PR-6170RUK Science A STEM Approach - Primary 1

Living Things
LIVING THINGS HAVE NEEDS
Lesson 3
Lesson Plan
Introduction:
1. Using a think-pair-share, ask pupils to discuss the questions What are the five basic human needs?
and How do you meet each need? Pupils share their answers with the class and then re-read the
sentences from the A3 poster of human needs created during Lesson 2, such as ‘Humans need air,
food, water, sleep and protection’.
Development:
2. As a class, ask pupils: What do animals need to survive? Do they have different needs to humans?
Write pupils’ suggestions on the whiteboard.
3. Individually or in small groups, give each pupil a copy of the pre-cut and shuffled cards from page
14. Pupils choose a pet shelter card and guess which pet they think it belongs to. Pupils then see if
they can match the food and the water source to the pet they think lives in that shelter; for example,
if a pupil chooses the birdcage, they may think the animal is a bird. They then choose the birdseed
and the water bowl that a bird would use. Pupils repeat the activity until all cards have been used.
4. Pupils share the five animals they think each of these needs belong to. Who is responsible for
making sure these pets get their needs? Who is responsible for making sure the animals on a farm
or in a zoo have their needs met? How do wild animals meet their needs?
5. Watch the online video Animal Needs at to see how different animals
meet their needs.
6. Provide each pupil with a copy of page 15 to write and draw about a familiar wild animal of their
choice. Pupils need to draw their wild animal sleeping and its shelter, food and water. Explain that
air is all around us and is hard to draw. For this reason, create a symbol such as blue wavy lines
to represent wind. Note: A selection of non-fiction books about wild animals may be provided to
ensure the information is correct.
Differentiation
• Less able pupils should be encouraged to view books or online images of their wild animal and
may have the sentence scribed for them.
• More able pupils should be encouraged to choose a less familiar wild animal and research
information about how it meets its needs.
Reflection:
7. Select some pupils to share their completed copy of page 15, explaining the needs of their animal.
8. As a class, listen to the song The Needs of an Animal at to reinforce
four of the five basic needs of animals—food, water, air and shelter (protection).
Viewing sample
www.prim-ed.com – Prim-Ed Publishing 978-1-912760-14-5 Infants
Science:
A STEM APPROACH
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