LIVING SYSTEMS

Alex Franks, Erica Hobbs, Jin Kim

This unit plan introduced the concept of Living Systems. Throughout this unit plan each lesson will encourage students to investigate and understand that living organisms interact with other living organisms and their surroundings. This unit plan introduces the formal word of system. Students will use their previous knowledge about habitats to be a foundation of their learning for Living Systems. The expectation is that students understand the concept of Living Systems in terms of the interactions between living and nonliving things. It is intended that students will actively develop and utilize scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic skills in the context Living Systems. The SOL for this lesson is:

Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system. Key concepts include

o a) Living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;o b) An animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;o c) Habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) Fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years ago.

This unit plans focuses on parts a-c of Sol Science 2.5. These parts of the SOL focus on Living organisms and how they are dependent on other living organisms and their nonliving surroundings for survival. Students will be taught that all of the interactions between and among living organisms and their nonliving surroundings are referred to as a living system. Although the students have prior knowledge about habitats, this unit build on to that knowledge by teaching that the habitat of an animal includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space and if any of the basic elements of an animal’s habitat are absent, the animal’s survival is threatened. This unit plan hopes to prepare student to be able to classify objects as to whether they are living or nonliving, describe the basic components of an animal habitat (food, water, shelter or cover, and space), classify the parts of an animal’s habitat as living or nonliving, construct and interpret simple models of different kinds of habitats, including a forest and a stream, predict and describe seasonal changes in habitat and their effects on plants and animals.

Day 1 Lesson Plan: Introduction Into Living Systems

Erica Hobbs

Purpose: Today is the first lesson in a series of several lessons over the course of seven days that deal with Living Systems. Students will be reintroduced to the concept of habitats. The formal wording, Living Systems, is introduced in this lesson and using this new vocabulary the students will be able to show their understanding that living organisms interact with other living organisms and their surroundings. The expectation is that students understand the concept in terms of the interactions between living and nonliving things.

Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system.

o a) living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;

o b) an animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;

o c) habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years

ago. Language Arts 2.12  The student will write stories, letters, and simple

explanations.o a) Generate ideas before writing.o b)  Organize writing to include a beginning, middle, and end for narrative and

expository writing.o c)  Expand writing to include descriptive detail.o d)  Revise writing for clarity.

Objectives: Given the concepts introduced in the story of, Welcome Home, Bear: A Book of Animal Habitats, pencil and pen, the students will be able to create a short story that includes a fictional animal character, description of the habitat the animal lives in by providing details about one of each of the factors the animal interacts with for food, shelter, and water.

Procedures:

Introduction

Begin by having the students join you on the carpet for a read aloud. When students are seated, ask them what they know about habitats by saying, “I know you all touched on living and nonliving things in kindergarten but did you all know that animals live in something called a habitat that has both living and nonliving factors in there?” Continue by saying, “I mentioned a word, habitat. Do you all remember learning about habitats? Raise your hand and tell me what you all

remember about a habitat.” Let a few students share their thoughts with the class then regroup.

Share with the class that a habitat is a home or environment of a living organism. Majority of the students will understand what you have just shared because they have learned about habitats previously. Today we are going to learn about something called a living system. Have the students predict what they think a living system is by saying, “Based upon me saying, Living Systems, turn to your neighbor and share what you predict a living system is.” Give the students one minute to make predictions then ask about three students to share their predictions.

After the predictions have been shared, tell the students that a living system is almost the same thing as a habitat but it specifically deals with the interacts between living and nonliving things and how they are interdependent upon each other. Ask for any questions before you move on.

Present the book for the read aloud by sharing, “I brought a story to share with you all today that talks all about living systems. This story is about a bear who travels around the world and looks at other animals’ living systems and how his travels helped him to appreciate his very own living system.” Ask the students what they think is in a bear’s living system. Once a few students share their thoughts regroup by saying, “Let’s find out!”

Read the book aloud with expression. After reading the story, ask the students to share with their neighbor the new

things they learned were in a living system of any animal presented in the story. Ask a few students to share their thoughts. Then have them go back to their seats and take out a sheet of paper, pencil, and highlighter.

Development

Share with the students that they are to take notes as you write them on the board. Share that the story helped to open up the topic of Living Systems. Write on the board, “Living organisms are dependent on other living organisms and their nonliving surroundings for survival. All of the interactions between and among living organisms and their nonliving surroundings are referred to as a Living System.” Read what has been written aloud.

Once the students have finished writing what is on the board ask them to put their pencils down and pick up their highlighters. Tell them that they are going to highlight the key points of what they have just written. Ask the students to highlight, the words living organisms, dependent, nonliving surrounds, survival, interactions, and Living System. Tell the students that they have highlighted these words because they make up a more simpler understanding of what a Living System is because a living systems consists of living organism and nonliving factors and how they interact with each other for the survival of the living organisms.

Ask the students if they have any questions before moving forward.

