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N o r t h E a st I n d ep en d e nt S c h o o l D i st ric t – K i nd e rg a rt e n Sc ie nc e
Natural Resources
Unit 5
Clarifying Statements
Rev. May 2007
Natural Resources
This unit of study requires students to investigate important resources the Earth
provides. Rocks, soil, and water are three things we get from the Earth and are
important and necessary for most living things. Students should also distinguish
between living and nonliving things.
Students should have opportunities to observe and describe properties of rocks,
soil, and water. As students become familiar with their immediate surroundings,
they come to understand that chunks of rocks come in many sizes and shapes, from
boulders to tiny grains of sand. A rock is a mixture of grains and each has its own
set of properties. Scientists classify rocks based on their properties. At this level,
Students should create their own sorting categories based on observable
properties such as, shiny or dull, rough or smooth, and color. Formal classification
of rocks is not introduced until middle school. Texture is a property that can be
easily observed using the senses. Texture can be determined by using the senses
of touch and sight. For example, rocks made of large grains or large crystals have
coarse-grained textures and rocks made of small grains or small crystals have finegrained textures.
Soil is made of tiny pieces of rock, minerals, and decayed plants and animal matter.
Different places have different types of soil. Through observation, students
should be able to identify the properties of soil such as, color and texture.
Water can be a liquid or a solid and can go back and forth from one form to
another. Through hands-on investigations, students can discover that the amount
of water remains the same when it changes from a liquid to a solid and back
(freezing and melting). Students may also observe that adding or taking away heat
causes water to change form. Using the sense of touch, students can make
qualitative statements about the temperature of water such as warm or cold.
Rocks, soil, and water are very useful. Students should observe their
environment to discover ways rocks, soil, and water are useful. For example, rocks
are used for landscaping, soil is used for gardens, and water is used to water the
grass. This helps students gain the understanding that the Earth provides
Clarifying statements are intended to deepen teachers’ understanding of science concepts and serve as a guide for instructional
design. They are not intended to serve as student instructional materials.
This publication is the property of North East Independent School District. Duplication in whole or in part, outside of NEISD, is
prohibited without express written permission from NEISD.
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N o r t h E a st I n d ep en d e nt S c h o o l D i st ric t – K i nd e rg a rt e n Sc ie nc e
Natural Resources
Unit 5
Clarifying Statements
Rev. May 2007
resources for life. A review of the basic needs of living organisms is appropriate
at this time.
Students should know the difference between living organisms and nonliving
objects. It is not always easy to tell the difference between living and nonliving
things. All organisms share the same basic characteristics as listed in the table
below.
Characteristics of Living Things
Characteristic
Has basic needs
Getting and using energy
Reproduction
Growth and development
Movement
Sensing and responding to the
environment
Some Examples
Food, water, shelter, air
Plants use sunlight to get energy
Some animals eat other animals for energy
Oak trees produce acorns that can grow
new oak trees
Chickens hatch eggs that produce chicks
Growing bigger: puppy to a dog
Changing form: nymph to a lady bug
Kangaroo hopping
Bat flying
Plants grow towards the sunlight
Eagles use good eyesight to hunt for and
find food
To be considered alive, an organism must exhibit all of the characteristics of living
things. Nonliving things do not have all of these characteristics. Sugar crystals
growing on the bottom of a maple syrup bottle are a good example of a nonliving
object that shows one criteria of living organisms.
Clarifying statements are intended to deepen teachers’ understanding of science concepts and serve as a guide for instructional
design. They are not intended to serve as student instructional materials.
This publication is the property of North East Independent School District. Duplication in whole or in part, outside of NEISD, is
prohibited without express written permission from NEISD.
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