Carolina Duprey

EDBL 3321-001
Dr. Massey

SIOP LESSON PLAN

Grade: 3rd
Subject: Science
Lesson Title: Living and Non-Living
TEKS: §112.14. Science, Grade 3, Beginning with School Year 2010-2011.

(9) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms have characteristics that
help them survive and can describe patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within the
environments. The student is expected to:

(A) observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support
populations and communities within an ecosystem.

Preparation
Content objectives:
The students will be able to:

 differentiate between living and non-living things.

 identify characteristics of living and nonliving things.
 recognize that living things need food, air, water, and shelter to create a habitat for living
things.

Language Objectives:
The students will be able to

 Orally discuss the difference between living and nonliving things in small groups and
then as a whole class.
 Orally describe the characteristics of living things using key vocabulary words.
 Create a written paragraph about the differences between living and non-living things in
his /her science journal.
Questions: (Displayed on the board along the content and language objectives)
What are some examples of living and non-living things?
How can you tell if something is living or non-living?
Is there a difference between living things and things that are alive?
Can a non-living thing become a living thing?

Key Concepts and Vocabulary

 Adapt - to change because of new conditions

 Appearance - the way that someone or something looks
 Cells - tiny parts of living things that carry everything needed for life
 Change - to become different
 Develop - to grow or expand
 Energy - the ability to do work or to make a change
 Environment – the natural world and condition of its surrounding
 Photosynthesis - photo” means light, “synthesis” means putting together - the process by
which a green plant turns water and carbon dioxide into food when the plant is exposed to
light.
 Reproduce - to produce babies, young animals, new plants

Supplementary materials:

 Labeled picture cards with magnets

 T-chart (on the board)
 Large chart with vocabulary words
 Magazines
 Venn diagram poster boards
 Two hula hoop rings
 Living and non-living items - paper, stuffed animals, stones/rocks, small plants, grass,
soil, plastic bottle, wood piece, etc.
 PowerPoint “Living and Non-Living Things and Their Basic Needs” and video
https://youtu.be/bWBrusrCmX4

Adaption of content:
  The teacher will have numerous examples and visuals throughout the lesson that will
support all students in understanding the difference between living and non-living things,
regardless of their English proficiency level. The teacher will have the key vocabulary
words on a large chart displayed. The students will talk to their elbow partners and then
engage the whole class in a discussion. The students will have the opportunity to engage
in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Building Background
Anticipation Guide:

 The teacher will go over the content and language objectives orally. The teacher will then
ask students what they think this lesson will be about while reading aloud the questions
and the vocabulary words while pointing at them. The students will write down the
vocabulary words without the definition in their journal.
 The teacher will show the power point presentation with the video.
 The teacher will then point at the question and ask the students to look at the pictures on
the board and have an open discussion about what they think the difference between
living and non-living things- breath-grow-reproduce. The students discuss with their
elbow partner and then as a whole group. The students will then decide where the
pictures of the living and non-living things will go in the T-Chart on the board. The
teacher will provide feedback to the class.

Comprehensible input

 The teacher will use speech that is appropriate for students’ language proficiency and will
discuss with the students what each picture represent and write it next to it. The teacher
will also emphasize that there are two groups of non-living things. The teacher will then
discuss the meaning of the vocabulary words and their definition written next to each
word.

Strategies

 The students will be able to connect the learned vocabulary words with the pictures,
video, and the PPT presentation. The students will write the vocabulary words and
definition in their science journal.

Practice/Applications

 The teacher will place two labeled hula hoops (so that it looks like a Venn gram) on the
floor and will ask students to decide where the items should be put. The left hula hoop is
displayed as the living things, the center as the group that was once alive, and the right
 hula hoop as non-living things. The students will be placed in groups of 4-5 students and
they will have to decide where which item goes.
 The teacher will then ask each group why they placed the items in a certain hoop. The
students will talk with their group to find the reason for their decision and then share with
the teacher and the rest of the class. This will be done with all four groups. The students
will stay in their group and each group will be given an oversized Venn gram and
magazines. The students will find and cut out 7 pictures of living and non-living things
and label each picture.
 When the groups are finished the oversized Venn diagrams will be placed for everybody
to see. Each group will explain their poster. The teacher will provide feedback to each
group.

Review/Assessment

 The teacher will give a set of multiple choice review questions to each student, the
students will be able to circulate in class to ask other students for unknown answers. The
teacher will review answers for accuracy and will provide feedback.
 Living and Non-Living Things and Their Basic Needs

Review Questions

1. Which list contains only nonliving things in an environment?

A. snails, water, mushrooms
B. soil, trees, worms
C. sunlight, water, soil
D. rocks, snails, grass
2. The lion gives birth to young ones. This proves that:

A. Lion do not breathe

B. Lion is a non-living thing
C. Living things reproduce
D. Living things do not have life

3. Which of the following is a living organism?

A. a rock
B. a mountain
C. air
D. a plant

4. A chair cannot move by itself. This shows that:

A. Chair is a living thing

B. Chair has a life
C. Non-living things cannot move
D. All of the above
5. A sunflower always turns towards the sun. This shows that:
A. Plants are nonliving things
B. Plants do not grow
C. Plants show movement
D. Sunflower is a nonliving thing
Answer Key: 1 c; 2 c; 3 d; 4 c; 5 c
Pictures with magnets for the T- chart on the board (3 pages)
Venn Diagram
Poster board size
Magazines
Hula hoops
And different items to use for the activity.