FOSS at Home FOSS® at Home Animals two by two

® The FOSS (Full Option Science System™) program offers a number LETTER TO PARENTS

of ways to get parents involved in their child’s science education. SCIENCE NEWS Dear Parents, Our kindergarten class is beginning a science unit on animals. W e will be observing and comparing four Included here are short descriptions of several ways to bridge from pairs of animals over the next several weeks: two kinds of fi sh (guppies and goldfi sh), two kinds of snails (land snails and pond snails), two kinds of earthworm (redworms and night crawlers), and two kinds of isopods (pill bugs and sow bugs). W e will learn how to handle these interesting animals carefully and will all participate in the care and feeding of our animal visitors. So be prepared; your child may come classroom to home. home with lots of questions and stories about animals. You can help your child learn about animals by taking walks in your neighborhood to look for animals and by talking about animals in and around your home—everything from pets to insects. W e will be discussing differences and similarities in the animals we investigate and starting to develop the important Letter to Parents. The letter to parents can be sent home at the start attitudes of respect for life and a sense of responsibility where living organisms are concerned. If you are interested in seeing how we introduce animals in our class, please come by for a of a new science module. The letter describes what children will visit. The children will be more than happy to share their enthusiasm for life. Sincerely, be learning and ways that parents can enrich the science-learning SCIENCE NEWS experience. Dear Parents, Our kindergarten class is beginning a science unit on animals. W e will be observing and comparing four pairs of animals over the next several weeks: two kinds of fi sh (guppies and goldfi sh), two kinds of snails (land snails and pond snails), two kinds of earthworm (redworms and night crawlers), and two kinds of isopods (pill bugs and sow bugs). W e will learn how to handle these interesting animals FOSS Science Stories. FOSS Science Stories is a series of original books carefully and will all participate in the care and feeding of our animal visitors. So be prepared; your child may come home with lots of questions and stories about animals. You can help your child learn about animals by taking walks in your neighborhood to look for animals and by talking about animals in and around your home—everything from pets to insects. W e will developed to accompany and enrich the FOSS modules. The books be discussing differences and similarities in the animals we investigate and starting to develop the important attitudes of respect for life and a sense of responsibility where living organisms are for grades K–2 are written in an expository format that presents concerned. If you are interested in seeing how we introduce animals in our class, please come by for a visit. The children will be more than happy to share their enthusiasm for life. factual information in a clear and concise manner. The books are Sincerely, designed around instructional photographs that directly relate to the FOSS Animals Two by Two Module Investigation 1: Goldfi sh and Guppies © The Regents of the University of California No. 1—Teacher Sheet text, calling attention to particular details, suggesting comparisons, Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use. and directing students to think critically about the images. No. 1—Teacher Sheet Here are some suggestions for using FOSS Science Stories at home. • Expository Readings. The expository readings provide excellent opportunities for students and parents to discuss the science content students are learning in the module. Families can reread the articles together. Specific articles include Learning about Animals, Goldfish and Guppies, Big and Little Worms, Isopods, and Eggs and Chicks. • Extending the Story. See the Science Stories folio in the Teacher Guide for suggestions on how to extend the stories at home. For example, after students read Land and Water Snails, you might have students turn to page 10 and ask if the tree snail and the conch are the same size. Although the two animals appear to be the same size in the photos, the conch is 36 cm (14”) long and the tree snail is 2.5 cm (1”) long. The size difference can be demonstrated by using precut lengths of yarn or tagboard. Students and their families can continue the discussion by demonstrating the differences between other animals presented in the book.

Animals Two by two 1 Animals two by two

FISH OUTLINE Student Sheets and Products. Throughout the module, students conduct various investigations relating to the topic. They complete student sheets and centers where they are asked to draw, color, and/ or cut out things, along with creating various products to explore; they also write or dictate descriptions and observations to accompany Goldfish drawings. Students should bring the sheets, and/or their science notebooks, and the products they’ve assembled home for families to review and discuss. For example, student sheet number 2, Fish Outline, is a good opportunity for students to explain and review with parents that goldfish have identifiable structures, such as eyes, fins, gills, and a tail, by drawing these features within an outline. Goldfish Home/School Connections. Home/School Connections are activities

