UNIT PLANNING TEMPLATE

ORILLIA CAMPUS
BACKWARD DESIGN/DOWNWARD DESIGN CROSS CURICULAR PLANNING MODEL
Subjects /Strands: ___Science Understanding Life Systems Needs and Characteristics of Living Things
Grade(s): _1
Dates of possible implementation: ___March 11, 2016

A. BIG IDEA
FOR THIS
UNIT

CULMINATING
TASK
Rich
Performance
Assessment
Task pg. 69
Drake Text

Culminating task due date: __March 11, 2016

What is important for students to know? What are the enduring understandings? What is the
big open question to inform learning and link curricula? (consider starting with big ideas in
Science or Social Studies)
It is important for the students to first recognize what is living and what is non-living. Students
will understand that plants, animals and people are all living things (Science Curriculum Grade
1). They will also understand that living things have basic needs (air, water, food, and shelter)
that are met from the environment (Science Curriculum Grade1).
Teacher will begin (big idea) this unit by asking the students 3 important questions; 1) How do
we know if something is alive? 2) What do living things need? 3) What are some
characteristics of living things?
Complete explanation of what students will do/write/say to demonstrate their understanding of
the big idea. Will it be individual/group work? How will the task be assessed (mode, tool,
strategy)? Is it differentiated? What Achievement Chart Categories will be addressed?
On lesson 1 the teacher will lead an inquiry-based lesson with a brainstorming session drawing
on students prior knowledge. Afterwards, the discussion will lead into what living things need
in order to survive and the students will be shown a u-tube video that deals with the needs of
living things in age appropriate language. The lesson will conclude by the teacher and
students creating an anchor chart that is divided into 4 sections (something that will be readdressed later in the unit). On lesson 2 the students be put into groups of 3-4 and each
student will have a clipboard with a worksheet titled Is it Alive? The teacher will take the

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class for a walk around the school grounds.
On lessons 3 & 4 the teacher will spend time re-visiting the class walk and students will be
asked to post their lists and each share with the class; what they saw and how they know it is
living or non-living. With their newfound knowledge, students will have an opportunity to revisit their anchor chart. On day 5 (the last lesson), the students will take their knowledge and
work on a writing task that involves choosing a living thing and drawing a picture and writing a
few sentences about what makes it a living thing (what characteristics it has).
The teacher will use a rubric to assess the students writing and understanding if the unit
taught.
This unit will have opportunity for hands on learning, oral communication and drawing.
Students that need modifications or accommodations may be exempt from certain areas of
struggle (only drawing instead of writing, pre-selected groups, etc)

B OVERALL
EXPECTATION(
S)

What will students learn? Select expectations from each curriculum document (may use more
than one subject document) that unit will address.
2. Investigate needs and characteristics of plants, animals, including humans

What specific expectations from the curriculum documents (may use more than one subject)
SPECIFIC
EXPECATIONS will be addressed throughout the lessons?
(S)
2.2 investigate and compare the basic needs of humans and other living things, including the

LEARNING
GOAL(S)

need for air, water, food, warmth, and space, using a variety of methods and resources (e.g.,
prior knowledge, personal experience, discussion, books, videos/DVDs, CD-ROMs).
2.3 investigate and compare the physical characteristics of a variety of plants and animals,
including humans (e.g., some plants produce flowers and some do not; most plants have roots;
some animals have two legs, while others have four, all animals have sense organs).
Clearly identify what students are expected to know & able to do in language they can
understand. What is the strategy/task that will provide information for assessment?
What are the questions that the students will be able to answer at the conclusion of the unit of
study?

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Teacher will begin (big idea) this unit by asking the students 3 important questions; 1) How do
we know if something is alive? 2) What do living things need? 3) What are some
characteristics of living things?

