How do living
things show
interdependence?
Interact Discovery Sheets
Science
Years 5-8
By Helen Pearson
© 2012 Interact Curriculum Press
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Cover photography © Ahmad Faizal Yahya | Dreamstime.com
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Printed and bound by CM Digital, Albany, New Zealand
ISBN 978-1-927140-51-2
Contents
3
Introduction
4
Key Competencies, Habit of Character, Habit of Mind
5
Big Idea, Key Understanding, Focus Question
6
9
Relate Community Study Activity Cards
Relate Creation Rap
Raise Questions Field Trip Questions
Research 1.0 Why do living things rely on their habitat?
10
The Metre Square Ecosystem
11
Living Things
13
Research
14
Matching Terms
15
Vertebrates 1
16
Vertebrates 2
17
The Sandy Shore
18
The Pond
19
Research
20
Producers, Consumers & Decomposers
21
Scavengers
22
Decomposers
23
Food Chain
24
Gods Plan for Harmony & Balance
25
Gods Plan for Harmony & Balance
27
Research
28
Populations Interact
29
Further Research My Living Community
Further Research My Living Community Study
Further Research My Animal
Further Research Living Things
Review and Record Self-Evaluation Sheet
7
8
30
31
32
33
2.0
3.0
4.0
How and why do people study living things in their habitat?
How do living things within a habitat work together?
Why do living things depend on us?
1
Introduction
INTRODUCTION
How do living things show interdependence? This Interact Teacher Manual forms part of
the theme, God is One God and wants us to be cooperative. In this investigation we will
explore how God’s plan for creation is live in harmony and balance.
God has created living things to coexist within communities, meeting their needs through
an interdependence on others and the environment in which they have been placed. All
living things - including plants, animals and people - possess a variety of unique features
that enable them to live and breathe, to access food and water, and to reproduce and
offer protection for their young. Being part of a community or ecosystem gives living
things the ability to not only meet their own needs but, through God’s incredible plan,
to provide for the needs of others around them.
God’s great order and creativity are seen throughout creation, and his ability to hold
all things in balance is awe-inspiring. As Colossians explains, “in him all things hold
together” (1:18b). But while plant and animal communities operate by instinct, God has
created people with greater choice. We are called to live in harmony with God and to use
the gifts he has given us to manage the creation he has made for us, and to cooperate
with each other to make the world a better place.
A living community is very important to God. Healthy communities are a reflection of
God’s nature of unified wholeness, and result in blessing to those within and around
it, as well as to the created world in which they live. As we explore the interaction
between plant and animal communities, may we be reminded of God’s call to us to be
cooperative.
© 2012 Interact Curriculum
3
K
C
M
key competencies | habit of character | habit of mind
the key competencies are:
Develop skills in
relating to others
the habit of character focus is:
Cooperation
the habit of mind focus is:
Thinking
Interdependently
4
© 2012 Interact Curriculum
I
Planning
big Idea | Key understanding | focus question
the big idea is:
God is one God and
wants us to be
cooperative
U
the key understanding is:
God’s plan is for
living things to
live in harmony
Q
the focus question is:
How do living
things show
interdependence?
© 2012 Interact Curriculum
5
Community Study Activity Cards
Find three examples of producers
Find a scavenger
Find two things that live in the same
habitat and are similar in some way
Find two things that live in the same
habitat and are different in some way
Find something that is decomposing
Find something that changes in some
way when its habitat changes
Find a plant that changes when its
habitat changes in some way
Use an identification key to identify a
plant and animal that live together in
the same way
Find a consumer
Find an animal that helps the
environment in some way
Find three non-living things that living
things need to live
Find a decomposer
Find something in the process of feeding and identify what it eats
Find an animal that helps people in
some way
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Relate
YCT1_Science_Year 1-4_TM & DS.qxp
1/25/2008
11:10 AM
Page 89
Creation Rap
Now in the beginning there was no earth
‘till God spoke the word and gave it birth.
And God said, “Let there now be light!”
and straight away it was so bright!
“I’ll call the brightness, day,” He said
and the darkness, night, when it’s time for bed.”
And all this happened on Day number 1.
Wow God, You’re amazing!
Now God said, “There’s too much water, I know,
so I’ll put some above and some below.”
Now the water above He called the sky
and God looked at it, and said, “Oh my!”
And all this happened on Day number 2.
Wow God, You’re amazing!
Now God told the waters to get into their place,
well they gathered all together, they really had a race.
God named them the seas and they stopped on the sand
and the dry bit above, well He called it the land.
Now God said, “I want some plants to grow
and trees and fruit, now don’t be slow.”
And all this happened on Day number 3.
Wow God, You’re amazing!
Next God said, “This whole earth needs light,
I’ll make a huge one for day, and a lesser one for night.
I’ll call the big one the sun and I’ll make it real hot,
well the other one’s the moon, and hot it’s not!
