What Changes?

Overview

In Lesson 7 of 10 in the Living Things Explorers unit, students investigate a living plant and a nonliving object. They make a prediction, observe carefully, record what they notice through drawings, symbols, or dictated words, and use evidence to classify each item. The teacher models listening, safe observation, and classroom investigation routines.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Make a prediction about whether an object will change.
• Follow a short, multistep observation procedure.
• Record one observation with a drawing, symbol, or dictated words.
• Use evidence to classify an item as living or nonliving.
• Share an observation with a partner or the class.

Success criteria

• I can make a prediction before I observe.
• I can look closely and record one thing I notice.
• I can tell whether something is living or nonliving.
• I can use my observation to explain my thinking.

Curriculum links

• Follow a multistep procedure when carrying out an investigation or technical task.
• Integrate information expressed in words with visual information such as drawings, symbols, and simple comparison charts.
• Compare information gained from direct observation with information discussed or shown by the teacher.
• Participate in collaborative conversations, record information from an investigation, and use pictures or words to communicate ideas.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Carpet hook and routine. Teacher gathers students in a meeting spot, shows a healthy classroom plant and a nonliving object such as a plastic block, and asks, “What might change if we look again later?” Students practice the routine: eyes watching, ears listening, hands in lap, and one voice at a time. Open with the prediction and observation introduction slides.

2. 4–8 min · Predict. Teacher introduces “predict” as a careful guess, models placing a picture or drawing in the “will change” or “will stay the same” column, and records a few student ideas. Students make a prediction for each item using the What Changes? observation sheet, drawing, circling a picture, or telling an adult what to record.

3. 8–12 min · Model the procedure. Teacher displays three steps: look closely, notice one detail, and record it; model observing the plant without touching it and demonstrate a detailed drawing or symbol. Students echo the steps with gestures and practice looking silently at their hands, then sharing one detail with a partner. Refer to the three-step investigation procedure slides.

4. 12–20 min · Guided investigation. Teacher leads students in observing the plant and nonliving object from nearby seats or a safe observation table, pausing for a brief movement break between observations. Prompt with, “What do you see now?” and “Did it change, or did it stay the same?” Students complete one observation for each item on the What Changes? observation sheet through drawing, symbols, copied labels, or dictated words. Students may use a quiet thumbs-up or thumbs-down to show whether they noticed a change.

5. 20–26 min · Evidence discussion and classification. Teacher revisits the predictions, records observations on a simple class chart, and models the sentence frame, “I think the ___ is living/nonliving because I observed ___.” Students turn and talk, then place their hand near the plant or object when sharing an evidence-based classification. Use the class comparison and evidence discussion slides to compare what students predicted with what they observed.

6. 26–30 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher asks students to show one observation and complete the oral prompt, “My evidence is ___, so I think ___ is living/nonliving.” Students hold up their worksheet, share with a partner, and leave the carpet only when dismissed. Finish with the review and exit prompt slide.

Resources

• Classroom plant that can be observed safely
• Clearly nonliving object, such as a plastic block or toy
• the What Changes? investigation deck
• the What Changes? observation sheet
• Pencils, crayons, or thick markers
• Teacher clipboard and class observation chart
• Picture cards or symbols for “change,” “stay the same,” “living,” and “nonliving”
• Optional timer for transitions and movement breaks

Assessment

• During prediction time, check whether each student can communicate a prediction by drawing, pointing, choosing a symbol, speaking, or dictating.
• During the investigation, review whether students follow the observation routine and record at least one relevant detail.
• For the final check, listen for a living/nonliving classification supported by an observation, such as “The plant is living because I saw leaves” or “The block is nonliving because it stayed the same.”

Differentiation

• Support students with a visual prediction chart, pre-drawn recording boxes, picture symbols, sentence frames, and modeled examples. Accept drawings, gestures, pointing, home-language responses, or dictated words as valid communication.
• Provide adult scribing, partner observation, enlarged materials, and extra wait time for students with fine-motor, language, attention, or communication needs. Seat students where they can clearly see the plant and teacher model.
• Build in frequent movement breaks, short directions, repeated gestures, and clear transition signals for students still developing classroom routines. Praise specific behaviors such as “You are looking closely” and “You waited for your turn.”
• Challenge ready learners to record more than one observation, compare the plant and object, or explain why a prediction changed after observing.
• For multilingual learners, preview and act out the words predict, observe, change, living, and nonliving with pictures and gestures. Rehearse the evidence sentence with a partner before whole-group sharing.