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Ecosystems Page 1 Lesson By Lesson Guide Ecosystems (STC) and Alignment Lessons

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Page 1: Lesson By Lesson Guide - PBworks · PDF fileLesson By Lesson Guide Ecosystems (STC) ... NC Essential Standards and Clarifying Objectives ... 5.P.3.1 Explain the effects of the transfer

Ecosystems Page 1

Lesson By Lesson Guide

Ecosystems

(STC)

and

Alignment Lessons

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Ecosystems Page 2

Table of Contents NC Essential Standards and Clarifying Objectives ........................................................................ 3

Essential Question for Unit ............................................................................................................. 3

Pre-Unit Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 3

Notes about the Unit ....................................................................................................................... 4

Pre-Unit Preparation ....................................................................................................................... 4

Ecocolumn Set Up for Observation and Pollution Experiments .................................................... 5

Lesson 1: Thinking about Ecosystems (Lesson 1 in STC Ecosystems) .......................................... 6

Lesson 2: Setting up the Terrarium (Lesson 2 in STC Ecosystems) ............................................... 8

Lesson 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems (Alignment Lesson) ................................................................. 10

Lesson 4: Setting Up the Aquarium (Lesson 3 in STC Ecosystems)............................................. 13

Lesson 5: Aquatic Ecosystems (Alignment Lesson) ..................................................................... 15

Lesson 6: Photosynthesis and the Sun’s Radiation (Alignment Lesson)....................................... 17

Lesson 7: What is Algae? (Alignment Lesson) ............................................................................. 19

Lesson 8: Adding Animals to the Aquarium (Lesson 4 in STC Ecosystems) ............................... 21

Lesson 9: Observing the Completed Aquarium (Lesson 5 in STC Ecosystems) ........................... 23

Lesson 10: Adding Animals to the Terrarium (Lesson 6 in STC Ecosystems) ............................. 25

Lesson 11: Joining the Terrarium & Aquarium (Lesson 7 in STC Ecosystems) ........................... 27

Lesson 12: Upsetting the Stability (Lesson 8 in STC Ecosystems) ............................................... 29

Lesson 13: Reporting in Pollutants (Lesson 9 in STC Ecosystems) .............................................. 31

Lesson 14: Planning Pollution Experiments (Lesson 10 in STC Ecosystems) .............................. 33

Lesson 15: Setting Up Our Pollution Experiments (Lesson 11 in STC Ecosystems) ................... 35

Lesson 16: Observing Early Effects of Pollution (Lesson 12 in STC Ecosystems) ...................... 37

Lesson 17: Drawing Conclusions about Our Experiment (Lessons 13 & 14 in STC Ecosystems)39

Lesson 18: Examining a Real Environmental Problem (Lessons 15 & 16 in STC Ecosystems) .. 41

Lesson 19: Post-Unit Assessment: Sharing What We Know about Ecosystems (Lesson 17 in STC

Ecosystems) ................................................................................................................................... 43

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NC Essential Standards and Clarifying Objectives

5.L.1 Understand how structure and systems of organisms (to include the human body)

perform functions necessary for life.

5.L.1.1 Explain why some organisms are capable of surviving as a single cell while others

require many cells that are specialized to survive.*

5.L.2 Understand the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystems.

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

5.P.3 Explain how the properties of some materials change as a result of heating and

cooling.

5.P.3.1 Explain the effects of the transfer of heat (either by direct contact or at a distance) that

occurs between objects at different temperatures (conduction, convection, radiation).**

*Be sure to point out that the plants and animals observed throughout this unit are multicellular

organisms while microscopic decomposers, such as bacteria, are unicellular.

**In the Ecosystems unit, photosynthesis is introduced in an alignment lesson. Students will

learn that producers use the Sun’s radiant energy to produce their own food. Additionally,

students will learn that the Sun’s radiant energy warms the Earth’s water and soil.

Essential Question for Unit

How are plants and animals connected to each other and to their natural

environment?

Pre-Unit Assessment

A formative assessment probe called “Rotting Apple” is available on page 139 of Uncovering

Student Ideas in Science Volume 3 (Orange Cover), by Page Keeley et al. This particular probe

elicits students’ ideas of decay and the role of decomposers.

Another formative assessment probe called “Global Warming” is available on page 143 of

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science Volume 4 (Green Cover), by Page Keeley et al. This probe

elicits students’ ideas about global warming and pollutants that contribute to it. This particular

probe can be administered later in the unit as students set up pollution experiments.

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Notes about the Unit

This unit is a combination of lessons from STC Ecosystems and Alignment Lessons to meet the

expectations of the NC Essential Standards for Science. Because Alignment Lessons supplement

the Ecosystems science kit, additional materials, which are not included in the science, are

required. This chart lists lessons, needed materials, and suggested quantities:

Lesson CMAPP

Days Additional Materials, not included in the science kit Quantity

Terrestrial Ecosystems 77-78 terrestrial organisms sorting cards (available on CMAPP)

1 set per studentgroup

Aquatic Ecosystems 79-80 aquatic organisms sorting cards (available on CMAPP)

1 set per studentgroup

Photosynthesis & the Sun's Radiation

81-82

thermometers (can be borrowed from Inv. Weather Systems kit) 2

Photosynthesis & the Sun's Radiation

goose-neck desk lamp to shine on soil and water (can be borrowed from Inv. Weather Systems kit) 1

Pre-Unit Preparation

The class will need 3 2-liter bottles per group and 21 additional bottles to make 7

(1 control ecocolumn + 6 experimental class eco-columns without animals to be used

from Lesson 11 to Lesson 15 for pollution experiments).

Have student volunteers collect and prepare 2-liter, clear plastic bottles by following the

instructions in the teacher guide. Instructions can be photocopied and sent home as a

homework assignment. Bottle preparation can also be done during class time if adult

volunteers are available to cut the bottles.

If you receive green bottles (ginger ale) or contoured bottles (Coca-Cola) that cannot be

used to create ecocolumns, keep them to mix and hold pollution solutions in STC

Ecosystems Lesson 11.

Gather leaf litter for STC Ecosystems Lesson 2 – dried leaves, grass clippings, small

twigs -avoid pine needles.

terrarium

connector

aquarium

Assembled Ecocolumn

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Ecocolumn Set Up for Observation and Pollution Experiments *This set up should be used to avoid polluting ecocolumns that contain animals.

Students, in teams of 4, create a group ecocolumn. These ecolumns contain plants and animals and will NOT be polluted. Student teams will then pair up to study the effects of a particular type of pollution.

The class will create 7 class ecocolumns that do NOT contain animals. Six of these seven ecocolumns will be polluted. The remaining ecocolumn becomes a control. Depending on available materials, it may be necessary to have 4 class ecocolumns – 3 polluted and 1 as a control.

The teacher creates an ecocolumn with plants and animals as a replacement in the event that a group ecocolumn is not thriving as expected or if it gets knocked over.

Polluted with Fertilizer

Polluted with Salt

Control

Data collection and care of the control

ecocolumn are critical in order to

confirm the effects of pollutants within the

other ecocolumns!

