South Shore Natural Science Center

Environmental Education Programs and Corresponding Massachusetts Science Curriculum Frameworks

Animal Habitats and Woodland Programs

Massachusetts Learning Standards Life Science, Grades PreK-2:

1. Recognize that animals and plants are living things that grow reproduce, and need food, air and water.

2. Differentiate between living and nonliving things. Group both living and nonliving things according to the characteristics that they share.

3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for different living things.

6.  Recognize that people and other animals interact with the environment through their senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

7.  Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons change.

8.  Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs.

Life Science, Grades 3-5:

1. Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share.

2. Identify the structures in plants that are responsible for food production, support, water transport, reproduction, growth, and protection.

3. Recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, and death.

6. Give examples of how inherited characteristics may change over time as adaptations to changes in the environment that enable organisms to survive.

7. Give examples of how changes in the environment have caused some plants and animals to die or move to new locations.

8. Describe how organisms meet some of their needs in an environment by using behaviors in response to information received from the environment. Recognize that some animal behaviors are instinctive and others are learned.

9. Recognize plant behaviors, such as the way seedlings’ stems grow toward light and their roots grow downward in response to gravity. Recognize that many plants and animals can survive harsh environments because of seasonal behaviors.

10. Give examples of how organisms can cause changes in their environment to ensure survival. Explain how some of these changes may affect the ecosystem.

11. Describe how energy derived from the sun is used by plants to produce sugars and is transferred within a food chain from producers to consumers to decomposers.

Pond Life Programs

Massachusetts Learning Standards Life Science, Grades PreK-2:

1. Recognize that animals and plants are living things that grow reproduce, and need food, air and water.

3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for different living things.

6. Recognize that people and other animals interact with the environment through their senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons change.

8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs.

Life Science, Grades 3-5:

1. Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share.

3. Recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, and death.

4. Describe the major stages that characterize the life cycle of the frog and butterfly as they go through metamorphosis.

7. Give examples of how changes in the environment have caused some plants and animals to die or move to new locations.

8. Describe how organisms meet some of their needs in an environment by using behaviors in response to information received from the environment. Recognize that some animal behaviors are instinctive and others are learned.

9. …Recognize that many plants and animals can survive harsh environments because of seasonal behaviors.

10. Give examples of how organisms can cause changes in their environment to ensure survival. Explain how some of these changes may affect the ecosystem.

Tremendous Trees

Massachusetts Learning Standards Life Science, Grades PreK-2:

1. Recognize that animals and plants are living things that grow reproduce, and need food, air and water.

2. Differentiate between living and nonliving things. Group both living and nonliving things according to the characteristics that they share.

3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for different living things.

7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons change.

8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs.

Life Science, Grades 3-5:

1. Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share.

2. Identify the structures in plants that are responsible for food production, support, water transport, reproduction, growth, and protection.

3. Recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, and death.

9. Recognize plant behaviors, such as the way seedlings’ stems grow toward light and their roots grow downward in response to gravity. Recognize that many plants and animals can survive harsh environments because of seasonal behaviors.

10. Give examples of how organisms can cause changes in their environment to ensure survival. Explain how some of these changes may affect the ecosystem.

11. Describe how energy derived from the sun is used by plants to produce sugars and is transferred within a food chain from producers to consumers to decomposers.

Furry, Warm, & Soft and New England Owls Programs

Massachusetts Learning Standards Life Science, Grades PreK-2:

1. Recognize that animals and plants are living things that grow reproduce, and need food, air and water.

3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for different living things.

6. Recognize that people and other animals interact with the environment through their senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons change.

8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs.

Life Science, Grades 3-5:

1.      Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share.

3. Recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, and death.

6. Give examples of how inherited characteristics may change over time as adaptations to changes in the environment that enable organisms to survive.

7. Give examples of how changes in the environment have caused some plants and animals to die or move to new locations.

8. Describe how organisms meet some of their needs in an environment by using behaviors in response to information received from the environment. Recognize that some animal behaviors are instinctive and others are learned.

9. …Recognize that many plants and animals can survive harsh environments because of seasonal behaviors.

Scaly, Cold, and Slimy Programs

Massachusetts Learning Standards Life Science, Grades PreK-2:

1. Recognize that animals and plants are living things that grow reproduce, and need food, air and water.

3. Recognize that plants and animals have life cycles, and that life cycles vary for different living things.

6. Recognize that people and other animals interact with the environment through their senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

7. Recognize changes in appearance that animals and plants go through as the seasons change.

8. Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs.

Life Science, Grades 3-5:

1. Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share.

3. Recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, and death.

4. Describe the major stages that characterize the life cycle of the frog and butterfly as they go through metamorphosis.

6. Give examples of how inherited characteristics may change over time as adaptations to changes in the environment that enable organisms to survive.

7. Give examples of how changes in the environment have caused some plants and animals to die or move to new locations.

8. Describe how organisms meet some of their needs in an environment by using behaviors in response to information received from the environment. Recognize that some animal behaviors are instinctive and others are learned.

9. …Recognize that many plants and animals can survive harsh environments because of seasonal behaviors.

South Shore Natural Science Center

P.O. Box 429

48 Jacobs Lane

Norwell, MA 02061

phone: 781-659-2559; fax: 781-659-5924

ssnsc@comcast.net