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Ecosystems Unit

Module by: Amy Anderson. E-mail the author

Summary: This unit is appropriate for fifth grade students. In the following unit, students will learn about organisms, populations, communities, living and non-living factors in an ecosystem, predators, prey, adaptations, producers, consumers, decomposers, food webs, and food chains.

LESSON PLAN # 1

GRADE/SUBJECT: 5th/ Science

UNIT: Ecosystems

LESSON TITLE: The Crazy Ecosystems That Surround Us!

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this lesson, the students will:

  1. Students will be able to define organism, population, community, and ecosystem in their own words and draw a picture to represent each term.
  2. Students will be able to list non-living and living factors in a terrestrial environment.

Benchmark’s Addressed:

EALR 1. Systems: The student knows and applies scientific concepts and principles to understand the properties, structures and changes in physical, earth/space, and living systems.

GLE 1.1.6 Characteristics of Living Matter

GLE 1.2.6 Structure and Organization of Living Systems

GLE 1.3.9 Biological Evolution

GLE 1.3.10 Interdependence of Life

Time: 50 minutes

Materials/Equipment: Elmo machine, projector, vocabulary worksheet (see attachment), construction paper, colored pencils, markers, crayons, Food Chains and Webs book, pencils.

I. Introduction: 15 minutes

  • Ask students if they have ever heard of the term ecosystem.
  • Provide students with a definition of ecosystem.
  • Ask for examples of ecosystems around their neighborhood – I will write their examples on the board.
  • Read over pages 2-3 entitled What Is a Pond Ecosystem? in Food Chains and Webs as a class.

II. Development: 25 minutes

  • Provide students with a definition of the terms population and community.
  • Students will work in their Science groups (there are 3 students in each group) to write a definition of each term (including the term ecosystem) in their own words and draw a picture to go along with each term. See attachment for worksheet provided to students.
  • Discuss living and non-living factors in an ecosystem.
  • Students will be asked to draw a picture of a terrestrial environment in their groups (1 picture per group) and make a T-chart that lists the living and non-living factors.

III. Closure: 10 minutes

  • I will write a large T-chart on the board and one student from each group will come to the board and fill in either a living or non-living factor they included on their group T-chart.
  • Have the students who’s birthdays are in May display their drawings of the terms ecosystem, organism, population, and community under the Elmo.
  • Tomorrow we will look at competitions that exist in ecosystems and the difference between a predator and a prey.

Assessment:

Formative: Walk around to groups as students are working and ask them to explain their drawings of the terms. Ask groups to explain how the non-living factors in their ecosystem supported the living factors.

Summative: Vocabulary worksheet, group drawings of terrestrial environment and T-chart

References: Delta Science Readers. (2003). Food chains and webs. Nashua, NH: Delta Education.

Notes: Provide a copy of the sample vocabulary worksheet that I filled out to ELL and Special Education students who might need it. Modify vocabulary assignment for ELL and Special Education students who typically need assignments to be modified. For example, ELL student may write down my definition of the term ecosystem instead of having to rephrase the term in their own words.

LESSON PLAN # 2

GRADE/SUBJECT: 5th/ Science

UNIT: Ecosystems

LESSON TITLE: Predator vs. Prey! Who Will Come Out Winning?

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this lesson, the students will:

  1. Students will be able to explain the term competition in their own words.
  2. Students will be able to give at least two examples of competition that takes place in the real world
  3. Students will be able to explain why competition takes place in ecosystems.
  4. Students will be able to create a prey animal and describe three adaptations it has in order to survive.

Benchmark’s Addressed:

EALR 1. Systems: The student knows and applies scientific concepts and principles to understand the properties, structures and changes in physical, earth/space, and living systems.

GLE 1.1.6 Characteristics of Living Matter

GLE 1.2.6 Structure and Organization of Living Systems

GLE 1.3.9 Biological Evolution

GLE 1.3.10 Interdependence of Life

Time: 60 minutes

Materials/Equipment: Elmo machine, projector, Animal adaptation worksheet (see attachment), pencils.

I. Introduction: 10 minutes

  • Ask students if any of them have ever played in a sporting event or game. What types of sporting events or games?
  • Ask students if any of them have ever challenged one of their siblings or cousins to a race or a basketball game.
  • If they have participated in any of the above mentioned examples, they have participated in competition. Ask students if they know what the word competition means. Provide students with a definition of the word.

