SCIENCE - SECOND GRADE

TEACHER: HANS QUEVEDO

SECOND MARKING PERIOD PLANNING
FROM: NOVEMBER 29th -2010 TO MARCH 18th -2011
DURATION: 4 HOURS WEEKLY
SCHOOL YEAR: 2019-2011

GRADE MOTTO: “Growing in my independence, I contribute to my school and my

family”.

UNIT 2:
LIFE CYCLES
2.1PLANTS
2.1.1 Seed reproduction
2.1.2 Vegetative reproduction
2.2 ANIMALS
2.2.1 Metamorphosis in some animals
2.3 HUMAN BEING
2.3.1 Physical changes

Reading: The Three Little Butterfly Brothers by Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co

PURPOSE:
After learning what matter is, the different states, its characteristics and learning how they can
change from one state to another, the kids will pass on to learn the life cycles on this second
marking period. We will do different activities in order to have an understanding of the changes
in plants during its growing process and its ways of reproduction (seed and vegetative), this will
be done through the planting and observation of seeds. We will also analyze the changes that
animals live in their life cycle, such as the frog and butterfly metamorphosis using texts that will
be read. The human life cycle will also be analyzed based on the changes the students family
members have had. The main purpose is to explain and describe the main events and changes
in the life cycle of animals, human beings and plants. Short videos and powerpoint

Life Cycles
of
Plants and Animals

By Teacher Hans Quevedo

2009
presentations will be used throughout the marking period

The
Life Cycle of a Frog
Through these presentations the kids will make a closer approach to these life cycles and will be
able to observe the changes through images. They will be told that a life cycle shows how a
living thing grows and changes.

INSTRUCTION: “I observe and learn the changes in plants, animals and human beings By t
•know the
Grade 2
during their life cycle”.

2.1 PLANTS: I will start by asking the students how a plant starts its growing process. Then •describe
based on what they have mentioned I will explain to them that the plant starts life as a seed, bo
which germinates and grows into a plant. The mature plant produces flowers, which are
fertilized and produce seeds in a fruit or seedpod. The plant eventually dies, leaving seeds
which germinate to produce new plants. A plant's life cycle describes how long a plant lives or
how long it takes to grow, flower, and set seed. Then I will ask them if they know how plants
reproduce and I will proceed to explain to them that there are 2 ways. Seed or sexual
reproduction of plants (reproduction) is when a seed is produced inside the flower by using

pollen (from the stamen) and a pistil (female part). Vegetative or asexual reproduction is when a
plant uses vegetative parts to produce more plants.
2.1.1 Seed or sexual reproduction: The teacher will explain that this is done through the
pollination process. Pollen (which is the male sperm) is transferred to the stigma (usually by an
outside source). The pollen then travels down the stigma to the plant’s ovary and fertilizes the
“egg.” Once fertilized, the seed or fruit begins to form. I will draw how a bee flies from one flower
to another by carrying pollen in its body and spreading it around.
2.1.2 Vegetative or asexual reproduction: Students will be taught that plants can be grown
without seeds by cuttings. A cutting can be from any part of the fully-grown plant, and when it is
placed in soil, it may produce a new plant.

Asexual reproduction is the formation of new individuals from the cell(s) of a single parent. It is
very common in plants; less so in animals. All plant organs have been used for asexual
reproduction, but stems are the most common. A good example of vegetative reproduction is
the sugar cane and the yucca.

Stems

The students will learn that in some species, stems arch

over and take root at their tips, forming new plants.

Leaves
Some leaves of a common ornamental plant, along the
leaf margins are produced by tiny plantlets that fall off
and can take up an independent existence.

Roots

The teacher will explain that some plants use their roots for asexual reproduction. The
dandelion is a common example. Trees, such as the poplar or aspen, send up new stems from
their roots. In time, an entire grove of trees may form — all part of a clone of the original tree.

Plant Propagation

I will make clear to the students that not all plants are naturally reproduced and that there exists
commercially-important plants that are often deliberately propagated by asexual means in order
to keep particularly desirable traits (e.g., flower color, flavor, and resistance to disease). The
students will be asked to research at home the name of one vegetative plant sowed in Colombia
and they will do a small poster of it, present the information to the class and post it in the
classroom.

