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K-ESS3 Living things, environments and human impact

  • Kindergarten
  • Science
  • K-ESS3
  • Earth & Space
  • ★ Enrichment

Aligned to K-ESS3 — Next Generation Science Standards.

What this lesson teaches

Plants, animals, and people all need the place they live to give them what they need, like food, water, and air. The things we do can help or hurt that place. Picking up trash and saving water are simple ways to take care of it.

Worked examples

Example 1

A duck needs a clean pond to swim and find food. If people throw trash in the pond, the duck's home gets dirty. Picking up that trash helps keep the pond a good home.

Example 2

A squirrel needs trees for nuts and a safe nest. Cutting down every tree in a yard leaves the squirrel with nowhere to live.

Example 3

Planting flowers gives bees food. People can make a place better for animals, not just worse.

Practice questions

  1. Name one thing an animal needs from where it lives.
  2. Why is it not okay to litter in a park?
  3. Tell one small thing you can do to help take care of the Earth.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

▶ Watch this lesson

En español

K-ESS3 Los seres vivos, los ambientes y el impacto humano

Las plantas, los animales y las personas necesitan que el lugar donde viven les dé lo que necesitan, como alimento, agua y aire. Lo que hacemos puede ayudar o dañar ese lugar. Recoger la basura y ahorrar agua son formas sencillas de cuidarlo.

Ejemplo 1: Un pato necesita un estanque limpio para nadar y encontrar alimento. Si las personas tiran basura en el estanque, el hogar del pato se ensucia. Recoger esa basura ayuda a mantener el estanque como un buen hogar.

Ejemplo 2: Una ardilla necesita árboles para conseguir nueces y hacer un nido seguro. Cortar todos los árboles de un patio la deja sin dónde vivir.

Ejemplo 3: Plantar flores les da alimento a las abejas. Las personas pueden mejorar un lugar para los animales, no solo empeorarlo.

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