Unit Checkpoint: Plants and Animals
Review What You Learned
Congratulations! You have learned so much about what plants and animals need to survive. Let's review the big ideas before the checkpoint.
Big Idea 1: Plants Have Needs
Plants need these things to grow and stay healthy:
- Water - Plants drink water through their roots
- Sunlight - Plants use light to make their own food
- Air - Plants breathe in air through tiny holes in their leaves
- Space - Roots need room to grow in soil
Big Idea 2: Animals Have Needs
Animals need these things to survive:
- Food - Animals eat plants or other animals for energy
- Water - All animals need water to drink
- Air - Animals breathe air (fish use gills to get air from water)
- Shelter - Animals need safe places to live and rest
Big Idea 3: Scientists Investigate
When scientists want to learn something, they:
- Ask a question
- Make a prediction
- Do an investigation
- Record observations
- Share what they learned
Big Idea 4: Data Helps Us Learn
Scientists organize what they learn using:
- Tables - Rows and columns that organize information
- Graphs - Pictures that help us see and compare data
Big Idea 5: CER Writing
Scientists explain their thinking using:
- Claim - Your answer (what you think is true)
- Evidence - Your proof (what you saw or measured)
- Reasoning - Your explanation (why your evidence proves your claim)
Unit Checkpoint Questions
Answer all questions to show what you have learned in this unit.
Part A: Plant Needs
1. Which of these do plants need to make food?
A) Shelter
B) Sunlight
C) Other plants
D) A pot
2. How do plants get water?
A) Through their flowers
B) Through their roots
C) Through their seeds
D) They don't need water
3. A plant kept in a dark closet will most likely:
A) Grow strong and green
B) Grow fast and healthy
C) Become weak and pale
D) Not need any water
Part B: Animal Needs
4. Which need do BOTH plants and animals share?
A) Shelter
B) Food from other living things
C) Water
D) Sunlight to make food
5. Why do animals need shelter?
A) To stay safe and protected
B) To make their own food
C) To grow roots
D) To get sunlight
6. How do fish breathe underwater?
A) They don't need air
B) They come up for air
C) They use gills to get air from water
D) They hold their breath
Part C: Investigations
7. What is the FIRST step in a science investigation?
A) Write down your observations
B) Ask a question
C) Do the experiment
D) Make a graph
8. Emma predicted that plants don't need water. Her experiment showed plants DO need water. What should Emma do?
A) Change her data to match her prediction
B) Accept that her prediction was wrong and learn from it
C) Say the experiment failed
D) Not tell anyone her results
Part D: Data and Graphs
Use this table for questions 9-10:
| Plant | Water Given | Height After 2 Weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Plant A | Every day | 8 inches |
| Plant B | Never | 0 inches |
| Plant C | Once a week | 5 inches |
9. Which plant grew the tallest?
A) Plant A
B) Plant B
C) Plant C
D) They all grew the same
10. What does this data tell us about plants and water?
A) Plants don't need water
B) Plants that get more water grow better
C) All plants grow the same
D) Water hurts plants
Part E: CER Writing
11. In CER, what does the "C" stand for?
A) Careful
B) Claim
C) Count
D) Check
12. Which sentence is EVIDENCE?
A) Plants need sunlight to grow
B) The plant in the sun grew 6 inches; the plant in the dark grew 2 inches
C) This shows that sunlight helps plants grow
D) I think plants like the sun
13. Which word is a clue that you are reading REASONING?
A) First
B) I measured
C) Because or This shows that
D) I think
Part F: Apply What You Know
14. Maria's pet goldfish died. She forgot to feed it for two weeks. Why did the fish die?
A) It was too old
B) Animals need food to survive
C) The water was too cold
D) Fish don't need food
15. A farmer wants to grow the best tomatoes. What should the farmer make sure the plants get?
A) Only water
B) Only sunlight
C) Water, sunlight, air, and space
D) Darkness
16. Read this picture graph:
Animals at the Pond
Frogs: [*][*][*][*][*] = 5
Fish: [*][*][*][*][*][*][*] = 7
Turtles: [*][*] = 2
How many MORE fish than turtles are at the pond?
A) 2
B) 5
C) 7
D) 9
Written Response
Write a complete CER to answer this question. Use what you learned in this unit.
Question: Do all living things (plants AND animals) need water?
Write your answer with:
- Claim: Your answer in one sentence
- Evidence: Facts from this unit that prove your claim (include at least 2 examples)
- Reasoning: Explain why your evidence proves your claim
Bonus Challenge: Draw a picture graph showing what 3 different plants or animals need to survive. Include a title and a key.
Next Steps
- Review any questions you found difficult
- Look back at earlier lessons if you need more practice
- Celebrate what you learned - you are a scientist now!
- Get ready for the next unit in Grade 1 Science
What You Accomplished
In this unit, you learned:
- What plants need to grow (water, sunlight, air, space)
- What animals need to survive (food, water, air, shelter)
- How to do a science investigation
- How to organize data in tables and graphs
- How to write like a scientist using CER
Great work!