Unit Plan 13 (PreK Science): What Living Things Need

Focus: Identify the basic needs of living things—food, water, air, light, and shelter—through observation, care routines, and simple sorting/modeling activities.

Grade Level: PreK

Subject Area: Science (Life Science • Inquiry/Skills)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session (use two short blocks if needed)

I. Introduction

This week, children become “living-thing detectives” who look closely at plants, animals, and people to notice what keeps them healthy and growing. Through stories, classroom observations, and caring routines (watering a plant, checking a habitat), children learn that living things have needs and that meeting those needs helps them survive. They practice using simple science language—“I notice…,” “I think it needs…,” “I know because…”—to explain their thinking. The week ends with a class “Needs Museum” where children share drawings and models showing how living things get what they need.

Essential Questions

• What makes something a living thing?
• What do plants and animals need to survive?
• How can we tell what a living thing needs by using our senses and observations?
• How can people help living things by providing food, water, air, light, and shelter?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Children will be able to:

1. Name basic needs of living things: food, water, air, light, and shelter.
2. Use observations (what they see, feel, and notice) to describe how a plant or animal is meeting a need.
3. Sort pictures/objects into “needs” categories and explain choices using simple sentences.
4. Compare a plant/animal that has a need met vs. not met (e.g., watered vs. not watered) using safe, teacher-guided examples.
5. Create a drawing or simple model that shows one living thing and how it gets at least two needs.

Standards Alignment — PreK (NGSS-based custom)

• PK-LS1-1 — Observe basic needs of living things (food, water, air, light).
  • Example: Watering a classroom plant and noticing wilting when it’s dry.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can tell what a living thing needs: food, water, air, light, and shelter.
• I can use my eyes and hands (safely) to make observations about what a plant or animal needs.
• I can say “I notice…” and “It needs…” and give a reason.
• I can sort pictures into needs groups and explain my thinking.
• I can make a picture or model showing how a living thing gets what it needs.