📖

Water, Rocks, and Sunlight

Living and Non-Living Parts of Ecosystems

Day 8of 180
Week 2of 36
30Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)

Learning Objectives

1

Identify non-living components of ecosystems

2

Explain how water, rocks, and sunlight support living things

3

Develop curiosity about God's intricate creation design

Genesis 1:11

God said, 'Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after its kind, with its seed in it, on the earth;' and it was so.

Genesis 1:11 (WEB)

Demonstrates how non-living elements like earth support living things

📦 Materials Needed

  • Clear glass jar
  • Rocks
  • Soil
  • Water
  • Magnifying glass
  • BibleMouse science journal
  • Pencil

Lesson Plan

1Opening (3 min)

Welcome to today's BibleMouse science adventure! Yesterday we explored living and non-living things in ecosystems. Today, we'll discover how rocks, water, and sunlight are God's incredible design for supporting life.

💭 Review Question: What living things did you see on our nature walk yesterday?
2Teaching (10 min)

In every ecosystem, non-living things play a crucial role. Water helps plants grow, rocks provide homes for small creatures, and sunlight gives energy to plants.

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Water is like a drink for plants and animals
  • Rocks create shelter and homes in nature
  • Sunlight helps plants make their own food
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • How do you think rocks help animals?
  • What happens to plants without sunlight?
3Activity: Ecosystem in a Jar (12 min)
investigation

Create a simple model showing how non-living things support life

📝 Instructions:
  1. Put rocks at bottom of jar
  2. Add a layer of soil
  3. Pour a small amount of water
  4. Observe how elements interact
  5. Use magnifying glass to explore details
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Parent helps with layering

Challenge: Predict what might grow in this mini-ecosystem

4Closing (3 min)

Record observations in BibleMouse science journal

📝 Review Questions:
  • What non-living things did we explore today?
  • How do these things help living things?

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll learn about how plants, animals, and decomposers work together

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Non-living components are essential ecosystem supports

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Encourage careful observation
  • Let child lead exploration
  • Connect scientific discovery to God's design
🤔 Common Struggles:

Understanding abstract ecosystem interactions

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Curiosity about how different parts of nature connect

Extension Activities

  • Take a nature walk to collect rocks and observe ecosystem interactions
  • Read BibleMouse recommended science book about ecosystems

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 9Back to Science