FOSS Animals Two by Two Module Investigation 1: Goldfish and Guppies developed specifically for the whole family to enjoy at home. For © The Regents of the University of California No. 2—Student Sheet Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use. example, in Investigation 1 (student sheet number 27), students can No. 2—Student Sheet color, cut out, and attach the fish and fishbowl back to back to the end of a pencil or drinking straw. Students then hold the pencil or straw HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTION between their palms with the pictures up, spin it back and forth, and INVESTIGATION 1: GOLDFISH AND GUPPIES

The pictures below will make two fi sh-in-a-bowl twirlers, one with a goldfi sh and one with a guppy. Cut on the solid lines so that you have two strips, each with watch the picture. An optical illusion makes the fish look as if it is in a bowl on the left side and a fi sh on the right. Color the bowl and the fi sh. Fold each strip in half along the dotted line, so that the pictures are back to back. Push a straw or pencil up in between the two picture backs and securely tape the bowl. into place. Be sure the straw or pencil spans the full length of the picture.

Hold the straw or pencil between your palms with the pictures up, spin the straw back and forth, and Interdisciplinary Extensions. Each investigation has suggestions for watch the picture. An optical illusion makes the fi sh look as if it were in a bowl. art, language, math, social studies, and science extensions. These are good family activities. For example, after Investigation 3 students and their families can make a worm observation terrarium. A worm observation terrarium is made by placing a clear container within another container, with soil pressed in a thin layer between the walls of the outer container and the inner container. The worms will be in view as they burrow, and students can observe the length and shape of the burrows. See Investigation 3, page 22 of the Teacher Guide for complete instructions. FOSS Animals Two by Two Module Investigation 1: Goldfi sh and Guppies © The Regents of the University of California No. 27—Student Sheet Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use. FOSSweb (www.fossweb.com). FOSSweb is an interactive website No. 27—Student Sheet where families can find instructional activities and interactive simulations specifically designed for each FOSS module. NOTE: All student sheets, including the Letter to Parents and Home/ NOTE: Pages 3 and 4 of this School Connection, are available in folio can be photocopied and sent FOSS Teacher Guides and online at home for parents to read. Those www.fossweb.com. They are also pages provide information on the available in Spanish. See Teacher/ resources for students and their Parent Info Section: Home/ families on FOSSweb. School Connection on page 4 of this folio.

2 full option science system FOSS at Home

FOSSWEB (WWW.FOSSWEB.COM) The FOSS program maintains a resource-rich website for students and their families and friends. To explore the resources available for the Animals Two by Two Module, first enter www.fossweb.com in your browser. The FOSS website requires plug-ins for your browser. We recommend that you click the “Test Your Browser” link at the bottom of the home page before you begin to ensure your computer has the minimum requirements. Click the grades K–2 icon to get a menu that links to each of the K–2 modules. There you can choose Animals Two by Two and travel to a wealth of information and activities specific to this module.

ACTIVITIES

In the Animals Two by Two Module, you’ll find an activity called Find the Parent. Students try to match the baby animal in the picture to its parent. You might ask, • How are human babies like their parents and how are they different? • How is a puppy like an adult dog and how is it different? • How is a baby guppy like an adult guppy and how is it different? If necessary, review the animals that children have investigated in the module and discuss their similarities and differences. At the computer, have children decide which of the three photos on the right represents the adult version of the baby animal. After successfully identifying two or three matches together, have children continue on their own. Encourage children to talk about why they chose particular matches.

Animals Two by two 3 Animals two by two

PHOTO GALLERY

In the Photo Gallery section, you can view images in two galleries, one of young and adult animals and another of worms, isopods, and fish. Many of these images are in the Find the Parent activity, so you might use them before students do that activity or afterward as a review. You can use the images to discuss the similarities and differences between the animals. Students can choose one of the animals to describe, draw, and research with a family member. MOVIES

The Movies section includes several animals in action. The movies can also stimulate discussion. WEBSITES

The Websites section includes links to sites that can extend and enrich children’s experiences with the Animals Two by Two Module.

Teacher/Parent Info Section VOCABULARY

In the Vocabulary section, you will find the glossary words and definitions used in the Animals Two by Two Module. They are provided in English and Spanish. Resources

This section includes an annotated list of books, videos, and software recommended for the Animals Two by Two Module. You should be able to find many of these titles at your local library. HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTION

The Teacher/Parent Info section includes the Home/School Connection that describes ways for families to do science together. For example, in Investigation 4, students can color, cut out, and paste where the animals will live in the picture (student sheet number 30). Look in this section for a downloadable PDF file, including the Home/School Connection files and a letter to parents.

4 full option science system Copyright The Regents of the University of California 1014219