Grade 1 Science (Building Things)

Overview

The Grade 1 Alberta Curriculum states, “Students learn about materials by using them to construct a variety of objects, including model buildings, toys, boats, and vehicles. Students select materials to use and gain experience as they cut and shape, and fold, pile materials on top of one another, join parts, and try different techniques to achieve the result that they intend. In the process, they learn to look at objects that are similar to what they are trying to construct and, with guidance, begin to recognize the component parts that make up the whole.”

For more information, download the pdf file Grade 1 Science Curriculum.

Student Activity

In this Edukit, students can review what various buildings look like and see some examples of completed projects. Once the students have completed their review online, they complete their own buildings. Before they work on their building, they review the elements that make up a building—roof, walls, windows and doors.

Rationale

The rationale for the Grade 1 Science curriculum is stated as:

Children have a natural curiosity about their surroundings—a desire to explore and investigate, see inside things, find out how things work and find answers to their questions. Learning about science provides a framework for students to understand and interpret the world around them.

An elementary science program engages students in a process of inquiry and problem solving in which they develop both knowledge and skills. The purpose of the program is to encourage and stimulate children’s learning by nurturing their sense of wonderment, by developing skill and confidence in investigating their surroundings and by building a foundation of experience and understanding upon which later learning can be based.

Elementary and secondary science programs help prepare students for life in a rapidly changing world – a world of expanding knowledge and technology in which new challenges and opportunities continually arise. Tomorrow’s citizens will live in a changing environment in which increasingly complex questions and issues will need to be addressed. The decisions and actions of future citizens need to be based on awareness and understanding of their world and on the ability to ask relevant questions, seek answers, define problems and find solutions.

To address the curriculum objectives and rational, the students are presented with activities in the Student Zone.

Making a Building

The instructions given to each student producing their own building has the following text and series of the pictures:
 
Now you should have a list of what you want your building to have. Look at the pictures for ideas to make your own building.

You may start with construction paper, scissors, glue stick, tape, and a box or a milk carton.

Here are some examples of what some of your buildings could look like.

Once the students have looked at the website, they should have a list of what makes a house. Using construction paper, scissors, glue stick, tape, a box, a milk carton, or other supplies in your school, they can construct and display their own buildings.

Stacking Objects

Students can experiment with stacking objects and finding their own way of producing a structure. One example is given on the web page in the student zone.

Click to get pdf.