II. Development: 40 minutes

  • Explain that there is competition among organisms in ecosystems.
  • What might animals be fighting over in an ecosystem?
  • Ask students if they are familiar with the terms predator and prey. Provide a definition of the terms for students.
  • Explain to students that prey have special body parts or behaviors that helps them to survive in their environments.
  • Define the term mimicry. Mimicry is an adaptation that helps some prey animals escape from being eaten by predators.
  • Explain that adaptations are special body features or behaviors that help an organism stay alive.
  • Prey animals’ colored markings or shape allows them to escape.
  • For example, one kind of fly looks like a wasp, helping it to escape from being eaten by birds. Lizards change their skin color to blend into their environment.
  • Students will be asked to come up with their own animal in their Science groups. This animal can be a real life animal, or it can be completely made up. The animal needs to have at least three adaptations that allow it to survive in their environment.

III. Closure: 10 minutes

  • Have groups share their animal to the class and their animal’s three adaptations.
  • Tomorrow, we will be examining adaptations again.

Assessment:

Formative: Walk around to groups as the students are working and ask them to describe how they decided on their animal. Ask them how one of their three adaptations helps their animal to survive in the wild.

Summative: Group animal worksheet

References: Delta Science Readers. (2003). Food chains and webs. Nashua, NH: Delta Education.

Notes: Allow students to look through National Geographic magazines if they are having trouble thinking of an animal to use.

LESSON PLAN # 3

GRADE/SUBJECT: 5th/ Science

UNIT: Ecosystems

LESSON TITLE: Have You Ever Wondered Why Giraffes Have Long Necks or Why Cheetahs Have Long Legs?

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this lesson, the students will:

  1. Students will be able to explain the term adaptation in their own words.
  2. Students will be able to list three adaptations their researched animal has that help it survive in the wild.

Benchmark’s Addressed:

EALR 1. Systems: The student knows and applies scientific concepts and principles to understand the properties, structures and changes in physical, earth/space, and living systems.

GLE 1.1.6 Characteristics of Living Matter

GLE 1.2.6 Structure and Organization of Living Systems

GLE 1.3.9 Biological Evolution

GLE 1.3.10 Interdependence of Life

Time: 58-60 minutes

Materials/Equipment: Elmo machine, projector, adaptation worksheet (see attachment), Food Chains and Webs book, various animal books from the library.

I. Introduction: 10 minutes

  • Ask students if they know why giraffes have long necks or why cheetahs have long legs.
  • How do these features/characteristics help them in the wild?
  • Ask students if they have ever heard of the term adaptation.
  • Before providing students with a definition of the term, allow students 3 minutes to discuss what they think the term might mean in their Science groups.

II. Development: 40 minutes

  • I will ask one member from each group to share what their group came up with, as far as a definition for the term adaptation.
  • Present students with a definition.
  • Brainstorm as a class how animals adapt to various conditions such as the seasons and the dark.
  • We will discuss how animals hide out and sometimes camouflage into their environment in order to survive.
  • Read over pages 4 & 5 entitled Living Things Interact in Food Chains and Webs, as a class.
  • Students will pick one animal per Science group to research in the classroom (I will have already checked out various animal books from the library and brought them into the classroom).
  • Students will be responsible for writing down at least three adaptations their chosen animal has that helps it survive in the wild.

III. Closure: 8-10 minutes

  • Students will meet with another Science group in the classroom and share their animals and adaptations.
  • Tomorrow we will look at feeding relationships in ecosystems and the difference between a producer, consumer, and decomposer.

Assessment:

Formative: Walk around to groups as the students are working on their animal research and have them explain to me why one of their adaptations helps their animal to survive in the wild.

Summative: Adaptation worksheet

References: Delta Science Readers. (2003). Food chains and webs. Nashua, NH: Delta Education.

Notes: Provide a copy of the sample adaptation worksheet that I filled out to ELL and Special Education students who might need it.

LESSON PLAN # 4

GRADE/SUBJECT: 5th/ Science

UNIT: Ecosystems

LESSON TITLE: What Does A Cow Eat? Who Eats A Cow?

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this lesson, the students will:

  1. Students will be able to explain what a producer, consumer, and decomposer is in their own words.
  2. Students will be able to find two pictures of each type of organism in National Geographic magazines (producer, consumer, & decomposer) or draw pictures of each type of organism.

Benchmark’s Addressed:

EALR 1. Systems: The student knows and applies scientific concepts and principles to understand the properties, structures and changes in physical, earth/space, and living systems.

GLE 1.1.6 Characteristics of Living Matter

GLE 1.2.6 Structure and Organization of Living Systems

GLE 1.3.9 Biological Evolution

GLE 1.3.10 Interdependence of Life

Time: 58 minutes

Materials/Equipment: Elmo machine, projector, National Geographic, National Geographic Explorer, butcher paper, scissors, glue, glue sticks, pencils, worksheet that I use to define what a producer, consumer (including 3 types), and decomposer is (see attachment).

