Wichita falls ISD
Fifth Grade Science
Unit 11: Energy in Ecosystems
Unit Planner
Approximate Time Frame: 17 days
Objectives
Skills: The student will be able to…
• Explain what an ecosystem is.
• Describe the way organisms live and survive in their ecosystem by interacting with the
living and nonliving elements.
• Identify factors that affect diversity.
• Describe the role of scientists.
• Describe that scientists come from all backgrounds.
• Determine the role of technology in the work of scientists.
• Identify producers and consumers.
• Define and describe photosynthesis.
• Identify the significance of the carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle to the survival of plants
and animals.
• Observe, identify, and classify organisms in a land ecosystem.
• Describe the role of organisms in an ecosystem and compare the size and diversity of
organisms in an area.
• Draw conclusions about how organisms in their ecosystem interact with the living and
nonliving elements.
• Identify food chains and food webs.
• Describe how the flow of energy derived from the sun is transferred through a food
chain and food web to consumers and decomposers.
• Recognize succession as a change of the organisms living in an ecosystem.
• Describe how changing ecosystems affect the organisms living there.
• Predict the effect of changes to ecosystems caused by living organisms.
• Recognize that technological systems are designed to meet people’s needs and
improve quality of life.
TEKS
Readiness: 5.9A, 5.9B
Supporting: 3.9A, 5.9C,
5.9D
Process Skills: 5.2F,
5.2G, 5.3A
ELPS: 1A, 1C, 1F, 2C, 2D,
2E, 2I
Big Idea: Living things interact in ecosystems. Energy flows from the
sun to plants to animals.
Performance Indicators
By the end of the unit the student will be able to…
• Observe and describe the decomposition process.
• Explain why decomposers are important to an ecosystem.
• Explore how scientists can collect, record, and analyze information using materials to support observations of
habitats or organisms.
• Use the five steps of the design process to build a scale model of a mobile science laboratory.
• Construct a blueprint.
• Follow directions for an investigation to make a matching puzzle of biotic and abiotic factors for an ecosystem.
• Follow directions for an investigation to compare climates of two locations on Earth that are far from each other but
similar distances from the equator.
Wichita Falls ISD (2014-2015)
5Sc Unit 11
Scientific Processes TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
revised 1/5/15
1
• Follow directions or an investigation to separate the pigments of a leaf.
• Plan and conduct an investigation of adaptations in predators.
• Observe, identify, and classify common organisms in a land ecosystem.
• Compare the role, size, and diversity of organisms in an area.
• Draw conclusions about how organisms interact in a land ecosystems.
• Follow directions for an investigation to model a food web.
• Plan and conduct an investigation of a backyard or park food web.
• Observe the growth of a fungus.
• Describe the decomposition process.
• Classify a fungus as a decomposer.
• Explain why decomposers are important to an ecosystem.
• Follow directions for an investigation to observe how the color of an organism and its environment affect its ability
to avoid detection.
• Plan and conduct an investigation to learn how long it takes food to break down under different conditions.
By the end of the unit the student will be able to answer the following essential questions:
o What is an ecosystem?
o What are roles of organisms in ecosystems?
o What makes up a land ecosystem?
o How does energy move through ecosystems?
o What role do decomposers play?
o How do environmental changes affect organisms?
Lesson Information
Activities
Lesson 1
Engage/Explore
• Complete “Engage Your Brain” activity on p. 458 of textbook,
as well as “Active Reading”.
• Complete “The Population Puzzle” and “Compare Climates”
from p. 459A of textbook.
• Vocabulary/Interactive glossary from p. 459
See Notes from Council Lesson 1 Below
Explain
• Generate ideas through active reading on pgs. 460 - 467.
Extend/Evaluate
• Complete “Sum It Up” on p. 468 and “Word Play” on page
469.
• “Apply Concepts” and “Make Connections” pgs.
470 – 470A
• Lesson Quiz Assessment Guide p. AG 147.
Careers in Science
• Complete “Generate Ideas” and “Background” p. 471.
• Complete “Develop Science Concepts”, “Develop Inquiry
Skills” and “Summarize Ideas” p. 471.
Lesson 2
Engage/Explore
Wichita Falls ISD (2014-2015)
5Sc Unit 11
Vocabulary
Lesson 1
• environment
• ecosystem
• population
Lesson 2
• photosynthesis
• producer
• decomposer
Lesson 4
• food chain
• food web
• energy pyramid
Lesson 6
• succession
• extinction
Scientific Processes TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
•
•
•
community
habitat
niche
•
chlorophyll
•
consumer
revised 1/5/15
2
•
Complete “Engage Your Brain” activity on p. 473 of textbook,
as well as “Active Reading”.
• Complete “True Colors” and “A Super Predator” from p. 473A
of textbook.
• Vocabulary/Interactive glossary from p. 473.
See Notes from Council Lesson 2 below.
Explain
• Generate ideas through active reading on pgs. 474 – 483.
Extend/Evaluate
• Complete “Sum It Up” on p. 484 and “Word Play” on p. 485.
• “Apply Concepts” and “Make Connections” pgs. 486 – 486A.
• Lesson Quiz Assessment Guide p. AG 148.
Lesson 3
Inquiry
• Use “Flip Chart” to complete “Guided Inquiry p. 487A to
provide scaffolding.
Engage/Explore
• Complete “Attention Grabber” and “Preview Activity” from p.
487A
• Guide the Investigation by completing “Develop Inquiry Skills”
p. 487.
See Notes from Council Virtual Lab Experience.
Explain
• Complete “Develop Inquiry Skills” by drawing conclusions p.
488.
Extend/Evaluate
• Accept reasonable responses. After students record their
answers, choose two or three investigation questions to
analyze further..