Group/Team Ecocolumns

Class Ecocolumns

Teacher’s Ecocolumn

Polluted with Vinegar

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Lesson 1: Thinking about Ecosystems (Lesson 1 in STC Ecosystems) Students discuss an illustration of a riverbank environment and begin to consider the

relationship between living and nonliving things in the environment. Students also prepare

materials to build model ecosystems.

*This lesson can cover two class sessions. The focus of days 1 and 2 is to determine what

misconceptions students have about the roles of organisms in ecosystems and to prepare

materials for the building of the eco-columns.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What are ecosystems?

How do living things depend on each other?

How can a model help us understand the relationship between living things in an

ecosystem?

How does human interaction affect ecosystems?

Activity Guiding Questions

You might consider administering the

formative assessment probe called

“Rotting Apple” to begin this unit.

Students will complete a KW chart in

their science notebook that answers the

pre-assessment question: “How do

living things depend on each other?”

They can share their responses to the

question with the whole class.

Each science group will prepare their

bottles for the model ecosystem

according to the instructions teacher’s

guide. (Students can assist with

removing labels and marking bottles

however; it is strongly recommended

that adults cut the bottles for safety

reasons.)

Students (whole group) will observe

and discuss an illustration (available in

the Teacher Guide) of a riverbank

environment with an emphasis on the

interaction between animals and plants

Identify living things in the

environment.

How do the plants depend on the

animals?

How do the animals depend on the

plants?

How do the animals depend on each

other?

Which of these things need others to

survive?

Identify the nonliving things in this

environment. What part do they play in

the lives of living things?

What might be going on that you

cannot see?

Describe a situation in nature in which

one living thing depends on another

living thing.

Look at the riverbank environment

again. Imagine that a group of people

begins to set up a city in this area. What

will change? List all the changes you

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in this ecosystem. Ask students what question do you

have now? Be sure to leave some time at the end of

the lesson to discuss and answer any

questions that the children might have

about a riverbank ecosystem.

can think of.

What problems might occur when

humans interfere with an environment?

What could you do to help improve the

environment or clear up the problems

caused by the humans?

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-ecology: area of science concerned with the relationship of living things to each other and their

natural environment

-ecosystem: An interconnected community of organisms interacting with and depending on one

another and the physical environment

-environment: everything that surrounds an organism and influences it

-food chain: a graphic which traces energy flow in an ecosystem; for example: sun>water

plants>fish>raccoon

-model: A small-scale version of a system that shows how the system works

-organism: a living thing

Integration Hints

A learning center can be created give students an opportunity to read books, magazines, and

maps about a variety of ecosystems found in the world. Students can observe plants and animals

in their schoolyard environment or take a trip to the zoo to observe the interaction between plants

and animals in a variety of ecosystems.

Science Notebook Helper

The science notebook can include a table of contents including topic and page number.

Students paste a copy of the illustration of the riverbank system in their notebooks.

Students can respond to the assessment questions in their science notebooks.

Students should be given additional time to complete any science notebook writings before class,

during free time, or as a homework assignment if the session times are not sufficient.

Assessment Opportunities Notice how much each student knows about the topic by listening to his or her responses to the

KW question.

Have students record some predictions in their science notebook to the following questions:

Look at the riverbank environment again. Write what will happen if a group of people

begins to set up a city near this area. What will change? List all the changes you can think

of. What problems might occur because of human interference? How could you help solve

these problems or improve the environment?

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Lesson 2: Setting up the Terrarium (Lesson 2 in STC Ecosystems) Students construct a model terrarium, observe it, and record their observations.

* Place the terrariums in a cup to serve as a sturdy holder. For best growth results, put the

terrariums in indirect sunlight. Placement directly on a windowsill may quickly dry out the soil.

Animals will be added to the terrarium later as seeds need sprout to provide a food source.

Throughout the unit, be sure students schedule “rainfalls” in their terraria when the soil appears

dry. Students should record the number of drops of water that their terraria will handle each

time.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

In what ways do living things in an ecosystem depend on one another?

In what ways is the relationship between living and non-living things important to an

ecosystem?

Activity Guiding Questions

Set the stage for today's lesson by

holding a brief discussion on these

questions:

(Students built woodland terrariums

and freshwater aquariums as part of the

Organisms unit in 1st grade)

- What is a terrarium?

-What is an aquarium?

- Does anyone have an aquarium or

terrarium at home?

- What do they contain?

Have each student group collect the

materials.

Go over the instructions with your

students for setting up the terrarium.

Have students use these instructions

and Record Sheet 2-A to complete this

activity. You may walk around and

serve as an advisor to make sure

students accurately record the data by

using their observations.

Every few days have a student water

Which seeds do you think will

germinate first?

What will the sprouts look like?

Do you think every seed will

germinate?

Will the dead plant material change?

How about the rock?

Why will these plants be important to

the terrarium once we add animals to

it?

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his/her group's terrarium. This would

also be an ideal time for groups to

observe and record the development of

the seeds planted in the terrarium.

Assign each group of students to create

and maintain 2-3 additional terrariums

(without living organisms) to be used

by the class for future lessons on

pollution.

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-germination: process by which seeds swell up and begin to sprout and develop roots

-terrarium: a closed glass or plastic container in which terrestrial organisms can live and be

observed

-terrestrial: having to do with the land or the Earth

Integration Hints

Students can observe and record the development of the seeds planted in the terrarium by having

each ecosystem group estimate the amount of seeds that germinated as a fraction and/or decimal

in their terrarium based on the amount of the seeds planted. They can use their science

notebooks to write the amount of seeds planted for each type and the amount of each seed of

each type that germinated. This data can then be converted to fractions and/or decimals.

Science Notebook Helper

Students can paste Record Sheet 2-A in their notebooks as an artifact of learning.

They can also set up a chart to record their daily observations of the terrarium over a two- or

three-week period. This chart should include a space for the date of the observation, and a space

to record details about the plant and animal life that will be added at a later date in the terrarium.

Plant characteristics should include details such as height, color, or shape.

Assessment Opportunities Record Sheet 2-A and the students’ daily observations can be used as assessments.

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Lesson 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems (Alignment Lesson) Students learn about terrestrial ecosystems, namely forests (tropical rain forests and deciduous

forests) and grasslands. Students discuss the elements of these ecosystems.*This lesson is not

part of the STC Ecosystems unit, but is included here to align with the NC Essential Standards

for Science.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What types of ecosystems exist on land?

What kinds of organisms might you find in these terrestrial ecosystems?

How does energy flow through an ecosystem from organism to organism?

Activity Guiding Questions

Review with students the concept that

the terraria are models of terrestrial

ecosystems. Tell students that they are

going to learn more about terrestrial

ecosystems - forests (tropical rainforest

& deciduous forest) and grassland.

Open the Terrestrial Ecosystems

PowerPoint (available on CMAPP

Days 77-78) to the directions for the

sort.

Put the students into groups for the

initial engagement activity. Give each

group a set of terrestrial sorting cards

(available on CMAPP Days 77-78).

Students can organize the cards on a

large piece of construction paper

divided into sections. Have the students

divide their construction paper into 3

sections with the following titles: "rain

forest", "deciduous forest",

"grassland".

Give the groups 5 minutes to sort the

organisms into the ecosystems to which

What are some examples of terrestrial

ecosystems?

