Unit #: 5
Hutchins
Subject(s): Science
Grade(s): 1
Designer(s): Katie Pickler, Megan Charlton, Margaret Furr, Gretchen Baute, Elizabeth
STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS
Unit Title: Ecosystems
Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning to understand the impact of human actions on living things in our environment.
Enduring Understandings:
Essential Questions:
Students will understand that…
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All living things share similar characteristics.
Living things have basic needs for growth and survival.
Living things and their environments are interconnected.
Diverse environments support a variety of living things.
Human environments and behaviors can affect other living things and
their environments.
Students will know:
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Living things need space, shelter, and an environment to live and
meet their basic needs.
Humans and animals use plants and animals for clothing, shelter, and
nesting.
Needs of plants, animals, and humans vary based on their location in
the world.
Humans depend on their natural and constructed environment to meet
their needs.
Humans can change the natural environment in ways that are
beneficial or detrimental to other living things.
Humans can improve the conditions of an environment for plants and
animals (reduce, reuse, recycle).
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How do behaviors of living things impact environments?
Why do living things live where they do?
How can humans harm or help the environment?
Students will be able to:
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Recognize how the environment meets the needs of living things. (air,
water, light, space, food, and shelter)
Give examples of different environments in North Carolina and
around the world and how it meets the needs of living things found in
that environment.
Summarize ways that humans protect their environment and/or
improve conditions for the growth of the plants and animals that live
there.
Key Vocabulary: shelter, space, natural environment, constructed
environment, beneficial, detrimental, recycle, reduce, reuse, conditions,
protect, nesting
Adapted from Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Last revision 7/1/16
1
Unit #: 5
Hutchins
Subject(s): Science
Grade(s): 1
Designer(s): Katie Pickler, Megan Charlton, Margaret Furr, Gretchen Baute, Elizabeth
STAGE 1– STANDARDS
Essential Standards
1.L.1
Understand characteristics of various environments and
behaviors of humans that enable plants and animals to
survive.
Clarifying Objectives
Recognize that plants and animals need air, water, light (plants
1.L.1.1
only), space, food, and shelter and that these may be found in their
environment.
Give examples of how the needs of different plants and animals can
1.L.1.2
be met by their environments in North Carolina or different places
throughout the world.
Summarize the ways that humans protect their environment and/or
1.L.1.3
improve conditions for the growth of the plants and animals that live
there (e.g. reuse or recycle products to avoid littering)
Adapted from Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Last revision 7/1/16
2
Unit #: 5
Hutchins
Subject(s): Science
Performance Tasks:
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Animal Adaptation – Defined STEM
Organic Farming – Defined STEM
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Amazing Animal Research
o Rubric and Forms
We Can Save The World!
o Rubric
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Grade(s): 1
Designer(s): Katie Pickler, Megan Charlton, Margaret Furr, Gretchen Baute, Elizabeth
STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Other Evidence:
Click here to access the performance task(s) described above.
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Ecosystems Summative Assessment
NSTA - Uncovering Student Ideas in Science
o Is It An Animal? – Volume 1, page 117
o Is It Living? – Volume 1, page 123
o Is It a Plant? – Volume 2, page 15
o Is It a Plant? – Volume 2, page 93
o Needs of Seeds – Volume 2, page 101
NSTA- Uncovering Student Ideas in Primary Science
o Big and Small Seeds – Volume 1, page 39
Click here to access the other evidences described above.
Adapted from Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Last revision 7/1/16
3
Unit #: 5
Hutchins
Subject(s): Science
Grade(s): 1
Designer(s): Katie Pickler, Megan Charlton, Margaret Furr, Gretchen Baute, Elizabeth
STAGE 3 – RESOURCES FOR THE LEARNING PLAN
District Resources:
Supplemental Resources:
When designing the learning plan, these resources are intended to be a
These are considered additional resources that are recommended by the
primary resource used by all teachers.
Curriculum Writing Teams. Those resources with an asterisk (*) may be
purchased by each individual school.
 Organisms STC Kit
 Plants for Human Health Institute for STEM Education at NC Research
Campus in Kannapolis, Contact Person: Amy Bowman
 Discovery Education Videos
[email protected]
o Living and Nonliving Things
 National Geographic Kids - Animals
o Habitats: Homes for Living
o Concepts in Nature: Where Animals Live
 BrainPopJr*
o A First Look: Plants
o Plant Adaptations
o Taking Care of Our Earth
o Habitats
o Exploring the Diversity of Life: Act with the Facts
o Animals
o Earth and You
o Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
o Pollution and Solution
o Natural Resources BrainPop Jr.
o Taking Care of Our Earth
 1st Grade Ecosystem Live Binder
o The Importance of Plants To Our World
 Race for Survival
 iCurio Resources
 Suggested Books:
o iCurio All About Plants Smart Board Lesson
 The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
o iCurio Animal Needs Smart Board Lesson
 The Empty Lot by Dale H. Fife
 Grandmother’s Garden by John Archambault
 Grade 1, Unit 5 Discovery Education Resources
 Milo and the Magic Stones by Marcus Pfister
 Mother Earth by Trista Hendren
Click here to access the resources listed above.
 Someday a Tree by Eve Bunting
 The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
 When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan
 Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema
 The Lorax by. Doctor Suess
 I Took a Walk by Henry Cole
 Fast and Slow by Rod Theodorou
 Magic School Bus Hops Home by Patricia Reif
 My Visit to the Zoo by Aliki
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Foldable and Anchor Chart Examples
Ecosystems Introduction
Click here to access the resources listed above.
Adapted from Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Last revision 7/1/16
4
Unit #: 5 Subject(s): Science
Grade(s): 1
Designer(s): Katie Pickler, Megan Charlton, Margaret Furr, Gretchen Baute, Elizabeth
Hutchins
Considerations for Differentiating Instruction (AIG, EL, EC, etc.):
These resources are intended to be used when differentiating instruction to meet the varied needs of students in your classroom.
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AIG: Project USTARS – Best for Beans, Let’s Grow, Insect Mania, Planting Jars
iCurio Animal Homes
iCurio Roots Systems of Tree
Symbiosis BrainPop
Adapted from Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Last revision 7/1/16
5