C SUCCESS
CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT
TASKS/STRATEGI
ES

ASSESSMENT
TOOLS
What recording
strategies will
teachers use?
POSSIBLE
ASSESSMENT

How will students demonstrate what they will learn? What will successful acquisition of the
learning goals look like and sound like?
How will we know they have learned it? How will they demonstrate their learning?
The students will learn:
That living things need to take in food, water and air in order to survive
That living things reproduce
That living things have characteristics that are similar and characteristics that are
different
Assessment of Learning: What will students say/write/do to demonstrate their learning of
the specific expectations at the end of the unit of study? Does it reflect all or most of the
Achievement Categories? Is it balanced (say, do, perform)? Know, do, be?
Students will learn that:
That living things need to take in food, water and air in order to survive
That living things reproduce
That living things have characteristics that are similar and characteristics that are
different
`
X

Checklist
Rubric
Rating Scale

Anecdotal Comments
Feedback Form Self/Peer AaL/AfL
x

Other (exit slips, class discussions

For / A
Teacher Conference

Observation checklist

Spot Check

Teacher Edit

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STRATEGIES

Exit Card
Interview
Self Assessment Checklist
Performance Checklist
Concept Attainment, Mind Map, Concept Map
Select Response
Peer Edit
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down

Quiz
Question and Answer
Self Assessment Response
Demonstration
Other

Checklist
X
Discussion
Form
3-2-1

D. LESSONS USING LAKEHEAD TEMPLATE & GUIDELINES

Briefly identify the topic, specific teaching/ learning activity, and specific expectation is for each lesson.
Lessons flow together and scaffold student learning. What teaching skills/concepts expectations are
being introduced for completion of culminating task? Outline or sketch out each lesson in the unit
LESSON
Learning activity,
specific expectation,
teaching/learning
strategies
On lesson 1 the
teacher will lead an
inquiry based lesson
by creating an anchor
chart that is divided
into 4 sections
What we think
we know
Yes! We were
right
We dont think
this anymore

WHAT TEACHER
WILL DO

WHAT STUDENT
WILL DO

ASSESSMENT
(say write do)

Teacher will begin

lesson by drawing on
the students prior
knowledge with a
brainstorming
session that will be
student lead. The
teacher will ask the
open question: How
do you know if
something Is alive?

Students will use

their prior knowledge
and experiences to
participate in a
brainstorming
session that asks
How do you know if
something is alive?

Exit Ticket: Each

student must orally
tell the teacher an
example of a living
thing and 3 things it
needs in order to
survive (e.g., my dog
Scout needs dog
food, water and
shelter to survive).

Teacher will show the

students a u-tube
video (Needs of
Living Things/Star
Science)

Students will use

active listening and
watch the u-tube
video shown by the
teacher

RESOURCES

Needs of Living
Things: u-tube
/Star Science

RAN chart

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New learning
wonderings

Specific Expectation:
2.2 investigate
and compare the
basic needs of
humans and other
living things,
including the need
for air, water, food,
warmth, and
space, using a
variety of methods
and resources (e.g.,
prior knowledge,
personal experience,
discussion, books,
videos/DVDs, CDROMs).

Teacher will then ask

students 3 guided
questions: 1) How do
we know if something
is alive? 2) What do
living things need?
3) What are some
characteristics of
living things?
The teacher will then
introduce the anchor
chart. She will get
the students lead this
inquiry based
discussion as she
writes their answers
on a post it notes and
sticks them to the
what we think we
know section of the
chart. This will allow
grade 1 students to
offer knowledge of
what they know but
also ask questions
about what they want
to know about living
things, what they
need to survive and
how do they know it

Students will lead the

discussion by orally
answering the
teachers 3 posed
questions. They will
answer with what
they know and also
what they think they
know. They will
extend that
conversation further
by posing questions
and wonderings
about what they want
to know (how do they
survive? What does
a living thing do?)

The students will

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is living>
This will leave the
student with a hook
to come back to at
the end of `the week.
The teacher will
conclude the lesson
and dismiss the
students by giving
them a question to
answer orally:
Give an example of a
living thing and 3
things it needs in
order to survive.
On lesson 2, as a
minds-on, the
teacher will do a
quick question and
answer review about
what they learned
the day prior and
their wonderings.
The students will
then be put into
groups of 3-4 and
there will elect a
writer for the group.

The teacher will

begin with students
on carpet facing her.
She will engage the
students with a
minds-on question
and answer review
about what they had
learned about living
and non-living things
the day before and
also what they want

answer the teachers

question in order to
be dismissed for the
day (exit ticket).

