ANIMALS AND PLANTS IN
THEIR ENVIRONMENT
What roles do plants and
animals play in their
environments?
Team 2
4th Grade
Nadia Santos
Jeanine Fitzgerald
Jeanette Adon
1
2
Table of Contents
Lesson
Lead Author
Lesson #1 Plant growth and
decomposition
Jeanette Adon
Lesson #2 Soil: an essential
nutrient for plant growth
Jeanette Adon
Lesson #3 Food Provides
Nutrition & Energy to
Organisms
Nadia Santos
Lesson #4 How do Animals
Meet their Energy Needs for
Survival?
Nadia Santos
Lesson #5 What is a Food
Chain? What is a Food
Web?
Jeanine Fitzgerald
Lesson #6 The Story of a
Food Web
Jeanine Fitzgerald
Page Number
3
STEM Inquiry Unit Overview
Lesson # 1
Plant growth and
decomposition
Additives: Web
2.0 tools
Lesson # 2
Lesson # 3
Soil : An essential
nutrient for plant
growth
How foods
provide nutrition
to organisms
Additives: Line
graph
Additives: Web
2.0 tools, graphic
organizer
Lesson # 4
Lesson # 5
Lesson # 6
How animals meet
their energy needs
for survival.
What is a Food
Chain? What is a
Food Web?
Horseshoe Crabs
and Shorebirds The
Story of a Food Web
Additives: Web 2.0
tools, congruent
spreadsheet, Bar
graph
Additives: KWL
Graphic organizer,
Web 2.0 tools;
scavenger hunt
Additives: Web 2.0
tools, filamentality
website, geoboard.
4
Lesson # 1
Lesson #1 Plant growth and
decomposition
Behavioral Objectives
Students will be able to:
 Observe the difference between plants
grown in soil, sand, and a mixture of the
two.
 Construct a line that supports that soil
provides the most nutrients for optimum
growth
5
Lesson # 1
Educational Theories
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
 Application
 Evaluation
 Analysis
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:
 Visual-Spatial
 Logical-Mathematical
 Linguistic
6
Lesson # 1
Motivation
“We will begin today’s lesson with a Children’s
literature The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.
We will use this book as a way to explore the life of
seeds creatively using collages.
Eric Carle uses this picture book to express the life of a
plant and the importance of perseverance.
We will have a discussion about the pictures and Eric
Carle’s use of collage to tell stories. “
7
Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Lesson # 1
On the Smart board, watch the video Plant Growth on Brainpop.com
https://www.brainpop.com/science/cellularlifeandgenetics/plantgrowth/
Students will relate the video to the book and what they learned about
seeds and they transport using insects and wind to reproduce. Students will
write a sentence or two in their science journal describing the job of the
seed using the video and the book as a source.
Students will then turn and talk to their partner about their findings.
Teacher and students will discuss the different types of plants they saw in the
video.
Students will turn and talk to their partner about one plant they saw and one
feature that stood out to them.
Teacher will then ask students: What do plants need to grow?
Students will turn and talk with their partner for a couple of minutes and then
write in their science journal about what a plant needs to grow healthy.
Teacher will go over the answers with the students and then ask: How do
plants get their food?
8
Lesson # 1
Procedure(continued)
9. Working with their Science partner, students will discuss the term
photosynthesis and how it affects the plant’s growth. Students will write their
own definition for photosynthesis in their science journal.
10. Students will then be given a laptop where they will work in pairs and pick
two different plants to describe.
11. Each pair will share a laptop where they will have access to an online
encyclopedia, brainpop.com, and google.com
12. They will record their findings on a plant investigation worksheet where they
will write a paragraph and draw a picture of their plant of interest.
13. They will then answer and write about their findings:
What is the plant’s common scientific name?
Description of the seed, root, stem, leaves, and flower.
The plant’s needs.
Three to four interesting facts about the plant.
Draw and label the plant along with the parts.
14. Students will share their findings with the class.
Lesson Rubric
Objective
Lesson # 1
Satisfactory
2
Unsatisfactory
1
Identify and describe parts Students were highly
of a plant
engaged in class and group
discussions; used research
materials appropriately;
produced a complete
paragraph that included all
requested information; and
correctly identified all parts
of a plant.
