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March 31, 2018

Science for April Made Simple with These Ideas

April is such a fun month for science! Spring is a few weeks into season, flowers are blooming, baby animals are being born, and everything seems to be coming to life. Science for April is filled with engaging activities from farm life to recycling to life cycles, and the rainforest habitat. These themes work so well for teaching our science standards this month.Let’s take a closer look at how the Science for April money-saving bundle will bring these topics to life for your students and make things a snap for you!

These four themes are grouped together for this month because itโ€™s easy to relate them to what is actually happening during this time: Earth Day, new animals emerging, insects hatching, and warm, rainy weather, just like the rainforest habitat. Iโ€™ve planned lots of engaging activities that will help your students master their science standards while applying knowledge and observing in real life.

Standards Aligned

  • Farm: TEKS: K.12, K.13
  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: TEKS: K.5B
  • Life Cycles: TEKS: 1.13B
  • Rainforest: TEKS: K.12, K.13

Science Lesson Components

April Science Anchor Charts

With each new topic i introduced, I like to anchor our learning with anchor charts. This helps the students build connections, show the learning process, and make our thinking visible. I would hang them up where the kids can see them and refer to them easily. Inside each unit included in Science for April, eIโ€™ve got everything you need to create your own anchor charts for each week in one organized place.

Reading comprehension passages are included for each month, too! There is one passage for each topic complete with comprehension questions, a vocabulary focus, and a writing extension.

Use these easy to make life cycle anchor charts to anchor learning in your first grade classroom.

Science Experiments for April

Science experiments are always a favorite! These hands-on experiments give your students a chance to investigate, explore, and practice reasoning. You can choose to do one at the beginning of the week as an attention-grabber and to evaluate their prior knowledge.ย You may also choose to use the science experiment at the end of the unit to extend their learning. I always use the scientific method. You can find some scientific method posters for free HERE.

Here is a fun science experiment youโ€™ll find in Science for April on the topic of farms.

Science for April Literacy Activities

I love every opportunity to integrate science with reading and writing. It makes literacy more authentic and gives you more time for both subjects. (Just remember to choose the strategy/skill over the book/activity.)

For this month, I included poems and songs for shared reading that also include a phonics component. These are great for literacy centers and fluency practice.

Each unit also has a mini-book for students to create in a writing station, as morning work, or to wrap up the unit and enjoy at home.

Most units have easy to use writing crafts! They not only help you monitor your students writing in a more authentic way, but they also help focus on fine motor skills as they create the art work.

If that sounds like a lot, donโ€™t worry! Iโ€™m providing a curriculum map for the whole month AND a detailed, weekly guide to show you how to integrate these science topics with your literacy instruction. Planning will be easy-peasy!

Using interactive notebooks have many benefits for both displaying science knowledge and having a display of writing progress. If youโ€™re not sure how to incorporate science interactive notebooks, you can read more about them in this post HERE.

Each science unit included has pages that can be used in interactive notebooks!

Use these printables from this farm unit to put in your science interactive notebooks! They are perfect for first graders.


With this bundle, you will be totally set for science for April. With activities for whole group, independent work, and literacy centers (if you choose), your students will be engaged while learning about farms, recycling, life cycles, and the rainforest. I think youโ€™ll have fun, too!

Click HERE to head over to my store and grab yours!

Be set for science for April with your first grade class! This unit has life cycle activities, farm activities, earth day activities, and rainforest activities. From science experiments for first grade to close reading for first grade, you are sure to be set!

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Happy Teaching,

Amanda

Mega Read Aloud List

Use this FREE mega list of science-related read alouds for kindergarten through second grade to help you teach science all year long! This list covers 39 science topics with 4+ book suggestions for each topic. Grab it today to be set for the entire year of science read alouds!

Hi, I'm Amanda

I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your studentsย loveย and that areย easy to implementย for teachers.ย ย Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, youโ€™ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!

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