Unit Plan 28 (PreK Science): Habitats Around the World
PreK science unit exploring world habitats as children match animals to forest, desert, ocean, grassland, or arctic homes using simple land and water models.
Focus: Explore habitats around the world (forest, desert, ocean, grassland, arctic) and use simple models to match living things to where they live on land or in water.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Science (Life Science • Earth & Space Science • Observation/Inquiry)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 25–35 minutes per session (whole-group + centers)
I. Introduction
This week, children become “habitat helpers” as they explore where different plants and animals live. Using photos, toy animals, sensory bins, and simple maps, children learn that some living things live on land and some live in water, and that habitats have features (like sand, trees, grass, ice, or waves) that help living things meet their needs. Across the week, children sort animals into habitats, build simple habitat scenes, and explain their thinking using sentence frames and labeled pictures.
Essential Questions
- What is a habitat?
- How do we know if an animal lives on land or in water?
- What makes a forest, desert, grassland, ocean, or arctic habitat different?
- How do habitat features help living things get food, water, and shelter?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify that living things live on land or in water using pictures and models.
- Sort animals and plants into simple habitat categories (forest, desert, grassland, ocean, arctic) with teacher support.
- Describe 1–2 habitat features (trees, sand, grass, ice, water) that help living things live there.
- Create a simple habitat model (tray scene, mat, or shoebox) showing where an animal lives.
- Share a short explanation using basic science language (e.g., “It lives in water,” “It needs shelter,” “It’s cold here.”).
Standards Alignment — PreK (NGSS-based custom)
- PK-ESS3-1 — Identify where plants and animals live (land, water).
- Example: Sorting animal picture cards into land or water, then matching them to a habitat scene (e.g., ocean = water; forest = land).
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can tell if an animal lives on land or in water.
- I can match an animal to its habitat.
- I can point to something in a habitat (trees, sand, grass, ice, water) and say what I notice.
- I can build or draw a simple habitat and put an animal where it belongs.