They’ll help you to know all the months and the seasons,
they’re not there for fun, I really have my reasons.”
Well all this happened on Day number 4.
Wow God, You’re amazing!
Now God looked at the sea and it was all empty
so He filled it with fish and creatures aplenty.
And way up above in the bright, blue sky
He made a whole lot of birds and He taught them to fly.
And all this happened on Day number 5.
Wow God, You’re amazing!
And on the earth in between God had some fun
for He made all the animals, so different every one.
Then right ‘till the end God saved His best,
He said, I’ll just do this, then I’ll have a rest.”
And He made Him a man and He gave him a wife
out of dust and a rib and He gave them life
and He said, “Rule well all the fish of the sea,
all the birds of the air, all creatures you see.”
And all this happened on Day number 6.
Wow God, You’re amazing!
Now God looked round at the work He’d done
and He smiled and said, “This sure was fun.
I persevered and did my best,
and now I think I deserve a rest.”
And all this happened on Day number 7.
WOW GOD, YOU’RE AMAZING!
Anna Johnstone
C COPYRIGHT ANNA JOHNSTONE 1992
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Relate
7
Field Trip Questions
Date:
My field trip is to:
The question I want to find answers to is:
I think the answer might be:
I will try to find out the answer by:
I will present my findings by:
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Raise Questions
K
How do living things show interdependence?
key areas of investigation
We are investigating:
1.0
Why do living things rely on their habitat?
© 2012 Interact Curriculum
9
The Square Metre Ecosystem
In your school grounds, find an area of soil that is least influenced by
people. Mark off a square area with string, stones or sticks - this is your
square metre ecosystem.
ECOSYSTEM
F
O
N
LOCATIO
DISTURB
DISTURB
AS YOU OBSERVE
YOUR ECOSYSTEM
SECTION, DISTURB
THE ECOSYSTEM AS
LITTLE AS POSSIBLE
Environment of your section:
Evidence of animals that may have been there but left when you came to observe the
ecosystem (for example: footprints, tunnels, etc):
Animals found on the surface of the soil:
Animals found 10 centimetres deep in the soil:
Group the names of animals you found under the broad heading of your choice (eg: insects,
winged creatures, non-winged creatures etc):
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Research
Living Things
Choose two animals to observe from your habitat and describe the
characteristics you observe as fully as possible.
I OBSERVED AN ANIMAL
CALLED A
I OBSERVED AN ANIMAL
CALLED A
MOVEMENT
FEEDING
SENSING
BREATHING
IN THE SPACE, DO
AN OBSERVATIONAL
DRAWING OF YOUR
CHOSEN ANIMAL
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92
Research
11
K
How do living things show interdependence?
key areas of investigation
We are investigating:
2.0
How and why do people study living
things in their habitat?
© 2012 Interact Curriculum
13
Matching Terms
Here are some words that are used in this unit
Match the terms with their definitions
Community
Scavenger
Herbivore
Carnivore
Invertebrate
Habitat
diagram that
A diagram
that shows
showshow
howenergy
energyisis
passed
throughaacommunity
community
passed through
An animal
animal that
thateat
eatseither
either
plants
plants
or or
animals
to gain
gain energy
energy
animals to
The number
number of
of a
a particular
particularspecies
speciesinin a
defined
area
a defined
area
An animal
animal that
thateats
eatsplants
plants
Fungi and
and bacteria
bacteriawhich
whichdecomdecompose
dead
plant
and
animal
remains
pose dead plant and animal remains
An
animal that
thateats
eatsmeat
meat
An animal
Producer
An
animal with
withaabackbone
backbone
An animal
Consumer
An
animal without
withoutaabackbone
backbone
An animal
Decomposer
Green
plants that
thatuse
usethe
thesun’s
sun’senerenergy to
Green plants
make
food
gy to make food
Food Chain
The
home of
of plants
plants and
andanimals
animals
The home
Population
An
animal which
whicheats
eatsdead
deadremains
remains and
An animal
waste
of
other
animals
and waste of other animals
Vertebrate
A group of living things working
interdependently in a particular habitat
I HOPE I’M NOT PART
OF SOMEONE’S FOOD
CHAIN !
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Research
Vertebrates 1
Write as many features of each group of animal as you can.
MAMMALS
FISH
AMPHIBIANS
REPTILES
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BIRDS
Research
15
Vertebrates 2
Vertebrates
Find or draw pictures of examples of
vertebrates from your habitat.
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Research
The Sandy Shore
TUATUA
SLATER
PIPI
SANDHOPPER
SPIRULA
(FROM SQUID)
EARWIG
SWIMMING CRAB
BLACK-BACKED GULL
OSTRICH FOOT
RED-BILLED GULL
OYSTER CATCHER
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Research
17
The Pond
DRAGON FLY
DRAGON FLY NYMPH
KINGFISHER
BACK SWIMMER
WATER BEETLE
POND SKATER
WATER BEETLE LARVA
WATER BOATMAN
MOSQUITO
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Research
K
How do living things show interdependence?
key areas of investigation
We are investigating:
3.0
How do living things within a habitat
work together?