Students were engaged in
class and group
discussions; used research
materials, produced a
paragraph that included
almost all requested
information, did not
correctly identify all parts
of a plant.
Students were engaged in
class and group discussions;
used research materials,
produced a paragraph that
included some of the
requested information, did
not identify any part of the
plant.
Describe the needs of a
plant
Students were engaged in
class and group
discussions; used research
materials, produced a
paragraph that included
almost all requested
information, did not
correctly identify the
needs of a plant.
Students were engaged in
class and group discussions;
used research materials,
produced a paragraph that
included some of the
requested information, did
not mention the needs of a
plant.
Defined the term
photosynthesis
Target
3
9
Students were highly
engaged in class and group
discussions; used research
materials appropriately;
produced a complete
paragraph that included all
requested information; and
identified the needs of a
plant.
Students were highly
engaged in class and
group discussions; used
research materials
appropriately; produced a
complete paragraph that
included all requested
information; and defined
photosynthesis.
Students were engaged in
class and group discussions;
used research materials,
produced a paragraph that
included almost all
requested information, did
not correctly define
photosynthesis.
Students were engaged in
class and group
discussions; used research
materials, produced a
paragraph that included
some of the requested
information, did not
mention the definition of
photosynthesis
Assessments
10
Lesson # 1
11
Assessments
Student Sample/Photographs
12
Lesson # 2
Lesson #2 Soil: an essential
nutrient for plant growth
Behavioral Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1.
2.
Observe the difference between plants
grown in soil, sand, and a mixture of the two.
Construct a line that supports that soil
provides the most nutrients for optimum
growth
13
Educational Theories
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
 Application
 Evaluation
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:
 Visual-Spatial
 Logical-Mathematical
 Linguistic
14
Motivation
Each students will have three snack sized baggies.
One will be filled with soil, another with sand, and
the third with a combination of the two.
After studying the contents in the baggies, students
will turn and talk to a partner about which baggie
will support optimum growth in plants and why.
Students will then take a few minutes to write their
ideas in their science journal.
Procedure
15
1. On the Smart board, watch the video Soil-Plant-Nutrients Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctMTltWG1GU
2. Students will take notes on a in their science journal while they watch the video
the second time.
3. Ask the students to state the importance of soil as they understood it from the
video, or their own background knowledge. Record their answers on chart
paper. Explain that soil is enriched with nutrients that along with sunlight and
water provide plants with the essential nutrients that plants need to grow
healthy therefore allowing the plants to play important roles in our
environment.
4. Ask students to explain what they think would happen if a plant is planted in
sand rather than soil and how they think this will affect the plant. I will chart
their responses and students will also write their response in their science
journal.
5. Now ask the students to explain how they think a plants growth will be affected
if it is planted in a combination of sand and soil. I will chart their responses and
students will also write their response in their science journal.
6. Working with their Science partner, their task today is to go back into their
science journal and study the growth progress of plant A (a plant planted in
soil only), plant B (a plant planted in sand only), and plant C (a plant planted
in soil and sand). Students planted these plants and labeled the plants A, B,
and C but the soil type was hidden. Students recorded their observations over
the past two months. Students recorded the plant growth using a centimeter
ruler biweekly.
16
Procedure(continued)
7. Each pair will share a laptop where they will have access to a line graph.
8. They will record their findings on the line graph. They will record the growth of
each plant biweekly.
9. They will then answer four questions related to their findings.
Which plant reflected the most change Why?
Which plant shows the most growth? Why?
What kind of soil do you think was used for this plant? Explain.
Which soil do you think will provide the most nutrition for plant
growth? Explain.
10. Students will share their findings with the class.
11. Students will finalize the lesson writing a reflection worksheet.
Assessments
17
Lesson # 2
18
Assessments
Student Sample/Photographs
19
Lesson # 3
Lesson #3 Food Provides Nutrition
& Energy to Organisms
Behavioral Objectives:
Students will be able :
1.
2.
3.
To compare and sort non-foods and foods
To identify how food supplies energy and
materials necessary for growth.
