Grade 4 Science Unit 2


Grade 4 Science Unit 2
The Early Worm Gets Eaten Essential Question: How can an organism's characteristics affect its ability to survive?

Enduring Understandings	Student Resources
Fossils Differences in organisms can give them advantages in surviving and reproducing. Organisms adapt over time to survive in their environment. Plant and animal fossils tell us about the environment in which it lived. Explain that the remains of plants and animals can become fossils by creating casts of shells. (2.B.2.a) Describe the physical structures of an animal or plant based on its fossil remains (2.B.2 b.) Idenitfy what a fossil can tell about the environment in which it lived by role playing the fossilization process. (2.B.2.c) Examine and compare fossils to one another and to living organisms as evidence that some individual survive and reproduce by completing a scavenger hunt. (3.D.1.d)	Mary Anning Students will read to be informed about a young woman who helped to discover the fossils of prehistoric animals. What is a Fossil? How do They Form? Real World Reading: This article explains, in both words and diagrams, how fossils are formed. Focus Question: How can understanding how fossils are formed help us learn about the organisms? Students will read to be informed to find out what is a fossil and how do they form. As they read, student should create a flow map or use another type of organizer to show what they learned. BBC Fossils Students will read to be informed about fossils. Students can view videos and read short readings about different types of fossils. How Fossils are formed Students will read to be informed how fossils are formed. As they read, they will be quizzed on what they read. Pictures and animations explain the process that forms fossils. What Can Fossils Tell Us? Students will read to be informed about fossils and what they tell us. As students read, they should create a Thinking Map, graphic organizer, or two-column notes to show what they learned. Life Has a History Students will follow the Interactive website that helps them connect how fossils show them about living things long ago. Fossils Students will view a video to learn more about fossils. As they view the video, students should organize what they learn using a Thinking Map, graphic organizer, or two-column notes. IIf the link does not work, login to Discovery Education and then select the link. Where Dinosaurs Lived Students will view a video to learn more about the teeth and footprint fossils of dinosaurs and what can be learned by studying them. As they view the video, students should organize what they learn using a Thinking Map, graphic organizer, or two-column notes. If the link does not work, login to Discovery Education and then select the link. Exploring Fossils - Molds, Casts and Imprints (1:53 min.) Full video (16 minutes) Students will view a video to learn more about the basics of molds, casts, and imprints. Use this video in combination with the curriculums activity of making a mold/cast. If the link does not work, login to Discovery Education and then select the link. Journal Write - Complete this activity using Office365/OneDrive or Google Drive. Share with your teacher as directed. Word Google Doc Paleontology - The Study of Prehistoric Life. Using your school's TrueFlix account, have students watch the video and read all about Paleontology and its connection to fossils. Lesson Plan available on site. Options: Have students developed different levels of questions based on the text (Costa's 3 Levels). Jigsaw the article with students. Complete the academic vocabulary activity on the site.* Mountaintop Fossil Probe Explore a fossil's environment and consider how it got to the top of the mountain. Share with your teacher as directed using OneDrive/Office 365 or Google Drive. Word Google Doc Distribution of Fossils in Maryland Calvert County Cliffs - Fossils and Related Article
Diversity of Life Differences in organisms can give them advantages in surviving and reproducing. Organisms adapt over time to survive in their environment. Explain that individuals of the same kind differ in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give inidividuals an advantage in suriving and reproducing by completing a real world simulation. (3.D.1)	Virtual Manipulatives website Students will use the online tool to create a bar graph for the "Hungry Birds" activity and the required lab. Complete this exit ticket related to the Hungry Birds activity above. Share with your teacher as directed using OneDrive/Office 365 or Google Drive. Word Google Doc Ecosystems Students will read to be informed about the different ecosystems around the world by exploring short readings and pictures. World Weather Students will find weather information for locations around the world to be able to see how different where they live if from other places around the world. Biomes Students will read to be informed about biomes around the world. Biomes of the World Students will read to be informed about biomes around the world. National Geographic: Habitats Students will read to be informed about habitats around the world. Photos and articles. Animal Comparisons - Students can complete this individually or independently. Students will explore pictures of animals of the same kind and identify simliar characteristics as well as characteristics that help the animals to survive.

