Ecosystems
A PowerQuest for 5th grade
By:
Emily Sayles
Robinson Elementary School
Introduction
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Welcome Ecologists!
– Have you ever thought about our
planet? How many animals are on our
planet? What the plants are like across
the ocean? How all those plants and
animals all survive in one place? How
cold the coldest places on earth are?
– Today you are going to become
ecologists and explore the ecosystems
of our earth!
What is an ecosystem?
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Essential Question
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What are some
characteristics of
the world’s
ecosystems?
Task
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 Your
team is going to
explore an ecosystem and
then report back to the
class. Each team will have 4
members:
– The
– The
– The
– The
Navigator
Botanist
Zoologist
Meteorologist
Group Responsibilities
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Navigator
Botanist
Responsible for the
location and physical
features of the ecosystem
Responsible for
researching plant life and
landscape in the
ecosystem
Zoologist
Meteorologist
Responsible for
researching animals in the
ecosystem
Responsible for gathering
information about the
weather and climate in the
ecosystem
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Process
1. Click on your job name and follow the directions for
your specific job.
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2. When you finish your job, help your group members to
finish their part. Make sure to check over all work to
ensure you have all parts completed. Once everyone
is finish complete the final questions worksheet.
3. When everyone is finished, staple your papers together
neatly in the following order:
1.
2.
3.
TEACHER
4.
5.
Final Questions Worksheet
Navigator papers
Botanist papers
Zoologist papers
Meteorologist papers
4. Make sure everyone in your group is ready to share
what they learned with the class. If you finish early
try out the extras page.
Choose your job
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 Navigator
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 Botanist
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 Zoologist
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 Meteorologist
Ecosystem Resource Page
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Rainforest
Desert
Marine
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Tundra
Taiga
Temperate
Grasslands
Navigator
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INTRO
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TASK
http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/woutline.htm
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Print your research sheet
Go to the following link and at the bottom of
the map, click “print the map”
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CONCLUSION
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Color in the map to show where your
ecosystem is located in the world
Go to the ecosystems page and click on
your ecosystem to find links to information
you will need.
Print your rubric, write your name on it, and
put it on the top of your navigator papers
Botanist
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Print your research sheet
Go to the ecosystems page and click on
your ecosystem to find links to information
you will need
Make sure you know all about the plant life
in your ecosystem!
Print your rubric, write your name on it, and
put it on the top of your botanist papers
Zoologist
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Print your research sheet
Go to the ecosystems page and click on your
ecosystem to find links to information you
will need
Make sure you know all about the animals in
your ecosystem!
Print your rubric, write your name on it, and
put it on the top of your zoologist papers
Meteorologist
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Print your research sheet
Go to the ecosystems page and click on your
ecosystem to find links to information you
will need
Make sure you know all about the weather in
your ecosystem!
Print your rubric, write your name on it, and
put it on the top of your meteorologist papers
Rainforest Websites
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http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/rforest/index.htm
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http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biorainf
orest.html
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http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/rainforest/
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http://www.ran.org/new/kidscorner/about_rainforests/facts
heets/what_is_a_tropical_rainforest/
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http://www.rainforesteducation.com/life/intro.htm
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http://www.ran.org/new/kidscorner/about_rainforests/facts
heets/tropical_rainforest_animals/
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http://www.mysciencekit.com/flash/biomes.swf
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Desert Websites
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http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biotundr
a.html
http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/desert.html
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http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/desert.h
tml
CONCLUSION
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http://www.allaboutnature.com/biomes/desert/desert.shtml
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http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php
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http://www.mysciencekit.com/flash/biomes.swf
Marine Websites
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http://www.mbgnet.net/salt/
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http://www.zoomschool.com/coloring/oceanlife.shtml
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http://www.zoomschool.com/biomes/coralreef/coralreef.sht
ml
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CONCLUSION
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/education/middle_school
/habitats/oceans/index.cfm
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http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/marine.php
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http://www.mysciencekit.com/flash/biomes.swf
Taiga Websites
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HINT: The Taiga may also be called
coniferous forest
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http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/taiga/index.htm
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http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/
taiga.html
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http://www.allaboutnature.com/biomes/taiga/taiga.s
html
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http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG2
35/biomes/taiga/taiga.html
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http://www.mysciencekit.com/flash/biomes.swf
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Tundra Websites
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http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/tundra/index.htm
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biotund
ra.html
http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/tundra.html
RESOURCES
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http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/tundra.
html
CONCLUSION
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http://www.allaboutnature.com/biomes/tundra/tundra.shtml
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http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php
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http://www.mysciencekit.com/flash/biomes.swf
Temperate Websites
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INTRO
HINT: The Temperate may also be called
the deciduous forest
TASK
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http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/temp/index.htm
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http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biotemperate
.html
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http://www.zoomschool.com/biomes/tempdecid/tempdecid.shtml
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http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/deciduous.html
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http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/dforest.html
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http://www.mysciencekit.com/flash/biomes.swf
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Grasslands Websites
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INTRO
HINT: The Grasslands may also be called
the Savanna
TASK
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http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/grasslnd/index.htm
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http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biogra
ssland.html
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http://www.allaboutnature.com/biomes/grassland/grasslan
d.shtml
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http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands
.php
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http://www.mysciencekit.com/flash/biomes.swf
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Evaluation
Are your cooperating with your
group?
 Have you completed all parts of the
project?
 Do all answers completely answer
the given question?
 Are all parts of your project neat?
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Rubric
Evaluation Rubric
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One more thing!
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Once your group has finished all
sections of the project, please
complete these final questions
together.
Conclusion
Congratulations
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ecologists!
– As you can see we live in a very complex
world! Do you understand more about
the different ecosystems now?
– As we begin our ecosystems kit, please
keep in mind all of these different
ecosystems and how what you learn in
the kit can apply to each ecosystem!
Extras
 Map
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of America’s ecosystems –
try clicking on the different ecosystems to
find out more about them
 Animal
Universe –
hit “maybe later”
on the registration screen. Then match the
animals to their habitat.
 Food
Web Challenge –
Can you
figure out which animal eats what to
complete the food web?
 Ecosystem
Video & Quiz – test your
knowledge about ecosystems!
Teacher
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North Carolina standard course of study
Science - Goal 1
This PowerQuest accommodates 28
students.
– If you have fewer students you could
eliminate an ecosystem. Groups that
finish early could go back and research
leftover ecosystems.
Teacher Resources
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http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

www.unitedstreaming.com

http://www.iknowthat.com/com
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http://www.scholastic.com/kids/ecosystems/line_exp
eriment14.swf
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http://www.dwm.ks.edu.tw/bio/activelearner/54/swf
s/ch54c1.swf
http://www.mbgnet.net/
Fair Use Policy
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 This
multimedia presentation
has been prepared under the
fair use exemption of the U.S.
Copyright Law and is restricted
from further use.