Teaching Life's Principles

Target Audience: kindergarteners at summer camp on a nature walk

Purpose

Today we are going to learn about Life’s Principles. These are ideas that help make life better and easier for all living things. There are two main ideas that I want you to remember:

1. living things like to help other living things be happy, healthy, and work better

2. when times feel challenging, living things change to make make things easier

What are Life's Principles?

Let's talk about the first idea: living things like to help other living things be happy, healthy, and work better. There are three ways that living things do this. The first way they do this is to use things in a smart way rather than using more than they need. Imagine you draw a beautiful picture with two colors rather than a scribbly mess with ten colors. The second way they do this is to work with each other. Think about how things are often more fun with a friend and you don't have to do something alone. The third way is to choose safe materials, and use them in a responsible way.

Do you remember the second idea: when times feel challenging, living things change to make things easier? There are also three ways that living things do this. The first way they do this is to change based on what's around them. If it's cold outside and you're wearing a t-shirt, you will put a jacket on in response to feeling cold. The second way they do this is when one thing happens, it makes another thing happen. Maybe you forget your jacket one day and you are cold all day long. That event will make you extra sure to remember your jacket the next day and any cold day after that. The third way is for the living thing to protect itself so it's harder to get hurt and if it does get hurt, it can easily heal and get better soon. Think about putting your bike helmet on before you go on a ride.

Now let's look around us for examples!