Organisms and Their Environment
Unit Plan
Overview
“Organisms and Their Environment” unit plan is designed to
teach 4th grade students that organisms have needs and can
only survive in environments that meet those needs. They will
explore the diverse environments, the plants and animals that
live in them, and how they adapt to survive in their
environments through Web Quests.
Standards Addressed
1.
Organisms have basic needs and can survive only in environments in which their
needs can be met. The world has many different environments, and distinct
environments support the life of different types of organisms.
a. Identify the characteristics of different environments, such as forests, wetlands,
grasslands, deserts, and in polar, temperate, and tropical regions.
a. Describe the diversity of life forms (vertebrate and invertebrate animals and
plants) supported by each environment.
b. Investigate the relationships between the basic needs of different organisms and
whether or not a particular environment meets those needs.
2.
Organisms have senses that help them detect internal and external cues.
a. Analyze specific behaviors influenced by internal cues (e. g., hunger and thirst).
b. Analyze specific behaviors influenced by external cues in the environment (e. g.,
temperature, light, and precipitation).
3.
Many characteristics of an organism are inherited from the parents of the
organism, but other characteristics result from an individual's interactions with
the environment.
a. Identify and describe characteristics and behaviors that are inherited (e.g., color of
flowers and animal instincts).
b. Identify and describe characteristics and learned behaviors that enable organisms
to survive in their environment (e.g., bear learning to fish).
Materials
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Web Quests
Computers with Internet Access
Access to PowerPoint
Student Handouts
Time of Unit
Approximately 6 class days
Lesson Plans
(Day 1) Introduction-Begin unit with an interactive PowerPoint
to introduce “Organisms and Their Environment” unit to
students. Close lesson by giving students a short quiz found
at the end of the PowerPoint presentation.
(Day 2,3) Web Quest Days--Students are divided into groups
(make tags): (Forest, Wetland, Grassland, Polar, Tropical,
and Desert)
Explain to students to be prepared to “teach” the class about
the environment they are studying. They will meet with the
other members in their group upon completion of their Web
Quest to plan their “lesson.”
(Take students to the computer lab). Give each student a
handout to record their findings from the quest and let them
begin exploring 
(Day 4) Sharing & Planning Day-- Student environment groups
meet together to discuss their findings from the Web quest
and to plan their “lesson.”
Students use “Lesson Plan” handout to guide them in planning.
(Day 5) Presentation Days—Student groups “teach” the class
about their environments.
(Day 6) Closure Lesson- Students pretend to be an animal
from one of the environments for one day and writes about
their experience. What do you see, hear, and eat? Describe
the temperature/weather. What do you eat and how to you
get your food?
Students share stories with the class.
Evaluations
Web Quest evaluation
Student writing evaluation