• Complete “Differentiated Inquiry” p. 488A
• Lesson Quiz Assessment p. AG 149.
Lesson 4
Engage/Explore
• Complete “Engage Your Brain” activity on p. 489 of textbook,
as well as “Active Reading.”
• Complete “Model a Food Web” and “Bring it Home” p. 489A
• Vocabulary/Interactive glossary from p. 489
See Notes From Council Lesson 4 below.
Explain
• Generate ideas through active reading on pgs. 490 - 495 while
completing activities.
Extend/Evaluate
• Complete “Sum It Up” on p. 496 and “Word Play” on p. 497.
• “Apply Concepts” pgs. 498 - 500 and “Make Connections” p.
500A
• Lesson Quiz Assessment p. AG 150
Lesson 5
Inquiry
• Use “Flip Chart to complete “Guided Inquiry” p. 501A to
provide scaffolding.
Wichita Falls ISD (2014-2015)
5Sc Unit 11
Scientific Processes TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
revised 1/5/15
3
Engage/Explore
• Complete “Attention Grabber” and “Preview Activity” from p.
501A
Guide the investigation by completing “Develop Inquiry Skills” p. 501.
See Notes from Council Virtual Lab Experience.
Explain
• Complete “Develop Inquiry Skills” by drawing conclusions p.
502
Extend/Evaluate
• Accept reasonable responses. Encourage students to ask
questions that could be answered through a scientific
investigation.
• Complete “Differentiated Inquiry” p. 502A
• Lesson Quiz Assessment p. AG 151..
Lesson 6
Engage/Explore
• Complete “Engage Your Brain” activity on p. 503 of textbook,
as well as “Active Reading.”
• Complete “Hunting for Beans” and “Compost in a Bag” p.
503A
• Vocabulary/Interactive glossary from p. 503
See Notes From Council Lesson 6 below.
Explain
• Generate ideas through active reading on pgs. 504 - 515 while
completing activities.
Extend/Evaluate
• Complete “Sum It Up” on p. 516 and “Word Play” on p. 517.
• “Apply Concepts” pgs. 518 - 520 and “Make Connections” p.
520A
• Lesson Quiz Assessment p. AG 152
STEM Activity
Engage/Explore
• Complete “Attention Grabber” and “Preview Activity” from p.
522A
• Work through “Strategies for Success” p. 522B
Explain
• Plan and build with “Develop the Engineering Design Process”
p. 522B
Extend/Evaluate
• Complete “Quick Check” from p. 522B
• Complete Unit 11 Review pgs. 523 – 526.
• Unit Quiz Assessment pgs. AG 155 – AG 161.
Wichita Falls ISD (2014-2015)
5Sc Unit 11
Scientific Processes TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
revised 1/5/15
4
Additional Information
Materials/Resources
See the Unit 11 Resource Folder for additional
supplemental materials.
Also see SM Willingham activities on the S Drive.
Cheryl Cox : TAKS Companion Science Book
Dinah Zike: Big Book of Science
Leveled Readers
Lesson 1
• poster board (56 cm x 71 cm)
• colored markers
• pieces of unlined paper (7 cm x 11 cm)
• paste or glue
• scissors research materials
• world map
• computer
• science notebook
Lesson 2
• goggles
• green leaf
• glass jar
• rubbing alcohol
• plastic spoon
• coffee filter
• scissors
• pencil
• tape
• metric ruler
• reference materials on predators
Lesson 3
• meter stick
• 4 stakes
• string
• gloves
• hand lenses
• collecting jars or nets
• field guides
Lesson 4
• magazines
• scissors
• index cards
• markers
• paste
• string or yarn
• stapler
• nature magazines and reference materials on
plants and animals
• science notebook
Wichita Falls ISD (2014-2015)
5Sc Unit 11
Textbook Correlations:
• ScienceFusion Texas: grd 5, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
•
Online: www-k6.thinkcentral.com
•
See Science Weekly for other possible activities.
Notes from Council
• Lessons 1,2, 4, & 6 : Interactive Digital lesson is
available in Online Resources. It is suitable for
individuals, small groups, or may be projected or used
on an interactive whiteboard.
• Lesson 3 and 5: A Virtual lab experience is available
with the Online Resources for this unit.
Response to Intervention
• Textook page 457M has resources for each lesson for
Tiers 2 and 3.
• Resource File within each lesson has the following
Intervention resources.
o CLOZE-ing in on Science
o Leveled Readers A – C
o Concept Attainment
Scientific Processes TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
revised 1/5/15
5
Lesson 5
• 2 bread slices
• 2 paper plates
• hand lens
• spray bottle containing water
• 2 re-sealable plastic bags
• 2 paper bags.
Lesson 6
• 25 black beans
• 25 white beans
• black construction paper
• white construction paper
• timer
• cup ( to hold beans removed from the paper)
• gallon freezer bags
• food scraps
• science notebook.
Misconceptions/Underdeveloped Concepts
•
•
•
•
•
•
Habitat can differ between populations of the same organism.
Some students may believe that diversity refers to the number of organisms living in an ecosystem.
Not everything that is eaten is a producer.
The name invasive species often leads people to believe that the organisms “invade” in great numbers.
Some people think that the choices when using plastics are limited to recycling or wasting.
Some students may think that all extinctions happened long ago.
Parent Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Take It Home” from textbook pgs. 470, 486, 500, and 520.
http://www.brainpop.com/games/foodchaingame/
http://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/games/prairie/build/
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/gsl/
http://www.secretsatsea.org/
http://www.sims.scienceinstruction.org/invasive/index.html
Wichita Falls ISD (2014-2015)
5Sc Unit 11
Scientific Processes TEKS must be incorporated into
instruction as appropriate throughout the school year.
revised 1/5/15
6