Title of Unit: Living Systems
Unit Planners (names): Trey Loker and Lisa-Marie Hill
School(s) & School Division (if applicable): Ashby Lee ES and Sandy Hook
ES/ Shenandoah County
Grade Level : 4th
Unit learning focus: Food webs
Unit learning goal(s): What are the relationships between organisms within an ecosystem?
Science & Math SOL
Standards (list) Knowledge (Know) write a fraction Mathematics
4.2a compare and order fractions
4.2b represent equivalent fractions
Order fractions
Compare fractions
4.7a estimate and measure length in metric units
Find equivalent fractions
Measure
Estimate
Identify
Define
Values (Be) accuracy
4.14 collect, organize, and interpret data from bar graphs and line graphs
3.3a name and write fractions
Measure and estimate in metric units
Make a bar graph
Make a line graph
Skills (Do)
Order
Represent
Collect
Organize
Construct
Science
4.5 a-f plant and animal adaptations
Identify/compare and constrast population, community, and ecosystem
Flow of energy in a food web
Identify niches in a habitat compare and contrast life cycles differentiate among positive and negative influences of human activity compare
Contrast
Identify define
Explain
Infer
Represent conscious of actions

Type of Integration Process Integration
Level or Extent of Integration Science Focus
Living Systems Unit
Essential Question: What are the relationships between organisms within an ecosystem?
SOL: 4.5 Students will investigate and understand how plants and animals, including humans, in an ecosystem interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem.
Lesson 1
Objective SOL Activities
Students will investigate and infer physical adaptations.
4.5 a.) plant and animal adaptations
1. Engage- Show a shark eating a seal and have students make observations
2. Explore- Gallery walk- show several pictures of animals and have students note specific body parts that let them do certain jobs
3. Explore- Bird beak and tool matching activity
4. Explain- Classification of adaptations- use gallery walk observations to group adaptations (use for defending, use for getting food)
5. Evaluate- Create your own animal and show and explain physical adaptations
Lesson 2
Objective
Students will investigate and infer behavioral adaptations.
SOL
4.5 a.) plant and animal adaptations
Activities
1. Engage- Show video about peacock (behavior) and discuss
2. Explain- Show United Streaming video about behavioral adaptations
3. Evaluate- Students will act our various skits as animals in various situations that require a behavioral adaptation
Lesson 3
Objective
Students will explain how organisms use adaptations to meet needs
SOL
4.5 a.) plant and animal adaptations
Activities
1. Engage- Ask: What do we need in order to survive?
2. Elaborate- Complete a sort on basic needs, tying in adaptations
3. Evaluate- Journal: Choose an animal and describe how it uses physical and behavioral adaptations to meet its needs

Lesson 4
Objective
Students will define and understand a population
SOL
4.5 b.) organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems and how they interrelate
Activities
1. Explore- Outdoor grid space sampling
2. Explore- Ask: What is a population?
(based from grid sampling)
3. Explain- Give examples of a population- real world
4. Elaborate- Savannah picture: Students wills find and describe populations in the picture
Lesson 5
Objective
Students will define and understand a community.
SOL
4.5 b.) organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems and how they interrelate
Activities
1. Explore- 2 habitat sort
2. Explain- give real world examples
3. Elaborate- foldable with population and community
4. Evaluate- 3 scenarios and students will determine if it is a population or community.
Lesson 6
Objective
Students will define and understand an ecosystem.
4.5 b.) organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems and how they interrelate
SOL Activities
1. Engage- Review habitat sort
2. Explore- Find what the two sorts have in common
3. Explain- Complete Venn diagram on 2 habitats
4. Elaborate- Extend foldable from previous lesson
5. Evaluate- 3 scenarios
Lesson 7 (Integrated lesson)
Objective
Students will illustrate the flow of energy in a food web in a given habitat
SOL
4.5 c.) flow of energy through food webs
Activities
1. Engage- Gallery Walk to review vocab
2. Explore- Turn 3 food chains into a food web
3. Explain- Show how the 3 food chains make a food web.
4. Explain- Show flow of energy with yarn activity
5. Elaborate- Making a food web activity: incorporate fractions and graphing

