Communities in Virginia
Session 1: Alike and Different

Materials

• Pictures of living and non-living things
• Pipe cleaners or straws
• Ribbon or yarn
• Empty containers to use as vases
• Textbook, books, or other instructional materials

Instructional Activities

1. Hand out a picture of a living or non-living item to each student. Let students share the picture with the class. (Pictures may be cut from magazines or printed from computer clip art.) What do they have a picture of? Tell students to color and cut out their picture.
   
   
2. Give students a straw or pipe cleaner to tape to the back of their picture. This will be like a stem.
   
   
3. After students have their “picture flower,” tell them that these pictures will be “sorted” into two bouquets. How could the pictures be sorted? How are they alike? How are they different? Guide children to discover that the pictures can be grouped into “living” and “non-living” categories. (This is a concept learned in kindergarten.)
   
   
4. Use a piece of ribbon or yarn to tie the stems together and place each bouquet into a “vase.” Empty milk cartons, plastic soda bottles, or cans can be used for vases.