South Dakota Science K-ESS3-1

ScienceKindergartenEarth and Space Science

The Standard

Use a model to represent the characteristics of and the relationship between various plants and animals in the places they live. (SEP: 2; DCI: ESS3.A; CCC: Systems)

South Dakota Science Standards (2024) · Earth and Human Activity

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students draw a place with plants and animals that live there. They use the drawing to show where the plants get water or sunlight and where the animals find food, water, or shelter.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student draws cattails and a frog by a pond, and a tree and squirrel in a yard. They point to pond water for the cattails and frog, and to the tree for the squirrel's food or shelter.
Common Misconceptions: Students may place a frog in a dry place without showing where it gets water. They may draw an animal beside a plant without showing how the plant helps it. Some think plants do not need water or sunlight.
How to Assess It: Ask students to draw a pond with a cattail and a frog. Have them point to where the cattail gets water and where the frog finds water and cover.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Give pairs pond and yard mats plus cutouts of cattails, a frog, a tree, and a squirrel; have them place and explain each.
Show photos of a cattail pond and a paved lot; ask, 'Which place gives a frog water and cover?'
Play a matching game with pond, yard, plant, and animal cards; partners explain each match using water, food, or shelter.
At a schoolyard tree, have children point to sunlight for the tree and branches where a bird could shelter.

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