6. Evaluate- Writing prompt and food web fill-in
Lesson 8
Objective
Students will compare and contrast niches of different organisms within a community
SOL
4.5 d.) habitats and niches
Activities
1. Engage- Brainstorm: Jobs of people in our community
2. Explain- Show a video and discuss definition of niche
3. Elaborate- Complete niches with several organisms- beaver, trout, algae
4. Evaluate- Go outside, find an organism, and describe its niche
Lesson 9
Objective SOL Activities
Students will compare and contrast the different ways an organism interacts with its surroundings at various stages in the life cycle
Lesson 10 (Integrated)
Objective
4.5 e.) changes in an organism’s niche at various stage in it life cycle
SOL
Students will differentiate among the positive and negative influences of human activity.
4.5 f.) influence of human activity on ecosystems
1. Explore, Explain, and Evaluate- Gallery walk with life cycles: divide class into 2 groups.
Divide each group into 4 smaller groups. Each small group will create a food web with one stage of the life cycle
Activities
1. Engage/Explore- Gallery walk with ecosystems: Students will identify positive and negative influences
2. Explain- Have discussions of observations
3. Elaborate- Concentric circle with inside being positive and outside being negative
4. Elaborate- Tag Activity
4. Evaluate- Exit ticket: is scenario a positive or negative influence

Title of Lesson: Food Webs
Lesson Planners (names): Trey Loker and Lisa-Marie Hill
School(s) & School Division (if applicable): Ashby Lee ES and Sandy Hook ES/ Shenandoah County
Grade Level : 4th
Lesson specific Science & Math SOL (or other standards covered). Describe desired gains in
Knowledge/Skills/Behaviors for each, where applicable). These are your specific Learning Objectives for the lesson.
Standards (list)
Mathematics
4.2a compare and order fractions
4.2b represent equivalent fractions
4.14 collect, organize, and interpret data from bar graphs
3.3a name and write fractions
Science
4.5 c
Knowledge (Know) write a fraction
Order fractions
Compare fractions
Find equivalent fractions
Make a bar graph flow of energy through food webs
Skills (Do)
Order
Represent
Collect
Organize
Construct create show
Values (Be) accuracy conscious of actions
Level or Extent of Integration for this lesson Science Focus
Instructional time: 60 minutes
Materials needed: Food chain worksheet, food web diagram, large sheets of chart paper, markers, yarn, 3 sets of organism cards, bar graph template, food web exit ticket, food web data sheet
Web resources used (if any; Give urls):
Advance preparation needed: Hang chart paper with vocab word listed, copies of food chain worksheet, food web diagram, and food web exit ticket
Formative assessment(s):
Lesson Description (step-by-step teaching procedure ):
Gallery Walk with Vocabulary Words

1.
Hang 8 pieces of chart paper around the room, each one labeled with one vocabulary word: consumer, producer, decomposer, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, predator, and prey.
2.
Divide students into 8 groups and give each student a different colored marker, if possible.
3.
Have one group at each piece of poster paper and give them 1 minute to write or illustrate anything that comes to mind regarding the vocabulary word at their assigned poster.
4.
After each minute is over, have each group rotate to the next poster.
5.
Continue rotation until all groups have visited all posters.
6.
Discuss posters to help review vocabulary words.
Food chain to food web
1.
Partner students and give each partnership a food chain worksheet.
2.
Have students match relationships that they see in the food chain and draw lines to connect these relationships. For example, the kingfisher eats both the trout and the frog. The student will draw a line from the kingfisher to the frog and another one to the trout.
3.
When students have completed the matching, discuss relationships.
4.
Hand out food web diagram to each student and have them compare it to their food chain worksheet.
5.
Discuss with the class how this food web is easier to look at than a series of food chains. Point out how the food web shows multiple food chains in a more concise way.
6.
While discussing how the food web is made up of food chains, have students trace or circle the food chains in the web.
Flow of Energy Yarn Activity
1.
Have students form a circle in the room.
2.
Give one student a ball of yarn, having them hold the end of the string.
3.
That student, while holding onto the strong, will pass the ball of yarn to the next person in the circle.
4.
The next person will grab a portion of the string and pass the ball to the next person.
5.
Students should pass the ball and hold the string until the ball of yarn runs out or reaches the end of the circle.
6.
Lead a discussion on what happened with the ball of yarn as it was passed around the circle. Compare this to how energy is reduced as it pass through the organisms of a food web/chain.
Food Web Activity (Integrated)
1.
Divide students into 3 groups.
2.
Hand each group a set of organism cards.
3.
Each group will then use their cards and construct a food web to the best of their knowledge. They may arrange the cards on chart paper and draw lines with pencil.
4.
Once each group has finished, check over their web and make corrections as necessary. Once you have done this, instruct students to glue cards down and to give an appropriate habitat title.
5.
Pass out food web data sheet to each student and students may work in their groups to complete data sheet.
6.
Have students take their data and graph it on the bar graph template.
7.
Share and discuss findings.
Exit Ticket
1.
Pass out exit ticket and have students complete it individually.
Differentiation Strategies to meet diverse learner needs :
All activities that require small groups will be predetermined by the teacher to enable a mixed group of all abilities. We incorporated kinesthetic and visual portions in our activities. There will be formative assessments throughout each activity, as well as the unit, to ensure that students’ needs are being met.