\
The students will be
seated at the carpet
facing the teacher.
The students will
participate by
answering questions
about what they had
learned the day
before about living
and non-living things.
The students will

Teacher will use an

observation chart to
record what she is
seeing the students
say (in the discussion
both before the
experiment and
after) and what they
do (while they are
conducting the
experiment).

Is it Living
work sheet and
clipboard

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With a clipboard and
a work sheet that
called Is it Living?
The teacher take the
class for a walk
around the school
grounds (reviewing
the safety rules
beforehand) and the
students will have an
opportunity to write
what they see on
their charts. They
will assemble in class
and discuss their
findings and see if
there is anything
they can add/take
away from their
chart.
Specific
Expectations:
2.2 investigate
and compare the
basic needs of
humans and other
living things,
including the need
for air, water, food,
warmth, and
space, using a

to know.
The teacher will
organize the students
into groups of 3 4
and then she will tell
them their task; they
will be instructed to
take their learning
and expand it into
research skills by
investigating the
answer to the 3
questions posed the
day before: 1) How
do we know if
something is alive?
2) What do living
things need? 3)
What are some
characteristics of
living things?
The teacher will
explain the safety
rule about being
outside and then she
will give them each a
clipboard with a
worksheet that they
are individually

follow the teachers

direction and
assemble into their
assigned groups after
listening to the
expectations, safety
rules and timeline
they will have for this
science inquiry
investigation.

Students will conduct

their science
investigation with
their clipboards and
worksheets. They
will work in their
groups to find items
and discuss their
findings.

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variety of methods
and resources (e.g.,
prior knowledge,
personal experience,
discussion, books,
videos/DVDs, CDROMs).
Language Arts
Writing:
Research
1.3 gather
information to
support ideas for
writing in a variety
of ways and/or
from a variety of
sources

responsible for filling

out, but are going to
collaborate with their
group for their
research/findings.

Once the outside

investigation is
complete, the
teacher will call the
students back using a
whistle (students are
familiar with this
method of getting
their attention for
gym and outside
activities).
Once inside, the
teacher will
consolidate their
experiment by
participating in a
sharing circle.
Students will form a
circle on the carpet
and they will discuss

Students will stop

what they are doing
when they here the
whistle blow. They
will meet back at the
front doors of the
school and go inside
ready to assemble on
the carpet to
consolidate.

Students will sit in a

circle on the carpet
and they will engage
in a conversation
about their research
and what they
discovered on the
schoolyard. They will
use their completed
charts as a guide to
support their
statements.
Students will use
their new learning to

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ORILLIA CAMPUS
in an open fashion
what they discovered
about living things
they found in the
schoolyard. This will
lead into a discussion
and re-addressing
the anchor chart to
see if there were
changes or new
wonderings. They
may move things or
add according to new
learning.

add or move earlier

statements on their
anchor chart.

Students will hand in

work sheets.

The teacher will

collect the sheets so
that she can open
the following days
lesson using them as
a guide.

On lessons 3 the
teacher will spend

Teacher will begin the

lesson by handing

Students will assist is

co-creating the What

The teacher will

check for

Living and
Non-Living by

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ORILLIA CAMPUS
time re-visiting the
class walk and
students will be
asked to post their
lists and each share
with the class, what
they saw and how
they know it is living
or non-living. The
teacher will read a
book that address the
7 characteristics of
living things; 1)
movement, 2)
growth, 3) ability to
take in energy (food),
4) ability to make
waste, 5) ability to
reproduce, 6) ability
to breathe and 7) the
ability to react to
things.
2.3 investigate
and compare the
physical
characteristics of a
variety of plants
and animals,
including humans
(e.g., some plants

back the students

science inquiry work
sheets. She will have
a wall section of the
classroom cleared
designed for the
students to post their
work (both the
teacher and EA will
assist in this task).
The teacher will ask
the student to
reconvene on the
carpet. The teacher
will further the
students learning by
asking; what are
some of the
characteristics of
living things? The
teacher is looking for
deeper thinking.
This question will
allow students to be
thinking as the
teacher reads them
the text Living and

we know about Living

Things wall. The
students will put up
their work with the
assistance of the
teacher and EA.

The students will

come back to the
carpet and engage in
a conversation with
the teacher by
answering the
question: What are
some of the
characteristics of
living things? This
time, however, they
will have newfound
knowledge now that
they have conducted
an investigation.
Their answers may
be different than they
were when they were

understanding by
using either a
thumbs up or thumbs
down at the end of
the lesson.

