Standards
STATE GOAL 11: Understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct
experiments and solve problems.
A. Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry.
11.A.1a Describe an observed event.
11.A.1b Develop questions on scientific topics.
11.A.1c Collect data for investigations using measuring instruments and technologies.
11.A.1e Arrange data into logical patterns and describe the patterns.
11.A.1f Compare observations of individual and group results.
STATE GOAL 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and
earth/space sciences.
A. Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change.
12.A.1a Identify and describe the component parts of living things (e.g., birds have feathers; people have bones, blood, hair, skin) and
their major functions.
12.A.1b Categorize living organisms using a variety of observable features (e.g., size, color, shape, backbone).
B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
12.B.1a Describe and compare characteristics of living things in relationship to their environments.
12.B.1b Describe how living things depend on one another for survival.
STATE GOAL 13: Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary
contexts.
A. Know and apply the accepted practices of science.
13.A.1c Explain how knowledge can be gained by careful observation.
experiments and solve problems.
A. Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry.
11.A.1a Describe an observed event.
11.A.1b Develop questions on scientific topics.
11.A.1c Collect data for investigations using measuring instruments and technologies.
11.A.1e Arrange data into logical patterns and describe the patterns.
11.A.1f Compare observations of individual and group results.
STATE GOAL 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and
earth/space sciences.
A. Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change.
12.A.1a Identify and describe the component parts of living things (e.g., birds have feathers; people have bones, blood, hair, skin) and
their major functions.
12.A.1b Categorize living organisms using a variety of observable features (e.g., size, color, shape, backbone).
B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
12.B.1a Describe and compare characteristics of living things in relationship to their environments.
12.B.1b Describe how living things depend on one another for survival.
STATE GOAL 13: Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary
contexts.
A. Know and apply the accepted practices of science.
13.A.1c Explain how knowledge can be gained by careful observation.
Objectives
Big Ideas
How do organisms depend on each other for survival and what happens when the environment changes?
- Food Chains
- Food Webs
- Organisms depend on each other for survival.
How do organisms depend on each other for survival and what happens when the environment changes?
- How are organisms categorized?
- What are the roles of each category of animals?
- How do the groups of animals depend on each other?
- How are the groups the same and different in different environments (ocean, meadow, forest, desert)?
- How are food chains and webs affected when levels are altered?
- Define the terms herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, producer, consumer, decomposer, food chain, and food web.
- Classify animals in the categories they belong (above).
- Compare and contrast animals and their categories (above).
- Arrange a food chain from different environments and explain why the food chain was placed in that order.
- Verify with proof what would happen if one step of the chain was eliminated or limited.
Background Information
A food chain shows how each living thing gets its food. Some animals eat plants and some animals eat other animals. For example, a simple food chain links the trees & shrubs, the giraffes (that eat trees & shrubs), and the lions (that eat the giraffes). Each link in this chain is food for the next link. A food chain always starts with plant life and ends with an animal.
Plants are called producers because they are able to use light energy from the Sun to produce food (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water. The process by which plants make food is called photosynthesis. Animals cannot make their own food so they must eat plants and/or other animals. They are called consumers. There are three groups of consumers.
Do you know why there are more herbivores than carnivores?
In a food chain, energy is passed from one link to another. When a herbivore eats, only a fraction of the energy (that it gets from the plant food) becomes new body mass; the rest of the energy is lost as waste or used up by the herbivore to carry out its life processes (e.g., movement, digestion, reproduction). Therefore, when the herbivore is eaten by a carnivore, it passes only a small amount of total energy (that it has received) to the carnivore. Of the energy transferred from the herbivore to the carnivore, some energy will be "wasted" or "used up" by the carnivore. The carnivore then has to eat many herbivores to get enough energy to grow.
Information taken from: http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm
Plants are called producers because they are able to use light energy from the Sun to produce food (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water. The process by which plants make food is called photosynthesis. Animals cannot make their own food so they must eat plants and/or other animals. They are called consumers. There are three groups of consumers.