Ask the students to copy the example of a living system that you have written on the board on the same sheet of paper that they are working on. The example on the board should be looked at as “ lion + cave+ river + antelope”. Explain to the students that this is a simple Living System because there is a living organism, the lion, who uses a nonliving surrounding, a cave, as shelter, a river as its water supply, and other living organisms, antelope, as it’s food. These factors interact together and are interdependent for the cub’s survival, because if anything were missing the lion would not be able to survive.

Tell the students that you would like them to create a living system using any type of animal they can think of. Share that, “Much like the story about the bear who went around the world to view other animals’ habitats, you all are to create a short story about any animal who lives in a living system. They are to choose one of the following animals as their main characters: dog, cat, lion, frog, snake, red robin, and a wild cow. In the story give the animal a personal name such as Katie or Ryan, introduce their living system by sharing at least two living organisms, one nonliving factor such as a surrounding, and a natural resource that the animal uses for their water supply within their system. This story is used as just an introduction of their character and their living system, nothing more!”

Ask the students if they understand the assignment. Pass out a class set of blank lined papers and then give the students 15-20

minutes to create their stories. Tell the students that they can use you as a resource to give them information about the particular animal that they decide to choose.

For Advanced students:o Allow students to choose two animals from the list and ask them to write a

story that compares the living systems of those two animals. For Struggling students:

o Allow students to use the book’s main character as a guide for their story. They may use a bear as their min character and include the living and nonliving factors included in the living system mentioned in the story.

Summary:

As the students finish their stories ask them to turn it in on your desk and then write a five sentence or more reflection about what they have learned.

Materials

Welcome Home, Bear: A Book of Animal Habitats by: Il Sung Na Class set of line paper Class Set of pencils Class Set of Highlighters Dry Erase Board or a Place to Model Note taking for students

Evaluation Part A:

Students will create a short story about an animal that includes a detail setting, which is the living system of that animal. Each story includes the key factors of a living system such as living organisms, nonliving factors, a resources or food, water, and shelter.

Evaluation Part B:

Did the students meet your objectives? If so, how do you know?

If you had to do this again what will you change for the better?

What were the strengths of this lesson?

How did I manage the groups?

Did your lesson address the needs of all of your learners?

Day 2 Lesson Plan: Different Factors That Change A Habitat

Erica Hobbs

Purpose: Today is one in a series of several lessons that deal with habitats. The focus for today will on having students show that specific living organisms are interdependent with specific living and nonliving surroundings which works together to create a habitat for specific animals.

o Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system. Key concepts include

o a) living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;o b) an animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;o c) habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years ago.

Fine Arts 2.3 The student will depict imaginary experiences in works of art.

Objectives: Given a variety of magazines and glue, TSWBAT create a collage that provides at least one piece of evidence that represents a living and nonliving surrounding that work together to create a specific habitat for a specific animal.

Procedures:

Introduction

Before the lesson pair every students desk with another student’s desk. Quickly have the students clear their desks. “So I know we’ve been talking about habitats this week. Raise your hand if you can tell me what a

living system is.” Have students talk about what they know a habitat is with their neighbors.(auditory) “Yesterday we talked about the living and nonliving factors of a habitat. Raise your hand if you can

write a living factor of a habitat on the board!”- allow a few students to write their answers on the board. (visual)

“Who can write a non-living factor on the board. I’m looking for new students to go to the board!”-allow a few new students to come to the board to write their answers. (Visual)

Review the answers on the board and support each answer with an example discussed the previous day. (Auditory)

Development

Regroup the class for the presentation of the pictures by saying, “I have five pictures that I want to show you on the screen. Each picture depicts a specific habitat. Get ready because once I show you all the picture I want you to raise your hand and tell me what type of animal you think lives in the picture.”

Show picture of a forest. (Visual) “What are you all’s predictions? What are the living and nonliving surrounds shown in the picture. Tell

me what animal you think lives here.” Choose one student to share prediction. Be sure to tell students if they’re predictions are the same as the person speaking to put two thumbs up. (auditory)

After student shares their prediction share with the students that a deer, bear, snake, and other forest-like animals call the forest their home! A living surrounding would be a tree and a nonliving surrounding would be a rock.(auditory)

“Here is the next picture!” Show picture of a pond. (Visual) “What are you all’s predictions? What are the living and nonliving surrounds shown in the picture. Tell

me what animal you think lives here.” Choose one student to share prediction. Be sure to tell students if they’re predictions are the same as the person speaking to put two thumbs up.

After student shares their prediction share with students that ducks, fish, frogs, and other freshwater aquatic animals call a pond their habitat. Share that a living surrounding would be water plants that outline the pond, while water is a nonliving surrounding of this habitat.

Show picture of a desert. (Visual) “What are you all’s predictions? What are the living and nonliving surrounds shown in the picture. Tell

me what animal you think lives here.” Choose one student to share prediction. Be sure to tell students if they’re predictions are the same as the person speaking to put two thumbs up. (auditory)

After student shares their prediction share with the students that a snake, armadillos, camels, and even wolves call habitats their homes. Share that a nonliving surrounding would be sand, while a living surrounding would be a cactus. (auditory)

“Who can think of another habitat? Tell your neighbor what habitat you’re thinking of!” I can think of two more habitats.

Show a picture of a polar habitat. (visual) “What are you all’s predictions? What are the living and nonliving surrounds shown in the picture. Tell

me what animal you think lives here.” Choose one student to share prediction. Be sure to tell students if they’re predictions are the same as the person speaking to put two thumbs up. (auditory)

After student shares their prediction share with the students that a penguins, polar bears, seals, and whales call this habitat their home. Share that a non lining surrounding would be snow while tiny fish are living surroundings. (auditory)

Show picture of tropical rainforest. “ A tropical rainforest is described as being warm and wet. “(visual) “What are you all’s predictions? What are the living and nonliving surrounds shown in the picture. Tell

me what animal you think lives here.” Choose one student to share prediction. Be sure to tell students if they’re predictions are the same as the person speaking to put two thumbs up. (auditory)

After student shares their prediction share with the students that a parrots, salamanders, frogs, jaguars, and even toucans call this habitat their home. Share that a nonliving surrounding would be a broken tree log while moss is a living surrounding. (auditory)

“So I’ve shown you all five pictures that are habitats and told you about a ton of animals’ habitats. With a partner you all will create a collage using magazines cut out several pictures that help depict the habitat of the animal that both you and your partner decide on. You will work with the person sitting right next to you. I will give you all 15-20 minutes to work on this and as you all finish raise your hand so that I can come to you and allow you all to explain what habitat and animal your collage depicts ”

Allow students to freely pick the magazines that they find interesting to cut up and paste onto their collage background. (tactile)

For Advanced Students:o Allow students to create a habitat for two animals within the same habitat that has both non-living

and living factors that support both of them. For struggling students:

o Allow students to use a the pictures shown earlier during the class presentation as a guide to help spark inspiration for their own habitat creation.

Summary After students finish allow them to place their collages on the board with a magnet. (visual) Allow the students to reflect in their journals about their favorite habitat and why they think the animal

they chose likes it in that habitat.

Materials: Pictures of a forest, pond, ice land, desert, and tropical rainforest. 15-20 magazines with animals and outdoor scenery pictures Construction paper Glue Scissors Class Set of magnets

Evaluation Part A:

Students will create a collage of a habitat that consists of living and nonliving surroundings that support the life of a specific animal.

Evaluation Part B:

Did the students meet your objectives? If so, how do you know?

If you had to do this again what will you change for the better?

What were the strengths of this lesson?

How did I manage the groups?

Did your lesson address the needs of all of your learners?

Type of Magazine for collage:

Pictures for class discussion:

Day 3 Lesson Plan: How Habitats Change Overtime

Erica Hobbs, Alex Franks, Jin Kim

Purpose: Today is one in a series of several lessons that deal with habitats. Students will be able to observe and distinguish how habitats change over time through human and natural changes.

Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system.o a) living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;o b) an animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;o c) habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years ago.

Objectives: After creating a T-chart and watching a video of habitats changing overtime, the students will be given flashcards of keywords and pictures and will sort 80% of the flashcards correct under their correct heading (human changes vs. natural changes).

Procedures:

Introduction

Begin by having a recap of the topics discussed over the last three days. Ask the students, “Who can tell me what are living and non-living factors of a habitat” Choose a few students to share examples then get students to share an example that was not said to their neighbor. Ask the students, “Remember the four basic elements of habitat? What were those?” Ask students who have spoken aloud yet, then ask all of the students to say their answers to their neighbor. ( auditory)

After the recap get the students excited for the topic of the day by telling a quick fictional story. “So I have a friend named Charles and he is a deer. One day he went out of the forest to eat some fresh flowers in the front of my yard. Charles noticed that a smoky smell coming from the forest. Charles heard loud siren blares from the fire trucks as they quickly rushed to where the smoke was coming from. Other animals joined Charles as they watched the smoke get bigger and blacker. When the fire trucks left all of the animals rushed to the forest to find that all of the trees, grass, and other factors of their habitat have been burnt down.” (auditory) (Tell the story expressively)

Tell the class, “Let’s learn more about what happened in Charles’ home and also what happened in other animals’ homes.”

Quickly have students put everything away and immediately join you on the carpet for a video. “Quickly Quickly, put everything away and join me on the carpet I want to show you all something!”

Play video (Visual) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j_aXQoLe-o As the students are on the carpet, have a recap of the video. “Who can tell me one human factor that can

change a habitat? Who can tell me a natural factor that can change a habitat?” As students raise their hands hold one finger over your mouth with your hand raised. Allow all students to get a chance to raise their hands. Ask the students to share their answers with their neighbors and say you will be listening. As the students share their answers reassure them by saying “Wow I hear some great answers! Yep! That’s a great one!”(auditory)

Development

Have the students go back to their desks and ask them to pull out their Science notebooks. Ask them to create a “T chart” and label one side human changes and the other side natural changes.

(visual) On the back of that page ask the students to copy exactly what you write on the board.(visual)

On the board write and say at the same time what a human change is and a natural change. “A human change of a habitat is a change caused by humans. A natural change of a habitat is a change caused by natural occurrences.” (auditory and visual)

Ask the students to turn the paper back over and raise their hands if they can give you one example of a human change and one example of a natural change. As the students raise their hands create a “T chart” on the board and label one side human changes and the other natural changes.

Pick students to give you examples and allow them to come up to the board and write it. (visual) As the students write their examples on the board ask them to also write them on their papers. (visual) Make sure you add in the examples that are included in their sorting activity. Read all the examples aloud. Let the students know that they all had great ideas and that you are going to challenge them in a game of

sorting! Ask them to put their ‘T charts” away. Tell the students that they will each get a ziploc bag with 10 examples of human and natural changes of

a habitat. Explain that they each will sort the examples given as either a natural change or a human change on their desks. Inside the ziploc bag are two headers that say “human changes” and “natural changes”. Instruct them to place those headings at the top of their desks and sort the examples under the correct heading. (visual and kinesthetic)

Once the students have sorted their examples ask them to raise their hands so that you can come around and check for accuracy.

For struggling students allow them to use their “T chart” as a reference. As students are checked off for their accuracy, ask them to clean up and place their ziploc bags in the

left corners of their desks.

Summary

Ask students to write a reflection about what they learned and how changes to a habitat makes them feel and also what they can do to prevent human changes as they finish, this will be their exit ticket.

Materials:

Projector Science notebooks Pencils Paper Ziploc bag with 10 examples of human and natural changes of a habitat (flashcards of keywords,

pictures, and headings)

Evaluation Part A

Students will be given a few minutes to sit and reflect as they think about everything they have learned about natural and human changes to habitats. They can do this any way they’d like as long as they’re sitting quietly and thinking.

After students have had a few minutes to think, ask them to come back and get their writing materials out. When everyone is ready explain to them that they’ll be writing a journal entry about everything they just thought about, so in other words, the different changes to a habitat.

Tell them that when they’re finished they can put their journals at a designated area so I can read what they have to say.

Evaluation Part B

What did the students respond to? What did they seem to like?

What didn’t work? What didn’t hold their attention or seem interesting?

What changes can I make to this lesson to make it more effective for future use?

What were the strengths of the lesson?

Did the students meet your objectives? If so, how do you know?

VOLCANO EARTHQUAKE

LANDSLIDEFLOOD

FIREWATER P OLLUTION

AIR POLLUTIONDEFORESTATION

BURNING OF FOSSIL

FUELS

GLOBAL WARMING

Day 4 Lesson Plan: Habitat Review

Alex Franks

Purpose: Today students will review habitats by exploring an interactive website in order to strengthen their understanding.

Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system.o a) Living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;o b) An animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;o c) Habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) Fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years ago.

Computer Skills C/T K-2.1o a) Demonstrate an operational knowledge of various technologies.o b) Use various types of technology devices to perform learning tasks.o c) Use a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, touchpad, and other input devices to interact with

a computero d) Use appropriate buttons, gestures, menu choices, and commands to manipulate the computer

when completing learning tasks.o e) Communicate about technology with appropriate terminologyo f) Use basic technology vocabulary as needed.

Objective: Given a computer and the url (https://ssec.si.edu/habitats), students will be able to complete the matching game with 100% accuracy.

Procedure

Have students take their seats on the carpet Tell students, “I want everyone to think back to Monday and what we talked about. Can anyone tell me

what me talked about?” Call on students who have hands raised. Tell them that that is what we’re going to be focusing on again today and they you have an activity for them to do on the computers. But first, you want to do a small sort with them for practice before they start.

Pull up a small sort with about 4 animals total on the Smartboard with sections labeled “Sea” and “Jungle”. Have the students decide whether the animals’ habitat is the sea or the jungle.

After students complete the sort, recap on the sort with a few sentences and then dismiss students to their desks by handing out laptops from the cow.

When students have returned to their seats, tell them “I’m going to write the url on the board for you guys to look at if you need it.” (https://ssec.si.edu/habitats)

Tell them, “With this game, you will be doing something very similar to what we just did on the Smartboard.” Guide them through the site. Show them how to move from different habitats and where to find the information on the animals. Tell them that they do not have to read all the information on all the animals, but that they have to pick on from each habitat.

Leave students to explore the site and play the game. Offer help if students look like they are struggling or have a hand up.

