Science
Strand:
Standard:
Benchmark:
SCI.III.5.2
Grade: 3
Using Scientific Knowledge in Life Science
- Ecosystems
All students will explain how energy is distributed to living things in an
ecosystem
Describe the basic requirements for all living things to maintain their
existence.
Constructing and Reflecting;
SCI.I.1.1 - Generate reasonable questions about the world based on observation.
SCI.I.1.5 - Develop strategies and skills for information gathering and problem solving.
SCI.II.1.1 - In the scientific world, decisions must be based on factual evidence that can be replicated.
SCI.II.1.4 - Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
SCI.II.1.5 - Develop an awareness of contributions made to science by people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Vocabulary / Key Concepts
Context
Needs of life:
Selected ecosystems:
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food
habitat
water
shelter
air
light
minerals
aquarium
rotting log
terrarium
backyard
local pond
wetland
wood lot.
Knowledge and Skills
Resources
Coloma Resources:
All living things need energy and obtain it from the sun
directly or indirectly. Students will identify that all
living things also need a habitat that provides water,
food, space, and minerals. Some living things also need
air and light to survive.
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Habitat (GLOSSARY LINK) A place where
organisms get food, water, and space to maintain
their existence.
Discover the Wonder (Scott Foresman) – Grade 3
Module A, Chapters 1 and 3,
pages 4-21 and 40-57
Resources/References: Project Learning Tree
Web of Life, “Special Needs”, Sing the Science
Standards with Science Explosion Songbook
Videoconferences Available
For more information, see
www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl or call Janine Lim 4717725x101 or email jlim@remc11.k12.mi.us
3.5.2
Design an Ecosystem from the Liberty Science
Center
Instruction
Assessment
Students create a labeled drawing of an animal
in its habitat. Students will then use arrows
labeled with food, water, shelter, air, light, or
Focus Question: What does an animal need to survive? minerals to connect the animal to those life
requirements. Students then eliminate one
plant or animal from their picture and write the
Students work in small groups to create a list of life
consequences of that elimination.
(Give students the rubric before the activity.)
requirements for a specific animal. Groups post lists
and analyze them to find common life requirements.
Scoring Rubric
Assign one role* in nature to each student. Each
student creates a nametag for his or her role. Standing
Criteria
Apprentice
Basic
Meets
Exceeds
in a circle, the teacher holds the end of a ball of string
Completeness of
Draws an
Draws an
Draws and
Draws and labels
and starts the web (link to graphic) by tossing the ball
habitat drawing
animal in its
animal in its
labels an
an animal and
of string to a student while stating the relationship (eg.
habitat with
habitat with
animal and
each item in the
three or more
two or fewer
each item in picture of the
A robin makes a nest in a tree). The recipient holds the
labels missing. labels
the picture of habitat, featuring
missing.
the habitat.
more than one
string in one hand and tosses the ball of string to
example of any of
the life
another student, stating the relationship between their
requirements.
roles. Students continue until web is complete. After
Completeness of
Places four or
Places five
Places six
Places more than
web is complete, eliminate one role by having that
relationships
fewer labeled
labeled arrows labeled
six labeled arrows
arrows
correctly.
arrows
correctly.
student tug on the string and drop it. Anyone feeling
correctly.
correctly.
the tug must also tug and is subsequently eliminated.
Accuracy of
Writes one
Writes one
Writes more Writes two or
predictions
prediction but
prediction but than one
more predictions
Students then discuss how they were affected and why.
Benchmark Question: How is energy distributed to
living things in an ecosystem?
reasons are
incomplete.
*Possible roles: air, sun, water, soil, types of plants,
types of animals
prediction is
inaccurate or
reason is
inaccurate.
prediction
and reasons
are accurate.
and reasons are
accurate.
Teacher Notes:
Explain how energy is distributed to living things in an ecosystem.
Students misunderstand the concept of energy. Young children think about food as something that they eat.
They do not think about food being converted into a useable form of energy. As middle school students, they
start to understand the idea of converting energy, but not into anything in particular. It is just converted. They
also have trouble understanding the role of plants and the process of photosynthesis. Students often think that
anything taken in by plants is food. Even when they start to understand photosynthesis, most students still
believe that plants still take in some kind of food for themselves. Soon they start believing that the food the
plant makes is for animals, including humans, not the plant itself.
Students should be able to describe how organisms acquire energy directly and indirectly from sunlight. They
should also be able to explain how energy flows through ecosystems. The arrows that we use in food chains
and food webs to model energy flow are also confusing for students. Even when it appears that students
understand food webs and food pyramids, additional questioning shows that students do not understand the
crucial role of solar energy and photosynthesis. Even at the high school level, students believe that higher
order consumers can survive without plants if there is enough prey and they keep reproducing. The
misunderstanding becomes even greater when students study aquatic environments because they do not
understand what a plant really is and because their experiences with aquatic environments are very limited.