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Lesson 13What Changes Happen in the Spring?

ObjectivesStudents will

• identifyanddescribethecharacteristicsofspring

• investigateanddescribechangesthatoccurinseasonalcyclesinthecharacteristics,behaviors,and

locationsoflivingthings

• raisequestionsabouttheworldaroundthemandseekanswerstosomeofthembymakingcareful

observationsandtryingthingsout

Structuring the CurriculumThislessonworksbestonadaywhensignsofspringhavejuststartedtoappear.

Preparation/MaterialsDemonstration: Signs of Spring

√ Bible

√ twigsfromabloomingtreeorbush,oneperstudent(suggestions:forsythia,dogwood,magnolia,pussy

willow,crabapple)

Activity: I See Spring

√ paper,onesheetperstudent

√ crayons

Activity: Spring Scene

√ paper,onesheetperstudent

√ crayons

√ pastel-coloredtissuepaper

√ glue

Discussion: Spring

√ posterboardcirclethespringquarter-circlefromLesson11

√ tape

Activity: Signs of Spring

√ activitysheet,oneperstudent

√ crayons

BackgroundWhilethecalendarsaysthatspringstartsonthespringequinox,March21,andendsatthesummer

solstice,June21or22,forpracticalpurposesweassociatethearrivalofwarmerair,themeltingofsnow

andrainyweatherassignalingthearrivalofspring.InNorthAmerica,springbythisdefinitionarrives

anywherefromtheendofFebruaryinthefarsouthtotheendofMayinthefarnorth.ThewarmingEarth

stimulatesplantstogrowagain.Hibernatinganimalsawake,andmanytypesofbirdsbegintonest.

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Discover1. Demonstration: Signs of Spring.Giveeachstudentasmallblossomingbranchtoobserve.

Encouragestudentstousetheireyes,noses,andfingerstoobservetheblossoms.Whilethey

areenjoyingtheblooms,readaloudfromtheSongofSongs2:11–12.

2. Askthefollowingquestions.

• Whatseasondotheseversestellusabout?(Theytellaboutspring.)

• Whatistheweatherlikeinspring?(It’swarmer.Sometimesit’srainyandmuddy.)

• Whatdoyouwonderaboutthespring?(Invitestudentstopose“Iwonder”questionsthat

relatetospring.)Noticeandencourageanywonderingsthatwouldleadtoinvestigations

thatstudentscoulddowithinthescopeofmaterialsandtimeallottedfortheunitorles-

son.Encouragequestionsthatdealnotonlywiththeweatheraspectsoftheseason(e.g.,

hoursofdaylight,dailytemperaturefluctuations,rainfallmeasurements,etc.)butalsowith

thecyclesoflivingthings(e.g.,identifyingseedsandotherstructuresthatgiverisetonew

growthinthespring,describingseasonalchangesintheactivityandlocationofanimals).

Suggestthatyouinvestigatetofindouttheanswers.

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Develop1. Takestudentsoutdoorsforaspringwalk.Encouragethemtousetheirsensestoobserve

characteristicsofspring.

2. Activity: I See Spring.Havestudentsdrawsomeofthesignsofspringthattheynoticed.

Combinetheirillustrationsforan“ISeeSignsofSpring”bulletinboard.Ifyouwish,addthe

Bibleversescitedearliertothedisplay.Encouragestudentstobeonthelookoutforadditional

signsofspringinyourcommunityduringthecomingweeks.Forexample,onestudentmay

notethefirstcrocus.Acoupleofweekslater,anotherstudentmightrecordthefirstsightingof

atulip.Stillanotherstudentmightnoticearobin.

3. Askthefollowingquestions.

• Whatdidyounoticehappeningtoplantsinspring?(Theystarttogrowagain.Somegrow

flowers.Treesgrowleaves;somegrowblossoms.)

• Whataresomeofthefirstflowerstobloominourarea?(Answerswillvary.)

• Whatdidyounoticehappeningwithanimalsinthespring?(Thosethatwerehibernating

emerge.Thebirdsbuildnests.Babyanimalsareborn.)

• Whatdoyounoticeaboutthedaylightoutdoorsinspring?(Itstayslightlonger.)

• Whatdidyounoticeaboutkindsofclothespeoplewearinthespring?(Answersmay

includelightjackets,short-sleevedshirts,andbaseballcaps.)

Unit1,Lesson#Unit4,Lesson13

SignsofSpring

PutanXonthethingsthatarenotsignsofspring.Colorthethingsthataresignsofspring.