What kinds of organisms might you

find in these terrestrial ecosystems?

Additional questions embedded in

lesson PowerPoint presentation.

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they belong. Students can paste the

cards to their sorting mat later.

Call time after 5 minutes. Assess

student prior knowledge by calling the

name of each organism and letting a

representative from each group tell into

which ecosystem they placed it. Don't

tell the correct answers. The correct

answers will be provided during the

exploration lesson, and students will

have an opportunity to re-sort the cards.

Continue through the Terrestrial

Ecosystems PowerPoint, explaining the

different terrestrial ecosystems and

answering student questions. Let the

students work in their groups to

rearrange any organisms they sorted

incorrectly during the initial

engagement activity as the lesson

covers each type of terrestrial

ecosystem.

Embedded in the PowerPoint are

student discussion questions. Use these

questions to help guide student thinking

about why certain animals and plants

live in specific places, and how they

must adapt to survive. For guidance on

helping students answer these

questions, see the attached teacher

information sheet.

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-adaptation: a change in order to fit a new situation or use

-biodiversity: a wide variety of organisms

-carnivore: a consumer which gets its energy by eating only meat/animal flesh

-consumer: an organisms that gets its energy by eating other organisms

-fertile: rich in nutrients; often used to describe soil

-forest: a area of land densely populated with trees

-grassland: a large, flat area of land with few trees which is mostly populated by tall grasses

-herbivore: a consumer which gets its energy by eating only plants and vegetation

-omnivore: a consumer which gets its energy by eating both plants and meat/animal flesh

-producer: an organism that can make its own food through the process of photosynthesis

Integration Hints

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As an extension on consumers, tell the students to set the producer cards to one side and focus

only on the consumer cards. Review the terms "carnivore", "herbivore", and "omnivore" with the

students. Let them work in their groups to sort the consumers based on the diet listed on each

card.

Science Notebook Helper

Guide students to understand that omnivores, carnivores, and herbivores are all a type of

consumer. A web might be helpful to assist students in classifying organisms:

The web can be extended throughout the unit to include specific examples of producers,

consumers, and decomposers.

Assessment Opportunities

Students can respond to this prompt in their science notebooks:

Ms. Tyson's class is going to Africa. They plan to visit the tropical rainforest in the Congo, and

the savanna grassland in Zimbabwe. Rob says he is excited to see all the different kinds of

climbing vines in the rainforest. Jessica says she thought that climbing vines are more abundant

in the grasslands. Who is right? Why are vines more suited to the ecosystem you picked?

Producers Decomposers

Organisms

Omnivores Carnivores

Herbivores

Consumers

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Lesson 4: Setting Up the Aquarium (Lesson 3 in STC Ecosystems) Students construct a model aquarium, observe it, and record their observations.

*The terrarium and aquarium should not be connected yet. Students need enough time to observe

each system separately to better understand their interconnectedness later. Place aquaria in

indirect sunlight to avoid overheating the organisms.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What do organisms need to survive in an ecosystem?

What is the role of plants and algae in an aquarium?

Activity Guiding Questions

Have students use hand lenses to notice

signs of changes in their terrariums.

Have them discuss their observations in

groups and record this information in

their science notebooks. Have them

also discuss and write predictions about

what will happen in the terrarium in the

next days and weeks.

Go over the instructions with your

students for setting up the aquarium.

Have students use these instructions

and Record Sheet 3-A/Aquarium

Observation Chart to complete this

activity.

Assign each group of students to create

and maintain 2-3 additional aquaria

(without living organisms) to be used

by the class for future lessons on

pollution.

Prompt students to read the reading

selection about Elodea, Duckweed, and

Algae.

What do aquatic organisms need?

What do plants need to live?

What do algae need to live?

What do animals need to live?

How will we provide these in our

aquaria?

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Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-aquatic: having to do with water

-aquarium: a glass or plastic container in which aquatic organisms can live and be observed

Integration Hints

You may include books and/or magazines of different types of pond life and water plants to

develop an independent learning center.

Science Notebook Helper

Students can paste Record Sheet 3-A in their notebooks as an artifact of learning.

They can also set up a chart for assessment that records their daily observations of the aquarium

over a two or three-week period. This chart should include a space for the date of the

observation, and a space to record details about the plant and animal life that will be added at a

later date in the aquarium. Plant and animal characteristics should include details such as height,

color, or shape.

Assessment Opportunities Use the student responses in the science notebooks for Assessment.

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Lesson 5: Aquatic Ecosystems (Alignment Lesson) Students learn about terrestrial ecosystems, namely forests (tropical rain forests and deciduous

forests) and grasslands. Students discuss the elements of these ecosystems. *This lesson is not

part of the STC Ecosystems unit, but is included here to align with the NC Essential Standards

for Science.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What kinds of ecosystems exist in the water?

Which types of organisms might we expect to find in aquatic ecosystems?

Activity Guiding Questions

Review with students the concept that

the aquaria are models of aquatic

ecosystems. Tell students they are

going to learn more about aquatic

ecosystems - estuaries and salt marshes,

oceans, lakes and ponds.

Open the Aquatic Ecosystems

PowerPoint to the directions for the

sort. (available on CMAPP Days 79-

80)

Put the students into groups for the

initial engagement activity. Give each

group a set of aquatic sorting cards.

Have the students divide their

construction paper into 2 sections with

the following titles: "freshwater" and

"saltwater". Give the groups 5 minutes

to sort the organisms into the

ecosystems to which they belong.

Students do not need to paste the

sorting cards in place at this time.

Call time after 5 minutes. Assess

student prior knowledge by calling the

name of each organism and letting a

representative from each group tell into

Which aquatic ecosystem is modeled

by our aquaria? Explain your answer.

(Freshwater lake, pond, or river)

Additional questions embedded in

PowerPoint presentation

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which ecosystem they placed it.

Don't tell the correct answers. The

correct answers will be provided during

the exploration lesson, and students

will have an opportunity to re-sort the

cards.

Continue through the PowerPoint

(available on CMAPP Days 79-80),

explaining the different aquatic

ecosystems and answering student

questions. Let the students work in their

groups to rearrange any organisms they

sorted incorrectly during the initial

engagement activity as the lesson

covers each type of aquatic ecosystem.

Embedded in the PowerPoint are

student discussion questions. Use these

questions to help guide student thinking

about why certain animals and plants

live in specific places, and how they

must adapt to survive. For guidance on

helping students answer these

questions, see the attached teacher

information sheet.

Science Content Words

In addition to terms introduced in previous lessons, use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-decomposer: an organism that gets its energy from breaking down decaying organic material;

the role of decomposers is the recycling of nutrients throughout the ecosystem.

Integration Hints Students can continue to explore the concept of producers and consumers using an interactive, online

game called Food Chain Game (link available on CMAPP Days 79-80)

Science Notebook Helper

Review the importance of accurate, scientific drawings - they should be large, clear, labeled, and

detailed.

Assessment Opportunities

Students continue to observe the aquaria and record their observations in their science notebooks

for several days.

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Lesson 6: Photosynthesis and the Sun’s Radiation (Alignment Lesson) Students are introduced to photosynthesis, using energy from the sun to produce food. They are

also introduced to the concept of producers in an ecosystem. *This lesson is not part of the STC

Ecosystems unit, but is included here to align with the NC Essential Standards for Science.