- Animals that eat ONLY PLANTS are called herbivores (or primary consumers).
- Animals that eat OTHER ANIMALS are called carnivores. Carnivores that eat herbivores are called secondary consumers. Carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary consumer. Animals and people who eat BOTH animals and plants are called omnivores.
Do you know why there are more herbivores than carnivores?
In a food chain, energy is passed from one link to another. When a herbivore eats, only a fraction of the energy (that it gets from the plant food) becomes new body mass; the rest of the energy is lost as waste or used up by the herbivore to carry out its life processes (e.g., movement, digestion, reproduction). Therefore, when the herbivore is eaten by a carnivore, it passes only a small amount of total energy (that it has received) to the carnivore. Of the energy transferred from the herbivore to the carnivore, some energy will be "wasted" or "used up" by the carnivore. The carnivore then has to eat many herbivores to get enough energy to grow.
- The further along the food chain you go, the less food (hence energy) there is.
- Most food chains have no more than four or five links. There cannot be too many links in a single food chain because the animals at the end of the chain would not get enough food (and hence energy) to stay alive.
Information taken from: http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm
Assessment
Formative
The formative assessment is a presentation given in groups of students covering the following topics:
The summative assessment is the scoring for each smaller activity completed throughout the unit. There are a total of eight activities that each student must complete. The rubrics for all activities are on the coordinating pages of this site. All rubrics are based on a 0-1-2 scale. Mark each grade throughout the unit on each student's action plan.
The formative assessment is a presentation given in groups of students covering the following topics:
- explanation of your findings for each activity you completed
- explanation of what would happen to a food chain or web if your choice of one animal were removed (choose one animal per person)
- questions that you still have about the concept of a food chain or web
- a deeper explanation of what would happen to a food chain of your choice if one animal were removed (choose a specific animal)
- three things you learned, two interesting facts, and one question you still have
- an explanation of your favorite activity in the inquiry, why it was your favorite activity, and what you learned from this specific activity
The summative assessment is the scoring for each smaller activity completed throughout the unit. There are a total of eight activities that each student must complete. The rubrics for all activities are on the coordinating pages of this site. All rubrics are based on a 0-1-2 scale. Mark each grade throughout the unit on each student's action plan.
Advanced Preperation
To prepare for this unit, collect the following things:
- Non-fiction and fiction texts discussing the food chain and food web in different environments for children's viewing, read alouds, and guided reading texts if applicable.
- Materials for all activities. Materials include: copies of all journal pages or sheets included with each activity, computers with internet access, word processor, and presentation applications, device to record students' songs for the Write a Song activity, materials for students to create their own food chain for the Create a Food Chain activity, crayons, markers, or other supplies for students to illustrate books in the Write a Book activity and color code their food webs in the Color Code a Food Web activity.
- Use the above information to inform yourself of the food webs and food chains to guide children's learning and thinking.
- Inform parents of the new unit and use of online media so they can inform you if materials need to be supplied at school.
English Language Learner Adaptations
With English Language Learners in the classroom, it is important to make sure that all vocabulary and directions are understood so the activities can be completed to the students fullest potential. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model should be followed closely. The following are some examples of how to implement this model:
World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) standards should also be used. The WIDA standards for this unit are listed below:
- Use pictures to identify and categorize different animals under their correct label during full class instruction.
- Allow students to demonstrate as a group with their bodies (similar to theater) the food chain events and their effects.
- Post pictures labeled with coordinating key terms around the room for reference.
- Activate background knowledge with many different types of books.
- Speak slowly and enunciate key terms. Also, have students repeat terms for better memory and phonemic awareness of key terms.
World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) standards should also be used. The WIDA standards for this unit are listed below:
- Sort living organisms according to descriptions of their attributes using pictures and phrases with graphic organizers (e.g., T charts)
- Compare living organisms according to their attributes using illustrated graphs or charts and text
- Interpret graphs or charts related to living organisms and their attributes using explicit grade-level text