Grade 1 — Science: Sequencing and Recording Activities and Events Over Time

Overview

Students identify activities specific to either daytime or nighttime. Through sorting and dramatization, students explain that the division of a day is based on the presence or absence of sunlight. Using pictures, calendars, chants, and dramatizations, students explore the sequence of events and activities that occur over the course of a day, week, month, and year. Students create a calendar and design a schedule, sequencing and recording events.

Activate

Students divide a sheet of drawing paper in half. On one half they draw a picture of themselves doing an activity during the daytime. On the other half they draw a picture of themselves doing an activity during the nighttime. Students describe their pictures to peers.

Students brainstorm events and activities that occurred yesterday, that occur today, and will occur tomorrow. [Plan and Question] Record their ideas under each heading.

Teacher Tips:
Ideas may be recorded on a classroom calendar showing the sequencing of events during a week.
Use a classroom calendar of school cycle where students can identify special events: yesterday we had gym, today we have book exchange, tomorrow we have music.

Acquire

Using a word-processor and the BLM-Sequencing Daily Events, students sequence images of activities that occur throughout the day.[Gather and Make Sense] Students insert and sequence  images representing events that occur over the course of a week, then a month including special days. [Produce to Show Understanding]

Suggestions for Assessment:
Student explains their sequencing in an interview or to a peer.

Students brainstorm school routines (e.g., library, gym, music, assemblies, etc.) that occur during the week or cycle. [Plan and Question] Using a computer and projector, record the events on a calendar. Demonstrate the components of a calendar including the format of rows and columns.

Teacher Tip:
Print the class-created calendar and send it home as a reminder for parents. Ask students to explain the calendar to their parents.

Using a word-processor, students insert clip art images of activities that usually occur in the daytime (e.g., going to school) or nighttime (e.g., sleeping) in two columns labelled 'daytime' and 'nighttime.' [Produce to Show Understanding, Gather and Make Sense]

Suggestions for Assessment:
Work Sample: Read student’s word-processed file for understanding of daytime and nighttime based on selection of pictures

Apply

Using a table or a calendar template within a word processor, create  a monthly calendar. [Produce to Show Understanding] Students identify monthly events and insert symbols or images to represent them, and order them correctly on the calendar. Students share  their e-calendars with peers. [Gather and Make Sense, Communicate]

Suggestions for Assessment:
Work Sample: Verify students’ use of a calendar to sequence and record events and activities that occur over the course of a day, a week, or a year.