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Kaitlyn Lupro EDD 485 Unit Plan

Kaitlyn Lupro

EDD 485

Unit Plan

April 18, 2012

Introduction

Grade Level Content Expectations:

K-7 Standard L.EC: Develop an understanding of the interdependence of the variety of

populations, communities and ecosystems, including those in the Great Lakes region.

Develop an understanding of different types of interdependence and that biotic (living)

and abiotic (non-living) factors affect the balance of an ecosystem. Understand that all

organisms cause changes, some detrimental and others beneficial, in the environment

where they live.

L.EC.E.1 Interactions- Organisms interact in various ways including providing food and

shelter to one another. Some interactions are helpful; others are harmful to the

organism and other organisms.

L.EC.04.11 Identify organisms as part of a food chain or food web.

L.EC.E.2 Changed Environment Effects- When the environment changes, some plants

and animals survive to reproduce; others die or move to new locations.

L.EC.04.21 Explain how environmental changes can produce a change in the food web.

For the purposes of this class, I have prepared a unit on ecosystems. I chose this topic

because it is particularly interesting to me. It is important for students to understand how

things in the world interact with each other and how these things rely on each other for

survival. My five lessons are centered on the interconnectedness of things in nature. My first

lesson introduces students to ecosystems by having them create a small ecosystem in the

classroom. Students will be actively participating in adding each element to the ecosystem and

then observing how these things work together. My second lesson has students creating

observation journals in which they will visit a spot in the school ecosystem to observe what

happens there. Students will further research the things they find in the ecosystem to further


their understanding. My third lesson plan is about the flow of energy through an ecosystem. It

teachers students about how much energy is needed to sustain an ecosystem and then they

will create a food web to show how energy is moved throughout the ecosystem. My fourth

lesson plan builds off the third and has students look at a specific member of most local

ecosystems, the worm. Students will observe what worms do for the environment by creating a

compost box featuring the worms. My last lesson looks at the effects of prey/predator

relationships and the effects of those relationships on the ecosystem as a whole.

This unit would take approximately a month to complete. Each lesson requires 2-3 days

and some, like the observation journals and the compost box, will take the length of the unit.

These are only some of the lessons I would use in this unit. I would definitely need another

lesson on food webs/food chains because I don’t think I went into enough detail in the lessons I

have prepared. I would also like to do a lesson using the food pyramid that I touched on in the

observation journal lesson, because that is an important concept for students to learn. They

need to understand that one herbivore requires 10 (random number) plants to survive and

each carnivore requires 10 herbivores to survive. I would also do a lesson showing the energy

cycle in a food chain which is something that I did not focus on.

I wrote these lessons without thinking about limitations in terms of resources such as

technology and supplies. I also assumed students had the necessary vocabulary to understand

the lessons, such as ideas about photosynthesis, at least at the beginning of the unit. However, I

realize that this is generally unrealistic and that I would probably have to adapt these lessons to

use them in a real classroom which I something that I could do, given real parameters.


Ecosystem in a Jar

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Concept: Ecosystems

Objectives:

-Students will:

Create a mini ecosystem in the classroom

Observe the relationships between members of an ecosystem


S.IP.04.11: Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate

senses.

S.IP.04.12: Generate questions based on observations.

S.IA.04.12: Share ideas about science through purposeful conversation in collaborative

groups.

S.IA.04.13: Communicate and present findings of observations and investigations.

S.RS.04.18: Describe the effect humans and other organisms have on the balance of the

natural world.

L.EC.E.1: Interactions- Organisms interact in various ways including providing food and



Materials:

1. A large (gallon sized or larger) container with lid. Lid needs to have holes in it.

2. Plastic spoons

3. Light source

4. Minnows

5. Elodea and duckweed or other water plants

6. Water snails

7. Water

8. Sand

9. Observation Journals

Safety: Animals should be treated with care and respect. Students should wash their hands

frequently when working with the animals and the final ecosystem as snails and fish may

harbor bacteria.


References:

Ecosystem. (2012). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://britannica.com

Friends of the Rouge. (n.d.). Friends of the Rouge: Rouge in the Classroom [Organization].

