**Lesson Plan: Basic Science and Technology**
**Grade Level:** Junior Secondary 1
**Topic:** Living and Non-Living Things
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**Objective:**
- Students will be able to differentiate between living and non-living things.
- Students will understand the characteristics that define living organisms.
- Students will demonstrate their understanding by providing examples and justifications.
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**Duration:** 60 minutes
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**Materials Needed:**
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Pictures of various living and non-living things (plants, animals, rocks, water, etc.)
- Worksheets
- Projector or computer with internet access (optional)
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**Lesson Structure:**
1. **Introduction (10 minutes):**
- Begin the lesson by asking students to name a few things they see around them.
- Write down their responses on the board.
- Briefly discuss whether these things are living or non-living.
- Introduce the topic: Living and Non-Living Things.
2. **Instruction (15 minutes):**
- Explain the characteristics of living things:
- Growth
- Reproduction
- Movement
- Respiration
- Nutrition
- Excretion
- Sensitivity to the environment
- Provide examples for each characteristic.
- Highlight that non-living things do not possess these characteristics.
- Use visuals (pictures or a PowerPoint presentation) to reinforce these points.
3. **Activity (20 minutes):**
- Divide the class into small groups and provide each group with chart paper and markers.
- Hand out a mixed set of pictures of living and non-living things to each group.
- Instruct each group to create two columns on their chart paper: one for Living Things and one for Non-Living Things.
- Have the students discuss within their groups and place each picture in the appropriate column, justifying their choices.
- Once completed, each group will present their chart to the class, explaining their rationale.
4. **Discussion (10 minutes):**
- Facilitate a class discussion on the group presentations.
- Ask probing questions to ensure understanding, such as:
- Why did you classify this item as living?
- Can you think of an example of a living thing that doesn't move much, like a plant?
- Address any misconceptions and clarify any doubts.
5. **Assessment (5 minutes):**
- Hand out a worksheet with a list of items.
- Ask students to classify each item as living or non-living and provide one characteristic that justifies their classification.
- Collect the worksheets for evaluation.
6. **Conclusion (5 minutes):**
- Recap the main points of the lesson.
- Emphasize the importance of understanding the characteristics of living things.
- Encourage students to observe and think about the living and non-living things around them in their everyday lives.
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**Homework:**
- Assign students to write a short paragraph on a living thing they find in their neighborhood, describing its characteristics that make it a living organism.
- Encourage them to bring in a photo or draw a picture to accompany their paragraph.
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**Additional Notes:**
- Adjust the pace of the lesson based on students' understanding and engagement.
- Utilize technology if available, such as showing educational videos on living and non-living things.
- Ensure to accommodate different learning styles by incorporating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities.