Adaptations: Pond Investigations: Part Two
Objectives:
4.3.D.1.a. Describe ways in which organisms in one habitat differ from those in another
habitat and consider how these differences help them survive and reproduce.
4.3.D.1.b. Explain that the characteristics of an organism affect its ability to survive and
reproduce.
Enduring Understanding: In order to survive all organisms depend on energy and
interact with each other.
Living things are made of cells that can be seen through a stereoscope.
Essential Question: Why do organisms need energy?
What does the diversity of organisms reveal about their
environment?
In the Adaptations unit, students will explore the interactions between living
organisms and their environments. Here are some vocabulary words that may be
incorporated into discussion or journal entries:
Pond
A body of fresh water that is still and quiet
Population
A group of the same kinds of living things in an area
Community Several populations interacting in an area
Producer
A living thing that makes its own food by using sunlight
Consumer
A living thing that eats another living thing
Decomposer A living thing that eats dead matter
Food Chain Feeding habits in a community; a producer is eaten by a
consumer and a decomposer eats both the producer and
consumer when they are dead
Food Web Interconnecting food chains in a community
Materials:
Food chain worksheet 1 per student
“Key to Life in the Pond” Identification Key
Eye Droppers
Microscopes/Stereoscopes
Small petri dishes
Teacher Resources:
http://www.microscopyu.com/moviegallery/pondscum/index.html - excellent resource
SIRS Discoverer – online resource (http://discoverer.sirs.com username: ccpses,
password: elem)
Engagement:
“Yesterday, we saw many organisms with our eyes. Do you think there may be other
organisms that we can’t see? What tools can be used to make them visible?” (student
responses…hand lens, microscope, stereoscope).
Exploration:
1. Each pair/group of students will use the eye dropper to place pond water in petri dish
until bottom of dish is covered.
2. Use stereoscopes to observe the organisms more closely. Students may also use the key
from the previous lesson to try and identify various organisms (direct students to the far
right section of the chart labeled “Microscopic” with the 4 organisms).
In what ways has using the microscope improved our knowledge of these organisms?
Possible student response: There are organisms that exist that are not visible to the
human eye.
Evaluation:
Sketch an organism seen in the bucket of pond water, under the microscope, or on the
website http://www.microscopyu.com/moviegallery/pondscum/index.html and describe
the features of this organism that help it survive.
Guiding questions for students to think about:
 How does the animal get its food?
 How does the animal protect itself?
 How does it move?
There is not necessarily one right answer as long as the students can support their
response.
Extension (optional)
http://www.microscopyu.com/moviegallery/pondscum/index.html - If computer lab is
available, may want to take students to computer lab to explore this site and the various
microscopic pond organisms.