### Lesson Plan: Living and Non-Living Things (IV)
**Subject:** Basic Science and Technology
**Grade Level:** Junior Secondary 1
**Topic:** Living and Non-Living Things (IV)
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#### **Lesson Duration:**
- 45 minutes
#### **Objectives:**
By the end of this lesson:
1. Students will be able to differentiate between living and non-living things.
2. Students will understand the characteristics of living things.
3. Students will learn about the basic needs of living organisms.
#### **Materials Needed:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- Projector or large screen (optional, for visual aids)
- Pictures or physical examples of living and non-living things
- Worksheets for group activities
- Notebooks and pens for students
#### **Opening (10 minutes):**
1. **Greeting and Roll Call:**
- Greet the students and take attendance.
2. **Introduction:**
- Start with a brief review of the previously covered lessons on living and non-living things.
- Ask the students to give examples of living and non-living things they remember discussing before.
- Explain that today, they will learn more detailed characteristics that differentiate living things from non-living things.
#### **Direct Instruction (15 minutes):**
1. **Define Living and Non-Living Things:**
- A living thing: Something that grows, moves, reproduces, respires, responds to stimuli, and requires nutrients.
- A non-living thing: Something that does not grow, move on its own, reproduce, respire, or respond to stimuli.
2. **Characteristics of Living Things:**
- **Growth:** Explain how living things grow and develop over time. Show examples using pictures or videos.
- **Movement:** Discuss how animals move and plants can turn towards light.
- **Reproduction:** Explain how living things reproduce to create offspring.
- **Respiration:** Demonstrate how living things take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide (explain simply).
- **Response to Stimuli:** Give examples such as plants bending towards light or humans reacting to changes in temperature.
- **Nutrition:** Explain the need for food and water for survival.
#### **Guided Practice (10 minutes):**
1. **Group Activity: Sorting Exercise:**
- Divide the students into small groups and give them worksheets with pictures of various objects (some living, some non-living).
- Ask them to sort these objects into two columns: Living and Non-Living.
- Walk around to provide support and check their answers.
2. **Discussion and Feedback:**
- Review the sorted lists with the class, and discuss any items that were incorrectly categorized.
- Ask the groups to explain why they placed each item in its respective column.
#### **Independent Practice (5 minutes):**
1. **Worksheet Activity:**
- Give the students individual worksheets with questions related to the day's lesson. Examples:
- List three characteristics of living things.
- Name two living things and two non-living things you see every day.
- Explain why a rock is considered a non-living thing.
2. **Notebook Entry:**
- Ask students to write a few sentences summarizing what they learned in their notebooks.
#### **Closing (5 minutes):**
1. **Review:**
- Recap the key points of the lesson by asking students to share what they learned.
2. **Homework Assignment:**
- Assign a short project where students are to draw and label a living thing, showing its characteristics. They should describe how the characteristics are evident in the drawing.
3. **Goodbye:**
- Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next class.
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#### **Assessment:**
- **Formative:** Observe student participation and responses during class discussions and group activities.
- **Summative:** Evaluate the independent practice worksheets and the homework assignment for understanding and correctness.
#### **Differentiated Instruction:**
- **For Advanced Learners:** Encourage them to think about and list more complex examples of living and non-living things, such as viruses or coral reefs.
- **For Struggling Learners:** Provide additional examples and detailed explanations, and use more visual aids to reinforce the concepts.
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This lesson plan ensures a comprehensive understanding of the distinction between living and non-living things, reinforcing previous knowledge while introducing new concepts in an engaging and interactive manner.