*A gooseneck desk lamp and thermometers are needed for this investigation – check if they are

available to borrow from the Investigating Weather Systems kit. You might have one group of

students set up the investigation with the lamp and record temperature data as a class.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem

5.P.3.1 Explain the effects of the transfer of heat (either by direct contact or at a distance) that

occurs between objects at different temperatures (conduction, convection, radiation).

Focus Question(s)

Where does energy come from?

How do organisms receive the Sun's energy?

How does energy move from one organism to another?

Activity Guiding Questions

Open Photosynthesis PowerPoint

(available on CMAPP Days 81-82) and

project for students.

Ask students to write the answer to the

initial engagement question in their

science notebooks. Then, ask them to

share their answers in their groups. This

will serve as a pre-assessment to see

who has been exposed to the idea of

photosynthesis before, and who has

common misconceptions about how

plants get energy.

A data table is included as a slide in the

PowerPoint for student and teacher

reference.

Have the students get their aquaria and

terraria.

The students will be taking the

temperature of the surface of the soil

before and after heating it with a

heat/light source.

Next, they will take the temperature of

The Group Discussion questions are

included on the PowerPoint to help the

students articulate what is going on in

the terrarium and aquarium models

when heat and light energy are applied.

How did the heat source make the soil

and water warmer without touching

them?

(Solar radiation travels in waves from

the Sun to the Earth, much like the light

and heat travel from the lamp to the

models. The energy flows in waves

away from the source and interacts

with whatever it touches in its path.)

What effect does the Sun's radiation

have on plant growth?

(Plants need solar radiation to grow

and live, so there will be more plants in

places where there is more solar

radiation. Therefore, the surface of the

water will have a higher concentration

of algae growth than the deeper area of

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the surface of the aquarium water and

at the bottom of the aquarium.

They will record the temperature before

the heat/light source is applied and

afterward.

The exploration is aimed at having

students see how a model of the Sun

can help us understand how the real

Sun's energy radiates in waves through

space and heats our planet without

touching it.

The exploration is also guiding the

students toward understanding that the

surface of an aquatic ecosystem is

receiving the most solar radiation, and

therefore would have the most

producers like algae.

the aquarium.)

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-photosynthesis: the process by which plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to create sugar for

themselves for food, as well as oxygen.

-producer: any organism that makes its own food from the sun's light using photosynthesis.

-radiation: A way that heat energy can travel; radiation occurs when heat energy leaves its

source and travels through water or air to reach its destination.

Integration Hints

Hundreds of interesting plants live in and around ponds: water lilies, cattails, irises, horsetails,

and arrowheads, to name a few. Ask students to choose one and do some research about its life

cycle and share drawings and illustrations of the plant.

Students review the Photosynthesis Rap featured in the PowerPoint presentation and create hand

motions or a dance to help them remember the features of photosynthesis.

Science Notebook Helper

Students will continue to observe the terraria and aquaria and record observations in their science

notebooks. Students create a chart, similar to the one in the PowerPoint presentation, to track

temperature readings of water and soil.

Assessment Opportunities

Assess student knowledge of the flow of energy starting with the sun's radiation and continuing

through the food chain from producers to consumers.

The question can be found in the PowerPoint under "Evaluation Question":

On a field trip to the zoo, Jamari and James were outside the lion's pen. Jamari claimed the lion

is a carnivore and is not dependent on the sun's light for energy since it only eats animals. How

should James respond to Jamari's idea about how lions get energy?

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Lesson 7: What is Algae? (Alignment Lesson) Students study another producer that is part of some aquatic ecosystems: algae. *This lesson is

not part of the STC Ecosystems unit, but is included here to align with the NC Essential

Standards for Science.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.1.1 Explain why some organisms are capable of surviving as a single cell while others

require many cells that are specialized to survive.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem

5.P.3.1 Explain the effects of the transfer of heat (either by direct contact or at a distance) that

occurs between objects at different temperatures (conduction, convection, radiation).

Focus Question(s)

How do organisms receive the Sun's energy?

How does energy move from one organism to another?

Activity Guiding Questions

Open the What is Algae? PowerPoint.

(available on CMAPP Days 81-82)

Ask the students what they already

know about algae. Let them discuss in

their groups what prior knowledge they

have.

If the students are having trouble

accessing prior knowledge, prompt

them by asking about trips to ponds or

rivers, or the green algae that grows in

fish aquariums.

Allow the children to work in groups to

make observations of the algae.

Follow along with the PowerPoint for

questions that the students can ask one

another and opportunities to write in

the science notebook.

Could too much algae be a bad thing

for ecosystems? Why or why not?

(When people add fertilizers to water

through run-off, certain types of algae

can flourish too much, causing

something called an ‘algae bloom'.

Algae blooms can cause the water to

become thicker and uncomfortable for

fish and other animals living there. The

algae can also block all sunlight from

reaching the bottom of the lake or pond

floor. That leads to other pond/lake

plants dying off from lack of sunlight.)

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-photosynthesis: the process by which plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to create sugar for

themselves for food, as well as oxygen.

-producer: any organism that makes its own food from the sun's light using photosynthesis.

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-radiation: A way that heat energy can travel; radiation occurs when heat energy leaves its

source and travels through water or air to reach its destination.

Integration Hints

Hundreds of interesting plants live in and around ponds: water lilies, cattails, irises, horsetails,

and arrowheads, to name a few. Ask students to choose one and do some research about its life

cycle and share drawings and illustrations of the plant.

Students review the Photosynthesis Rap featured in the PowerPoint presentation and create hand

motions or a dance to help them remember the features of photosynthesis.

Science Notebook Helper

A Venn diagram can be used for students to compare and contrast plants and algae.

Students continue recording their observations of the terraria and aquaria in their science

notebooks.

Assessment Opportunities Science Notebook Evaluation Question:

In Stonybrook Lake, the water has become slightly more acidic than usual. This is causing the

algae that live in the lake to disappear quickly. How will this impact the fish that live in

Stonybrook Lake?

(The best answers include explanation of the algae as a food source, as well as a reducer of

carbon dioxide pollution and a producer of oxygen for the fish.)

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Lesson 8: Adding Animals to the Aquarium (Lesson 4 in STC Ecosystems) Students build a model aquatic ecosystem and observe the relationships between aquatic plants,

algae, fish (mosquito fish or guppies), and snails. Students begin to discuss the roles of

organisms in the ecosystem.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

Why are different types of organisms important to the survival of an ecosystem?

Activity Guiding Questions

Distribute a copy of Recording Sheet

4A, or use it as a model for

recordkeeping, for students to record

their observations of the aquaria.

Review student instructions for adding

animals to the aquarium. Remind

students to use a net or spoon to handle

the animals.

Circulate the classroom and help

students focus their observations or

assist them with the transfer of animals.

Prompt students to share initial

observations of the aquatic animals.

Briefly touch on the idea

of interdependence - the concept, not

the term - so students can begin

thinking about it. Students will come up

with their own definition in the next

lesson.

Ask students to define ecosystem.