Retrieved from http://therouge.org

Enger, E. D., Ross, F. C., & Bailey, D. B. (2010). Concepts in Biology (14th ed.). New York:

McGraw-Hill.

Kallen, S. A. (2004). Ecosystems: Life In a Pond. Kid Haven Press.

Adapted from:

Leager, C. R. (2007). Ecosystem in a jar. Science and Children, 44(8), 56-58. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com/docview/236903602?accountid=14578

Engage: The main idea of the lesson is to help students understand that living things cannot

function on their own. All living things depend on other thing to survive. To engage students,

the teacher will pose the question: where do living things live? Living things may refer to plants

or animals and where they live may be all over the earth. Record some of the students’

responses on the board for further discussion. Then I will ask them to think about what specific

things live in each place. For example, if someone said “the desert,” what kinds of animals live

there? What kind of plants? What other things are there?

Explorable Question: What relationships exist within an ecosystem?

Explore:

http://britannica.com/



*Note: this will take two-three days to complete.

1. Students will be placed into groups of four students.

2. Each given the materials for the ecosystem in a jar.

3. Students should fill their jar with about five centimeters of sand.

4. Next they should fill the jar completely with water and place the elodea into the sand.

Then they should put in the duckweed.

5. The jars need to sit for a day if tap water is used. Use this time to ask students why the

jars need to sit. We add chemicals like chlorine to our water that is not found naturally

in water and may be toxic to animals that are not used to it.

6. The next day, students should add the fish and snails to their jars.

7. Jars need to be kept near light source.

8. Students should record their observations daily in their science journals. They should be

guided to take notice of how things look, how they change, the behaviors of the

animals, what purposes do the plants serve, etc…

Explain: An ecosystem can be defined as “the complex of living organisms, their physical

environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space” (Ecosystem, 2012). An

ecosystem can be categorized into its abiotic constituents, including minerals, climate, soil,

water, sunlight, and all other nonliving elements, and its biotic constituents, consisting of all its

living members. An ecosystem is composed of communities, interacting populations of

different species. Populations refer to groups of the same species. Many things have a

relationship with one population. For example, the survival of a fish is dependent upon the


temperature of the water which is dependent on the number of trees around the water source.

In this particular ecosystem, the fish find shelter in the plants. The plants are supported by the

sand. The snails eat plants, decaying matter, and algae that accumulate in the jar. Although this

is a quite simple ecosystem, the members are dependent upon each other and without any one

of the features; the ecosystem would not function correctly.

At this point, I would have students read “Life in a Pond” by Stuart Kallen which discusses the

pond ecosystem, what lives in a pond and how those things are related. Students should have a

solid understanding of how all living and non-living things affect an ecosystem.

Extend: To extend on this lesson, students will take a field trip to the Rouge River Ecosystem.

“The Rouge River watershed (land drained by the Rouge River) drains 467 square miles. It has

four major branches (Main, Upper, Middle, and Lower) with 126 river miles and numerous

tributaries. In addition to the flowing water, there are more than 400 lakes, impoundments

and ponds. Wildlife that can be found in the Rouge River watershed includes various

amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, plants, and mammals. As more of the watershed becomes

developed or urbanized, fewer areas of wildlife habitat remain” (Friends of the Rouge, 2012).

Students will participate in the Rouge Education Program which serves to raise awareness of

the pollution caused by humans in the watershed. Students will test for up to nine chemical

factors, take part in a physical assessment of the river, and survey aquatic animals in the river.

Using their results, they will assess the health of the river at that spot. The students will learn

how the pollution affects the river ecosystem and the community around it.


Evaluate: Using the list of ecosystems compiled in the engage portion of the lesson, students

will compose an entry in their journals in which they choose one of the ecosystems (ocean,

freshwater, jungle, farm, forest, etc.) and describe the ecosystem. Students should think about

what kinds of living things exist there, as well as non-living things. They should also consider the

environmental factors that are necessary for the ecosystem. After describing the ecosystem,

students should write about what might happen if something was removed from the

ecosystem.


Observation Journals

Grade: Fourth

Concept: Local Ecosystems

Objectives:

Students will:

Observe and record factors in a local ecosystem

Use these observations to develop questions and conclusions about ecosystems


S.IP.04.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate

senses.

