Embark on a journey with your students to answer the driving question: How are animals affected by changes in the sky? This NGSS-aligned integrated storyline unit strives to help students explore the 1st grade NGSS standards bundle Space Systems: Patterns in the Sky (1ESS1-1 and 1-ESS1-2). Students explore changing patterns in the sky through a series of investigations which are interwoven with the storyline of exploring animal behavior and how it changes as the sun, moon and stars appear to change. Help students understand these daily astronomical phenomenon while using a variety of picture books and expository texts to create an experience that cultivates literacy in both English Language Arts and STEM! The unit ends in an art gallery showcase where students create pieces of art to educate others about how a particular animal behaves as the sky changes.

Embark on a journey with your students to answer the driving question: How can we design a solution to help Shanelle’s blueberries grow? This NGSS-aligned integrated storyline unit strives to help students explore the 2nd grade NGSS standards bundle Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS-4-1) and K-2 Engineering Design (K-2-ETS1-1). Students investigate why the blueberry plants on Shanelle’s farm are not producing fruit and create a model of what a blueberry plant needs in order to thrive. By studying what plants need, and the unique relationship between pollinators and flowering plants, students determine why the plants are not fruiting. The unit culminates with students creating a tool to help Shanelle pollinate her blueberry flowers so that they produce fruit.

Embark on a journey with your students to answer the driving question: How can we design a solution to prevent Washington’s coast from eroding? This NGSS-aligned integrated storyline unit strives to help students explore the 2nd grade NGSS standards bundle Earth’s Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth (2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-2, & 2-ESS2-3). Students explore earth’s processes that cause change slowly and quickly. Students also explore a variety of earth materials and their resistance to erosion while designing a plan to help the people of Washaway beach with their serious beach erosion problem. The unit culminates in students designing a blockade to help prevent erosion in Washaway Beach (North Cove, WA).

This unit helps students understand the concept of biomimicry and how humans can use the traits and behaviors of plants and animals to create solutions to many human-related problems. The unit starts by highlighting the practice of biomimicry by helping students make connections to everyday objects that have been inspired by the natural world. Then, each lesson helps students dig deeper into the traits and patterns of behavior that organisms exhibit in nature. The structure of the unit includes a combination of hands-on FOSS investigations, engineering tasks, and other lessons that help students deepen their understanding of plant and animal traits.