Wrap up the discussion by telling

students they will be creating a

terrestrial ecosystem by adding animals

to their terraria. Explain that they will

later join the land and water ecosystems

in an ecocolumn and observe the effect

one has on the other.

Describe elodea, duckweed, and algae.

How are they alike? Different?

What does it mean that plants and algae

are producers?

What is the role of plants and algae in

an aquarium?

What might happen if you were to put

too many plants and algae in the

aquarium?

What are similarities among the

mosquito fish (or guppies)?

Differences?

What are similarities among the snails?

Differences?

How are the fish and snails alike and

different in the ways they look and

move? How do these characteristics

help each organism interact with its

environment?

How does each animal contribute to the

environment?

How can we find out if animals can live

without plants?

How will you know if one living thing

depends on another for some of its

needs?

Predict how the land ecosystem will be

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Guide students through the reading

selections about fish and snails. similar to the water ecosystem you just

created.

Science Content Words

Review these terms: producer, consumer, decomposer

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-food chain: a way to trace the Sun’s energy from one organism to another

-niche: the specific role an organism plays within its ecosystem

-symbiosis: a close, prolonged relationship between two organisms of different species that may,

but not necessarily, benefit the organisms

Integration Hints

You might extend the lesson to include symbiosis. A free video clip from StudyJams is available

on CMAPP. Additional information can be found at www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/symbiosis (This

link is available on CMAPP.)

Science Notebook Helper

Have students paste Record Sheet 4-A in their science notebook.

Have students add notes about what they learned or questions they have about what they have

observed in their aquaria and terraria.

Assessment Opportunities Use the student responses in the science notebooks for Assessment.

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Lesson 9: Observing the Completed Aquarium (Lesson 5 in STC Ecosystems) Students create a web to summarize their observations of the aquaria. The concepts of

dependent and interdependent relationships are developed.

*This lesson provides an opportunity to introduce abiotic (nonliving) and biotic (living) factors

in the aquatic ecosystem.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

How is a community of living and nonliving things dependent/interdependent in an

ecosystem?

What evidence do you have that this dependent/interdependent relationship exists?

Activity Guiding Questions

Explain that you will help students

visualize the relationships in their

aquaria by recording their observations

in a special way called webbing.

Create a web with the

word aquarium in the center, living

things branching off one side,

and nonliving things branching off the

other side.

Elicit details from students and add

them to the web. Living things should

be subdivided into animals, plants, and

algae. For example, elodea and

duckweed would be listed under the

subdivision plants.

Once every element is included in the

web, begin introducing the concepts of

dependence and interdependence. Use a

single arrow to indicate dependent

relationships. For example, light --->

plants. Use a double arrow to indicate

interdependent relationships. For

example, snail <---> elodea.

Prompt students to look at all the

How could you

define ecosystem knowing that your

aquarium is one type of ecosystem?

Which relationships in our web are

dependent - where one thing depended

on another?

Which relationships in our web are

interdependent - where the things

depended on one another?

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relationships and discuss the meaning

of dependent and interdependent.

Cover or erase one of the items, such as

the snail, and ask students to name

those things in the ecosystem affected

by the loss of the snail. Use this

example to demonstrate the importance

of interdependent relationships.

Guide students through the reading

"Growing Plants: How Seed Spring to

Life."

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-abiotic factors: nonliving things in an ecosystem such as light, air, and soil

-biotic factors: living things in an ecosystems such as animals and plants

-dependent relationships: relying on another; for example, plants rely on the sun for its light

-interdependent relationship: relying on one another; for example, elodea is a producer and

provides food for a snail. It also provides shelter and adds oxygen to the water. The snail eats

dead leaves and adds fertilizer in the form of feces. The snail also gives off carbon dioxide,

which plants use.

Integration Hints

Students can further observe the germination development of seeds by growing several types of

seeds on a wet paper towel in a plastic bag. They can compare and contrast the development of

each of the different seeds.

Science Notebook Helper

Students need to record the Aquarium web in their notebooks, noting the relationships between

abiotic and biotic factors. Students also need to continue to record their observations of their

terrariums and aquaria.

Assessment Opportunities Use the student responses in the science notebooks for Assessment.

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Lesson 10: Adding Animals to the Terrarium (Lesson 6 in STC Ecosystems) Students create a model ecosystem and observe the relationships between crickets, isopods, and

plants. They examine the dependent and interdependent relationships within the model terrestrial

ecosystem.

*Once animals have been added to the terraria, students should add a small piece of potato for

the crickets to eat.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What is the importance of plants (producers) and living organisms (consumers and

decomposers) in maintaining a stable ecosystem?

Activity Guiding Questions

After students observe their terraria, ask

them to revisit the predictions they

made in Lesson 2 regarding the seeds in

the terraria. Prompt them to compare

the growth of their terraria with their

predictions. Invite students to share

their observations and what they have

learned about seed germination.

Review the instructions for adding

isopods and crickets to the terrarium.

Remind students to be gentle when

handling the animals.

Distribute Record Sheet 6A, or use it as

a model, for students to record their

observations.

Circulate the classroom to be sure

students are handling the animals

appropriately. Remind students to use

hand lenses while observing.

How long did it take for the seeds to

germinate?

Can you observe any roots? Compare

the different plants' roots.

What happened to the seed coats on the

seeds? What is the job of the seed

coats?

Why are plants called producers?

Why did we wait until now to add the

animals?

Compare and contrast the terrarium

plants with the plants placed in the

aquarium.

How are the crickets alike? Different?

How are the crickets and isopods

(pillbugs) alike? Different?

What are some things the animals did?

Science Content Words

Review terms introduced in previous lessons.

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Integration Hints

Many cricket behaviors are similar to human behaviors: touching, cleaning, hiding, and fighting.

Challenge students to observe cricket behavior and compare it to human behavior.

Science Notebook Helper

Students paste Record Sheet 6-A in their notebooks or have students draw a detailed and labeled

drawing of an isopod and cricket. Get students thinking more about interdependent relationships

by asking them to predict what might happen to the ecosystem of any plant or animal life was

destroyed or harmed.

Assessment Opportunities Have students complete a Venn diagram in their science notebooks comparing and contrasting

the land (terrarium) and water (aquarium) ecosystems. Encourage them to use their previous

observations and notes as a guide for this assessment.

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Lesson 11: Joining the Terrarium & Aquarium (Lesson 7 in STC Ecosystems) Students link their aquaria and terraria and begin to predict how one ecosystem will affect the

other.

*Duplicate the blackline master of the Terrestrial Food Chain Wheel for this lesson. Collect the

Food Chain Wheels for use in a later lesson.

Clarifying Objectives

Focus Question(s)

Why are food chains necessary for the maintaining an ecosystem’s stability? How are the

two systems (terrarium and aquarium) dependently and interdependently related?

Activity Guiding Questions

Tell students they will be connecting

the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

together to begin observing how they

affect one another. Student teams will

then pick up their team terrarium,

aquarium, and connector piece. Give

students a few minutes to observe their

two ecosystems and jot down

observations. Invite them to share what

they have observed or learned about the

terrarium through reading.

Distribute a copy of the Terrestrial

Food Chain Wheel to each student and

review the directions. Remind students

to cut carefully and remove the inner

circle because inaccurate cutting may

skew the wheel's reading.