Project: What Does the Future Look Like? Arlington Echo Project Surviving Human Impact *Only for those schools attending during Quarter 1.	Fossil Students will view images of fossils from the Virtual Fossil Museum. Arlington Echo Project - Surviving Human Impact What characteristics of an organism help it survive in its habitat and how have human activities changed its habitat and ability to survive? Students will conduct research on two MD organisms that are adapted to freshwater habitats. At Arlington Echo, they'll learn how human activities can change these habitats and help/harm these organisms. Students will create a PSA to share what they've learned.

Required Lab: What Can I Eat with this Beak? Explain how differences in organisms from one habitat differ from those in another habitat by simulating shorebirds. (3.D.1.a)	Shorebirds Real World Reading: Have students look at bird guides and pictures to find other beak types besides the four explained in article. Students can guess what these birds might eat. Students can do follow-up research and write or present a comparison between their guess and the facts they discovered. They should consider the bill length and its relation to prey items. Students can also draw an imaginary bird beak creation of their own, and show in the drawing or describe with words what their bird eats and how its beak is adapted to its food. Focus Question: How do the differences of each beak help ensure the survival of each type of bird? Required Lab- Shorebirds Research other types of bird beaks, besides the ones used in the Required Lab, and create a mini-research project using Pixie/Wixie, PowerPoint, Google Slides, EduCreations, etc. Students can also create their own type of bird beak and explain what their bird eats and how its adapted to its food.
Evolution - Survival, Adaptation and Reproduction Differences in organisms can give them advantages in surviving and reproducing. Organisms adapt over time to survive in their environment. Explain how the characteristics of an animal or plant can help it survive and reproduce by researching a plant or animal. (3.D.1.b) Examine individual groups of the same kind of animals or plants to identify differences in characteristics that might give those individuals na advantage in surviving and reproducing by completing a simulation of shorebirds. (3.D.1.c)	Regions of North America: The Chesapeake Bay Real World Reading: A reading about the ecological and economic impact of the Chesapeake Bay. Focus Question: How have humans affected the animal life of the Chesapeake Bay? Structural and Behavioral Adaptations Real World Reading: This article compares structural and behavioral adaptations and explains their signigicance. Focus Question: How do organisms' adaptations help them to survive? Terrariums Students will read and follow the directions for making a soda bottle terrarium. Bayville Online Field Trip Students will participate in a virtual tour of the Chesapeake Bay. Students will learn be able to recognize and explain that fossils provide evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago and about the nature of the environment at that time. Adaptations Students will understand the definition of adaptation and know how adaptations help animals to find food and protect them from danger.

Teacher Resources
Curriculum Links Readings, SMART board Lessons, and WebsitesReadings, SMART board Lessons, and Websites	Resources
2.B. Earth History - Fossils Differences in organisms can give them advantages in surviving and reproducing. Organisms adapt over time to survive in their environment. Plant and animal fossils tell us about the environment in which it lived.	What is a fossil? Real World Reading BBC Fossils Pictures, videos and short readings about different types of fossils Pictures of Fossils A listing of picture galleries of fossils organized by tazon, fossil site, or geological time Fossil Museum Links to images of different fossils American Geosciences Institute-American Geosciences Institute Unit on fossils Fossils (Learning Activity) Students work in groups to make fossils. Fossils Fossils This can be used to help students to identify the types of fossils and how they form. Fossils: an Introduction Fossils are evidence of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. They are a record of ancient life, telling us what used to live on the earth. Fossils can reveal characterists of organisms and give us information about how they lived. Viewers learn that while whales swim in the ocean today, years ago, there were giant lizards: that along the seashore, living starfish are not that different than their ancient ancestors; on land where dinosaurs once roamed, we find the familiar deer, elk, and mountain lion; and where there was once a tropical rain forest, we now find snowy mountain pine forests. *If the link above does not work, login to Discovery Education and then select the link.*
3.D. Evolution - Survival, Adaptation and Reproduction Differences in organisms can give them advantages in surviving and reproducing. Organisms adapt over time to survive in their environment.	Regions of North America: The Chesapeake Bay Real World Reading - Comprehension questions follow the reading Adaptations This can be used to help students to identify animal adaptations and how they them survive. How Organisms Change their Environment This can be used to help students identify the effect organisms have on their environment. Living Things Can Change their Environment This can be used to show how living things change their environment. (Lesson on being good stewards of the environment.) Living Things and their Habitat This can be used to help students identify that all living things need of basic things for survival comes from their habitat. Animal Adaptations This can be used to help identify animal adaptations and habitats. Animal Unit This can be used throughout the entire unit, as it has slides for observations and investigations of the animal ecosystems, animal behavior and adaptation and food chains. (Can be used with building the terrariums.) Structural and Behavioral Adaptations Great website to go with the required lab Biomes 1 Background information about biomes Biomes 2 More background information about biomes National Geographic Habitats Please note, this site would you to register (free) Biomes and Habitats (Enchanted Learning) Many resources for biomes and habitat Habitats: Homes for Living Things Peek into the habitats of different kinds of animals to see how they meet their needs. Visit a pond, a desert, a forest, a rain forest, and other habitats to discover how different animals and plants survive and thrive in these unique environments. *If the link above does not work, login to Discovery Education and then select the link.* Rain Forest Habitat Skill Builder Interactive Explores and reviews the amazing resourcefulness of desert animals as students identify where the animals find food, water, and shelter in this challenging environment. *If the link above does not work, login to Discovery Education and then select the link.* Desert Habitat Skill Builder Interactive Explores and reviews the amazing resourcefulness of desert animals as students identify where the animals find food, water, and shelter in this challenging environment. *If the link above does not work, login to Discovery Education and then select the link.*

