Skip to content
Illinois Early Learning Project

Illinois Early Learning Project

  • English
  • Spanish - español

  • Tip Sheets
    • All Tip Sheets
    • Infant/toddler Tip Sheets
    • Graphic Tip Sheets
    • Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
    • Tip Sheets by Topic
    • Tip Sheets by Series
    • Order Tip Sheets
    • PDF Collections
  • Videos
    • Parenting Videos
    • Illinois Early Learning Moments
    • Guidelines Videos
    • Benchmark Videos
    • Webinars
  • Standards & Guidelines
    • Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3
    • 2013 Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards
    • Illinois Learning Standards for Kindergarten
  • Project Approach
    • Project Guides
    • Project Examples
    • Lesson Planning in the Context of Projects
    • Project Approach Tip Sheets
    • Blog: Perspectives on the Project Approach
    • Project Approach Definitions
    • Project Approach Facebook Group
    • Related Project Approach Research
    • The Legacy of Lilian Katz
  • Blogs
    • Learning and Growing Together
    • Dual Language Learners
    • Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
    • Perspectives on the Project Approach
  • More Resources
    • IEL Newsletter
    • Podcasts
    • Learning at Home Activities
    • Resource Lists
    • Resources by Topic or Keyword
    • Questions and Answers (Q&A)
    • Tool Kits
    • View all

Standard 12.A

Understand that living things grow and change.

boy at sensory table

Exploring the Sensory Table

Benchmark Videos
child standing outdoors holding dandelion

Lots of Dandelions

Benchmark Videos
Appreciating the Natural World with Young Children

Appreciating the Natural World with Young Children

Resource Lists
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish…NEW Fish: A Preschool Fish Project

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish…NEW Fish: A Preschool Fish Project

Project Approach, Project Examples
The Cow Project

The Cow Project

Project Approach, Project Examples
The Worm Project

The Worm Project

Project Approach, Project Examples
Helping Children Sketch and Draw from Observation

Helping Children Sketch and Draw from Observation

Lesson Planning in the Context of Projects, Project Approach
Things to Sit On

Things to Sit On

Project Approach, Project Guides
All About Gardens

All About Gardens

Project Approach, Project Guides
Changes in the Trees around Us

Changes in the Trees around Us

Project Approach, Project Guides
Straw Painting

Straw Painting

Benchmark Videos
Observing Chickens on the Playground

Observing Chickens on the Playground

Benchmark Videos
Learning about a Stethoscope

Learning about a Stethoscope

Benchmark Videos
Getting to Know Rabbits

Getting to Know Rabbits

Benchmark Videos
Exploring Trees on the Playground

Exploring Trees on the Playground

Benchmark Videos
Exploring Sound on the Dam

Exploring Sound on the Dam

Benchmark Videos
An Engineer Changes His Mind

An Engineer Changes His Mind

Benchmark Videos
drawing of child with magnifying glass

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Curious Young Scientists

Graphic Tip Sheets, Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Natural Illinois: The Trees You See

Natural Illinois: The Trees You See

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Get Growing: Planters and Preschoolers

Get Growing: Planters and Preschoolers

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Get Growing: Planning a Garden with Young Children

Get Growing: Planning a Garden with Young Children

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Get Growing: Learning about Seeds

Get Growing: Learning about Seeds

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Get Growing: From Seeds to Sprouts

Get Growing: From Seeds to Sprouts

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Things Change

Things Change

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
boy with watering can

Say Yes to the Mess! Water Works

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Play and Self-Regulation in Preschool

Play and Self-Regulation in Preschool

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Natural Illinois: Frogs and Toads

Natural Illinois: Frogs and Toads

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Natural Illinois: Mammals

Natural Illinois: Mammals

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Natural Illinois: Butterflies and Moths

Natural Illinois: Butterflies and Moths

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Natural Illinois: Leaves Are All Around

Natural Illinois: Leaves Are All Around

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Natural Illinois: Birds

Natural Illinois: Birds

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Natural Illinois: Insects

Natural Illinois: Insects

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Science Lesson Addressing Benchmark 12.A.ECb

Science Lesson Addressing Benchmark 12.A.ECb

Adapting Lesson Plans to Meet IELDS Benchmarks
Project Work in a Program Serving Highly Diverse Communities

Project Work in a Program Serving Highly Diverse Communities

Blogs, Perspectives on the Project Approach
Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Being There!

Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Being There!

Tip Sheets
A Project on Trees: Suggestions for Teachers

A Project on Trees: Suggestions for Teachers

Blogs, Perspectives on the Project Approach

About IEL

The Illinois Early Learning Project Web site is a source of evidence-based, reliable information on early care and education for parents, caregivers, and teachers of young children in Illinois.

Funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

View IEL staff information, contact IEL online, or call (877) 275-3227.

Disclaimer / Web Privacy Notice

View this page in

  • English
  • Spanish - español

Print Orders

  • Order Tip Sheets
  • Order IEL Guidelines Posters and Brochures

IEL Newsletter

IEL Visitor Survey

View Tip Sheets in…

  • English
  • Spanish: español
  • Polish: Polski
  • Russian: Русский
  • Korean: 한국어
  • Chinese: 中文 (中国)
  • Arabic: العربية
  • French: Français
UIUC logoUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
College of Education
Early Childhood Collective
Copyright © 2021 Illinois Early Learning Project. All rights reserved.