Once the wheels are created, students

can work with a partner to discuss

relationships they see on the model.

Use a Terrestrial Food Chain Wheel (as

a transparency or under a document

cam) to guide a discussion on food

chains.

Prompt students to develop a web,

similar to the web created for the

aquarium. Remind students that a

single arrow represents a dependent

relationship, while a double arrow

represents an interdependent

relationship.

Wrap up by explaining that ecosystems

What are the dependent relationships

on the wheel?

What are the interdependent

relationships on the wheel?

How are the plants in the two systems

alike?

What do they need to live?

What do plants give to their ecosystem?

Compare two animals, one from each

ecosystem: Do they need the same

things to live? What do they give to

their ecosystem?

How could something that happens in

the terrarium affect the aquarium?

Give a real world example where a land

ecosystem influences a water

ecosystem of vice versa. (for example,

flooding)

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do not exist alone and that they all

touch each other in some way.

Review instructions for students to join

the ecosystems into an ecocolumn.

Assign each group of students to

combine and maintain 2-3 additional

ecocolumns (without living organisms)

to be used by the class for future

lessons on pollution.

Science Content Words

Use terms introduced in previous lessons.

Integration Hints

Once the ecocolumn is created by connecting a terrarium to an aquarium, prompt students to

write a paragraph in their notebooks predicting how a change in the terrarium might cause a

change in the aquarium.

Science Notebook Helper

Have students refer to the web that was created to show the interconnected relationships of biotic

and abiotic factors in the aquarium. Prompt students to create a web for the terrarium that shows

the interconnected relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in the terrarium. Students

continue recording their observations of the terraria and aquaria.

Assessment Opportunities Are students recognizing producers and consumers in the terrarium as well as in the aquarium?

Are they able to explain the interconnected relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in the

terrarium?

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Lesson 12: Upsetting the Stability (Lesson 8 in STC Ecosystems) Students identify stable and disturbed ecosystems. They consider effects of natural disturbances

and read about how humans can affect ecosystems.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

In what ways can natural disasters disrupt a stable ecosystem? In what ways can human

activity create an unbalanced ecosystem?

Activity Guiding Questions

Invite students to share their ideas from

the previous lesson regarding how one

ecosystem might affect the other. Then

encourage students to talk about ways

those ecosystems may have

become naturally disturbed, i.e. births,

deaths, plants that have died or were

eaten.

After discussing ways the ecosystems

may have been naturally disturbed,

discuss other natural disruptive forces

on Earth, such as hurricanes, volcanoes,

earthquakes, fire, etc.)

Explain that natural disasters account

for only part of ecological disruption.

Unfortunately, humans are responsible

for the rest through the release of

pollutants.

Prompt students to jot down in their

science notebooks a list of ways

humans pollute.

After a few minutes, invite students to

share their thoughts and record them on

a class list.

Guide students to speculate on which

ways humans pollute could be

duplicated in a class ecosystem to

study, using common, easily obtainable

materials that are not toxic in small

doses. After some ideas are shared,

introduce vinegar, fertilizer, and salt as

three common pollutants.

Explain how the model ecosystems

may have become naturally disturbed.

What are the results of these natural

disturbances?

List some ways that humans pollute the

environment.

What are the results man-made

disturbances (pollution)?

How can we model some ways that

humans pollute the environment?

How can we use vinegar, fertilizer, and

salt to simulate/model three common

pollutants?

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Students will test vinegar (simulates

acid rain) with pH paper.

Divide students into 6 groups. Each

group will read about one of three

common pollutants and prepare a

presentation for Lesson 9 in STC

Ecosystems. Two groups per pollutant.

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-pollutant: a harmful or unpleasant substance which can have negative effects on an ecosystem

when spread through the air, water, or soil

Integration Hints

-Reading the book The Wump World by Bill Peet would give students a fictional, yet realistic

example of the adverse affects of pollution on an ecosystem. (A link to this story read aloud on

YouTube is available on CMAPP.)

Science Notebook Helper

Students should continue to record their observations of their group’s eco-columns. They should

be looking for ways one ecosystem might have an effect on the other.

Assessment Opportunities Students work in small, cooperative groups to prepare a brief presentation to share with the class

about pollutants.

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Lesson 13: Reporting in Pollutants (Lesson 9 in STC Ecosystems) Students learn about human-made pollutants and their effects on the environment. Students

begin to think about ways to simulate the effects of pollution in ecocolumns.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What are the results of humans releasing pollutants into the environment? Are there any

trade-offs?

Activity Guiding Questions

Set the stage for student presentations

by explaining each group has read

about one pollutant that affects our

environment, but today they will learn

about all three pollutants from peer

presenters.

Review proper listening skills and

encourage students to jot down

information in their science notebooks.

Proceed with the presentations and

question/answer session.

*Another alternative would be to have three

different pollutant groups present to each other.

This arrangement would give students more

time to present and allow students to hear the

information about a pollutant only once.

What questions do you have?

What evidence is available to support

your claim?

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-trade-off: the act of giving up one thing in order to get another

Integration Hints

-A guest speaker would be an ideal way for students to learn about the causes, effects, and

solutions of pollution and pollutants in the real world. Some suggestions include: Wake County

Waste Management, City of Raleigh Stormwater Education, or City of Raleigh Environment and

Sustainability. (Links provided on CMAPP)

-Consider recording the presentations with a FlipCam or an iPad so the presentation can be

reviewed at a later time.

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Science Notebook Helper

In addition to recording observations of the ecocolumns, students should jot down notes about

the common pollutants during group presentations.

Assessment Opportunities Are students explaining the effects of their particular pollutant on the environment? Are students

beginning to understand the idea of “trade-offs”?

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Lesson 14: Planning Pollution Experiments (Lesson 10 in STC Ecosystems) Student teams plan controlled experiments to study the effects of pollution.

*Assign each student team a pollutant (salt, vinegar, or fertilizer). Use green or contoured 2L

bottles that may have been collected for mixing and holding pollutant solutions. It’s important to

note that ecocolumns containing animals should NOT be polluted. Pollution experiments should

occur in the class ecocolumns that are not inhabited by animals.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What are the possible effects of pollutants on model ecosystems? How can the study of

these effects help us solve real world pollution problems?

Activity Guiding Questions

Invite students to recall what they

learned about the three pollutants

during the presentations in Lesson 9:

-What causes each type of pollution?

-What are the effects of these kinds of

pollutants?

-Why do we continue to use fossil fuels,

road salt, and fertilizers?

Group students in no more than six

teams or 4 or 5 students. Each team will

select an ecocolumn and label it with

team names (on masking or painters'

tape).

Introduce the experiment using the race

analogy: When you run a race, what

question are you trying to answer?

How do you set up the race to make it a

fair test? What things must be kept the

same for all runners?

Guide students to discuss how they

could use a fair test to set up three

experiments on pollution.

Introduce the term control and

designate an ecocolumn as a control,

which will not be polluted.

Distribute Record Sheet 10A and

review each step with students as this

may be their first experience planning

an experiment. Step 1 - How many

-What causes each type of pollution?

-What are the effects of these kinds of

pollutants?

