Blanding`s Turtle Project

Concord Public Schools/Concord Carlisle RSD
Science 4
Elementary School > 4 > Science > Science 4 > Week 1 ­ Week 37
Last Updated: Thursday, October 30, 2014 by
Diane Kablik
Life Science: Blanding's Turtle
Project
Collaboration
Stage 1: Desired Results
Curriculum Frameworks and Learning Standards
CPS: 21st Century Skills
CPS: Grades K­12
21st Century Content
21st Century Content:
Global awareness
Civic literacy
Learning and Thinking Skills
Skills:
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
Communication Skills
Creativity and Innovation Skills
Collaboration Skills
Information and Media Literacy Skills
Contextual Learning Skills
Science and Technology/Engineering
Grades 3 ­ 5
Life Science (Biology)
Characteristics of Plants and Animals
1. Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share.
Plant Structures and Functions
3. Recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, reproduction, and death.
5. Differentiate between observed characteristics of plants and animals that are fully inherited (e.g., color of flower, shape of leaves, color of
eyes, number of appendages) and characteristics that are affected by the climate or environment (e.g., browning of leaves due to too much sun,
language spoken).
Adaptations of Living Things
6. Give examples of how inherited characteristics may change over time as adaptations to changes in the environment that enable organisms to
survive, e.g., shape of beak or feet, placement of eyes on head, length of neck, shape of teeth, color.
7. Give examples of how changes in the environment (drought, cold) have caused some plants and animals to die or move to new locations
(migration).
8. Describe how organisms meet some of their needs in an environment by using behaviors (patterns of activities) in response to information
(stimuli) received from the environment. Recognize that some animal behaviors are instinctive (e.g., turtles burying their eggs), and others are
learned (e.g., humans building fires for warmth, chimpanzees learning how to use tools).
9. Recognize plant behaviors, such as the way seedlings' stems grow toward light and their roots grow downward in response to gravity.
Recognize that many plants and animals can survive harsh environments because of seasonal behaviors, e.g., in winter, some trees shed
leaves, some animals hibernate, and other animals migrate.
10. Give examples of how organisms can cause changes in their environment to ensure survival. Explain how some of these changes may affect
the ecosystem.
Energy and Living Things
11. Describe how energy derived from the sun is used by plants to produce sugars (photosynthesis) and is transferred within a food chain from
producers (plants) to consumers to decomposers.
Science Inquiry Skills
Skills of Inquiry
Ask questions and make predictions that can be tested.
Select and use appropriate tools and technology (e.g., calculators, computers, balances, scales, meter sticks, graduated cylinders) in order to
extend observations.
Keep accurate records while conducting simple investigations or experiments.
Conduct multiple trials to test a prediction. Compare the result of an investigation or experiment with the prediction.
Recognize simple patterns in data and use data to create a reasonable explanation for the results of an investigation or experiment.
Record data and communicate findings to others using graphs, charts, maps, models, and oral and written reports.
Science and Technology/Engineering Standards Draft (2013)
Grade 4
Life Science
4­LS1From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
4­LS1­1. Construct an argument that animals and plants have internal and external structures that support their survival, growth, behavior, and
reproduction.
Physical Sciences
Grade 4 3­5­ETS2 Technological Systems
3­5­ETS2­1(MA). Recognize that technology is any modification of the natural or designed world done to fulfill human needs or wants. These
modifications can be improvements to existing technologies or the development of new technologies.*
Essential Questions
What can we observe about a turtle’s growth and development over time?
What does a scientist do in order to research something?
How does an organism's structure enable it to live in it's environment?
How does human use of natural resources affect organisms living in and around the SUASCO watershed?
Why is it important to protect endangered/threatened species?
U​
nit Questions
What are the living and non­living parts of the turtle's ecosystem?
How does an animal's habitat affect its survival?
How does an animal use camouflage to survive?
What types of variables effects the turtles’ growth?
Who are their predators?
What role do turtles have in the ecosystem?
What can human's do to increase the survival rate of threatened/endangered turtles?
Content
Skills
The Head­starting Blanding 's Turtles Project provides fourth grade students
with a unique opportunity to participate in a local citizen science project.
The year long investigation is designed to increase the survival rate of
Blanding's turtles, a threatened species in Mass. Concord is home to one of
three of the largest Blanding's populations in the state. Throughout the year
students will be working with Dr. Bryan Windmiller, a local biologist, to
contribute data to an ongoing ecological research project designed to
increase the survival rate of Blanding’s turtles. Through out the school year
students will be observing and recording turtle growth data as well as
behavioral data. Data is submitted on a monthly basis to a spreadsheet
shared with other participating institutions.
