In Plant and Animal Survival students explore the connection between structure and function of organisms and determine similarities and differences. These various physical and behavioral traits of plants and animals are important for survival. Students will investigate physical traits that enable plants and animals to survive, grow, and meet their needs. They will recognize that certain behaviors of parents and offspring also help offspring survive. Students will learn how young are like, but not exactly like, their parents.

This unit introduces Grade 1 students to real-world examples and fundamental concepts of traits and behaviors that help organisms survive, which will be explored in greater depth in later grades. Students will learn about similarities and differences between parents and offspring, behaviors of parents and offspring, and how organisms’ parts contribute to their survival. While students learn that living things get traits from parents, they do not yet discuss specific inheritance, characteristics of animals that undergo metamorphosis, or hybrids.

This series of lessons incorporates learning goals that support the principles and practices of engineering design, such as defining problems, testing materials, and evaluating possible solutions. Students will use prior and new experiences to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and animals use their external parts to survive, grow, and meet their needs.