them note these in the worksheet.

3. Explain (5 minutes)

• Discuss as a class how all living things depend on their environment and on each other. For example, animals eat plants, some animals eat other animals, and plants need animals for seed dispersal.
• Use a simple ecosystem diagram on the poster board to show these relationships (plant → herbivore → carnivore).
• Emphasize the importance of everything working together—if one part is missing, others suffer.

4. Elaborate (3 minutes)

• Invite students to think about their own backyard or neighbourhood: What plants and animals live there? How do they depend on one another?
• Have students share one example aloud or write it on a sticky note and add it to the ecosystem diagram as a “real-life connection.”

5. Evaluate (2 minutes)

• Quick exit quiz: Ask students verbally two questions:
  1. What are two basic needs of plants and animals?
  2. Why is it important for living things to depend on one another?
• Collect completed Living Things Checklist worksheets to review their understanding in the next class.

Differentiation & Extensions

• For diverse learners: Use visual aids and provide one-on-one support during sorting.
• Extension: For Grade 4/5 students, integrate a simple food chain activity with arrows showing energy flow.
• Outdoor option: Conduct a 10-minute nature walk to observe and record living things in the schoolyard or nearby park.

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Teacher Reflection

• Did students successfully identify and classify living things?
• Were students able to explain why living things depend on their environment?
• What strategies worked well to engage students with diverse learning styles?

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This lesson embeds core Alberta curriculum objectives fostering observational skills, scientific classification, and ecological awareness—critical foundations in early grade science education. Its interactive, multi-sensory approach aims to inspire curiosity about the natural world right outside the classroom door.