Knowledge and Skills
Domain: Life Science
Unit 1: Diversity of Life
Unit Overview
Suggested Time Frame:
Levels of Knowledge
Big Ideas
Previous: In any particular environment some kinds of
plants and animals survive well, some less well, and some
cannot survive at all (4th).
Next: Organisms sorted into groups share similarities in
external structures as well as similarities in internal
anatomical structures and processes that can be used to
infer the degree of relatedness among organisms (7th).
Some kinds of plants and animals
can adapt to survive well in various
environments, some less well, and
some not at all.
Maryland State Curriculum Content Indicators and Objectives
Environmental Science Grade 5
A. Diversity of Life
1. Explain the idea that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive
well, some less well, and some cannot survive at all.
a. Identify and describe features and behaviors of some of the plants and animals living in a
familiar environment and explain ways that these organisms are well suited to their
environment.
b. Based on information about the features and behaviors of animals and plants from very
different environments describe reasons that they might not survive if their environment
changed or if they were moved from one environment to another.
Maryland State Curriculum Skill and Processes Indicators
Domain: Life Science
Unit 1: Diversity of Life
Unit Overview
A. Constructing Knowledge
1. Gather and question data from many different forms of scientific investigations which include
reviewing appropriate print resources, observing what things are like or what is happening
somewhere, collecting specimens for analysis, and doing experiments.
a. Support investigative findings with data found in books, articles, and databases, and
identify the sources used and expect others to do the same.
C. Communicating Scientific Information
1. Recognize that clear communication is an essential part of doing science because it enables
scientists to inform others about their work, expose their ideas to criticism by other
scientists, and stay informed about scientific discoveries around the world.
a. Make use of and analyze models, such as tables and graphs to summarize and interpret
data.
Domain: Life Science
Unit 1: Diversity of Life
Knowledge and Skills
Vocabulary
Unit Overview
Conceptual Understandings
Behavior
 Some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some less well, and some
Camouflage
cannot survive at all in a particular environment.
Environment

Some kinds of plants and animals have characteristics that make them
Habitat
suited to their environment and not suited to other environments
Inborn Behavior
(instinct)
Lessons
Mimicry
1. Features animal adapt for their environments.
Nocturnal
2. Behaviors animal adapt for their environments.
Diurnal
3. Features plant adapt for their environments.
Predator
4. Behaviors plants adapt for their environments.
Prey
5. Adaptations to changing environments.
Survive/Survival
Habitat
Common Misconceptions
Environment
A species changes because the organisms use, or fail to use, particular body
parts or abilities.
Adaptation equals evolution.
Few plants can survive in deserts.
Plants are dependent on humans.
Plants cannot defend themselves against herbivores.
Plants are dependent on humans.
Unit Activity Overviews
Domain: Life Science
Unit 1: Diversity of Life
Unit Overview
Lesson and Objective
Activity Description
1. Features animal adapt
for their environments.
The teacher will show a picture of a spiny
bugs looking very similar to the plant they
are standing on. The students make
predictions about how the blending in of an
organism with an environment will help it
survive. The students will watch a video
about animal adaptation. Using the graphic
organizer, the students will record
important details about the structural
features of animals to their environments.
The students will summarize important
information they learned with the class.
Students will identify and
describe features of some
animals living in a familiar
environment and explain
ways that these organisms
are well suited to their
environment by locating
main ideas and details in
the text/video.
2. Behaviors animal
adapt for their
environments.
Ask groups of students to seek examples
of how an animal’s behavior might be
suited to its environment. Groups conduct
Students will identify and
research and create simple PowerPoint
describe behavioral
presentations to share with classmates
adaptations of some animals
about animal behavioral adaptations. Final
living in a familiar
class discussion should invite students to
environment by researching
compare examples shown.
and creating a PowerPoint
presentation.
Suggested
Resources
Maryland Science
Grade 5: A Closer
Look, Macmillan
McGraw-Hill, 2008
Video: Examples of
Animal Adaptations
Teacher’s Guide:
Animal Adaptations
Maryland Science
Grade 5: A Closer
Look, Macmillan
McGraw-Hill, 2008
Domain: Life Science
Unit 1: Diversity of Life
Unit Activity Overview
Lesson and Objective
3. Features plant
adapt for their
environments
Students will identify
and explain some plant
adaptations to their
environment by
supporting investigative
findings with data found
in books, articles, and
databases.
Unit Overview
Activity Description
The students will observe and analyze a
diagram and photo and will answer the
question, “Which part of the orchid is the
pseudo bulb?” Then the students will do a quick
lab activity about leaf adaptations. The students
will examine the following leaves: oak leaf, pine
needles, and elodea leaf. They will draw each
leaf. Using a ruler, the students will measure
each leaf and record their observation in the
data sheet. The students will break open the
leaves and compare the leaves. The students
will make an inference about which
environments each of the leaves adapted to.
Students share their findings with the whole
class.
Suggested
Resources
Website: Orchid
Diagram
Website: Orchid
Picture
Maryland Science
Grade 5: A Closer
Look, Macmillan
McGraw-Hill, 2008
Website: Plant
Adaptations
Teacher’s Guide:
Plant Adaptations
Domain: Life Science
Unit 1: Diversity of Life
Unit Activity Overview
4. Behaviors plants
adapt for their
environments.
Students will identify and
explain some plant
adaptations to their
environment by
developing explanations
using knowledge
possessed and evidence
from observations, print
resources, and
investigations.
5. Adaptations to
changing
environments.
Students will describe
feature and behavioral
adaptations to
environments by
constructing and sharing
reasonable explanations
for questions asked.
Unit Overview
Introduce different ways that plants adapt to
their environment. Students will examine
different houseplants like aloe, pothos, and
Christmas cactus and use distinguishing
features to figure out each plants natural
habitat. Engage the students by asking a
specific question that gets to the heart of the
activity. For example: show students a piece of
ivy and the little hair-like roots that can cling to
a tree or building and ask, “How do these roots
help ivy survive?” Students should be able to
figure out that ivy’s roots enable it to get off the
ground and get more sunlight.
Groups of students should be given a question
that pairs an animal with an environment it
would not normally be found in, such as “How
would features and behavior of a polar bear
have to change for it to adapt to a desert?”
Each team should create a “morph report” to
answer the question, and share with the class
Maryland Science
Grade 5: A Closer
Look, Macmillan
McGraw-Hill, 2008
Website: Plant
Adaptations
Teacher’s Guide:
Plant Adaptations
Maryland Science
Grade 5: A Closer
Look, Macmillan
McGraw-Hill, 2008