To describe how food and materials help to
repair and to identify what foods are
considered nutritious and why
20
Lesson # 3
Educational Theories
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
 Application
 Evaluation
 Analysis
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:
 Visual-Spatial
 Logical-Mathematical
 Linguistic
Motivation
21
Lesson # 3
Ask the children “Why do living things need food? How is food
used by living things?” Talk/Pair/Share Show children video “Bill
Nye Introduction to fat” http://youtu.be/KveYAC5Fcmg
Procedure
22
Lesson # 3
1. Tell children “Today we will learn how foods supply living organism’s
energy. “
2. Ask students if they can define a living organism.
3. Ask: What is energy used for? Is it important for the survival of a
plant/animal or human?
4. Explain that plants produce their own food while other organisms
must consume plants or other organisms in order to meet their food
and energy needs.
5. Explain that food is made up of molecules; organisms break down
molecules and separate out what we need and don’t need.
i. Some molecules are used to rebuild tissue, bones etc.
ii .Some are used as fuel for energy.
iii. Water plays an important role as a key ingredient of blood
that allows it to break down and transport nutrients throughout
the body and to regulate body temperature.
6. Elicit responses and class discussion.
7. Ask: What are vitamins? Choose multiple students to answer and
engage in discussion
23
Procedures(continued)
8. Pair/Share and discuss what vitamins you know and what they are used for.
Where can you find these vitamins?
9. Partners will share information and class will discuss their answers.
10. Discuss what part of foods provide energy; sugars.
11. Ask: What kind of sugars do you know? Where do you find them? Encourage
critical thinking amongst students.
12. Sugars in candy are simple sugars, which are very easy to digest giving us a
quick burst of energy. Sugars in fruits and vegetables are more complex,
digest more slowly, and provide energy over a longer period of time.
Lesson Rubric
Objective
24
Lesson # 3
Target
3
To identify how food Student fully
supplies energy and understood and
materials necessary explained how
for growth.
foods supply energy
and materials
necessary for
growth.
To describe how
Student understood
food and materials
and explained how
help to repair.
foods and materials
help to repair
organisms.
To compare nonStudent completed
foods and foods
graphic organizer
correctly and was
able to compare
and sort non-foods
and foods.
Satisfactory
2
Student understood
how foods supply
energy and materials
necessary for growth
but did not fully
explain the
reasoning.
Student understood
or explained how
foods and materials
help to repair
organisms.
Student completed
the graphic organizer
and
compared/sorted
non-foods and foods
with adult assistance.
Unsatisfactory
1
Student did not
understand or explain
how foods supply
energy and materials
necessary for growth .
To identify what
foods are
considered nutritious
and why
Student completed
graphic
organizer/question
answer worksheet
correctly and was
able to explain why
items were in certain
columns with adult
assistance.
Student did not
complete graphic
organizer or question
answer worksheet
correctly and was
unable to explain why
items were in certain
columns with adult
assistance.
Student completed
graphic
organizer/question
answer worksheet
correctly and was
able to explain why
items were in certain
columns.
Student did not
understand and
explain how foods
and materials help to
repair organisms.
Student was unable to
complete the graphic
organizer and did not
compare/sort nonfoods and foods even
with adult assistance.
Student Rating
Assessments
25
Lesson # 3
26
Lesson # 3
Assessments
Student Sample/Photographs
27
Lesson # 4
Lesson #4 How do Animals Meet
their Energy Needs for Survival?
Behavioral Objectives
Students will be able
1.
2.
To identify the three different eating styles of
mammals
To learn and research animal eating styles
and organize animals eating styles using a
Microsoft excel bar graph
28
Lesson # 4
Educational Theories
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
 Knowledge
 Comprehension
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:
 Visual-Spatial
 Interpersonal
 Intrapersonal
Motivation
29
Lesson # 4
Say: We have learned about what organisms need to live and how
they get energy. Now let’s take a look at animals specifically.
Show children the video “What do animals eat?”
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.colt.eat/w
hat-do-animals-eat/
Ask the children “Why do living things need food? How is food used
by animals?” Talk/Pair/Share
Procedure
30
Lesson # 4
1. Say: What do we know about what animals eat?
2. Let’s fill out the chart and write what we know about animals’ eating styles, what we want to learn
about animals eating styles and then we will complete what we have learned.
3. Class will work together and complete the chart and engage in accountable talk.
4. Say: Today we will learn about what animals eat. We will discuss their eating styles and also learn
how to organize the information we have learned.
5. Discuss herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores and their characteristics. Discuss the different types
of teeth these animals have and why.
a.
b.
c.