S.IP.04.12 Generate questions based on observations.

S.IA.04.13 Communicate and present findings of observations and investigations.






where they live.

Materials:

1. Paper

2. Nature

3. Writing implement


4. Computers

5. Poster board

Safety: None.

References:

Ecosystems: What's In My Corner of the Ecosystem? (n.d.). Lesson Plan #2. Retrieved from

United States Forest Service website:

http://na.fs.fed.us/ceredirect/jfr/lessonplan02.shtml

Robertson, A., & Mahlin, K. (2005). Ecosystem journalism. Science and Children, 43(3), 42-45.

Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/236895267?accountid=14578

Schoolyard and Urban Ecosystems. (2004). Retrieved from Michigan Department of

Environmental Quality, Michigan Tech website:

http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module10/index.htm

Engage:

The lesson will begin by asking students to define an ecosystem. Students may work

with another student to develop a thorough and accurate response. When students have a

working definition, the teacher should collect some and record them on the board. Then the

teacher will ask students to think about what kinds of things are in the ecosystem both inside

and outside of the classroom. What kinds of things live there? What non-living things are

important?

Explorable Question: What factors, living and non-living, are present in our school ecosystem?





Explore:

1. Students will be given approximately ten sheets of paper which they will staple together

to make a book. They will also decorate the covers with the words “observation journal”

and their names as they will leave their journals at school.

2. Then the teacher will ask the explorable question. The students should brainstorm in

their journals about what they think they might find in the ecosystem surrounding the

school.

3. Next, the class will go outside (if possible) and the students will pick an area to call their

observation spot. They will be instructed to use their senses to write in their journals

about their spots. They should take notice of the living things they see like squirrels or

birds or bugs or plants, as well as non-living things such as rocks and man-made

structures.

4. Students may write in journals or they may draw pictures. Students should have a

minimum of five written entries at the end of the unit.

5. For the duration of the unit, the students should visit their spots 2-3 times a week to

note seasonal/weather changes and any other meaningful observations.

6. Students should also record any questions or interesting ideas they have that they may

want answered or more information on.

7. Students should share observations with cooperative learning groups, as well the whole

class.


Explain:

Observations allow us to gain insight into many natural occurrences. Doing this activity

allows students to understand that there are many different types of ecosystems and within

those ecosystems are many different factors.

Southeastern Michigan has many unique ecosystems because of its many unique

features. This section of rolling hills and flat lake plains has been greatly modified by agricultural

and urban development. The Great Lakes have moderated the climate and provided fertile

soils. An ecosystem around a school is home to many diverse things. Most schools are home to

grass, dandelions, milkweed, clover, maple trees, oak trees, and pine trees, as well as planted

flowers and bushes. These things are all producers meaning that they create their own food

using photosynthesis. Common consumers in a school ecosystem include: chipmunks, squirrels,

raccoons, robins, starlings, crows, pigeons, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and crickets as well as

toads. School ecosystems may also be home to decomposers, which are harder to observe,

such as bacteria and fungus, as well as the earthworm. I will then pull up this website:

http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module10/title.htm which has pictures and information about

school yard ecosystems and what things may be found there. I’d pay particular attention to the

pyramid which shows how much energy certain groups of living things need to survive.

http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module10/title.htm


Extend:

At the end of the lesson (or unit) the students will create a classroom newspaper

detailing the happenings in the local ecosystem. To begin the extension, the teacher should

have many examples of newspapers so that students may gain ideas of what qualities a

newspaper needs. Students should have approximately 8-10 entries in their observation

journals at this point. They each choose an important or meaningful entry from their

observation journals that they would like to write a newspaper article about. When they have

all chosen their entries, they will visit the library to use computers to further research the living

and non-living things they have observed. Once they have gathered their research and they

have brainstormed about what they’d like to write about, students will each write an article for

the “School Ecosystem News.” Each article should include relevant science knowledge as well as

pertinent artwork. After writing their articles, students will gather in their science cooperative

learning groups to peer review each other’s articles. After all the articles have been written and


reviewed, the students should either, depending on time and resources, type them out or

neatly handwrite them and the teacher will put them together on pieces of large poster board

to hang in the hallway.