XX

XX

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• Whatkindsofthingsdidyouseepeopledoinginthespring?(Answersmayincludeplant-

ingflowers,jumpingrope,ridingbikes,watchingbirds,andtakingwalks.)Ifyouwish,have

studentsrole-playtheseactivities.

4. Activity: Spring Scene.Havestudentsdrawanoutlineofatreeonapieceofpaper.Give

thempastel-coloredsheetsoftissuepapertotearintosmallpieces,crumple,andglueas

blossomstothebranches.Youmightsavetheirworktoaddtotheir“ATreethroughthe

Seasons”booklet.

Reinforce/Assess1. Asaclass,readSpring(page105)inthestudenttext.

2. Discussion: Spring.Holduptheposterboardcirclewiththefour-seasonsidetowardstudents.

Askthefollowingquestions.

• Whatseasoncomesafterwinter?(Springcomesafterwinter.)

• Whatistheweatherlikeinspring?(It’swarmerthanwinter.It’ssometimesrainy.)

• Whatelsehappensinspring?(Flowersbloom,treesgrowleaves,birdsbuildnests,and

somekindsofbabyanimalsareborn.)

• Whatkindsofthingsdopeopledoinspring?(Peoplemaytakewalks,jumprope,watch

birds,andplantseeds.)

• WhatspecialdaydoChristianscelebrateinthespring?(ChristianscelebrateEasterinthe

spring.)

• WhatdowerememberonEaster?(Jesusarosefromthegrave.)CompareChrist’snewlife

andtheseemingrenewaloflifeinnatureduringspring.

Reviewthecharacteristicsofspring,andattachthespringquarter-circletotheposterboard

circle.

3. Activity: Signs of Spring.Havestudentscompletetheactivity sheet.Havethemcolorthe

thingsthataresignsofspringandputanXonanythingtheyseethatdoesn’tbelonginthe

springpicture.

Extend Addfiguresthatrepresentthelessontopictothe“ThingsGodMakesThatChange”bulletin

board.

Havestudentsmakepaperflowerswithconstructionpaper,tissuepaper,buttons,andchenille

wires.

Havestudentsmakepaperbasketsfromapaperplategluedorstapledtoanotherplatecutin

half.Attachstripsofconstructionpaperforhandles.Studentsmayenjoydecoratingtheirbas-

ketsandthengivingthemasgiftstofriendsorrelatives.

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Havestudentsmakeeggshapesoutofself-hardeningdoughorclay.Encouragethemtopaint

theeggswithbrightcolors.Theycanlineasmallmargarinetubwithmoss,grassclippings,or

shreddedpapertomakeanestinwhichtoplacetheeggs.

Observeyouradoptedtreeinspring.Havestudentsrecordanychanges.

Readaloudandhavestudentsillustratesomeofthefollowingpoems:“GroundhogDay”by

LilianMoore(Ring Out, Wild Bells);“SpringAgain”byKarlaKuskin(Side by Side);“Spring”

byKarlaKuskin,“SpringIs,”byBobbieKatz,“Smells”byKathrynWorth,and“Good-bye,My

WinterSuit”byN.M.Bodecker(The Random House Book of Poetry for Children);or“March”

byElizabethCoatsworth,“Spring”byPrinceRedcloudand“SurprisesAreHappening”byJean

CounderSoule(Moments).

ReadWhen Spring ComesbyNatalieKinsey-WarnockorSpring: Thinking About the Seasons

byClaireCollinson.

WatchthemigrationofmonarchbutterfliesfromMexico.Gotomonarchwatch.comtoseetheir

progress.Yourclasscanevenpostonthemapwhenyouseeyourfirstmonarchinyourarea!

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Spring starts in March. On the first day of spring there are exactly as many daylight hours as there are nighttime hours. With more hours of sunlight, the weather starts to get warmer. It often rains in the spring, too.

Plants start to grow again when the sun shines warmly and the rain falls. They poke their leaves out of the ground. Flowers

bloom.

105

Spring

106

Many animals are born in the spring.

Birds come back from their winter homes and make nests, where they lay their eggs.

Insects come out of their winter hiding plac-es. The whole world seems to come to life again after the long winter.

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People put away their winter clothes. They wear boots and raincoats in rainy weather. Spring is the time to plant seeds in the garden. Bicycles, balls, and jump ropes come out for play time.

In the spring we cel-ebrate Easter, the most special day for Christians. The new life that springs up in the world reminds us of Jesus’ new life after he rose from the dead.

What special things do you do in the spring?

What special things do you eat in the spring?

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445Unit 1, Lesson #Unit 4, Lesson 13

Signs of Spring

Put an X on the things that are not signs of spring. Color the things that are signs of spring.