DIDACTIC:

To support the previously mentioned activities, we will visit the Ecological Path of the School to
observe the fruit and ornamental plants available there. With this experience the kids will
able to identify the characteristics of these plants. The tour will have its final observation
in the School garden.

Once in the School garden the kids will be asked the following questions, which they will later
answer when they come back to the classroom: What do you know about the way a plant is
born? What do you know about plant reproduction? What part of the plant grows faster?
Subsequently the kids will plant beans in a container and leave it in the
classroom. They will observe and infer the germination and reproduction process by seed. We
will additionally study the weather conditions and necessary care that should be given to the
plant cultivation and growing process.

Afterwards they will be asked to plant a bean in a plastic bottle in the classroom and make a
chart to follow the observation at the changes that occur in the life cycle of the bean as well as
to have them establish the differences during each week (observation and data collection will be
done once a week). The students will register the information in a chart that will be handed out
to them: After making a close observation to the changes presented during the germination of
the bean, characteristics that change and characteristics that remain (size, shape, leaf and stem
color) the students will write and draw in a chart the changes observed and the date it was
registered.
PLANT OBSERVAT SIZE SHAPE LEAF STEM COLOR OBSERVATION
AND ION
DATE DATE
SOWED

A round table will be done in the classroom to discuss everything about the reproduction of
plants observed in the one they planted in a container and the changes during its growing
process.

The students will be asked the following questions:

How is a plant born? What changes occur during the life cycle of the bean planted?
What similarities or differences are found in the seed and vegetative reproduction? The
teacher will write on the board the main aspects and will build conclusions based on the
students’ opinions. These conclusions will be written by the students in their Science notebook.

Subsequently the students will be distributed to work in pairs and will be given pieces of
cardboard to write and draw on. The students need to make a comparison chart of the 2

1st 2nd reproductive processes of plants.

Process Process

2.2 ANIMALS: The teacher will begin asking the students previous knowledge by asking them
questions about the changes they have observed in their pets or other animals they know,
reminding them that growing is a characteristic of living things. The teacher will now explain that
animals change and grow throughout their lifetime very much like we do. Most animals including
fish, mammals, reptiles and birds have very simple life cycles: they are born (either alive from
their mother or hatched from eggs), they grow up and they die. These animals have three
stages: before birth, young and adult. The young are typically similar to the parent, just smaller.
The young slowly "grow" to become adults. Other animals have four stages like the insects:
egg, larva, pupa and adult.
2.2.1 Metamorphosis in some animals: I will explain to the students that there is a process in
which there is a transition in overall body pattern that occurs during the life history of some
animals following birth or hatching. It is the process some animals undergo in which they
change from an immature form to an adult form. Two well-known examples are the development
of caterpillars into butterflies and tadpoles into frogs. I will proceed to ask the students if they
know the name of these changes. To introduce some one of the animals that goes through this
complete phase I will read a text entitled “The three little butterfly brothers”. I will narrate and
represent the story in class. The idea here is to motivate the kids to read as they learn about an
animal that has a complete metamorphosis.

We will also read and discuss the text “All about frogs”, which contains the main information
students should know about frogs. This text will be read in class with the students while asking
and giving answer to their doubts.

The students will work in pairs in order to answer the following questions:

What do you know about frogs?

Where do they live?

How do they reproduce?

What physical changes do they go through during their life cycle?

What is the difference between a frog and a toad?

How many different kinds of frogs have you seen?

Once the students have all the answers to the previous questions, we will discuss the answers
trying to identify differences and similarities. Then the students will read and recite 2 poems
about frogs.
Based on the image shown, the students will be asked to write details and descriptions on what
they observe taking into account what they have already learned.

The butterfly life cycle will also be shown to the students, as well as
videos which show their metamorphosis. The kids will be asked to
research, identify and draw the life cycle of a butterfly and what happens
to it through each stage.

As a final assignment on animal’s life cycle the students will be asked to research information
on the growing process and changes of their favorite animal or pet and make a poster of it to
present to the class. During this period we will visit the butterfly garden “ANDOKE” to make a
direct observation and experience on this life cycle.