As students finish the game, direct them to their journals and tell them “We’re going to be writing a journal entry on the activity we just did. The topic for this entry is written on the board and it says Write about an animal that you read about. What did you learn? What did you like about that animal?”

Give students time to write what they need or want. Early finishers can quietly read a book when they are finished.

Materials

Computers Website url (https://ssec.si.edu/habitats) Journals

Evaluation A

Students will be tasked with writing a journal entry after having time to explore and complete the game. The subject of the entry will be “Pick an animal that you read about in the game. What was it’s habitat and what did you learn?”

Evaluation B

Did the activity reinforce the topic?

What can be added to the lesson to make it more beneficial for the students?

What were the strengths?

What were the weaknesses?

Day 5 Lesson Plan: Movement Matching Game

Jin Kim

Purpose: The students will categorize different vocabulary words (flashcards) through dynamic movement. The students will be able to sort the different characteristics of living and nonliving surroundings.

Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system. Key concepts include

o a) Living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;o b) An animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;o c) Habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) Fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years ago.

Movement 2.2: The student will apply the basic movement concepts to change performance of locomotor, nonlocomotor, and manipulative skills.

o a)Use the concept of relationships (e.g., over, under, around, in front of, behind, and through) in dynamic movement situations.

o b) Use the concepts of spatial awareness (e.g., location, directions, levels), and effort (time, force, flow) in static and dynamic movement situations.

Objectives: After completing a KWL chart of living and nonliving systems, the students will be given flashcards of keywords and/or pictures and will correctly sort 80% of the flashcards to their correct heading (living vs. nonliving) through dynamic movements.

Procedure:

Introduction:

Review with the students on living and nonliving surroundings by giving them KWL charts. Explain that they are to write down one thing they know and one thing they want to learn about living and nonliving surroundings. Tell them that they are going to fill the last column, what they learned, after the lesson. (Auditory)

Ask a couple of students to share some things that they already know and jot them down on the white board. If hands are still up, tell those students to share their answers with their neighbors. Then, ask the students, “Who can tell me some differences about nonliving and living surroundings? What characteristics do they have?” Call on new students. Write down more notes and/or characteristics on the board about the topic if necessary. (Auditory and visual).

Pick on a few students who haven’t shared yet and ask them, “What is something you want to learn about this topic?” (Auditory)

Tell the students to leave their KWL charts on the side of their desks and clear everything else away. Introduce the lesson by explaining the directions of this activity and modeling it: “Everyone will be

given five different flashcards. You all are to match the cards to the correct poster at the back wall. Some cards are pictures while others are keywords. You must only take one flashcard at a time, leaving the rest on your desk, when you are sorting. Easy right? The only catch is that on the back of every flashcard, there is a certain movement you have to do when you are going to the back wall. For example, my flashcard says “rocks” on the front and “skipping” on the back. While skipping to the back wall, I tape my flashcard on the “nonliving” poster (model this). Then I will skip back to my desk to pick up my next flashcard. Remember to be aware of your surroundings when doing this activity!” (Auditory and visual)

Development:

Pass out the ziploc bags that contain five different flashcards to each student. Tell them not to touch them until music is played.

After the nonliving and living posters are taped on the back wall and the music is turned on, the students will begin the activity. Remain standing at the front of the room so that you are not in anybody’s way and you are able to see everyone at all times. If it gets too noisy, lower the music down so that the students can also adjust the volume of their voices. (Tactile and visual)

As the students are taping their flashcards on to the posters, check the students’ accuracy. Take note of who is struggling.

Once the students have sorted all their flashcards, turn the music off and gather them back to their seats. Collect the two posters from the back and tape them on the front wall. Have the students read aloud the different cards with you. If there is a mistake, have someone raising their hand explain why it should go on the other poster or explain it to them yourself. (Auditory and visual)

For struggling students: Give them three flashcards instead of five and allow them to look back to the notes on the front board for reference.

For gifted students: Give them seven flashcards that contain only keywords.

Summary:

Ask students to complete the last column of their KWL chart and tell them to write at least one thing they learned from this activity.

Materials:

KWL charts White board Pencils Ziploc bags of flashcards of keywords and pictures with a dynamic movement on the back “Living” poster and “Nonliving” poster Tape Speakers for music Survey worksheets

Evaluation A:

Students will be given three minutes to sit down quietly and reflect about everything they have learned about living and nonliving surroundings. This will also help them calm down and switch gears.

After three minutes, pass out a “survey” that contains the following questions: “How do you feel about the topic you just learned? (They will circle one face that matches how they feel) Give me an example of one nonliving and one living characteristic. Is there a question you still have about this topic?” Look back at the notes you took during the activity of who was having a hard time sorting. This will help me determine who doesn’t meet the objective.

Evaluation B:

What were the weaknesses of the lesson?

How would you change the lesson if you could teach it again?

What did you learn about yourself in this lesson?

*(On the back of the flashcards)

Survey1.How do you feel about the topic you just learned?

