Third Grade
Life Cycles Lesson 1
Rebecca Rivinius, Guest Speaker /Energy Pyramid /Owl Pellets
Idaho Standard 1: Nature of Science
3.S.1.6.1 Identify questions that can be answered by conducting scientific tests. (574.01.a)
3.S.1.6.2 Conduct scientific tests (574.01.b)
3.S.1.6.3 Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather and display data. (574.01.c)
3.S.1.6.4 Use data to construct a reasonable explanation. (574.01.d)
3.S.1.6.5 Make simple predictions based on data. (574.01.e)
3.S.1.6.6 Identify logical alternative explanations. (574.01.f)
3.S.1.6.7 Communicate the results of tests to others. (574.01.g
3.S.1.8.1 Read and give multi-step instructions. (583.02.a)
Idaho Standard 3: Biology
3.S.3.2.1 Describe the energy needed for living systems to survive. (578.01.a)
3.S.3.2.3 Label a food chain that shows how organisms cooperate and compete in an ecosystem. (578.01.b)
3.S.3.2.4 Diagram the food web and explain how organisms both cooperate and compete in ecosystems.
(593.01.b)
Materials Needed:
•50 index cards
•20 pieces of construction paper
•Food chain cards
•Tape
•Graph paper
•Yarn
•Owl pellet**
•Lab report (See attached WS)
•Pencil
•Black construction paper
•Magnifying glass, probe, ruler, dissection forceps
•Latex gloves (optional)
•Owl Pellet Bone Chart, to identify skeletons of prey. (See attached WS)
**About Owl Pellets: Owl pellets contain regurgitated bones, fur, and feathers that owls cannot digest. Pellets
were ordered from Owl Brand Discovery Kits (obdk.com). Commercial pellets have been sterilized and arrive
individually wrapped in aluminum foil. They can be handled safely with bare hands.
Lesson Objectives:
1. Listen, and take notes from guest speaker, Rebecca Rivinius. Mrs. Rivinius will be discussing
numerous life cycle concepts, including information on different types of fur from various small
mammals.
2. Create an energy pyramid.
3. Explain why there are so many organisms at each level.
4. Put a food chain in the proper order.
5. Observe teacher dissect owl pellet- focusing on measuring, observing, and recording information.
Lesson Introduction
 Introduce guest speaker, Rebecca Rivinius, explaining that our next Science unit will be
discovering about Life Cycles.
 Remind students to have polite, respectful behavior at all times.
 Instruct sts how to play the Energy Pyramid Game.
 Demonstrate owl pellet dissection while students observe. The purpose of the demonstration is
for students to understand the process, not for the teacher to give away the discoveries.
Lesson Development1. After thanking Mrs. Rivinius for speaking to us, encourage sts to gather around center front table to
observe an owl pellet dissection.
2. Play the modified Energy Pyramid Game: Discuss with the students how energy is transferred from one
animal to another. Today we will look at how energy is transferred through a three part food chain using
grass, mice, and an owl. Then discuss what part of the food chain each member of the food chain is, and
what they eat. Then explain the rules, and use the center table’s meter square for the demonstration.
Demonstrate how to toss the paper, so the students have a good understanding of where to stand, and
how to toss. Explain to them that mice that don’t get eaten have babies, if an owl lands on two or more
mice then they are both eaten, if an owl lands on one mouse it just survives, if an owl gets no mice it
dies, and if the owl gets two or more then it has babies. There are also specific roles in each group.
There are 2 owl tossers, 2 graphers one to keep track of the owls and one for the mice, and the person
who looks at the toss to determine who has been eaten, died, or had babies. Go over the rules step by
step with the students to make sure the students understand how to play the game. Also make sure that
the students understand that each of them can have different roles. At the end have the students graph
there data, and draw an energy pyramid for the food chain. Then post the charts, and ask students to
look at the differences. Ask groups about their tossing techniques, and what worked and what didn’t.
Ask them why they think they got the results that they did for their experiment.
3. Pass out the different food chain cards to the students have them put themselves in order from the
producers to top level. Have one student be the sun, and have another student represent man. Then with
four different pieces of yarn have the students pass the string to any of the other types of animals that
will eat them. This way the students are able to see how each of the different food chains are connected
to one another. They are also able to see how many is connected to every food chain as well.
4. Demonstrate Owl Pellet dissection; put pellet on black construction paper.
5. Observe outside of pellet before opening it. Measure it.
6. Ask students for their predictions about what’s inside.
7. Show how to use a lab report sheet.
8. Answer student questions about process, and to make predictions on what objects might be found in
each owl pellet.
Lesson Conclusion
Ask students to discuss interesting facts from our guest speaker, Mrs. Rivinius, and review how each of the
different food chains were connected to one another. Ask sts to predict what will be found in each owl pellet.