Herbivores: an animal that eats only plants.
Carnivore: an animal that eats only other animals (meat)
Omnivore: an animal that eats both plants and animals.
6. Students will discuss different animals and what they eat. Students will engage in accountable talk
and state whether they agree or disagree with their classmates.
7. Class will then discuss the teeth structure of herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.
8. Say: What do you think a carnivores tooth looks like? What shape is it? Feel your teeth and
describe what you feel.
9. Students will turn/pair/share and discuss what they feel and explain why their teeth are sharp.
10.Choose two pair of children to share and discuss their discoveries with the class.
11.Explain that carnivores have sharp canines which are used for seizing and stabbing prey. The sharp
carnassials help cut up meat in the mouth. Herbivores have large flat teeth which are used for
chewing and grinding plants. Omnivores have a variety of sharp and flat teeth because they eat
a variety of foods.
12.Class will discuss animals and their teeth. Encourage accountable talk amongst class.
Lesson Rubric
Objective
31
Lesson # 4
Target
3
Satisfactory
2
Unsatisfactory
1
To identify and
compare the
three different
eating styles of
mammals
Student
identified the
three different
eating styles
and was able to
compare the
three.
Student was able
to identify two of
the three
different eating
styles and was
able to compare
them.
Student was
unable to identify
the three different
eating styles of
mammals.
To learn and
research animal
eating styles
and organize
animals eating
styles using
Microsoft excel
Student was
able to research
animals and
organize them
by eating styles
using a Microsoft
excel bar graph
Student was
somewhat able
to research
animals and
organize them
by using a
Microsoft excel
bar graph
Student was
unable to
research animals
and could not
create a bar
graph with
Microsoft excel
Student
Rating
Assessments
32
Lesson # 4
33
Lesson # 4
Assessments
Student Sample/Photographs
34
Lesson # 5
Lesson #5 What is a Food Chain?
What is a Food Web?
Behavioral Objectives:
Students will be able :
1.
2.
3.
4.
To explain what a food chain is.
To incorporate the following academic
language when describing a food chain/food
web: producer, consumer decomposer.
To effectively use technology to research a
scientific topic.
To accurately complete food chains for
different habitats.
35
Lesson # 5
Educational Theories
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
 Application
 Evaluation
 Analysis
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:
 Visual-Spatial
 Logical-Mathematical
 Linguistic
Motivation
36
Lesson # 5
Students will be called to the rug for a Read Aloud of
Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds The Story of a Food Web.
I will explain that this book will look closely at how one food
web works.
While I read the book they should take notes on their
graphic organizer.
The students will be expected to listen for who the members
of the food web are and write them down accordingly.
Throughout the book, I will pause and give the students a
chance to turn and talk about what members of the food
web they have picked out of the story.
They should draw lines connecting the members of the
food web so they can accurately replicate it in their model.
Procedure
37
Lesson # 5
1. Students will than view the Bill Nye the Science Guy Food Web video.
Students be instructed to complete the L section of the graphic
organizer.
2. The class will break into their “science groups” and will cooperatively
work on the following scavenger hunt:
3. http://mysite.cherokee.k12.ga.us/personal/mollie_dunn/site/Scaveng
er%20Hunts/1/Food%20Chain%20Internet%20Scavenger%20Hunt.pdf
4. The scavenger hunt worksheets will be collected for each individual
students. Upon completion the groups will visit different Web 2.0 sites
that are listed on the following filamentality site:
____________________. The results of the scavenger hunt will be shared
with the class.
Follow up Activity:
The next activity the students will be involved is in to construct a food
web based on the book Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds The Story of a
Food Web. The students will need to accurately form the web and label
each animal as a producer, consumer (what kind) and decomposer.
The students will work in groups and present their projects to the class.
Lesson Rubric
Food Web Assessment Rubric
Target
3
38
Satisfactory
2
Lesson # 5
Unsatisfactory
1
Behavioral Objective
Students will explain
what a food chain is
Students will
incorporate the
following academic
language when
describing a food
chain/food web:
producer, consumer
decomposer.
Students completely
and accurately
defined a “food
chain”.
Students will identify
the three main parts of
a food chain and
provide complete
definitions for each,
including the three
different types of
consumers
Students defined a
food chain
Students will identify
the three main parts of
a food chain and
provide complete
definitions for each,
including the three
different types of
consumers with 1 or 2
errors.