2.Give me an example of one non-living and one living

characteristic.

Non-living:

Living:

3.Is there a question you still have about this topic?”

Day 6 Lesson Plan: Observing and Experimenting with a Bird’s Habitat

Jin Kim

Purpose: Today is one in a series of several lessons that deal with habitats. The focus for today will be having the students what non-living things are made in a bird’s nest such as twigs, feathers, and mud. The students will also be able to weigh and measure an actual bird’s nest.

Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system. Key concepts include

o a) Living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;o b) An animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;o c) Habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) Fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years ago.

Math 2.11: The student will estimate and measureo a) length to the nearest centimeter and inch;o b) weight/mass of objects in pounds/ounces and kilograms/grams, using a scale; ando c) liquid volume in cups, pints, quarts, gallons, and liters.

Objective: After completing a warm up activity of measuring with a ruler, a group of students (group of six) will be given a bird’s nest and a ruler and will correctly measure the length and width of the nest, in centimeters and inches, and weigh it on a scale with 80% accuracy. The students will also complete a survey worksheet about living and non-living things with 100% accuracy.

Procedure:

Introduction:

Review the difference between an inch and a centimeter: “One inch equals to 2.5 centimeters. Therefore, a centimeter is smaller than an inch.” Then, review how to weigh an object by using a scale. Remind them that an ounce is smaller than a pound because 8 ounces equals to half a pound. Begin the lesson by passing out a measuring activity worksheet. Explain that they are to use their rulers (or the one provided on the worksheet) and measure the different objects on the worksheet in inches and centimeters. Do questions 1 and 2 with them before they work on their own. (Auditory and visual)

Once the students are done, have them compare their answers with their shoulder partners. Go around the classroom and listen to the arguments (if any). (Tactile and auditory)

o If majority of the class came across a few wrong answers, go over them in front of the class and explain why they did not get the correct answer. If there are no arguments and if everyone got the correct answers, have them put their rulers and worksheets aside.

Review characteristics of non-living and living things. Stick an anchor chart on the board and make a T-chart with living things on one side and non-living things on the other side. Have the class come up with characteristics for both and jot them down. Be sure to pick on every student. If the chart is filled and there are still hands that are up, tell those students to share their answers with their neighbors. (Auditory and visual)

Introduce the lesson by explaining the directions of this activity and modeling it: “In the past couple of minutes, we just reviewed characteristics of living and non-living things and measuring objects with a ruler. In a moment, each table will be given a real bird’s nest. Of course, these nests have been abandoned so nothing lives in these anymore. Once I pass out the nests, you and your group will measure the nest in centimeters and in inches together. I want each group to write down the length and width of the nest in inches and centimeters on the small white board that I will pass out. After you write your answers on the small white board, I want you all to weigh the nest using the scale that I will pass

out after I review your answers on the white board. After you weigh your nests, record the weight onto the whiteboard and wait until all groups are done. We will see who has the heaviest nest.” (Auditory)

o Model this activity first before they start. (Visual)Development:

Pass out a bird’s nest, a small white board, and an expo marker to each group. Encourage the students to divide jobs: one student measures the nest’s length in inches, one student measures the nest’s length in centimeters, one student measures the nest’s width in inches, one student measures the nest’s width in centimeters, one student weighs the nest in pounds, and one student weighs the nest in ounces. (Tactile and visual)

Go around the room as the students are measuring and working together. Take note and assist those who seem to be struggling.

Once you have checked all the measurements in each group, get everyone’s attention in front of the class. Record the different weights on the board to see which group got the heaviest nest. (Visual and auditory)

Go back to the T-chart the class made earlier. Ask the class what characteristics their bird’s nest has on the chart and have the student who answered circle the characteristic on the anchor chart. (Auditory, visual, and tactile)

o For example, if the student said that his nest has rocks, and rocks is under the “non-living things” on the chart, he will go to the front of the room and circle it. Pick on new students who haven’t shared today.

For struggling students: Have these students be the observer and recorder of the group. These students will gain more knowledge by observing what their peers are doing. I will also have these students write a list on the white board of all the different materials used to make the nest (ex. rocks, sticks, feathers, mud, twigs, leaves).

For gifted students: These students will write a list of all the different materials used to make the nest and distinguish each of them as living or non-living. Challenge them by putting the T-chart (that the students made earlier) away so that there is no assistance.

Summary: Once everything is collected and put away, have the students fill out a survey worksheet about this

lesson. This will act as an exit ticket for them.

Materials:

Anchor chart Measuring worksheet (from http://www.education.com/worksheets/second-grade/measurement/) Rulers (in/cm) Pencils Bird’s nests Small scales (lb/oz) Small white boards Expo markers Survey worksheets

Evaluation A:

Students will be given two minutes to sit down quietly and reflect about everything they have learned about measuring and the non-living things used to make a habitat.