Observational skills
Measurement skills
Formulate predictions
Collect data, analyze, and share data
Communicate findings
Label drawings
Description of Headstarting Blanding's Turtle Project
Blanding's Turtles Protocols ( recording growth data, care
turtles and habitat, etc.)
General Information about Blanding's Turtles
Weekly Observations Data Sheet to Post by Aquarium
How to Identify Turtle Number
How to Use the Headstarting Data With Students
General Turtle Info
Turtle Data Suggested Monthly Activities
How Do Scienist Tell Turtles Apart?
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Assessment
Head­starting Blanding's Turtle Writing Prompt
Common Formative: Expository Essay
Teachers can either administer all 3 prompts throughout the school year or choose one prompt for students to complete at one time during
the school year.
Turtle Journal
Formative: Student Portfolio
records progression of observational skills writing prompts illustrations student self­assessment checklist
Head­starting Blanding's Turtle Writing Prompt
Grade 4 Informational Writing Rubric
Graphic Organizer
student self assessment checklist
Turtle Journal Student Guide
Turtle Journal Teacher GUide
Grid for Turtle Journal
Stage 3: Learning Activities
Vocabulary/Terminology
Abiotic
Adaptations
Amphibians
Aquatic
Biotic
Carnivore
Classification
Community
Consumers
Carapace
Cold­blooded
Herpetology
Plastron
Plates
Reptile
Scute
Tortoise
Turtle
Vertebrates
Vulnerable
Warm­blooded
Instructional Strategies
Marzano Activities
Cooperative Learning
Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers
Generating and Testing Hypotheses
Identifying Similarities and Differences
Nonlinguistic Representations
Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback
Summarizing and Note Taking
Glossary
Curriculum Integration/Overlap
Math: Data Collection, Investigations Activity #9
Writing:Turtle Journal entries
Reading: nonfiction and fiction
Turtles (Zoobooks Series), Timothy L. Biel; Turtles and Tortoises (Complete Pet Owner's Manual) by Bartlett
Turtles (Our Wild World) Deborah Dennard; Turtles (True Books), Trudl Strain Trueit
Turtles (Amazing Animals), Christina Wilsdon Hatchling's Journey, Kristin Dunn
Thirteen Moons on Turtles Back, A Native American year of Moons,
Joseph Bruchac
Technology Integration
ActivBoard/ActivStudio­Flipcharts:
Blanding's General Info.
Turtles
Internet, Photographs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ (pictures of Blanding’s Turtles)
http://pets.webshots.com/album/ (pictures of Blanding’s)
http://www.dupageforest.com/multimedia/photos.aspx?id=4294968270
(pictures of Blanding’s)
Videos
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=channelPet Turtle Care: How
to Take Care of a Snapping Turtle
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= Headstarting Blandings
Turtles at Great Meadows.
Google Docs
Blanding's and Other Turtle Hatchling Data
CPS 4th grade Turtle Hatchling Data 2010­2011, 2011­2012,2012­13
Blogs
CPS Fourth Grade Students Headstart Blanding's Turtles
http://cpsblandingsturtles.wordpress.com/
Teacher's Domain
Backyard Turtles
​
Blanding's Turtle General Information
Turtles
How Do Scienist Tell Turtles Apart?
Backyard Turtles
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
CPS Students Headstart Blanding's Turtles Blog
Modifications/Extensions/RtI
Resources
Head­starting Protocols for Blanding's Turtles
Document lists supplies and materials needed for turtle care as well as tips for turtle care.
Data Sheet: Weekly Observations
Turtle Data and Suggested Monthly Activities
Grassroots Wildlife Conservation, Inc.
http://www.grassrootswildlife.org/projects.php
Hands­On Herpetology: Exploring Ecology and Conservation
by; Rebecca L. Schneider, M. Krasny, and Stephen J. Morreale
New England Aquarium, Turtle Rescue Blog
http://www.neaq.org/education_and_activities/blogs_webcams_videos_and_more/blogs/sea_turtle_rescue_blog/labels/Blanding%27s.html
Blog about the HEad­start program in MA. and the aquarium's involvement in the project.
Hea­starting Protocols for Blanding's Turtle
Data Sheet: Weekly Observations
Turtle Data Suggested Monthly Activities
New England Aquarium Marine Animal Rescue Blog
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