© 2012 Interact Curriculum
19
Producers, Consumers & Decomposers
Draw lines to match.
DECOMPOSER
rots the bodies of
other living things
that have died
makes their own
food by using air,
water and sunlight
CONSUMER
eats plants and
other animals
PRODUCER
20
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Research
Scavengers
Some animals feed on plants and animals that have died. These are
called scavengers.
SEAGULLS
HAWKS
Hawks are sometimes seen eating
dead animals on the road
Seagulls clean up a beach by
eating the dead fish
What other examples of scavengers can you list?
FEED ON
FEED ON
FEED ON
FEED ON
FEED ON
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Research
21
Decomposers
What happens to a dead fish if it is not eaten by a scavenger?
Tiny bacteria, too small to be seen, often feed on dead matter.
They break it down, or decompose it, into smaller pieces.
Other decomposers are called fungi. They can be easily seen
because they are large or grow in large colonies.
Can you think of some other examples of decomposers?
How do you know that a decomposer is at work?
WHAT’S THAT
STRANGE
SOUND ?
OH, THAT’S
JUST
BEETHOVEN
DECOMPOSING !
Decom
pose
means th
at dead
plant
or anima
l matter g
changed
ets
into simp
ler matte
r
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Research
Food Chain
Draw in the boxes to create food chains to show how energy is passed through creation.
What does a caterpillar eat?
EATEN
BY
CATERPILLAR
What is the producer?
CATERPILLAR FOOD
CATERPILLAR EATER
CATERPILLAR
EATEN
BY
EATEN
BY
What are the consumers?
FEEDS ON
CATERPILLAR
EATER
CATERPILLAR
FOOD
EATEN
BY
EATEN
BY
EATEN
BY
CATERPILLAR
CATERPILLAR
EATER
YOU HAVE
JUST MADE A
FOOD CHAIN !
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Research
91
23
God’s Plan for Harmony & Balance
Ways animals help our environment
Ways animals help plants
Ways animals help people
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Research
God’s Plan for Harmony & Balance
Ways plants help our environment
Ways plants help people
Ways plants help animals
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Research
25
K
How do living things show interdependence?
key areas of investigation
We are investigating:
4.0
Why do living things depend on us?
© 2012 Interact Curriculum
27
Populations Interact
Populations live together as communities. When something happens to one
population in a community, all the other populations are changed in some way.
COMPETE
POPULATIONS
FOR SPACE
IS:
CONSIDER TH
dead
ee
nen
city
city
ee
rgrg
alala
a
in
in
n
n
tio
tio
la
la
u
u
p
p
o
Theeppo
Th
ndand
reastreast
e neenae
ortTh. Th
ge
grerapiroprt.
a
big
a big
daiss a
n
lad w
ble
lan
vailaila
ble
of faava
a
re
a
o
e
a
st
e
re
liv
a
rg
h
la
fis
large
irdss aannddfish live
b
hheere
ird
w
b
h
re
rs
a
w
m
h
e
rs
larg
large ma
What would happen to the people if they kept using their old, small airport?
What would happen to the birds and fish if the people built the new airport?
What would you do? Why?
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Research
My Living Community
Draw a map of your chosen habitat.
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Further Research
74
29
My Living Community Study
Write
habitat and
and the
theplants
plantsand
andanimals
animalsthat
that
live
there,
Write a description
description of your habitat
live
there.
including:
Tell me
• where it is
• what it is
• why it’s special or different from other communities
• how it changes and how the living things cope with change
HEY!
WHAT’S HAPPENING
IN YOUR
COMMUNITY?
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Further Research
My Animal
DRAW ARROWS TO WORDS THAT
DESCRIBE YOUR ANIMAL.
belongs to th
e
animal kingd
om
e
belongs to th
m
o
plant kingd
predator
producer
prey
MY ANIMAL’S NAME
performs
photosynthesi
s
herbivore
omnivore
carnivore
decomposer
scavenger
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Further Research
31
Living Things
FEEDING
ExCRETION
RESPIRATION
GROWTH
SENSING
REPRODUCTION
MOVEMENT
Choose an animal or plant and describe the evidence of characteristics of living things.
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Further Research
Self-Evaluation Sheet
Use the checklist below to help you evaluate your own work.
Use a Y or N in each square.
Name of piece of work being evaluated:
Date
Is my work ready on time?
Did I use my time wisely?
Is my work completed?
Did I follow all instructions and directions given?
Is my work presented neatly?
Did I understand this work?
Am I pleased with how my work turned out?
Should I have spent more time on any part of my work?
Did I learn something new from doing this work?
Write down what you think was very good about your work:
Write down what you could have improved in your work:
Write down what you may do differently next time:
Write down your own comments about your work:
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Review and Record 33