Science Unit Plan Teacher: Bill Coleman, Mia Hayes, Linda Frost, Janis Farrell, Brenda
Disney, Briant Hall Grade: 4th Dates: August 21, 2015
Core Content:
Standard 5 –
Students will understand the physical characteristics of
Utah’s wetlands, forests, and deserts and identify
common organisms for each environment.
Objective 2 –
Describe the common plants and animals found in
Utah environments and how these organisms have
adapted to the environment in which they live.
Science Practices:
Developing and using models
Science Question(s) to be answered:
How are plants and animals able to live and survive in their particular environment whether it be
desert, wetland, or forest?
Performance Expectations: This is what my students should be able to DO by the end of the unit:
a. Identify common plants and animals that inhabit Utah’s forests, wetlands, and deserts.
b. Cite examples of physical features that allow particular plants and animals to live in specific
environments (e.g., duck has webbed feet, cactus has waxy coating)
c. Describe some of the interactions between animals and plants of a given environment (e.g.,
woodpecker eats insects that live on trees of a forest, brine shrimp of the Great Salt Lake eat
algae and birds feed on the brine shrimp).
d. Identify the effect elevation has on types of plants and animals that live in a specific wetland,
forest, or desert.
e. Find examples of endangered Utah plants and animals and describe steps being taken to
protect them.
Final Project/Assessment of Learning: This is HOW I will know they have attained mastery:
1. Biome triarama: Students will create a triarama for each biome coloring and drawing the
features of the environment, showing and listing the plants, animals, and listing their
adaptations to survive in those environments. A fourth triarama should be made with
information about endangered Utah species.
And/or
2. Plant – Animal – Biome Card match: Students will draw a plant, animal, and biome card out
of a hat and will write and give evidence as to why that animal will or will not survive in that
environment. They will explain what environment their plant/animal would be best suited
for. Students should use vocabulary and science language learned in the unit.
And
3. Interim Assessment: Students will take the Interim test with a goal of achieving 70%
proficiency or better.
Content Analysis: What distinct pieces of knowledge will my students need to KNOW to attain
mastery?
How to classify and sort – Knowledge of Utah plants and animals – Plant and animal features –
Food webs – Map skills – Researching skills informational texts and Internet.
Let’s Plan!
Science Question(s):
Days
Objective(s)
1-2 Students will be able to
predict, test, and observe
E
what saline environment
N
best suits The Great Salt
G
Lake’s Brine Shrimp.
A
G
E
1
E
X
P
L
O
R
E
1-2
E
X
P
L
A
I
N
Teacher Work
- Pass out science journals
- Set up salt, beakers, scales,
Mason Jars, brine shrimp
eggs (supplies)
- Magnifying glasses
- Discuss with students
environment’s impact on
plants and animals,
particularly brine shrimp.
- Student Scaffold for
Designing and Conducting
Experiments pack.
Students will predict, test,
- Supplies (marshmallows,
and simulate bird beak
seeds, gummy worms, etc.)
adaptations and transfer the - tools (salad tongs,
concept of adaptation to
chopsticks, tweezers, knife,
other animals.
spoon, fork)
- Put the supplies on a tray
for students to use their tools
on.
- Pictures of bird beaks.
- See Tracy Aviary Lesson
online for additional details.
Students will further
identify features that
organisms have that have
helped them adapt in their
environment for common
Utah plants and animals.
- Common Utah plants and
animal cards and adapted
features cards for matching
with partner.
Students will infer and
predict plant and animal
interactions within Utah
environments.
- Matching activity for plant
and animal interactions.
- Science texts
Student Work
- Design an experiment to
conduct using brine shrimp.
Record results in their
science journal.
- Create mixtures and add
shrimp.
- Label bottles.
- Observe for 2 weeks,
making entries in their
science journal
- Students will make
drawings and predictions
based on the photos of
various beaks as to what they
eat.
- Students will use the tools
to simulate what the various
bird beaks can pick up and
cannot.
- Students will write their
findings and observations in
their science journals.
- Students will match a plant
and animals adaptations with
its picture.
- Students will write down
the features of the common
Utah plants and animals they
discovered in their science
journal.
- Using student background
knowledge, science text, and
discussion, students will
match and write down
common Utah plant and
animal interactions.
2-3
E
L
A
B
O
R
A
T
E
1-3
E
V
A
L
U
A
T
E
Students will identify the
effect elevation has on
plants and animals in their
biome.
- Teach map skills making
sure that students pay special
attention to the colors used,
key, title, and data.
- Guide students into looking
Students will research and
for patterns from other Utah
find examples of
maps and make inferences
endangered Utah plants and about the mountains and
animals.
data.
- Short articles on
endangered plants and
animals. Each partnership
gets 1 of each.
Students will:
1. Build a triarama for each
biome including one for
endangered Utah
Plants/Animals.
And/Or
2. Determine whether or
not plant/animal cards and
biome card make a match
and why.
And
3. District Interim
Assessment and Reteach.
- Investigate maps and
determine map purpose and
features of a map.
- Students will look for
similar patterns from other
Utah maps and make
inferences about the
mountains and data.
-Produce evidence to support
effects of elevation on Utah
biomes.
- Students will research from
their article what species are
endangered and why. They
will share with their partner
and then the class.
1. Paper/supplies for
1. Students will create the
triarama.
Utah Biome triarama based
-Expectations 3 plants, 3
on the expectations given
animals, and 3 characteristics using specific data and
of each biome and 3
appropriate plants and
endangered speicies
animals within the biome.
2. Students will write their
2. Plant/Animal and Biome
justification and explanation
cards made up and placed in based on the cards they chose
a bucket/hat
as to why or why not their
cards are a match.
3. Take test – Assess
3. Access and procedure as to performance – and reteach
how to access the Interim.
where necessary.