Unit 3
Essential Question:
How can we evaluate the interaction of organisms within their environment?
All living organisms need food, and are affected by the environment in which they live.
Food is a source of energy.
Recognize food as the source of materials that all living things need to grow and survive by creating a Thinking Map. (3.E.1.a)
Explain what happens to food in plants and animals by observing evidence of digestion and photosynthesis. (3.E.1.b,c).
Food
and Energy (segment time
01:48) Students will be fascinated at the role they play in the food web. Through real-life examples of food commonly eaten at the dinner table, students will learn where their food comes from and how they fit into the web of life. Expanding on food eaten at home, a more complex web of the forest ecosystem is also explored.
Login to Discovery Education before selecting the link. Please note that Discovery Streaming videos must be downloaded prior to viewing as per AACPS guidelines
BrainPop Food Chain Interactive
Students will sequence cards in the correct order to show their understanding of the food chain. (easy - short)
Fun with Food Webs Interactive Game
(Interactive Cards) Students will create a food web in three different environments: Arctic, pond and meadow.
Create a Food Web
Students will create a food web. Afterwards, they will write about what would happen to the food web if a fire destroyed the plants in their food web.
Living Things and
SurvivalUsing the above thinking map, describe things needed to survive for humans, animals, and for plants.
After watching the video on The Digestive System and the role it plays in meeting the basic need for food and water, respond by completing this 4 Choice Reflection Activity.
Learn more about
Photosynthesis through this interactive website.Play these games to learn about the Live Cycle of Plants, Flowers, Roots, Photosynthesis, Nonliving Factors, Seeds, Soil, and more.
The Magic School Bus' Ms. Frizzle teaches you about
Photosynthesis!Learn more about Photosynthesis and how plants get their food through StudyJams!
Now that you've learned about how people and plants digest food, complete this graphic organizer to compare and contrast the 2 processes! (complete after watching "How Plants Make Food")
If the Discovery Education link does not work, login to Discovery first and then select the link.
Organisms interact in order to survive.
Explain ways that individuals and groups of organisms interact with each other and their environment by observing organisms in a terrarium. (3.F.1).
Illustrate the interactions of organisms in a habitat through role-play. (3.F.1.a)
Food Web
Activity Students will choose the correct category for animals and plants in a food web. This is a self-correcting activity. Students will discuss with a partner animals that surprised them by the category they belonged in, and then they will write about their top two animals that surprised them.
Field Guide to the Chesapeake Bay
The Bay Field Guide profiles many of the plants and animals that live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Explore the Field Guide to learn about more than 200 species of birds, fish, insects and invertebrates, mammals, plants and trees, and reptiles and amphibians. Each month, the Field Guide grows as a new Critter of the Month is added.
Real World Reading: This is an article about the important role sharks play in the ocean ecosystem.
Focus Question: How does the loss of one species affect the rest of the organisms in a food web?
Teacher Note: MH has an article about how bees and plants benefit each other. In addition, Treasures TFK has a similar article.
Food
Web WoesAfter reading the above article, complete the Cause and Effect graphic organizer in Inspiration or Pixie/Wixie to better understand the effects of losing large sharks in an ecosystems.
Inspiration
versionPixie/Wixie
version
Mutualisitic Relationships
How Wildlife is
impacted by Nature and Humans
Read the article above that talks about only negative impacts. Complete the graphic organizer below to help you write a summary. Then, complete one of these mini-projects on habitats, community, and the positive and negative impacts on wildlife!
-
Main
Idea and Details
-
Activity 1
- Select an animal you would like to learn about! Use AACPS Online
Databases, Classroom Library, TrueFlix, and more to complete your
research! - Activity 2 - Observe or think about human activity around your community that impacts wildlife populations (+/-). Then, make a list of things that could be done in your community to protect wildlife habtiat and present your ideas. PowerPoint or Google Slides
Organisms change our environment positively and negatively.
Recognize and describe that people in Maryland depend on, change, and are affected by the environment. (6.B.1)
Explain how human activity in a region is affected by the environmental factors by creating a class Thinking Map (6.B.1.a).
Students will make the connection between nature and the things you use every day by reading about how a piece of paper is connected to plants, soil, water, animals, and decomposers. Click on the different parts of the images to learn more!
Chesapeake
Bay Climate Change (Reading Activity)Students will read the effects on the Chesapeake Bay as climate begins to change.
Complete this graphic organizer to determine how Maryland residents are affected by the changes to the Bay. This can be completed as a whole class, a small group, or individually.
Biomes of the World 1) Explore this site to learn about the Biomes of the word.
2) Create a chart comparing the soil type, temperatures, precipitation, and presence/quality of water using one of the templates provided. Share as directed by your teacher. PowerPoint or Google Slides
3) Then answer the following question in your PPT: How does the environment affect daily lives of the people who live there?
Explain how changes in an organism's habitat are sometimes beneficial and sometimes harmful by recording observations of terrariums.
(3.F.1.b)
Saving WetlandsReal World Reading: This is an article about the importance of wetlands and how, in some areas, they are disappearing.
Focus Question: What steps are scientists taking to save the Louisiana wetlands? How can studying wetlands help us understand the effect of changes in an ecosystem?
Choose from
these
questions on the article "Saving Wetlands" to respond to the text.
Use Pixie/Wixie, PowerPoint or Google Slides to
respond to the questions. Share with your teacher as directed using
OneDrive/Office 365 or Google Drive.
Graphing DataUsing the data you collected from your lab, students will create a line graph to compare the growth of plant life in the terrariums over time.
Extension: Learn a little bit more about plants, animals, and their ecosystems when the climate changes. How does it affect their habitat and environment?
Driving Question: How can we evaluate a meal as a source of materials that we need to grow and survive?
For those attending Arlington Echo during 2nd quarter, complete this project insead: Out of Balance.
Tiki’s
Guide to Food (Reading Activity)Working with a group, students will read about how food is grown or processed and where individual foods come from. Included in this guide are cartoons and information about the foods we eat. Complete the quizzes throughout!
Fresh
From the World (Interactive Website)Students will learn about the different foods we ear and what countries they come from in the world.
Digital Atlas of Maryland Agriculture
Students will investigate different digital map to find information regarding the products grown on Maryland farms in the different counties in our state.
Healthy Food Choices Pyramid Game
Students will learn about the food pyramid by playing an interactive game using the food pyramid.
Use these two options of SmartBoard Lessons to review the process of
Photosynthesis with students