Curriculum

Children will learn to identify and name basic parts of the body (such as head, arms, legs, hands, and feet). They will also begin to understand simple functions of each body part (for example, hands are for holding, legs are for walking)

Children will recognize that all plants and animals, including humans, share some similarities but also have differences. They will learn that all living things have special parts inside and outside their bodies that help them stay alive, grow, and have babies

Children will be able to recognize and name the five senses and the body parts that help us with each sense: eyes for seeing, nose for smelling, mouth for tasting, ears for hearing, and skin for touching. They will start to understand that these senses help us explore the world around us. For example, they will learn that eyes help us see things like toys and colors, the nose helps us smell flowers and food, the mouth helps us taste yummy snacks, the ears help us hear sounds like music and voices, and the skin helps us feel things like soft blankets or cold water

Children will use materials to design a device that solves a specific problem by mimicking how plants or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs. For example, children might create protective clothing or equipment by mimicking the hard shells of turtles or the scales of animals.

Children will be able to identify the five senses and their corresponding sense organs: eyes for seeing, nose for smelling, mouth for tasting, ears for hearing, and skin for touching. They will begin to understand how these senses work together to help us explore and understand our environment. For example, they will learn that eyes help us see pictures and colors, the nose helps us smell flowers and food, the mouth helps us taste different flavors, the ears help us hear sounds and music, and the skin helps us feel if things are soft, hard, hot, or cold.

Children will investigate and understand that plants have basic life needs and functional parts and can be classified according to certain characteristics. Plants need nutrients, air, water, light, and a place to grow.

Children will begin to distinguish between living and non-living things. They will learn to identify characteristics that define living things, such as the ability to grow, change, and move, as well as needing food and water. For example, children will understand that a plant is a living thing because it grows and needs water, while a rock is non-living because it doesn't grow or need food. Through observation and discussion, children will understand the differences between living and non-living things in their environment.

Children will demonstrate knowledge related to living things and their environments. They will notice the similarities and differences among various living things, such as plants and animals. For example, children will be able to identify that both birds and butterflies can fly, but birds have feathers and butterflies have wings with patterns.

Children will explore and learn about the basic life cycles of animals. They will observe how animals grow and change throughout their lives, such as understanding that animals can hatch from eggs and grow into adults. For example, they will learn that baby chicks hatch from eggs and grow into chickens. Additionally, they will explore basic life cycles in the plant kingdom, such as how plants grow from seeds.

Children will recognize common animal sounds and explore, interact with, and identify a growing number and variety of plants and animals. They will also begin to explore how plants and animals grow and change, such as understanding that baby chicks grow into chickens and puppies grow into dogs.