2.3 THE HUMAN BEING:

The teacher will start asking the

students the changes that a human
experiments through life and will ask
them questions related to the topic:
Which stage are you currently on?
Which stage is the teacher on? Which stage are your parents and grandparents on? They will
get involve as they start feeling familiar with the topic and then I will proceed to explain what
they have already said in a way. I will explain or clarify to the students that Birth is the first
stage. Before birth, a person begins as a single cell, the tiniest building block of life. As the
human cells duplicate and specialize into specific body parts, they prepare for the birth of an
infant, weighing five to ten pounds, which takes about 40 weeks from the time that that first cell
starts growing.
Infancy is the second stage. From birth through the first year of life, a person is called an
infant. The infant is totally dependent upon his or her parents for food, changing, bathing and
movement from place to place. This is a stage in which a person begins to learn lots of things
about survival in the world.
Childhood is the third stage, which lasts for about ten years. For the first two years after
infancy, the child is called a toddler. Toddlers learn how to walk, talk and become more
independent. For the balance of childhood, people grow, gaining more freedom and
responsibility as they learn about themselves.
Adolescence is the fourth stage, roughly from age 12 to 18 years. In this stage, starting with
puberty, boys change and become men, and girls become women. This can be a very confusing
time for a young person, trying to cope with so many changes. This is the time that the human is
preparing for adulthood, growing to his/her maximum size, and is physically able to reproduce.
Adulthood is the fifth stage, from the end of adolescence, usually age 18 to 20, to old age.
Adulthood is the time that people take on many different kinds of responsibilities. All of the
things that our parents once provided, we must now provide for ourselves. The life cycle usually
starts over again during this stage, when, through reproduction, adults give birth to their own
children.
2.3.1 Physical Changes

The students will be asked to bring a family photo album to class, which will be used to observe
the physical changes in their family members, such as hair abundance, body features and size
of body parts and those parts that do not change throughout the years like eye and skin color,
moles, etc… These observations will be written in their notebooks.

With the previous information of what they have observed in each of the human stages, they will
compare it to the plants and animals cycle trying to identify similarities and differences to finally
end up with a conclusion.

The students will be asked to research 2 different kinds of butterflies that we can find in
Colombia and their changing process as they grow (metamorphosis). This information will be
shared in class and they will also be asked to draw or make their favorite one with recycling
objects.

For each life cycle the students will be asked to create a mini-book which will show
something of their preference (3 in total: animals, humans and plants). For this
activity they will only use a sheet of paper which will be folded into 6 or 8 sides. They will
represent each growing process through drawings with a sequence. After they make each mini-
book these will be posted in the classroom for a week and then will be taken home by the
students.
 A workshop with images of the different life cycles (or grown-up and baby match)
and their growing process will be handed out to the students to connect with a line
and explain the changes occurred.

2.4 Scientific method:

We will continue emphasizing and learning this method applying it to different examples of the
topics in class. The students will be asked to record the information on a sheet following the
scientific method and based on the Little Scientist Module procedure.

ASSESSMENT:
OUTCOMES
3. To identify the main events and changes in the life cycle of plants, animal and human beings.
Identificar los principales acontecimientos y cambios en el ciclo de vida de las plantas, animales
y seres humanos (50%).

4. To inquire about natural events on some living things, registering this information in an
organized way. Indagar sobre acontecimientos naturales en algunos seres vivos, registrando
esta información de forma organizada (50%).

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Themes/frogs
- Science 1. Richmond Publisher. 2006
- Science. Diamond edition. Scott Foresman. 2008
- http://www.tooter4kids.com/Frogs/general_information.htm

- http://theseedsite.co.uk/lifecycle.html

- http://humangenetics.suite101.com/article.cfm/human_life_cycle_mitosis_meiosis
TENTATIVE TIME CHART:
WEE DATE TOPIC
K
1st November 29th to Life cycle of plants
December 3rd
2nd December 6th to 10th Seed reproduction - Vegetative
reproduction
3rd December 13th to 16th BERCHMANS WEEK
4th January 12th to 14th Planting of seeds
5th January 17th to 21st Life cycle of animals
6th January 24th to 28th Metamorphosis
7th January 31st to Life cycle of humans
February 1th
8th February 7th to 11th Physical changes in humans
9th February 14th to 18th Observation activity on their families
 10th February 21st to 25th Activities – Plants review
11th February 28th to March Activities – Animals review
4th
12th March 7th to 11th Activities – Humans review
13th March 14th to 18th Marking Period evaluations

OBSERVATIONS:
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