Plants Helping Animals, Animals Helping Plants
Grade 3
Strand – Understanding Life Systems
Topic – Growth and Changes in Plants
(Based on Addison-Wesley, Animals and Plants)
Expectation
Students will describe ways in which plants and animals depend on each other (3, 3.6)
Required Materials
- pinecone, bird’s nest, mushroom, wasps’ nest, fox skull, a log with damage from ants
Procedure
1. Introduce the topic and theme, mention science classes do not always require
experiments.
“Today, I am going to demonstrate an alternative way to present a science lesson”
2. Asked the class to cover their heads and think about a place undisturbed by humans.
“It could be a wetland, a forest, or a field. Now think of one item that you may find there,
something you would like to bring back to the class”
3. Pass around the six items in the box to the six groups.
“Now look on your desk, look what you brought back to the classroom!”
4. “This lesson will help you understand how plants and animals need each other. In your
groups, think about the item you brought back from the forest, and how plants help
animals or animals that help plants.”
Give the class two minutes.
5. Go around to each group and discuss the item, keeping in mind animals need food,
water, shelter, air, space.
6.
Item
Pinecone
Swallow’s nest
Log with damage caused by ants
Role in nature
Squirrels use them for food
Built from dead grass, leaves, and twigs to raise young
Killed the entire tree for food and to make their home
Fox skull
Mushroom
Paper wasp’s nest
Decaying corps – nutrients cycled into the forest
Breaks down a dying tree, provides home for insects
Uses bark and leaves, build their home mostly in trees
Explanation of the science concept
Plants and animals rely on each other. Animals use plants to make shelter by building using
parts of plants such as twigs, bark and grasses; burrowing into trees (that eventually kills the
tree); or hide from predators. Some animals also use some or all parts of plants as food. In some
cases, animals get their water stored in plants. In a larger scale, plants provide breathable air.
Many animals live in large tracts forests, providing wild spaces to roam freely.
Plants need animals to assist in seed dispersal, weed out older trees such that young saplings
have a chance to grow, or decompose dead material to be returned into fertile soils. A beaver
that takes down a few trees opens up the forest to sunlight in which plants on the forest floor
need. A wolf who predated on the beaver keeps the population in check such that the beaver
population does not deplete the forest.
Summary
This activity was used to illustrate the importance of hands-on experiences gained from a short
field trip, where students brought back something from the forest to study. Ecology benefits
students who are naturalistic learners (Gardner’s multiple intelligences). From my teaching
experiences, “treasures” creates curiosity and lesson engagement. Science lessons do not always
need flash-bang experiments as it is unrealistic to replicate nature in 15 minutes.
Problems
- Allergies to certain plants, nuts, fungi, animal dander, pollen
- Too gross or freaked out
- Teacher have limited field knowledge, however teacher may talk something else about
the item, rather than identifying. (Example, nutrient cycling as oppose to the mushroom)
- Safety!
Lesson Extensions
- Biological diversity
- Circle of life
- Pollution, Environment Studies
- Habitat and survival
- Symbiotic relationships
References
Addison-Wesley (2006). Science & Technology – Plant Growth. Teacher’s edition.
Pearson Education Canada. ISBN-13: 9780201654240
Presented by: Teddy Dong