The World of Living Things

Animals & Plants in Their Environment

How do Living & Non-LivingThings Interact?

Lesson 1 – “The World Around Us”

The purpose of this lesson will be for the students to realize that ecosystems are made up of both living and non living things. Both organisms depend on one another in order for nature to create a healthy balance.

Behavioral Objectives Students will explore, and make observations based on prior knowledge how living and nonliving parts of an environment interact.

Students will describe how living and non-living things depend on one another.Student will construct an ecosystem terrarium with partner. Students will measure the growth of grass seed in the terrarium. Student will record the grass seed growth in inches and feet in notebook. Students will create an excel graph which will show the growth of grass seeds in the terrarium from week one to week three (see sample assessment.) 

Lesson 2 – “Get With The System”

Behavioral Objectives:

Students will be able to verbally explain, graph, and write about the organization of an ecosystem. Student will create a line graph with will display a unique feature of the ecosystem such as monthly temperature changes, or monthly precipitation.

Student will write down unique features related to the different ecosystems (see attached sheet) and will be able to describe at least two differences within ecosystems. Desert, Grassland, Rainforest, Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Forest etc.

Students will work with a partner and will write a report, comparing and contrasting two different types of Ecosystems.

Students will make a bar or line graphic representing the monthly temperature within the two different ecosystems (see attached sample.)

Lesson 3 – “Teamwork”

Behavioral ObjectivesStudents will be able to describe what types of roles organisms play in the ecosystem.Students will be able to explain the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers by filling in a graphic organizer with the correct information.Students will write a one page report on the food web. The ecosystem that was studied by each student previously in lesson 2 will now be further studied. Students will create a food web for this ecosystem. Students will draw or create a food web chart with pictures I identifying the plants and animals related to their previous report from lesson 2.

The Purpose of lesson 3 is to introduce each part of the food chain. Students will learn the difference between producers, 1st, 2nd and 3rd level consumers and decomposers.

Lesson 4 – “A Chain of Events”

Behavioral objectives:

Student will create a bar or line graph representing the transfer of energy from one tropic level to another. Student will show understanding of how 90% of energy is lost when it is transferred from producers to consumers. Students would be able to explain in writing (one to two paragraphs) how a food chain turns into a food web.

Students will draw a diagram of an ecosystem. Students will include the terms community, population, habitat, producers, consumers, and decomposers when explaining how a food chain turns into a food web in the circle of life within an ecosystem.

Student will write a detailed explanation to the following question. What are the advantages and disadvantages of organisms being part of a food web?

PurposeThe purpose of lesson 4 will be for the students to realize that the simple food chains turn into food webs. When this happens many plants and animals all start to compete for the same resources in order to survive.

Lesson 5 – “Change Isn't Always Good”

The purpose of this lesson: Students will understand that there are many factors that affect the health of ecosystems. Some are natural but some are caused by mankind.

Students will learn about natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and human actions such as pollution, oil spills and other factors that act as stressors to an ecosystem and the environment.

Behavioral Objectives for Lesson #5

Students will be able to create a video with a web 2.0 tool using pictures, video clips and music to convey a message about the topic learned.

Students will be able to describe how different factors could jeopardize and effect ecosystems.

Students will be able to identify cause and effect relationships in the environment.

Students will be able to create a video with a web 2.0 tool using pictures, video clips and music to convey a message about the topic learned.

Students will be able to effectively communicate their thoughts in writing.

Students will be able to work collaboratively in pairs and develop a proficiency in understanding and responding effectively to other people.

Lesson 6 – “We've Got The Whole World in Our Hands”

The purpose of this lesson: Students will understand their direct relationship to the environment and Earth. They will realize the impacts that human activities have had on the environment.

Students will explore the different ways that we can conserve limited resources and protect the Earth. They will learn about recycling, going “green”, and protecting our animals.

Behavioral Objectives for Lesson #6

Students will be able to identify how they interact with their environment.

Students will be able to identify examples in which human activity has had a negative impact on organisms and the environment.

Students will be able to describe ways in which they can protect the environment.

Students will be able to effectively communicate their thoughts verbally and in writing.

Students will be able to create their own audio file and will improve their oral communication skills.

Students will be able to create a non-linguistic representation to boost achievement.

Students will work collaboratively in pairs.