Grade 5 Symbiotic RelationshipsAngela Collins

Overarching Questions:

How do living things interact with one another to survive?What effect do organisms have on their environment?

Text 1 Text 2“Title: What’s Eating You? Parasites-The Inside Story”

Author: Nicola Davies

Title: Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal KingdomAuthor: Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey

Title: “Close Encounters of the Symbiotic Kind”

Author: Karen Ansberry and Emily MorganSource: Picture Perfect Science Series from NSTA

1.1 Task 1 TitleTask Desciption

Whole Class ReadWhat’s Eating You? Parasites-The Inside Story”

1.2 Task 2 TitleTask description

Close read ofWeird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom

1.3 Task 3 TitleTask description

Mystery ObjectPresent the students will a “gall” from a plant. Give them an “OWL” (observe, wonder, learn) graphic organizer to complete.

1.4 Task 4 TitleTask description

Writing PromptInterdepency is when different

2.1 Task 1 TitleTask description

Word Sort and Close ReadOpen Sort: First, have students do an open sort of the cards. In an open sort, students group words into categories and create their own labels for each category. Have students explain their reasonings as they are sorting.

Close read the article “Close Encounters of the Symbiotic Kind”

Closed Sort: Next, have students perform a closed sort of the cards.

2.2 Task 2 TitleInformative WritingSymbiosis is one example of interdependence in nature. Think about the different types of symbiotic relationships, mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism. Write an informative essay describing each relationship. Include specific examples of each from the text.

species with in an ecosystem rely upon one another for survival. Think about what you are dependent on in your life for survival. Write to explain what you are dependent on for survival.Culminating AssessmentAn open-ended assessment that presents the students with scenarios and asks them to determine the type of symbiotic relationship. This assessment consists of six multiple-choice questions each with explanation pieces and 2 essay questions.

Rubric for Assessment of Culminating Assessment:

Three types of symbiosis are parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism. After reading each example, circle the type of symbiosis described (1 point) and explain how each organism is hurt, helped, or not affected by the relationship (2 points).

Student should correctly identify an adaptation that is structural (1 point) and explain how it helps that animal survive within the symbiotic relationship described (1 point).

Student should correctly identify an adaptation that is behavioral (1 point) and explain how it helps that animal survive within the symbiotic relationship described (1 point).

These activities are from the Picture Perfect Science Series from NSTA