Attach Worksheets &/or Hand-outs , Food Web Exit Ticket, Pond Food Chains, Organisms Cards (PDF files)
Homework Assigned (and applicable worksheets): None

5-E Integrated Subject Lesson Plan
Title of Lesson: Human Activity
Lesson Planners (names): Lisa-Marie Hill, Trey Loker, Fay Wymer, Tanisha Green, Sandra Jenny, Alyssa
Hussey
School(s) & School Division: Clarke County and Shenandoah County
Grade Level : 4th Grade (adapted to 3rd and 5th)
Lesson specific Science & Math SOL
Standards (list) Knowledge (Know) Skills (Do) Values (Be)
Science
3.5 The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains.
3.6 Student will investigate and understand that ecosystems support a diversity of plants and animals that share limited resources
3.10 (a,b,d)The student will investigate and understand that natural events and human influences can affect the survival of species
4.5f) influences of human activity on ecosystems producer, consumer, decomposer herbivore, carnivore, omnivore predator prey food chains food webs aquatic ecosystems terrestrial ecosystems populations communities the human role
4.9a
The student will investigate and understand important Virginia natural resources, including watersheds and water resources
“We all live downstream.”
5.7g investigate and understand how
Earth’s surface is
constantly changing. Key concepts include human impact. interdependency effects of humans conservation resource renewal differentiate among positive and negative influences of human activity
4.9a watersheds runoff sedimentation agricultural (farm) runoff investigate understand determine apply compare investigate understand determine infer interdependency effects of human activity conservation resource renewal differentiate explain responsible respectful responsible respectful
Conscious of actions

Math
3.9 (a) Measurement and Application
3.17 (a,b,c)
Collect/ Represent Data
3.10 Measurement and Application
4.7a estimate and measure length in metric units
4.14 collect, organize, and interpret data from bar graphs
5.8a find perimeter, area, and volume in standard units of measure
5.8d estimate and then measure to solve problems, using metric units
5.14 make predictions and determine the probability of an outcome
5.15 collect, organize, and interpret data in a variety of forms, using bar graphs sewage litter oil pollution air pollution industrial waste
5.7g human activity on land has a significant impact on ocean organisms phytoplankton
(producer) herbivores and 1st level consumers
2nd-5th level consumers
5.7g inquiry investigation explanation
U.S. Customary units
Metric units estimate classify purpose of data line plot, picture graph, bar graph measurement area perimeter
Estimate and measure in metric units
Make bar graphs
5.8a defining a space using perimeter area
5.8d estimate and measure collect organize record construct interpret analyze estimate measure determine estimate measure define collect organize interpret
5.8d estimate accurate accurate accurate
5.7g humans are custodians of the earth’s resources environmental consciousness

