K-ESS2-1 Use and Share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
K-ESS2-2 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.
Maybe a scavenger hunt or collection of pictures over time when students find examples of how plants or animals have changed their environment. Then they could use a claim, evidence, reasoning argument. For example if they find a birds nest they could make the claim: birds change their environment to meet their need for shelter by building nests. They could then give evidence by describing the materials of the nest and the shape of the nest to show that the bird collected the material and shaped it. Maybe they will even see a bird or eggs in the nest. They Then they could explain their reasoning that the materials in the nest were clearly collected (maybe bits of string or hair or leaves that aren’t necessarily right there), that the materials and shape camouflage the bird and shelter it from the elements. For more on claim, evidence reasoning model view this site. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/science-inquiry-claim-evidence-reasoning-eric-brunsellExamples of plants changing their environment might include a buckle in the sidewalk from a plant root, or suckers on a fence from a vine, etc. The below resource was on NSTA and looked useful. When you view this resource scroll down to lessons 5 and 6 There are some nice graphics that might be useful. http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/ccrp/files/2014/04/How-do-interactions-happen-with-living-things-K-Science-Unit.pdf Interactions - How do interactions happen with living things? This cross curricular unit engages young students in the study of animals, plants, and their environment through the use of modeling, constructing arguments with evidence, and using observations to describe the ways animals interact with their env…
K-ESS3-1 Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live.
You have many tubs of animals and the kids already build little habitats during their construction play. You could have them create a habitat including the things that one of the animals would need to survive in that habitat.
K-ESS3-3 Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.