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Seasons

Seasons

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to identify factors in the environment, including temperature and precipitation that affect growth and behavior such as migration, hibernation, and dormancy of living things.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met for them to survive within their environment.

Science Background

What Causes the Seasons? Windows to The Universe (website) - Learn about common misconceptions regarding Earth’s seasons and discover the real reason for Earth’s seasonal shifts.

What Causes the Seasons?
Windows to The Universe, www.windows2universe.org

Reasons for Seasons: Journey North (website) - All seasonal changes—temperature, plant growth and life cycles, animal migrations, etc.—are driven by changes in the amount and intensity of available sunlight. This website provides helpful background information about seasons on Earth.

Reasons for Seasons
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

Winter Adaptations of Animals: Michigan Forests Forever (website) - In northern climates, winter is the most stressful season for most forms of life. Read about different ways that animals cope and survive during this time of year.

Winter Adaptations of Animals
Michigan Forests Forever, mff.dsisd.net

Signature Lesson

How Do Seasons Affect Animal Adaptations? Teacher Vision (PDF) - Animals have different ways of adapting to seasonal change. In this lesson, students identify environmental and climatological factors that influence animals’ seasonal habits, and classify animals as adapters, hibernators, or migratory.

How Do Seasons Affect Animal Adaptations?
Teacher Vision, www.teachervision.fen.com

Supporting Lessons

Signs of the Seasons: Journey North (website) - Use an online slide show to explore seasonal changes and make a Seasons Showcase in your classroom.

Signs of the Seasons
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

Nature Kids, Winter Bird Feeders: Nature Discovery Center (PDF) - Make a variety of different bird feeders to help the local bird population survive through the winter. Includes tips for setting up the bird feeders and background information about winter birds.

Nature Kids, Winter Bird Feeders
Nature Discovery Center, www.naturediscoverycenter.org

Nature Kids, Fall Flower Search: Nature Discovery Center (PDF) - We often think of spring or summer as the time for flowers, but there are many fall flowers, too. In this activity, students investigate the fall flowers in your area and chart how many insects or other animals they find visiting these flowers.

Nature Kids, Fall Flower Search
Nature Discovery Center, www.naturediscoverycenter.org

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Bird Biology, Building a Bird Feeder: SeaWorld/Busch Gardens (PDF) - For most animals, food becomes scarcer during winter. Use this activity to help your students build a feeder for the birds in your area and to recognize at least two different species of birds that come to feed.

Bird Biology, Building a Bird Feeder
SeaWorld/Busch Gardens, www.swbg-animals.org

Polar Bears Versus Penguins, Pole to Pole Learning Resource Guide: BBC/Discovery Channel/NHK (PDF) - Activities on page 8 and 9 demonstrate how polar bears and penguins adapt to the harsh environmental conditions of their Arctic and Antarctic homes.

Polar Bears Versus Penguins, Pole to Pole Learning Resource Guide
BBC/Discovery Channel/NHK, dsc.discovery.com

Assessment Ideas

Assessment Strategies and Tools, Habitat and the Seasons: Journey North (website) - Several suggested activities to assess student understanding via words or drawings.

Assessment Strategies and Tools, Habitat and the Seasons
Journey North, The Annenberg Foundation, www.learner.org

Literature Connections

Wake Me in Spring. Preller, James (ISBN-13: 978-0590475006)

How and Why Animals Prepare for Winter. Pascoe, Elaine (ISBN-13: 978-1574716641)

Sleepy Bear. Dadcovich, Lydia (ISBN-13: 978-0140547856)

Look How It Changes! Young, June (ISBN-13: 978-0516281780)

Related Science TEKS

(2.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to identify and demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including wearing safety goggles, washing hands, and using materials appropriately.

(2.1B) Importance of Safe Practices
The student is expected to describe the importance of safe practices.

(2.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events during observations and investigations.

(2.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigation
The student is expected to plan and conduct descriptive investigations such as how organisms grow.

(2.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data from observations using simple equipment such as hand lenses, primary balances, thermometers, and non-standard measurement tools.

(2.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data using pictures, numbers, and words.

(2.2E) Communicate and Justify Explanations
The student is expected to communicate observations and justify explanations using student-generated data from simple descriptive investigations.

(2.2F) Comparing Results of Investigations
The student is expected to compare results of investigations with what students and scientists know about the world.

(2.3A) Identify, Explain and Propose a Solution to a Problem
The student is expected to identify and explain a problem in his/her own words and propose a task and solution for the problem such as lack of water in a habitat.

(2.3B) Make Predictions
The student is expected to make predictions based on observable patterns.

(2.3C) Explore Scientists
The student is expected to identify what a scientist is and explore what different scientists do.

(2.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and compare information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, rulers, primary balances, plastic beakers, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, and safety goggles; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; weather instruments such as thermometers, wind vanes, and rain gauges; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

(2.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to measure and compare organisms and objects using non-standard units that approximate metric units.

Related Math TEKS

2.11A  The student is expected to construct picture graphs and bar-type graphs.

2.11B   The student is expected to draw conclusions and answer questions based on picture graphs and bar-type graphs.

2.12B   The student is expected to solve problems with guidance that incorporates the processes of understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

2.12C   The student is expected to select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, or acting it out in order to solve a problem.

2.13A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

From the Birds: The Humane Society of the United States (PDF) - Many people put bird feeders in their yards during the winter to provide the food birds need to survive. Use this worksheet to thank a bird lover.

From the Birds
The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org

Pole to Pole Learning Resource Guide: BBC/Discovery Channel/NHK (PDF) - This guide provides teacher background information and student activities that teach about the water cycle, the role of the sun in driving Earth’s climate, and how animals in different parts of the world have adapted to the seasonal changes in temperature and light.

Pole to Pole Learning Resource Guide
BBC/Discovery Channel/NHK, dsc.discovery.com

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