Wichita falls ISD
Third Grade Science
Unit Planner
Unit 9: Investigating Ecosystems
Environments and Food Chains
Time Frame: 20 days
Objectives
Skills: The student will be able to…
• Identify the physical characteristics of each ecosystem – desert, marine, freshwater,
tundra, grassland, rainforest
• Describe how changes to an environment can effect an organisms ability to survive in
that ecosystem
• Describe environmental changes such as floods and droughts where organisms thrive,
perish, or move
• Describe the flow of energy in a food chain – plants get energy from the sun, and animals
get their energy from plants and other organisms.
• Identify the sun as the source of power for food chain.
• Describe how removing an organism from the food chain can affect other organisms.
TEKS
Supporting:
3.9A
Other Science Concepts:
3.9B, 3.9C
Scientific Process Skills:
3.1A, 3.2A, 3.2B, 3.2C,
3.2F, 3.3C, 3.4A
ELPS:
1A, 1E, 2C, 3D, 3E
Performance Indicators:
By the end of the unit students will be able to…
• make wearable food chains in STEM Scopes Food Chains: Intervention – Guided Practice
Lesson Information
Activities
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Environments 3.9AC
STEM Scopes Environments Teacher Background
STEM Scopes Environments Engage: Demonstration Presentation Teacher
Instructions
STEM Scopes Environments Engage: Demonstration Presentation
STEM Scopes Environments Engage: Pre-Assessment
STEM Scopes Environments Engage: Science Rock (Lyrics)
Harcourt Text Investigate: “Animal Homes”, pA32-33. Harcourt Teaching
Resources book for animal pictures.
Harcourt Science Text read A34-A39, Workbook pg. 15
Refer back to “How Fur Helps Animals Lab” (Unit 8 – Plant and Animal
Adaptations Lesson)
Harcourt Science Text read A42-A47 continue Workbook pg. 15 and
Workbook pg. 23
Harcourt Science Text read A50-A57 continue Workbook pg. 15 and
Workbook pg. 27
Video Magic School Bus in the Rainforest (SRC, youtube.com or
discoveryeducation.com)
STEM Scopes Environments Explore: Teacher Guide, Setup Video, Student
Guide and Student journal.
STEM Scopes Environments Explain: Interactive Vocabulary Game
Wichita Falls ISD (22013-2014)
3Sc Unit 9
Scientific Process TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
Vocabulary
• Ecosystem
• Community
• Perish
• Thrive
• Sun
• Producer
• Carnivore
• Predator
• Omnivore
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Survive
Population
Habitat
Food Chain
Energy
Consumer
Herbivore
Prey
Decomposer
1
revised 3/25/14
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STEM Scopes Environments Elaborate: Reading Science A, B, C
STEM Scopes Environments Intervention: CLOZE-ing in on Science,
Concept Attainment Quiz
STEM Scopes Environments Evaluate: Standards-Based Assessment
Food Chains 3.9B
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STEM Scopes Food Chains Engage: Pre-Assessment
STEM Scopes Food Chains Engage: Science Rock (Lyrics)
STEM Scopes Food Chains Engage: Demonstration Presentation /
Teacher Instructions – Energy Source and Arrow Cards
STEM Scopes Food Chains Explore: Teacher Guide, Student Guide,
and Student Journal
STEM Scopes Food Chains Explain: Picture Vocabulary and
Interactive Vocabulary Game
STEM Scopes Food Chains Elaborate: Interactive Virtual
Investigation
STEM Scopes Food Chains Elaborate: Web Surfing Science
1) Chain Reaction
2) Rags to Riches
3) Energy Pyramid
STEM Scopes Food Chains Evaluate: Standards-Based Assessment
(can be combined with the Standards-Based Assessment from
Environments to make a longer test.)
STEM Scopes Food Chains Intervention: CLOZE-ing in on Science
STEM Scopes Food Chains Intervention: Concept Attainment Quiz
Additional Information
Materials/Resources
• Discovery Education
• Jeff Corwin Experience videos – many to choose from
• “The Food Chain Mystery”
• “You in the Food Web”
• “Debbie Greenthumb: The Importance of Plants to our World”
• Food Chain Song (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWfEn8J5xKM
• Food Chain Song (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttpNGJcpJ68
• Ecosystem and Food Chain song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRhdDs91aas
Notes from Council
• SRC – Bill Nye – Food Web
• SRC – Animal Life for Children
Series – All About Food Chains
• SRC – Tell Me Why Series –
Ecosystems & The Environments
Misconceptions/Underdeveloped Concepts
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Students may think the arrows in a food chain go the opposite way showing what each animal eats.
Students may think energy is not transferred through eating.
Students may think the sun is not part of a food chain since we can’t eat it.
Students may think all parts of the Earth look like where we live with the same plants and animals.
Wichita Falls ISD (22013-2014)
3Sc Unit 9
Scientific Process TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
2
revised 3/25/14
Parent Resources
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Downloadable Food Chain Game
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm
Geography4Kids http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_foodchain.html
Identify and Label Ecosystems http://www.neok12.com/diagram/Ecosystems-01.htm
Wichita Falls ISD (22013-2014)
3Sc Unit 9
Scientific Process TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
3
revised 3/25/14