Unit Plan 13 (Grade 1 Science): Offspring Behaviors

Focus: Use texts and media to observe patterns in how animal parents and offspring behave in ways that help offspring survive (feeding, protection, teaching, communication).

Grade Level: 1

Subject Area: Science (Life Science • Patterns • Behavior)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students become animal behavior scientists who look for patterns in how parents and offspring act. Using short read-aloud texts, photo sets, and brief video clips, students observe how parents help offspring survive by feeding, protecting, warming, carrying, teaching, and warning. Students also notice what offspring do to survive—staying close, following, calling, hiding, and practicing skills.

Across the week, students practice recording observations, sorting behaviors into categories, and using evidence from media to explain: “This behavior helps the offspring survive because…”. The unit ends with an Offspring Survival Pattern Poster where students show a clear pattern using examples from multiple animals.

Essential Questions

• What do animal parents do to help their offspring survive?
• What do offspring do that helps them survive?
• What patterns can we find across different animals’ behaviors?
• How can we use evidence from texts and media to support our ideas?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Use texts and media to observe and describe parent/offspring behaviors that support survival (e.g., feeding, protection, teaching).
2. Identify repeated patterns in behaviors across different animals (e.g., “Many parents feed their young”).
3. Sort behaviors into simple categories (feed, protect, keep warm, teach, communicate).
4. Use evidence from a text or video (what they saw/heard) to explain how a behavior helps offspring survive.
5. Create an Offspring Survival Pattern Poster that shows patterns in parent and offspring behaviors with examples.

Standards Alignment — Grade 1 (NGSS-Aligned)

• 1-LS1-2 — Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.
  • Example: Compare how different parents feed, protect, and teach their young and identify what stays the same across animals.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can describe what an animal parent does to help its babies survive.
• I can describe what an animal baby does to help itself survive.
• I can find a pattern that happens in more than one animal family.
• I can use evidence from a text or video to explain, “This helps the offspring survive because…”.
• I can make a poster that shows patterns with examples and labels.