USGS Education

USGS Education

Kindergarten
Science Content Standards
USGS Education Home / California Education Standards / California Resources

Life Sciences

2. Different types of plants and animals inhabit the earth. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know how to observe and describe similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals (e.g., seed-bearing plants, birds, fish, insects).
b. Students know stories sometimes give plants and animals attributes they do not really have.
c. Students know how to identify major structures of common plants and animals (e.g., stems, leaves, roots, arms, wings, legs).

Pacific Island Ecosystem Education Pages
Coloring book pages and other activities for young students

South Florida Kids Page
Coloring pages and games featuring wildlife in south Florida.

Earth Sciences

3. Earth is composed of land, air, and water. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know characteristics of mountains, rivers, oceans, valleys, deserts, and local landforms.
b. Students know changes in weather occur from day to day and across seasons, affecting Earth and its inhabitants.
c. Students know how to identify resources from Earth that are used in everyday life and understand that many resources can be conserved.

USGS Image Collections
This website provides links to many USGS photo collections where images can be downloaded for free. Topics include geography, geology, water science, historic photographs, and national parks.

Minerals In Our Environment
A poster showing how we use minerals in our everyday life.

Mineral Resources: Out of the Ground, Into Our Daily Lives
A poster showing minerals that are present in common objects around the house.

Geography Standards

K.4 Students compare and contrast the locations of people, places, and environments and describe their characteristics.
1. Determine the relative locations of objects using the terms near/far, left/right, and behind/in front.
2. Distinguish between land and water on maps and globes and locate general areas referenced in historical legends and stories.
3. Identify traffic symbols and map symbols (e.g., those for land, water, roads, cities).
4. Construct maps and models of neighborhoods, incorporating such structures as police and fire stations, airports, banks, hospitals, supermarkets, harbors, schools, homes, places of worship, and transportation lines.
5. Demonstrate familiarity with the school's layout, environs, and the jobs people do there.

Map Adventures (Teacher Packet)
An on-line teacher packet for grades K-3. Students learn basic concepts for visualizing objects from different perspectives and how to understand and use maps. Includes teacher information, seven lesson plans, two activity sheets, and a poster that can be printed in color or black & white by printing pdf files on fifteen 8.5" x 11" sheets.

Helping Your Child Learn Geography
This 32-page booklet, published in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and the National Geographic Society, is designed to help adults stir children's curiosity about geography. Includes many suggestions for simple activities. K-4.

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://education.usgs.gov/california/kindergarten.htm
Page Contact Information: ecolvard@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified: Wednesday, 14-Oct-2009 16:25:42 EDT