Unit Plan 24 (PreK Science): People & the Environment
PreK science unit exploring how people help or harm the environment through everyday actions, building Earth Helper habits like cleaning up, saving water, and caring for shared spaces.
Focus: Notice ways people help (planting, watering, cleaning up) or harm (littering, wasting water) the environment, then practice one simple class action that protects our space.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Science (Earth & Space Science • Environmental Awareness • Engineering Habits)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This week, children become “Earth Helpers” by learning to spot everyday actions that help or harm the places we live and play. Using photos, short read-alouds, and a simple schoolyard walk, children practice naming what they see (trash, plants, puddles, footprints), then connecting it to a cause: “Someone dropped it,” “Someone watered it,” “Someone turned off the light.” The unit ends with a small class stewardship project (a mini cleanup, a “water watcher” routine, or a “lights off” reminder) and a celebration of our shared responsibility.
Essential Questions
- How can people help the environment where we learn and play?
- How can people harm the environment, even by accident?
- What is one small action we can do every day to be an Earth Helper?
- How can we tell a story about what we noticed using pictures and words?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify examples of people helping the environment (picking up trash, planting, watering, turning off lights).
- Identify examples of people harming the environment (littering, stepping on plants, wasting water, leaving lights on).
- Use pictures and simple sentence stems to describe an action and its impact: “This helps because… / This harms because…”
- Choose one class “Earth Helper” action and explain why it matters.
- Share observations with drawings, labels, or oral explanations during a short class showcase.
Standards Alignment — PreK (NGSS-based custom)
- PK-ESS3-2 — Observe ways people help or harm the environment.
- Example: Picking up trash, watering plants, turning off lights.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can tell if an action helps or harms the environment.
- I can say what I noticed: “I see trash / plants / water / animals.”
- I can explain with a reason: “This helps because… / This harms because…”
- I can do one Earth Helper action with my class.
- I can share my learning with a picture and words (or by talking).