7NE2.1A

Syllabus Indicator 2.1: Identify how plants and animals respond to changes in the environment eg trees losing their leaves and the thickness of animals fur.

Framework Indicators

7NE2.1A: Responds to visual representations of plants or real plants

7NE2.1B: Discriminates between representations of plants, either real or visual and non-plants 

Teacher Language

Give an instruction

SN, this is a plant. This is what this plant looks/feels like.

SN, can you show me the plant?

Correction/prompt

This is the plant.

Try again.

Students will be able to meet this outcome with varying levels of support. Fade this support as the student works toward developing independence. 

There are a variety of acceptable ways a student can respond. These include; head/physical movements (e.g. nodding, pointing and reaching), facial expression, eye gaze, vocalisations and/or verbal responses. 

Wherever possible teachers should use real plant material. When using a real plant allow students to touch if possible. 

Teaching Activities 

7NE2.1A:  Responds to visual representations of plants or real plants

Teachers could provide opportunities for students to respond to plants in their natural environment when moving around the school. Draw the students’ attention to a plant and state ‘SN, this is a plant. This is what this plant looks/feels like’. Teachers could also support this activity in the classroom by again providing students opportunities to respond to real plants as well as visual representations of plants. 

7NE2.1B:  Discriminates between representations of plants, either real or visual and non-plants

This activity is designed to provide students with opportunities to discriminate between plants and non- plants. This activity can be done either by using real plants and non-plants or visual representations of plants and non-plants. Teachers would place a real plant and a non-plant item (e.g a drink bottle, a toy) within the student’s direct view. Teachers would then state ‘SN, can you show me the plant?’ The same could be done when using visuals. The activity should be repeated a number of times to ensure the students are able to demonstrate their ability to discriminate between plants and non-plants. 

Websites that contain resources, games or activities that could be used to support this goal include:

• Plants and animals in the local environment: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/plants_animals_env.shtml