After two minutes, pass out the survey worksheet to each student that contains the following questions: On a scale of 1-5 (1 being great, and 5 being horrible), circle how you feel about the topic you just learned. Measure this object (picture on the worksheet) in inches. Give me an example of one living

thing and one non-living thing. A bird’s nest is made up of living things: True or False? What is one question you still have about this topic?”

o I will look back at the notes I took during the activity on which students were struggling. Reviewing my notes and examining the answers on the survey will help me determine who doesn’t meet the objectives. Those who answered the questions correctly (“Measure this object in inches.” “Give me an example of one living thing and one non-living thing” and “A bird’s nest is made up of living things: True or False?”) have met my objectives.

Evaluation B:

What were the weaknesses of the lesson?

What were the strengths of the lesson?

What did you learn about yourself in this lesson?

How would you change the lesson if you could teach it again?

Survey1. On a scale of 1-5 (1=great, 5=horrible), circle

how you feel about the topic you just learned.

1--------2--------3--------4--------5

2. Measure the apple in inches with your ruler:

_________ inches

3. Give me one example of a living thing:

4. Give me one example of a non-living thing:

5. A bird’s nest is made up of living things:

A. True B. False

6. What is one question you still have about today’s

lesson?

Day 7 Lesson Plan: Review of 4 Basic Elements Through Natural Resources

Alex Franks

Purpose: Today is one in a series of several lessons that deal with habitats. Students will review the four basic elements of a living habitat by studying natural resources.

Science 2.5 The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system.o a) Living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;o b) An animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;o c) Habitats change over time due to many influences; ando d) Fossils provide information about living systems that were on Earth years ago.

Social Studies 2.7 The student will describe natural resources (water, soil, wood, and coal), human resources (people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools, and buildings).

Objective: Given a word sort, the students will be able to determine whether a natural resource is an example of food, water, shelter, or space with 7/9 accuracy.

Procedure:

Introduction

Begin the lesson by reviewing the 4 basic elements of an animal’s habitat. Ask the students, “Can anyone remind the class what one of the four basic elements of a habitat is?” Take answers until all four are named. After this small review, tell students that these elements are made of natural resources. Ask the students, “Has anyone ever heard the words natural resources?” If someone has, let them try to explain. After this, tell the students “A natural recourse is something that is made without the help of people that are used by living things. A good example of this is water. Water is made by the earth and living things drink gallons and gallons of it everyday.” (auditory)

After giving the example, ask the students “Does anyone else think that they can give me an example of a natural resource?” If hands are raised, take 3-4 answers, if not, give the students two more examples like coal and sunlight. (auditory)

Development

After giving a few examples, tell students “Animals use these natural resources every day as their food, water, shelter, and space. We’ll use an earthworm as an example. Earthworms use the natural resource dirt as their shelter. They also use the natural resource rain. Can anyone tell me what they use rain as?” Call on raised hands until someone gives the correct answer, (water).

Tell students that today, they’ll be doing a word sort worksheet to decide whether a natural resource is a source of food, water, shelter, or space for a habitat. Bring up the word sort worksheet onto the smart board and tell students that you’ll be doing one or two examples with them before they get started.

Tell students that you want to sort the natural resource GRASS into food, water, shelter, or space. Call on students with raised hands until a satisfactory answer is reached. This could be food or shelter. Write grass under the chosen column.

Tell students, “Now that we’ve sorted grass into (food/shelter), do any of you guys think that grass could fit into another category?” If hands are raised, call on students. If not, lead them to the other answer, food or shelter. Give them examples of how it’s both food and shelter. Cows eat grass and there are bugs that live in the grass. Write grass under the second column.

Now tell students that you want to sort the resource FRUIT into one of the categories. Call on students with raised hands until the correct answer, food, is reached. Write fruit under the food column.

Tell students, “Now that we’ve had examples, I’m going to send you to your seats to do this worksheet. Are there any questions?” Answer any student questions that may emerge.

Dismiss students to their seats and pass out the sort.

Summary

Students will complete the word sort and put them in their mailboxes to be checked. For advanced:

o Students who finish early may give more of their own examples of natural resources and sort them into food, water, shelter, or space.

For strugglers:o Students who struggle will be given permission to sort only 5 out of the 9 natural resources in the

word list.

Materials

4 basic elements chart Natural resources word list Writing utensil

Evaluation A

Students will be given a word sort that will be used to gauge student understanding.

Evaluation B

Did students meet the objective?

What were the strong points?

What were the weak points?

How can this lesson be improved?

Food Water Shelter Space

Word ListPond Dirt

SunlightTrees Rain OceanForest Rocks Leaves

Living Systems Test

Name: . Date: .

1. Circle examples of shelter.2.

Decide whether the change is natural or human.