-Why do we continue to use fossil fuels,

road salt, and fertilizers?

-When you run a race, what question

are you trying to answer?

-How do you set up the race to make it

a fair test?

-What things must be kept the same for

all runners?

-What question will your team try to

answer?

-What things will we have to keep the

same for the ecocolumns we will test?

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dropperfuls of water will cause runoff

into the aquarium, based on previous

recordings of watering? Step 2-

formulate an experimental question.

Step 3- name constants such as light,

temperature, etc. Step 4- changes in the

ecocolumn include color, size of plants,

change in algae amounts, deaths, and

odor.

Prompt student teams to discuss the

record sheet, fact sheets, and to reach

an agreement about an experiment.

Collect the completed record sheets.

Science Content Words

Use these terms when teaching the lesson:

-fair test: altering or changing only one variable in an experiment; in this case, the variable is the

addition of a pollutant (salt, fertilizer, or vinegar)

-control: in this case, the ecocolumn that is not undergoing pollution

-variable: the part of an experiment that is changed or tested

Integration Hints

To reinforce the idea of a fair test, take students outdoors to run a race. Let students make the

rules. Afterwards, talk about whether it was a fair test or not.

Science Notebook Helper

-Students can paste Record Sheet 10-A: Planning Worksheet (available in the Teacher Guide)

in their notebooks for Lesson 13.

-Have students use their notebooks to write several reasons why the control eco-column is

important in the experiment.

Assessment Opportunities Use Record Sheet 10-A: Planning to make sure each team has a clear, workable plan that

incorporates sound questions, observations, and predictions. Are students able to explain the

notion of a fair test? Do they recognize the role of the control in the experiment? Are students

making predictions about the effects of pollutants on the ecocolumn?

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Lesson 15: Setting Up Our Pollution Experiments (Lesson 11 in STC

Ecosystems) Student teams carry out their controlled experiments.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

Why is data collection essential in conducting experiments? Why is testing before polluting

an important process of this experiment?

Activity Guiding Questions

Invite one student team to tell the class

briefly about its plan for the pollution

experiment. Guide the team to include

information on what they will do, how

often they will do it, what changes they

will look for, and why the class control

ecocolumn is important. Encourage

students to ask questions. Prompt

students to share what they remember

from their experience with pH,

readings, and presentations about it.

Guide students to understand pollutants

might affect the acidity of the

ecocolumn so they first need to test the

unpolluted ecocolumns.

Prompt student teams to pick up their

ecocolumn and distribute pH paper.

Guide the testing with pH paper: 1) test

the water in the experiment's

ecocolumn (touch water for 2

seconds) 2) test the soil in the

experiment's ecocolumn (press soil for

2 seconds to absorb moisture) 3) test

twice to average results

Survey class for results and prompt

students to pick up needed materials for

their experiments.

Distribute Record Sheet 10A to its

appropriate group; distribute and

review Record Sheet 11A to each

student, or use it as a model for keeping

record of the experiment.

The gist of this investigation is to guide

students through the process of testing pH and

making comparisons since the idea of a fair test

in science is most likely a new concept to

students.

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As teams conduct their experiments,

circulate the classroom to be sure teams

are working cooperatively, following

plans, measuring accurately, and

keeping records of their experiments.

Call for attention and ask students to

discuss how they implemented their

plans. Guide students to predict how

the acidity may or may not have

changed.

Prompt students to test their

experimental ecocolumn for pH and

compare this reading with earlier

results.

Student volunteers should test the pH

of the control ecocolumn and these

results should be compared with the

results of the polluted ecocolumns.

Collect Record Sheets 10A and 11A.

Science Content Words

Review these terms when teaching the lesson: fair test, control, variable, pollutant

Integration Hints

To practice testing pH, invite students to test local samples such as tap water, collected

rainwater, or water in a puddle (from rainfall or snow/ice melt).

Science Notebook Helper

Students can paste Record Sheet 11-A: Keeping a Record of Our Experiment in their

notebooks.

Assessment Opportunities Record Sheet 11-A and the students’ daily observations can be reviewed.

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Lesson 16: Observing Early Effects of Pollution (Lesson 12 in STC

Ecosystems) Student teams observe, record, and evaluate the effects of pollutants.

*Wait three days before moving on to the next lesson so the effects of the pollution experiments

will escalate.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What are the effects of pollutants on our ecosystems?

Activity Guiding Questions

Invite student teams to pick up their

polluted ecocolumn and use hand

lenses to observe. Ask them to describe

and discuss with their team any

changes they observe. Introduce Record

Sheet 12A, or use it as a model, for

students to record observations of their

ecocolumns and the control

ecocolumns.

Distribute pH paper while students

review their notes and compare current

observations of the ecocolumns. The

Observation Table on Record Sheet

12A should be completed.

Prompt students to test the polluted

ecocolumn, their team ecocolumn

(containing animals), and the control.

Pair the teams using the same pollutant

and give team time to compare data and

complete the table on Record Sheet

12A.

Lead a class discussion where students

describe the observable effects of each

pollutant.

Collect Record Sheet 12A. Duplicate

Record Sheets 10A, 11A, and 12A in

Lesson 13 so each student has a copy of

his/her team's work.

Describe how your team’s terrarium

looks today. How soon after you added

the pollutant did you begin to notice

changes?

How does your team’s terrarium

compare with the other terrarium that

was polluted in the same way?

Why might two ecocolumns polluted

by the same pollutant show different

results? (One team may have used a

stronger pollutant solution than the

other.)

Describe how the control ecocolumn

looks today. Why is the control

ecocolumn important to your

experiment?

How do your team’s ecocolumn

(unpolluted, with animals) look?

Have any of the aquaria used in the

experiment changed? If so, how have

they changed?

If there is no change, why is it

important to record “no change”?

For teams working with acid rain:

What is the pH of your team’s

terrarium? Has this changed in any way

since the last lesson?

Do you think that any acid rain has

entered the aquaria used in the

experiment? If so, what evidence can

you provide to support your answer?

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Science Content Words

Review terms introduced in previous lessons.

Integration Hints

Students can create a food chain wheel for their aquaria, just like the Terrestrial Food Chain

Wheel, in class or for homework.

Science Notebook Helper

-Students can paste Record Sheet 12-A: Observing Early Effects of the Pollution

Experiments in their notebooks.

-Have students record in their science notebooks predictions about what will happen to their test

eco-columns as they continue to pollute them.

Assessment Opportunities -Use their science notebook predictions to assess their understanding of the effects of pollution

on an ecosystem.

-Use student verbal responses to assess their understanding of the relationship between the living

organisms and plants in ecosystem. Are students beginning to infer that since the plants in the

terraria polluted with salt and vinegar have been damaged, their crickets –had they been in the

terria- would have starved as well?

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Lesson 17: Drawing Conclusions about Our Experiment (Lessons 13 & 14 in

STC Ecosystems) Students pool and analyze their data from the pollution experiments. Through a reading

selection, students connect what they have learned about pollution to a real world environmental

problem in the Chesapeake Bay.

*The Record Sheets for Lesson 13 include excellent questions to help students analyze the

results of the pollution experiments and to make inferences about what might have happened to

the animals had they been in the polluted ecocolumn. The gist of this lesson is to connect the

idea of using models (ecocolumns) in experiments to simulate what is happening in the

Chesapeake Bay.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

Why is it important for scientists to use models to answer questions?

