Introduction
Ask the guiding questions:
What is a living thing?
Share examples of living and non-living things. Help children see that all living things are "alive"—they aren’t dead but will die someday. All living things grow, need food, and reproduce.
What is an animal?
Share examples of animals. Help children see that animals have to eat, but they cannot produce their own food. They eat other animals and plants. Most animals can move around from one place to another. Animals don’t all get around in the same way. Some run, while others walk, creep, fly, or hop.
What is a plant?
Discuss examples of plants. Then think about what makes all these plants alike or similar. For example, plants all grow and need air, usually dirt or soil, water, and sunlight. Plants can produce other plants like themselves.
Many plants are green. Share the idea of plants using photosynthesis as a way to make food by turning sunlight into fuel and energy. Add that most plants can’t move around and get from one place to another.
Activity
Continue the discussion to figure out how plants and animals are different. Help them come to some understandings such as that plants can make their own food; animals cannot. Animals can move around from place to place; plants cannot.
Today, we are going on a walk to be scientists and investigators. We are going to look for examples of plants and animals. There are lots and lots of them around us every day, but most of the time we don’t look for them!
Pass out drawing paper. Have them fold the paper in half and then unfold paper. Draw a line down the middle of the paper.
On the right hand side, write the word “animals” at the top.
On the left hand side, write the word “plants” at the top.
Explain that they are to identify the plants and animals they find on our walk. They may use words, pictures, or both.
Go on walk and let children observe, identify, classify and record information. Remind them that these skills are what scientists use every day.