Scope and sequence · Practical
Grade 1 Gardening & Animals
A year of looking closely, digging in, and caring for growing things: seeds and soil, pets and farm animals, bees, backyard wildlife and the turning seasons.
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What to cover
32 of 32 lessons are MUST COVER. They are tested on the unit tests and exams, or are skills the SAT/ACT relies on. OPTIONAL lessons are enrichment. Do them if time allows. The course is complete when the MUST COVER lessons are done.
Unit 1: Seasons and Harvest
- MUST COVER 1.1 The Sun and the Seasons · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.2 Harvesting Vegetables · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 Apples and Orchards · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 Saving Seeds · unit test
Unit 2: Wildlife Getting Ready for Winter
- MUST COVER 2.1 Migrate, Hibernate or Store Food · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 Squirrels and Chipmunks · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 Deer in Fall and Winter · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 Tracks in Mud and Snow · unit test
Unit 3: Soil: The Living Ground
- MUST COVER 3.1 Soil Layers in a Jar · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 Worms and Roly-Polies: The Soil’s Recyclers · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 A Little Compost · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 Rocks Become Soil · unit test
Unit 4: Pets
- MUST COVER 4.1 Choosing a Pet That Fits Your Family · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 A Fish Tank · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 Rabbits · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 Dogs: Food, Walks and Training · unit test
Unit 5: Seeds and What Plants Need
- MUST COVER 5.1 What Is Inside a Seed? · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 A Seed Wakes Up · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 Plants Lean Toward the Light · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 Water and Roots · unit test
Unit 6: Farm Animals and Bees
- MUST COVER 6.1 The Chicken Life Cycle · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Sheep and Wool · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 Pigs on the Farm · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 Honeybees: Queen, Workers and Drones · unit test
Unit 7: Let’s Plant!
- MUST COVER 7.1 Potting Soil and Pots with Holes · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.2 Starting Seeds Indoors · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 Transplanting Seedlings · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 A Square-Foot Garden Plan · unit test
Unit 8: Plant Problems and Garden Helpers
- MUST COVER 8.1 Too Much and Too Little Water · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 Aphids and Ladybugs · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 Powdery Mildew and Mold · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 Weeds · unit test
36-week pacing calendar
From the course’s own 32-week pacing guide, with catch-up and review weeks added to fill a 36-week (180-day) year.
| Week | Plan | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | Session 1: Lesson 1.1 The Sun and the Seasons: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 2 | Session 1: Lesson 1.2 Harvesting Vegetables: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 3 | Session 1: Lesson 1.3 Apples and Orchards: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 4 | Session 1: Lesson 1.4 Saving Seeds: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 1 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 5 | Session 1: Lesson 2.1 Migrate, Hibernate or Store Food: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 6 | Session 1: Lesson 2.2 Squirrels and Chipmunks: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 7 | Session 1: Lesson 2.3 Deer in Fall and Winter: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 8 | Session 1: Lesson 2.4 Tracks in Mud and Snow: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 2 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 9 | Session 1: Lesson 3.1 Soil Layers in a Jar: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 10 | Session 1: Lesson 3.2 Worms and Roly-Polies: The Soil’s Recyclers: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 11 | Session 1: Lesson 3.3 A Little Compost: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 12 | Session 1: Lesson 3.4 Rocks Become Soil: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 3 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 13 | Session 1: Lesson 4.1 Choosing a Pet That Fits Your Family: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 14 | Session 1: Lesson 4.2 A Fish Tank: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 15 | Session 1: Lesson 4.3 Rabbits: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 16 | Session 1: Lesson 4.4 Dogs: Food, Walks and Training: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 4 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 17 | Catch-up and review week (no new lessons) | ||
| Wk 18 | Session 1: Lesson 5.1 What Is Inside a Seed?: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 19 | Session 1: Lesson 5.2 A Seed Wakes Up: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 20 | Session 1: Lesson 5.3 Plants Lean Toward the Light: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 21 | Session 1: Lesson 5.4 Water and Roots: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 5 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 22 | Session 1: Lesson 6.1 The Chicken Life Cycle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 23 | Session 1: Lesson 6.2 Sheep and Wool: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 24 | Session 1: Lesson 6.3 Pigs on the Farm: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 25 | Session 1: Lesson 6.4 Honeybees: Queen, Workers and Drones: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 6 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 26 | Session 1: Lesson 7.1 Potting Soil and Pots with Holes: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 27 | Session 1: Lesson 7.2 Starting Seeds Indoors: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 28 | Session 1: Lesson 7.3 Transplanting Seedlings: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 29 | Session 1: Lesson 7.4 A Square-Foot Garden Plan: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 7 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 30 | Session 1: Lesson 8.1 Too Much and Too Little Water: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 31 | Session 1: Lesson 8.2 Aphids and Ladybugs: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 32 | Session 1: Lesson 8.3 Powdery Mildew and Mold: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 33 | Session 1: Lesson 8.4 Weeds: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 8 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 34 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 35 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 36 | Year-end review, portfolio and records |