What conclusions can be drawn from the pollution experiments?

Activity Guiding Questions

Have each group share the observations

and results of their pollution

experiment.

Record their responses on chart paper.

Have groups working with their same

pollutants add information that was not

reported by the other group.

Circle statements that same pollutant

groups agreed on and underline

statements they disagreed about.

Have these groups reach conclusions

about why their results may have

differed.

Have the class make predictions about

each pollutant’s effect on animals in a

polluted ecosystem. Record these

predictions on the chart.

Have students read about the

Chesapeake Bay’s problems in the

Student Activity guide. Discuss the

reading selection with the class.

Share the “Living on the Edge” video

with the class.

Have students label the next section in

their notebooks-Understand/Question

Which findings are in full agreement?

Which findings are disputed (not in

agreement)?

Would you like to add any new

information?

How might we clear up a dispute?

Why do you think the results differed?

Why might predictions differ?

Questions to discuss related to the reading

selection:

What are the main problems in the

Chesapeake Bay?

How are the Chesapeake Bay’s

problems similar to the problems you

experienced with your team’s polluted

ecocolumn or would have experienced

if ecocolumn containing animals had been

polluted?

Describe a situation where too much of

something is going into the bay.

Describe a situation where too much of

something is being taken out of the bay.

After completing the reading selection,

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and write new information they learned

or questions they have in their science

notebooks. Leave 10 minutes at the end of the

session to discuss answer questions

students have with the whole class.

describe another ecosystem that is similar

to the Chesapeake Bay.

Questions to discuss during and after the

Living on the Edge video:

What supports much of the life in the

bay?

How have the millions of people who

moved into the bay area affected it?

In what ways do people use the bay? In

what ways have people damaged the

bay?

Science Content Words

Use terms introduced in previous lessons as well as these terms found in the reading selection:

-watershed: an area of land whose waters all drain into the same place

-algae blooms: too many algae cloud the water and block light from reaching underwater

grasses; caused by too many nutrients in water from sewage and fertilizers

-sediment: tiny bits of soil that are often transported by water or wind

-trade-off: the act of giving up/quitting one thing to receive another

Integration Hints

-Have students continue to water, observe and record data about their non-polluted eco-columns.

-Show the video “Living on the Edge” provided in Premium Content. Visit

www.carolinacurriculum.com and select Premium Content from the upper right corner. Log in

using [email protected] and wakecounty, then select “View Ecosystems Premium

Content.” The Living on the Edge video is located under “Video Resources.”

Science Notebook Helper

-Students can paste the Lesson 13 Record sheets in their science notebooks.

-Students can write facts they learned from the reading selection and video in their science

notebooks.

Assessment Opportunities

Are students making inferences about the possible effects of pollution on the animals in the

ecocolumn, had the animals been in the polluted ecocolumns? Do they recognize the importance

and value of using models to assist scientists with answering questions?

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Lesson 18: Examining a Real Environmental Problem (Lessons 15 & 16 in

STC Ecosystems) Students read about pollution in the Chesapeake Bay from various perspectives and discuss

possible solutions and trade-offs.

*This lesson may cover two class sessions so student groups can prepare a brief presentation.

Assign 5 groups of students a point of view concerning the Chesapeake Bay problem. The point

of view reading selections are available in Lesson 15 of the Teacher Guide.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

How can experiments help us understand real environmental problems? How can valuing

different perspectives help solve these problems?

Activity Guiding Questions

Review the key points of the

Chesapeake Bay problem focusing on

the term “trade-offs” with the class.

Have groups read their assigned point

of view sheet and discuss what the

environmental problems, needs, and

solutions would be from this

perspective.

Have students use their group’s point of

view to complete Record Sheet 15-A:

Problem Solving Sheet.

As a final activity, have students

prepare a mini-conference that

addresses their group’s perspective of

the bay’s problems, solutions proposed,

and trade-offs that might occur. They

need to be sure to include and

advantages and disadvantages that

might result in the solutions projected. Use the Final Activities (pg. 171 in the

Teacher’s Guide) to give students the

requirements for these conferences.

Encourage students to use their creative

talents to make impressive

presentations.

Students should answer the questions in

their group’s point of view sheet. What are the similarities in the ways

that different groups contribute to the

problem? What are the differences? What are the similarities in the

solutions that different groups propose?

What are the differences? Which solutions are mentioned more

than once? Which solutions seem to

oppose each other?

Science Content Words

Use terms introduced in previous lessons.

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Integration Hints

Students should utilize school and local libraries, as well as the internet for research.

Guests can be invited to these mini-conferences or they can be taped and shared with the school,

grade level, or other classes.

Science Notebook Helper

Students need to continue to record their observations of their ecocolumns.

Students should also jot down notes for the mini-conference and presentations.

Assessment Opportunities A teacher or student rubric can be used for assessment of the mini-conferences and presentations.

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Lesson 19: Post-Unit Assessment: Sharing What We Know about Ecosystems

(Lesson 17 in STC Ecosystems) This post-unit assessment is matched to the pre-unit assessment of students’ ideas about the

complex relationships that exist between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.

Clarifying Objectives

5.L.2 Understand the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystems.

5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt

marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.

5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve:

producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)

5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and

animals to their ecosystem.

Focus Question(s)

What is the complex relationship between living organisms and plants in an ecosystem? In

what ways do human activity positively and negatively affect an ecosystem?

Activity Guiding Questions

If you haven’t already, you might

revisit the formative assessment probe

that was administered at the start of the

unit. Allow students to answer in a

different color to “stick with” their

initial thoughts or to add more

information to capture their new

learning. Have students use the Want to Learn

(W) in their science notebooks to

reflect on the questions they had at the

beginning of the unit. Have students complete the Learn (L)

section of the K-W-L chart completed

at the beginning of the unit. Have students also use the Riverbank

illustration to record their thoughts

about what they learned the complex

interdependent and dependent

relationship between the ecosystem and

humans. Students share their thoughts and ideas

with the class

Identify living things in the

environment.

How do the plants depend on the

animals?

How do the animals depend on the

plants?

How do the animals depend on each

other?

Which of these things need others to

survive?

Identify the nonliving things in this

environment. What part do they play in

the lives of living things?

What might be going on that you

cannot see?

Describe a situation in nature in which

one living thing depends on another

living thing.

Look at the riverbank environment

again. Imagine that a group of people

begins to set up a city in this area. What

will change? List all the changes you

can think of.

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Answer any questions they still have

about the topics covered in the unit. What problems might occur when

humans interfere with an environment?

What could you do to help improve the

environment or clear up the problems

caused by the humans?

Science Content Words

Use terms introduced throughout the unit.

Integration Hints

Students can complete projects such as researching pond plants that they may have started earlier

in the unit. If projects are complete, students can share their findings with the class.

Science Notebook Helper

Students final notebook entries should include incorporate new vocabulary and facts learned

throughout the unit.

Assessment Opportunities These last entries can assess the student’s understanding of the concepts and ideas covered in the

unit. These reflections should contain clear, concise, and accurate information for mastery.