Exploring Life Cycles

Explain how the boy knows it's spring using key details from the text.

It's Spring!

Standards

L.K.1.dRI.K.1RI.K.2RI.K.3RI.K.5RI.K.7RI.K.8SL.K.1SL.K.6

Explain the difference between living and nonliving things.

What's Alive?

Standards

L.K.4L.K.6RI.K.2RI.K.3

Explain how seeds change as they grow and what they need in order to change and grow.

How a Seed Grows

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.2RI.K.3RI.K.7

Language

Use prepositions to tell where something happens or when something occurs.

Preposition Worksheet 1 (GK, U7, L4)

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fL.K.6RI.K.3

Explain how seeds change into sunflowers and what happens at each stage.

From Seed to Sunflower

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fL.K.4L.K.6RI.K.3RI.K.4RI.K.7

Explain how the tiny seed survives.

The Tiny Seed

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.4RI.K.7RI.K.8RI.K.9RL.K.3

Explain how animals are an important part of a plant's life cycle.

Who Will Plant a Tree?

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fL.K.4L.K.6RI.K.3RI.K.4RI.K.7RI.K.9

Explain how Mr. Tony and the community transform the neighborhood.

Harlem Grown

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.3RI.K.7RI.K.8RI.K.9

3 days

Overview

Write a narrative about a seed that travels from one place to another.

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Brainstorm a story with a beginning, middle, and end using facts about plants.

Narrative Writing Brainstorm Graphic Organizer (GK–2)
Mentor Text 1 (GK, U7, L9)

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.fL.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.3W.K.5W.K.6

Day 2 - Drafting

Draft a story about a seed moving from one place to another with a beginning, middle, and end.

Day 3 - Revision & Editing

Narrative Writing Brainstorm Graphic Organizer (GK–2) — From Day 1
Narrative Writing Brainstorm Graphic Organizer Sample Response (GK, U7, L9)

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.fL.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.3W.K.5W.K.6

Revise narrative writing by adding topic-specific vocabulary.

Revision Text (GK, U7, L9)

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.fL.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.3W.K.5W.K.6

Retell key details about the stages in a frog's life cycle.

Frogs pp. 1–21

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.2RI.K.3RI.K.7

Identify additional details about each stage of a frog's life cycle.

From Tadpole to Frog

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.3RI.K.7RI.K.9

Write an informational text to teach the stages of a frog's life cycle.

Life Cycle Graphic Organizer (GK, U7)
Phase 4: Conventional Writing (GK, U7, L3)

Standards

L.K.1L.K.1.bL.K.1.fL.K.2L.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.2W.K.5W.K.7W.K.8

Predict the stages in a butterfly’s life cycle and what happens at each stage.

Waiting for Wings

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.2RI.K.3RI.K.7

Describe the stages in a butterfly's life cycle and what happens at each stage.

From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.3RI.K.7RI.K.9

Write an informational text to teach the stages of a butterfly's life cycle.

Life Cycle Graphic Organizer (GK, U7)
Mentor Text 2 (GK, U7, L15)
Front Cover Template (GK, U7)

Standards

L.K.1L.K.1.bL.K.1.fL.K.2L.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.2W.K.5W.K.7W.K.8

Explain why the nesting bird does not make any noise.

Have You Heard the Nesting Bird?

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRI.K.2RI.K.3RI.K.7

Explain what happens at each stage of a bird's life cycle.

A Nest Full of Eggs pp. 1–23

Standards

L.K.1.eRI.K.2RI.K.3RI.K.9

Describe the life cycle of a chicken.

Egg to Chicken

Standards

L.K.1.eL.K.4L.K.6RI.K.3RI.K.9

3 days

Overview

Write a narrative about a bird that hatches from its egg.

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Brainstorm a story with a realistic beginning, middle, and end, using facts about the life cycle of a bird.

Mentor Text 3 (GK, U7, L19)
Narrative Writing Brainstorm Graphic Organizer (GK–2)

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.fL.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.3W.K.5W.K.6

Day 2 - Drafting

Draft a story about a bird that hatches with a beginning, middle, and end.

Day 3 - Revision & Editing

Narrative Writing Brainstorm Graphic Organizer (GK–2) — From Day 1
Narrative Writing Brainstorm Graphic Organizer Sample Response (GK, U7, L19)

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.fL.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.3W.K.5W.K.6

Revise a narrative story by adding words to tell more about the character's feelings.

Phase 4: Conventional Writing (GK, U7, L19)
Mentor Text 3 (GK, U7, L19)

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fL.K.2.cL.K.2.dW.K.3W.K.5W.K.6

Explain how the other animals treat the little duckling and how it makes him feel.

The Ugly Duckling pp. 1–12

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRL.K.2RL.K.3

Explain what the duckling learns about himself and what lessons we can learn from him.

The Ugly Duckling

Standards

L.K.1.bL.K.1.eL.K.1.fRL.K.2RL.K.3

Compare and contrast the life cycles of various plants and animals.

Standards

RI.K.9SL.K.1SL.K.2