Carol K.
Lindeen

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produce flowers and
some do not; most
plants have roots;
some animals have
two legs, while
others have four, all
animals have sense
organs

Non-Living by Carol
K. Lindeen.

asked on day 1 of
this unit.

When the text has

been read, the
teacher will readdress the question
posed at the
beginning, allowing
for students to
answer with a
knowledge base.

Students will show

active listening as
the teacher reads the
text looking for even
more clues and ideas
to the teachers
question.

To end the lesson the

teacher will go over
some highlights in
the book (addressing
the 7 features of
living things) and
check for
understanding with a
thumbs up/thumbs
down.

Students will show

that they understand
what the text was
about by giving the
teacher either a
thumbs up or a
thumbs down,

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On class 4 the
teacher will re-read
the text.
With their new found
knowledge the
teacher will once
again lead an inquiry
based conversation
using the anchor
chart. Can the
students move some
of their new
wonderings into the
Yes! We were right
column? Or We
dont think this
anymore.
The teacher will use
the smart board to
play the game
KAHOOT where the
students will guess
answers to questions

The teacher will reread the book Living

and Non-Living
reminding students
that they are looking
for 7 characteristics
of both living and
non-living things as
mentioned in the
task and how to
compare them.
When the teacher
has read the text,
she will ask the
students to compare
characteristics of
both living and nonliving things. How
are they the same?
How are they
different? How do
you know?

The students will

show active listening
as the teacher rereads the book Living
and Non-Living. They
will pay special
attention to both and
what makes them
similar and what
makes them different
The students will
participate in a
discussion about the
text. They will
answer the teachers
previous question.
The students will look
at the anchor chart
once again and they
will move post it
notes from the New

The teacher will use

the thumbs up/down
method during the
lesson before moving
on to the next task.
The teacher will use
class observation
notes to write down
students
understanding.

Living and
Non-Living by
Carol K.
Lindeen

RAN Chart

Smart board
and game (set
up by the
teacher)
KAHOOT

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based on their
lessons.
Language Arts
Writing:
Review
1.6 determine,
after consultation
with the teacher
and peers,
whether the ideas
and information
they have
gathered are
suitable for the
purpose

The teacher will look

at the anchor chart
again and the
students will move
items from the New
wonderings column
into the Yes! We were
right column? Or
We dont think this
anymore.
Teacher will check for
understanding by
asking for a thumbs
up/down.
The teacher will then
use the rest of the
period to play a
game on the smart
board KAHOOT that
asks characteristics
of either a living or a
non-living thing and
the students must
choose 1 out 4
options with a time
limit.

wonderings column
into the Yes! We were
right column? Or
We dont think this
anymore.
Students will give the
teacher either a
thumbs up/down
based on their
understanding.

The students will

participate in the
multiple choice game
KAHOOT on the
smart board.

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The teacher will have
a copy of the class
list with an
observation notes
section next to each
students name in
order to assess their
learning. The notes
will include;
participation in the
game, involvement in
the anchor chart
discussion, ability to
answer questions
pertaining to the
topic and an accurate
thumbs up
ensuring that
understanding was
accomplished.
On day 5 (the last
lesson), will be the
culminating task.
The students will take
their knowledge and
work on a writing
task that involves
choosing a living
thing and drawing a

The teacher will have

the students meet on
carpet and she
discusses the past 4
days of learning. She
will get the students
to tell her what they
have learned and

The students will

meet on the carpet
and they will be
involved in a
discussion that allows
them to discuss what
they have learned
the last 4 days about

A rubric will be used

in order to assess the
final culminating
task; their research
papers.

