The StarrMatica Blog

NGSS Informational Texts for Third Grade: Safety in Numbers

Posted by Natalie Linville-Mass on February 21, 2021 Science Resources No Responses »

Feb 212021

NGSS Informational Texts for Third Grade: Safety in Numbers

The third grade performance expectation 3-LS2-1 asks students to: “Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members to survive.” In our third grade informational text for this performance expectation, Safety in Numbers! by Sarah Wassner Flynn, students learn about the ways animals stick together to stay safe. You can access the text here. After reading the text, your class can build their own ant farms to observe group behavior: https://www.generationgenius.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Animal-Group-Behavior-Lesson-Plan-GG.pdf Or play this simulation game for students to take an active role in learning how group behavior helps members survive. https://www.siemensstemday.com/downloads?path=activity/Swarm%21.pdf&fid=416&section=educators Safety in Numbers is found in, → read more

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – 4-ESS3-1

Posted by Emily Starr on February 16, 2021 Uncategorized Comments Off

Feb 162021

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) - 4-ESS3-1

4-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment. If you are teaching the Next Generation Science Standards and are looking for phenomena ideas, you’ve come to the right place! I like to think about phenomena as lesson starters. They are photos or videos showing an observable event in the universe and are used to get kids thinking, asking questions, and discussing their prior knowledge. For more information about using phenomena, there is a handy printable guide and video here:https://www.nextgenscience.org/resources/phenomena And now, on to our environmental phenomenon! → read more

NGSS Informational Texts for Second Grade: Seeds Everywhere!

Posted by Natalie Linville-Mass on January 25, 2021 Content Recommendations Comments Off

Jan 252021

NGSS Informational Texts for Second Grade: Seeds Everywhere!

The second grade performance expectation 2-LS2-1 asks students to: “Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.” In our second grade informational text for this performance expectation, Seeds Everywhere! by Sarah Wassner Flynn, students learn different ways animals spread seeds. You can access the text here. After students have read the text, you might interest students in playing this interactive game online where students are challenged to collect seeds that are dispersed in different ways: > PBD Kids: Seed Racer This is a great engineering lesson plan that aligns well with → read more

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – 4-LS1-2

Posted by Emily Starr on January 22, 2021 Uncategorized Comments Off

Jan 222021

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) - 4-LS1-2

4-LS1-2 Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways. If you are teaching the Next Generation Science Standards and are looking for phenomena ideas, you’ve come to the right place! I like to think about phenomena as lesson starters. They are photos or videos showing an observable event in the universe and are used to get kids thinking, asking questions, and discussing their prior knowledge. For more information about using phenomena, there is a handy printable guide and video → read more

NGSS Informational Texts for First Grade: Just Like Animals!

Posted by Natalie Linville-Mass on January 7, 2021 Behind the Scenes of StarrMatica, Science Resources Comments Off

Jan 072021

NGSS Informational Texts for First Grade: Just Like Animals!

What helps this turtle stay protected? The first grade performance expectation 1-LS1-1 asks students to “use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.” In our first grade informational text for this performance expectation, Just Like Animals by Sarah Wassner Flynn, students learn how human tools can function similarly to plant and animal parts. You can access the text here. After students have read the text, you could extend their learning with this video about Biomimicry. Take advantage of this → read more

NGSS Informational Texts for Kindergarten: Why Do I Live Here?

Posted by Natalie Linville-Mass on December 10, 2020 Science Resources Comments Off

Dec 102020

NGSS Informational Texts for Kindergarten: Why Do I Live Here?

Why do deer live in places with trees? The kindergarten performance expectation K-ESS3-1 asks students to: “Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live.” In our kindergarten informational text for this performance expectation, Why Do I Live Here? by Sarah Wassner Flynn, students learn why a forest is the perfect habitat for deer. You can access the text here: https://texts.starrmatica.com/sample-texts After students read the text, you might interest them in exploring the relationship between other animals and their habitats. Download the free version of the Switch → read more

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – 3-LS4-4

Posted by Emily Starr on December 8, 2020 Phenomenon Ideas Comments Off

Dec 082020

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) - 3-LS4-4

3-LS4-4 Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change. If you are teaching the Next Generation Science Standards and are looking for phenomena ideas, you’ve come to the right place! I like to think about phenomena as lesson starters. They are photos or videos showing an observable event in the universe and are used to get kids thinking, asking questions, and discussing their prior knowledge. For more information about using phenomena, there is a handy printable guide and video → read more

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – 1-ESS1-2

Posted by Emily Starr on November 14, 2020 Phenomenon Ideas Comments Off

Nov 142020

Phenomenon for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) - 1-ESS1-2

1-ESS1-2 Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year. If you are teaching the Next Generation Science Standards and are looking for phenomena ideas, you’ve come to the right place! I like to think about phenomena as lesson starters. They are photos or videos showing an observable event in the universe and are used to get kids thinking, asking questions, and discussing their prior knowledge. For more information about using phenomena, there is a handy printable guide and video here: https://www.nextgenscience.org/resources/phenomena And now, on to our daylight phenomenon! These pictures → read more

Did You Know? Fun Facts for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – 4-PS3-4

Posted by Emily Starr on September 23, 2020 Phenomenon Ideas Comments Off

Sep 232020

Did You Know? Fun Facts for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) - 4-PS3-4

4-PS3-4 Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another As we create informational texts for each of the Next Generation Science Standards, there are tons of amazing, interesting, and just plain weird facts we are learning. I thought it would be fun to share some of them with you, so I hope you enjoy these facts about wind turbines…. and sheep! Wind turbines are usually very large machines: Sometimes as tall as the Statue of Liberty! The larger the turbine blades, the more wind it picks up. This means more → read more

Meet Michelle Negron Bueno

Posted by Emily Starr on August 27, 2020 Reading Resources, Teacher Features Comments Off

Aug 272020

Hello! I am Michelle Negron Bueno and I love writing for StarrMatica! From a young age, I have been enthralled with stories. It comes as no surprise that many years later, my whole life surrounds reading and writing. I was born and lived for many years in Spain, a place extremely rich with history. I also lived in Germany where I went to boarding school. Years later, after reading the Harry Potter series, I would remember how lucky I was to attend boarding school, but would also wish it could have been Hogwarts. I would have loved to have learned → read more

Older Entries