Curriculum

How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?

How Do Living Things Stay Safe And Grow?

How Do Living Things Stay Safe and Grow? is part of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, a new curriculum series by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is aligned to a group of grade 1 standards. It has a focus on life science with a secondary focus on engineering. In this module, students:

  • Use observations of adult plants and animals as evidence that offspring are very similar to, but not exactly like, their parents
  • Obtain information from text, images, video, and a simulation to determine how patterns of behavior help offspring survive
  • Explore how external parts of plants and animals help them survive, grow, and meet their needs 
  • Mimic external parts of plants and animals in designing a tool to solve a human problem
  • Apply their knowledge of behaviors and external parts to “survive” in a hypothetical game

Below are digital resources that support teaching of this module. 

Lesson 1: What Am I?

Ada Asks Introduction (1:21)
Download video
Ada introduces students to the module.

What Am I? Answers
Download PDF
This file shows the correct sorting of the cards.

Lesson 3: Cubs and Chicks

Young Dama Gazelle (0:26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uol-vtf-sI
This video shows a young gazelle at the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Parent and Offspring
Download PDF
This photo shows a parent penguin with two chicks.

Bald Eagle
Download PDF
These photos show bald eagles at different life cycle stages.

Lesson 4: One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

Discussion Rules
Download PDF
This file has simplified rules for engaging in argument from evidence.

Cow
Download PDF
This photo shows adult and young cows.

Lesson 5: Staying Alive

Penguin Feeding
Download video
This video shows a penguin parent feeding a chick.

Lesson 6: Penguin Protection

Rockhopper Penguins
Download PDF
This photo shows adult and young rockhopper penguins.

Penguin Protection
Play simulation
The Penguin Protection simulation is available as a website for computers. Download the application for use on tablets or mobile devices (coming soon).

The Penguin Protection simulation gives students the opportunity to choose which behaviors will best help a penguin chick.

Penguin Parent
Download PDF
This photo shows a penguin parent bending down to feed its chick.

Lesson 7: Use What You’ve Got

Claws
Download PDF
These photos show different animals and their claws.

Lesson 8: Mimic and Make

Ada Asks Engineering (1:06)
Download video
Ada introduces students to the engineering task.

Lesson 9: Survive, Behave, and Save! Part 1

Survival Game Rules
Download PDF
This file contains simple rules to guide students in playing the Survival Game.

Lesson 10: Survive, Behave, and Save! Part 2

Comic Interview
Download PDF
This file contains several questions to guide students in conducting an interview.

Kit Tips & Tricks