Is it Living
work sheet

RAN Chart

Smart board
and game (set
up by the

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picture and writing a
few sentences about
what makes it a living
thing (what
characteristics it
has).
The teacher will
explain the task but
this will be primarily
a work period where
the expectation is
that the end of the
lesson completes
their sheets. They
may use the
classroom
computers, the RAN
anchor chart, the
book Living and NonLiving, and their wall
with their work
sheets as their
resources to
complete their
assignments. The
teacher will use a
rubric to assess the
final task.
Language Arts
Writing:
Research

address any
questions.
The teacher will then
explain their task and
will let them know
what resources are
available to them.
She will also let them
know what support
there will be in the
room (both herself
and the EA).
The students will use
the rest of the period
to work on their
assignment with the
expectation that it be
completed by the
end of the period. If
the students require
more time, the
teacher will extend
the lesson to the next
day to allow those
students to finish.
Those students who
are finished may use

living and non-living

things. Students
may ask questions if
they are still unsure.

The students will pay

attention as the
teacher explains their
task.

Living and
Non-Living by
Carol K.
Lindeen

Classroom
computers

Worksheets
provided by
the teacher

The student will use

the rest of the period
to complete their
task, using the
resources available
to them. They will
ask either the
teacher or EA in the
room for assistance if
they require it.
Those students that
are finished will hand
their sheets in to the
teacher for

teacher)
KAHOOT

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1.3 gather
information to
support ideas for
writing in a variety
of ways and/or
from a variety of
sources

the learning center

set up by the teacher
that incorporates a
bag filled with a
series of different
items (paper clip,
rock, orange, toy
cow, toy dinosaur,
fake plant, etc) and 2
boxes 1) Living
Things and 2) NonLiving Things. The
students must place
each item into the
appropriate boxes.

assessment.

E. LEARNING
EXPERIENCES
AND
DIFFERENTIATIO
N

Consider differentiation of content/ instruction/demonstration of learning. Is there flexibility

for student choice?
How will the learning be sequenced and scaffolded to support a wide range of learners?
Opportunities for flexible groupings. Are the learning tasks respectful? How are the students
provided opportunities to share responsibility their learning?
The students were able to build on their knowledge progressively throughout the unit. On
day one they discussed what they knew (based on experience) and things they wanted to
find out and it was not only discussed orally, it was organized into an anchor chart (they
were able to lead their own learning). A video was shown to be able to give a visual and

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LEARNING
SKILLS AND
WORK HABITS
TO BE
ADDRESSED
VARIETYOF
LEARNING
EXPERIENCES

they were able to conduct their own research outside (hands-on). They had opportunities to
work in small groups and participate in class discussions. They were also able to display
their research on a co-created wall in the classroom. The students were able to listen to a
story to deepen their knowledge and even play a game using technology. The EA was used
to provide support to those students that may have difficulty with any of these aspects of
this lesson. On the final day, with the culminating task, those students that have IEPs, were
able to have modified expectations. A learning center will also be incorporated into the class
so the students reinforce their learning through play and interaction with one another.
Refer to Learning Skills and Work Habits in Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and
Reporting in Ontario Schools Pg. 10
Responsibility
Organization
Collaboration
Self-regulation
Initiative
Ensure that there are a variety of learning experiences provided to match the class and
individual learning profile that you have developed for this group of learners (see next page
for listing)

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Learning Experiences
X Inquiry Questions
Anticipation Guide
X Brainstorming
Case Study
Choice Boards
X Class Discussion
Computer Simulation.
Concept Attainment
0Concept Formation
Concept Creation
Concept Mapping
Critical Dialogue
Cubing
Debate (Formal)
Debate (Informal)
Examine Both Sides
Four Corners
Game
X Game Theory
Graffiti
Graphic Organizer
Graph Creation
Graphing
Guest Speaker

Inside/Outside Circle
Inquiry
Jigsaw
Journal Writing
X KWL chart
Learning Centres
Learning Contracts
Metaphors
Movie Review/Analysis
Mind Map
Model Building
Note Making (student
generated)
X Note Making (teacher
generated)
Numbered Heads
Jigsaw
Panel Discussion
Placemat
P/M/I
Problem Based Learning
Puzzle Pieces
RAFTS
X Research (Guided)
Research (Independent)

Report Writing
Response Writing
Response Journals
Role Playing
Round Robin
Simulation
Snowball
Socratic Dialogue/ Rich
Questioning
Song Creation
Teams Games Tournaments
Three Way Debate
Think Pair Share
Think Pair Square
(Graduated)
Think Together Think
Apart
Thinking Routines
Tiering
Values Line
Venn Diagram
X Video Clip
Word Wall
Word Web
Other
__________________________

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