Needles and Other Living Things

First grade science has a heavy emphasis on organisms. To further enhance this study we check out animals on a rotating basis from the district's Science and Health Resource Center. The day before the animal arrives I give the children clues about our "mystery organism." They have a great time trying to figure it out and have some very good debates about their selections. The organisms stay for two weeks for us to observe them and collect data for ongoing organism chart. Our first organism was "Needles" the hedgehog. (One morning he was particularly active on the wheel much to everyone's delight!)We then followed up with "Tarantula 15" and now have two parakeets whom the children have named as "Blueey and Snowflake."