I. Introduction: 8 minutes

  • Begin by asking students if they have ever seen a cow eating.
  • Discuss what a cow eats.
  • Discuss where that grass that the cow ate got its energy to grow.
  • Explain that the grass is considered a plant and got the energy it needed to grow from the sun.
  • The grass (plant) is known as a producer.
  • Ask students why the plant might be called a producer. It is called a producer because it produces the food for the cow.
  • The cow is known as a consumer, it consumes the food that the producer, produced.
  • I will provide a definition for the terms producer and consumer.

II. Development: 40 minutes

  • I will ask students if they are familiar with the terms herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore. Allow students 3 minutes to discuss what they think these terms might mean in their Science groups.
  • I will provide a definition for each term and I will write an example of each type of consumer on the board.
  • Next, I will introduce the term decomposer and give an example of one.
  • Students will use National Geographic and National Geographic Explorer magazines in the classroom to cut out pictures of any consumers, producers, and decomposers they can find. If they are having trouble finding any pictures in the magazines, they may draw a picture of each type on their butcher paper. They need to have two pictures or drawings of each type (producer, consumer, & decomposer).

III. Closure: 8 minutes

  • I will pick two student names from my jar of popsicle sticks. These students will bring their pictures up to the front of the class to present.
  • We will decide as a class what type of consumer they found or drew (herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore).
  • Tomorrow we will be discussing food chains.

Assessment:

Formative: Walk around to groups as the students are working on cutting out pictures of consumers, decomposers, and producers.

Summative: Butcher paper with pictures of consumers, producers, and decomposers.

References: National Geographic and National Geographic Explorer magazines.

Notes: Work on-on-one with ELL & Special Education Students if they need extra assistance with finding pictures in magazines.

LESSON PLAN # 5

GRADE/SUBJECT: 5th/ Science

UNIT: Ecosystems

LESSON TITLE: The Chain of Life

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this lesson, the students will:

  1. Students will be able to identify the components of a food chain.
  2. Students will be able to organize various pictures of animals and organisms into a food chain.

Benchmark’s Addressed:

EALR 1. Systems: The student knows and applies scientific concepts and principles to understand the properties, structures and changes in physical, earth/space, and living systems.

GLE 1.1.6 Characteristics of Living Matter

GLE 1.2.6 Structure and Organization of Living Systems

GLE 1.3.9 Biological Evolution

GLE 1.3.10 Interdependence of Life

Time: 60 minutes

Materials/Equipment: Elmo machine, projector, animal cards, construction paper, glue, glue sticks, pencils, tape, pictures of food chains (see attachment)

I. Introduction: 10 minutes

  • Ask students if they have ever witnessed a flock of birds flying in the sky.
  • How do those birds get the energy they need to fly?
  • What types of food do they eat? Are birds considered producers, consumers, or decomposers?
  • Where does a snake get the energy it needs to survive? What does it eat? Is it considered a producer, consumer, or decomposer?
  • Explain that all living things need energy to live. The sun is the source of energy for most life on Earth.
  • Producers take in this energy and use it to make their own food. Animals are not able to make their own food. They get energy by eating plants or other animals.
  • Today we will be constructing a food chain.
  • Ask students if they have ever heard of a food chain.

II. Development: 35 minutes

  • A food chain shows how living things get the food and energy they need in order to survive.
  • Show students a few pictures of food webs (see attachments)
  • Pass out a stack of pictures to each Science group. Pictures are of producers, consumers, and decomposers. Students are to arrange the pictures into a food chain and draw arrows to connect the food chain. Students are to paste the pictures onto a piece of construction paper. One is required per group.
  • I will model how I want this done before I expect for them to complete the assignment.

III. Closure: 15 minutes

  • Collect food chains from groups.
  • Tape food chains along the white board and have students come up to the board to view their classmates work.

Assessment:

Formative: Walk around to groups as they are working on their food chains.

Summative: Construction paper with food chains constructed.

References:

BBC:GCSE- Bitesize: Ecosystems and Resources. Retrieved August 20, 2008 from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/images/g_me_wiae_2.gif

Delta Science Readers. (2003). Food chains and webs. Nashua, NH: Delta Education.

USGS: Marine Habitat. Retrieved August 20, 2008 from

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/seabird_foragefish/marinehabitat/home.html

Notes: Reduce the number of animal cards needed to make a food chain if students are having any difficulties.

References

BBC:GCSE- Bitesize: Ecosystems and Resources. Retrieved August 20, 2008 from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/images/g_me_wiae_2.gif

Delta Science Readers. (2003). Food chains and webs. Nashua, NH: Delta Education

Great Source Education Group. (2006). Science saurus: A student handbook.

Wilmington, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

USGS: Marine Habitat. Retrieved August 20, 2008 from

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/seabird_foragefish/marinehabitat/home.html

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