Teacher Notes
Standards	Resources
Content Standard: Explain that the remains of plants and animals can become fossils by creating casts of shells. (2.B.2.a) Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	Create a mold/cast Mary Anning What is a Fossil? How do They Form?What is a Fossil? How do They Form? Real World Reading
Content Standard: 2.B.2.b Describe the physical structures of an animal or plant based on its fossil remains. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	Fossil Life: An Introduction *Login to Discovery Education before selecting the link. Please note that the video must be downloaded prior to viewing as per AACPS guidelines*
Content Standard: 2.B.2.c Identify what a fossil can tell about the environment in which it lived by role playing the fossilization process. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	The Fossilization Game Fossils Resource - Brochure created by BCPS BBC Fossils How Fossils are formed What Can Fossils Tell Us? What Can Fossil Footprints Tell us? Where Dinosaurs lived *Login to Discovery Education before selecting the link. Please note that the video must be downloaded prior to viewing as per AACPS guidelines*
Content Standard: .D.1 Explain that individuals of the same kind differ in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing by completing a real world simulation..D.1 Explain that individuals of the same kind differ in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing by completing a real world simulation. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	Toothpick Hunt: Student Data Sheet Can be used with the "Hungry Bird" activity. Virtual Manipulatives Website Can be used with "Hungry Bird" activity and the required lab
Content Standard: 3.D.1.a /1.0 Explain how differences in organisms from one habitat differ from those in another habitat by creating dioramas. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	Ecosystems World Weather Real World Readings Biomes Biomes of the World National Geographic: Habitats Arctic AdaptationArctic Adaptation Habitats: Homes for Living Things *Login to Discovery Education before selecting the link. Please note that the video must be downloaded prior to viewing as per AACPS guidelines.* Rain Forest Habitat Skill Builder Interactive *Login to Discovery Education before selecting the link. Please note that the video must be downloaded prior to viewing as per AACPS guidelines* Desert Habitat Skill Builder Interactive *Login to Discovery Education before selecting the link. Please note that the video must be downloaded prior to viewing as per AACPS guidelines*
Content Standard: 3.D.1.b Explain how the characteristics of an animal or plant can help it survive and reproduce by researching a plant or animal. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	Terrariums Regions of North America: The Chesapeake Bay Real World Reading: Bayville Online Field Trip
Required lab Content Standard: 3.D.1.C Examine individual groups of the same kind of animals or plants to identify differences in characteristics that might give those individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing by completing a simulation of shorebirds. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	What Can I Eat With This Beak? Structural and Behavioral Adaptations
Content Standard: 3.D.1.d Examine and compare fossils to one another and to living organisms as evidence that some individuals survive and reproduce by completing a scavenger hunt. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	Life Has a History Getting into the Fossil Record Fossil Museum
Project Content Standard: 3.D.1.b Explain that the characteristics of an organism affect its ability to survive and reproduce by predicting survival of a species in different environments. Technology Standard: 5.A.1.a Use Technology to locate, evaluate, gather and organize information and data. Select relevant information from technology resources.	Fossil

August 2016