5.14 prediction probability outcome
5.15 collect, organize data create bar graph measure define collect organize interpret
5.14 compare prediction to actual outcome
Level or Extent of Integration for this lesson : Science Focus
Instructional time: 60 Minutes/1 day activity
Materials needed: Cones, Pinnies (optional), stop watch, tape measures, popcorn, sandwich baggies, container for popcorn, trash bag, bar graph data sheets
Advance preparation needed: Popcorn needs to be made and ready for activity.
Formative assessment(s): We will use the Concentric Circle Activity to assess prior knowledge. In addition, we will informally assess the students throughout the activity, by observing and initiating discussions. At the end of the of the activity we will use the exit ticket to assess the students’ understanding of the concept.
Lesson Description (step-by-step teaching procedure ):
Concentric Circle Activity
1. For this activity, students will need something to write down ideas. Divide class into 2 equal groups. Have the students make 2 circles- one on the inside facing out and one on the outside facing in. Students should be facing a partner.
2. The teacher will say an ecosystem. Use the following ecosystems in order: forest, swamp, desert, and river.
The students on the inside will write down something that humans do to help that ecosystem and the students on the outside will write down something that humans do to hurt the ecosystem. Give students 10 seconds to write down their ideas before they share.
3. Have the partnerships share their ideas.
4. Have the outer circle rotate one step to their left so that students have a new partner.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 with a new ecosystem.
6. Have students come together as a whole group. Review concentric circle discussions.
7. Make a t-chart on the board and label one column “Help” and the other “Hurt.” Label the t-chart “Ocean”.
8. As a whole class, generate ideas that humans do to help and hurt the ocean. Record these ideas on the t-chart.
9. Explain how vocabulary words “positive” and “negative” correlate to “help” and “hurt”.
Human Activity Tag Game
1. This activity requires a large space, preferably outdoors in a large field.
2. Teacher models how to measure out 20 meters. This will vary depending on available supplies- you can use a roll up measure tape, meter sticks, or use the students to mark 20 meters.
3. Have the students construct a square with each side equaling 20 meters. Use the cones to help mark the boundary lines.
4. Divide your class into four groups. The groups will consist of Zooplankton, Minnows, Tuna, and fishermen.
(Please note that there should be more Zooplankton than Minnows, more Minnows than Tuna, and more Tuna than fishermen.
5. Scatter popcorn throughout the area, which will represent Algae.

6.The object of this activity is for the Zooplankton to consume as much “Algae” as possible and place it into their “stomach” (plastic baggie). In addition, the carnivores’ job is to consume as much prey as possible, by tagging a student and taking their “energy” (bag of popcorn). Once an organism has been eaten, students must exit the square. The students should be given approximately 2-3 minutes to demonstrate these interactions.**
Please note that the minnows can only eat zooplankton, tuna can only eat minnows, and the fishermen can only catch tuna.
7. At the closure of this activity, count how many of each population are remaining and record the information.
8. Before repeating this activity, the teacher will explain that ocean has just experienced an oil spill. We will demonstrate this by having ¼ of the students discard their popcorn into a trash bag, ¼ of the students discard their popcorn into a container. This will represent the algae that was killed by the spill. ** As a 5th grade extension, instruct the students to predict the possible outcome of organisms remaining, as a result of the oil spill.
9. Have the remaining students use the popcorn in their bags to set up the area as stated in Step 5 and repeat the activity. Don’t forget to tally the results at the end.
10. Before repeating this activity for a third time, the teacher will state that a clean-up crew has cleaned up the oil. As a result, more algae has begun to grow. Instruct the students to distribute the contents of the container and the popcorn in their baggies according to Step 5. Don’t forget to tally the results at the end. ** As a 5th grade extension, instruct the students to predict the possible outcome of organisms remaining, as a result of the clean-up effort.
11. Repeat steps as desired (incorporate more human impacts as needed).
12. Upon returning to the classroom, pass out graphing sheets, and graph the data.
Closure
At the end of the lesson, distribute an exit ticket to each student. The exit ticket should ask the students to describe the positive and negative impacts of human activity on the Ocean ecosystem.
**For a 3rd and 5th grade extension, provide students with the lengths of the square and ask them to find the area and perimeter of our activity space.
Differentiation Strategies to meet diverse learner needs :
*Create three separate bar graphs for each organism, rather than the triple bar graph.
Worksheets: Bar Graph Activities (PDF file)