Tree Ocean Leaf

Cave Rain Tundra

Apple Dam Jungle

Word ListWeather Pollution DeforestationSeason Urbanization Forest Fires

Natural Human

3. Draw a line to match each animal to its habitat.

Resources:

1. Maymont Field Trip Students will be able to experience exciting, hands-on adventures that allow them to get up-close and personal with the wonders of the natural world. Maymont offers opportunities to teach students about specific periods of dramatic, economic, social, and technological changes that affect different habitats. Students can also visit the Nature Center that showcases many of the animals that inhabit the waters and land of the James River and the Chesapeake Bay. Students will be able to gain knowledge on where these animals live and how they survive.

2. Browns Island Field TripThis island serves a wonderful spot to observe the James River. Students can explore the Canal Walk to experience a better view of the beautiful river and write about what they think lives in the water. Browns Island and Belle Isle can be a bit dirty, so why not have the class pick up some trash? By doing this, they will not only help the community out, but they will also help the living organisms by keeping their habitats clean.

3. Metro Richmond Zoo Field TripThis petting zoo is great for students who are learning about animals, animal life, and habitats. With Zookeepers always on site, students can ask as many questions about habitats, living/nonliving organisms and systems, and more!

4. Living and Nonliving Things for Kids Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p51FiPO2_kQThis is a great animated video for young students who are just learning about living and nonliving things: Things which can grow, move, breathe, and reproduce are called living things. This video shows different examples of living things such as human beings, plants, and animals. This video also shows different examples of nonliving things such as water, buckets, and rocks.

5. Big Changes in the Big Forest Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fkGqO0Xk94 This video specifically talks about how habitats change through humans and how animals change their environments. This is a great video with colorful animations, real photographs, and informative facts.

6. Living and Nonliving Things Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9qWe-a9jzk This animated video explains the definition and characteristics of living and nonliving things. The voiceover also provides different examples of the two. This video is targeted for second graders, as it introduces the science SOL of the living world/systems.

7. Living and Nonliving Things Learn and Enjoy Part 1 Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8kvDaQ0kaQ This educational module will allow students to identify living and nonliving things. Students will also be able to list out the different characteristics of living and nonliving things. This video provides great animations with captions of different facts.

8. Smartboard Living or Nonliving? Gamehttps://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Smartboard-Living-and-Nonliving-2309269 Example video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve-Sd5e3FAY This is an entertaining interactive game to play on a Smartboard or a computer. This game helps young learners classify things as living or nonliving. The students will drag and drop different images into the correct category and receive immediate feedback if they have classified the images correctly. In addition to the game, there is a review screen to help students learn what are the scientific differences between a living and nonliving object.

9. Habitats Interactive Gamehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/8_9/habitats_fs.shtmlStudents will drag the living things in the woodlands habitat into the correct places and sort them into a food chain. This targets students who are in second grade, learning about different characteristics in a woodland habitat and where specific living organisms live in such as an oak tree, algae, a cactus, etc.

10. Who Lives Here? Interactive Gamehttp://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/Trees/activities/wholiveshere.html Students will find the match for each card to see what plants and animals live around the different trees. Students can choose three different trees: Cypress, Mesquite, and Douglas Fir. This provides more knowledge of different animals (living organisms) living in different trees (habitats).

11. The Great Habitat Matching Gamehttp://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/habitat/index.htm Students will help Ms. Frizzle and her class to help the endangered animal species get back home to their habitats. To play this game, the students will drag any animal from the top row to its matching habitat on the bottom row. There are additional games about habitats on this website that students can play when they are done with this matching game.

12. Shelter by Susan Canizares and illustrated by Daniel Moreton This book provides beautiful photographs with simple texts describing some of the different kinds of structures that people call home, from houseboats and clay huts to farmhouses and apartment buildings. Like animals, humans are living organisms that can live in significantly different habitats compared to other humans. This book is great for science and social studies emergent readers, grades PreK-1.

13. Who Lives Here? Written and illustrated by Dot and Sy BarloweThis story introduces the homes a wider variety of animals make for their families. This includes animals of the pond, forest, prairie, desert, mountains, meadow, and swamp. Students will be able to learn the different characteristics of these different habitats by reading the story and by observing the very detailed pictures. This book is great for emergent readers, grades PreK-2.

14. Homes in the Ground by Mary Carpenter Reid and Illustrated by PhotosThis book showcases different photographs with simple texts of some of the mammals that make burrows and tunnels going in and out of their underground homes. Students will be able to learn about how some living organisms can live in nonliving habitats such as dirt, soil, and rocks. This book is great for science emergent readers, grades PreK-3.

15. Living and Nonliving Things Songhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_aAkuK_8nQ&feature=share This song will remind students how to sort living and nonliving things by singing the different characteristics and examples of the two. This is an easy song for young learners to sing and memorize. Lyrics:Does it breathe air?Does it move or grow?Does it need food and water?If yes, then you know it’s a living thing.(Repeat)Does it breathe air?Does it move or grow?Does it need food and water?If no, then you know it’s a nonliving thing. (Repeat)