Students will effectively Students actively and Students researched all
use technology to
diligently researched
the questions in the
research the topic
all questions in the
scavenger hunt and
scavenger hunt and
were able to answer at
were able to answer all least seven of the
the questions correctly. questions correctly.
Students will
accurately complete
food chains
Students were unable to define a
“food chain”.
Students will identify the three main
parts of the food chain and provide
definitions for each, including the
three different types of consumers
with more than 2 errors.
Students researched most of the
questions in the scavenger hunt
and were able to answer at least
half.
Students were able to Students were able to Students were able to complete
complete the five food complete the five food the five food chains with three or
chains one or no errors. chains with 2 errors.
more errors.
Student
Rating
Assessments
39
Lesson # 5
Assessments
Student Sample/Photographs
40
Lesson # 5
41
Lesson # 6
Lesson #6 : Horseshoe Crabs and
Shorebirds The Story of a Food Web?
Behavioral Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify members of a food
web as described in Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds
The Story of a Food Web.
2. Students will be able to accurately answer questions
surrounding the food web presented in Horseshoe
Crabs and Shorebirds The Story of a Food Web.
3. Students will work collaboratively to build a model of
the food web presented in the book Horseshoe Crabs
and Shorebirds The Story of a Food Web.
42
Lesson # 6
Educational Theories
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
 Application
 Evaluation
 Analysis
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:
 Visual-Spatial
 Logical-Mathematical
 Linguistic
Motivation
43
Lesson # 6
Students will be called to the rug for a Read Aloud of Horseshoe
Crabs and Shorebirds The Story of a Food Web. I will explain that
this book will look closely at how one food web works. While I
read the book they should take notes on their graphic organizer.
The students will be expected to listen for who the members of
the food web are and write them down accordingly.
Throughout the book, I will pause and give the students a
chance to turn and talk about what members of the food web
they have picked out of the story. They should draw lines
connecting the members of the food web so they can
accurately replicate it in their model.
Procedure
44
Lesson # 6
1. Students will break into their science groups and compare the notes
they took during the reading of the book.
2. Each group will then begin to construct a food web based on the
book Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds The Story of a Food Web.
3. Each group will be given a geoboard, 25 bands, 25 labels,
4. Each student will individually answer the questions on the graphic
organizer:
Follow up Activity: The next activity the students will be asked to
research other animals that could be added to the food web using the
filamentality page. They will draw this web, accurately label all
members.
45
Horseshoe Crab
Food Web Assessment Rubric
Target
3
Lesson # 6
Satisfactory
2
Unsatisfactory
1
Behavioral Objective
Students will identify
members of the food web as
described in Horseshoe
Crabs and Shorebirds The
Story of a Food Web
Students will accurately
answer questions
surrounding the food web
presented in Horseshoe
Crabs and Shorebirds The
Story of a Food Web
Students will work
collaboratively to build a
model of the food web
presented in Horseshoe
Crabs and Shorebirds The
Story of a Food Web
Students identified 17 or
more of the members of the
food web described in
Horseshoe Crabs and
Shorebirds The Story of a
Food Web
Students will accurately
answer all three questions
Students identified between
10 and 16 members of the
food web described in
Horseshoe Crabs and
Shorebirds The Story of a
Food Web
Students will accurately
answer at least 2 questions
Students identified less than 10 members of
the food web described in Horseshoe Crabs
and Shorebirds The Story of a Food Web
Students will work together
to accurately build a model
of the food web presented in
Horseshoe Crabs and
Shorebirds The Story of a
Food Web using a geoboard
and at least 17 of the
animals mentioned in the
book
Students will work together
to accurately build a model
of the food web presented in
Horseshoe Crabs and
Shorebirds The Story of a
Food Web using a geoboard
and and between 10 and 16
animals mentioned in the
book
Students will work together to accurately
build a model of the food web presented in
Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds The Story of
a Food Web using a geoboard and less than
10 animals mentioned in the book
Students will answer 1 or zero questions
Assessments
46
Lesson # 6
47
Assessments
Student Sample/Photographs
Lesson # 6
48
Horseshoe Crab Food Web
Before
After
Self-Created Website
49
Filamentality Website
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listpe
dagogyje.html
Self-Created Website
50