Evaluate:

Students will write a final entry in their observation journals in which they discuss the

changes that occurred in their observation spots. They also should focus on what things are

necessary for survival in the school ecosystem. What kinds of animals live there? What kinds of

plants? What kinds of non-living things are there? How do these things work together to create

an ecosystem? Lastly the students will write a paragraph describing the impact humans have

had on the school ecosystem. For example, what if the school had not been built or the area

around the school had not been disturbed? How would the ecosystem be different? Many

things have adapted to this new ecosystem so would they be able to function in the old one?

These types of questions should guide students’ responses.


Where Do Living Things Get Energy?

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Concept: Ecosystems, Food Webs

Objectives:

Students will:

Identify parts of a food web.

Determine the flow of energy throughout a food web, beginning with the

sun.

Understand the interdependence of the biotic factors within an ecosystem.



groups.

S.RS.04.11: Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances,

models, exhibits, and activities.

L.EC.E.1: Interactions- Organisms interact in various ways including providing food and



L.EC.04.11: Identify organisms as part of a food chain or food web.

Materials:

Cards featuring pictures of various local organisms (both animals and plants)

Arrow cards

Four different colored sets of paper/sticky notes to denote producers, primary

consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers

Safety: None.

References:


McGraw-Hill.


Invasive Species Committee. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2012, from U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service website:

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/greatlakes/invasives/index.htm#asiancarp

McShaffrey, D. (n.d.). Environmental Biology-Ecosystems. Retrieved from Marietta College

website: http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html

Zebra Mussel. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2012, from Great Lakes Science Center website:

http://www.glsc.usgs.gov/main.php?content=research_invasive_zebramussel&title=Inv

asive%20Invertebrates0&menu=research_invasive _invertebrates

Engage:

The lesson will begin with the question, “What did you eat for dinner last night?” I will

then write as many as possible responses on the board. These responses will begin our

discussion about the origins of our food and where humans fit in a food chain or food web. The

discussion will center on where we get energy, where the things we eat get energy, and so on,

which should eventually lead to the sun being the source of energy for all living things. The

discussion and instruction will lead to the explorable question, “How can we categorize the

things we eat?”

Explore:

Each student will be given enough sticky notes of each color to sort and categorize the

responses they generated in the engagement by plants or animals primarily. At this point, they

should have divided their list into plants and animals. They will be then encouraged to think


about where plants get energy or food from versus where animals get their energy or food

from. Do all animals eat other animals or do they eat plants? For example, if a student ate a

hamburger for dinner, where did that cow get its energy from? What did it have to eat to stay

alive? How did the lettuce on that hamburger get energy? Another example would be if a

student had eaten chicken which had eaten bugs. That would make the chicken secondary

consumers and humans, tertiary consumers. Students should begin to make these distinctions

(although without that vocabulary). As they begin to see that ecosystems are not just made up

of things that eat plants or things that eat animals, students should begin to divide their animal

list into two or three lists. They should also include humans on their animal list because we are

a part of the food chain. Students will be instructed to transfer their plant lists to green paper,

their herbivore list to blue paper, their carnivore list to red paper, and their herbivore list to

yellow paper. Students may not have all three lists but they should have at least two.

Then I will collect the all of the papers separately. There should be a large sample. Then

I will designate each student as one of the groups and give them each five pieces of paper from

that group. Each herbivore needs 3 plants to survive. Each carnivore needs 5 herbivores to

survive. One student will be a human who needs 3 plants and 5 animals to survive (for the

purposes of the game.) Then the students will be instructed that they will play a game to see

how much energy is needed for survival within an ecosystem. The students will be given three

minutes to collect as much energy as they can from their classmates. Whoever does not get

their necessary amount of energy dies. This serves to show students the interdependence

within an ecosystem and how much energy is really needed to sustain all forms of life. The

students should observe fairly quickly that without enough energy things die off rapidly.


Explain:

The sun gives energy to plants, which give energy to other organisms, which give energy to

other organisms. At this point I would show this lesson using the smart board on trophic levels

to the students: http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=7bc5e992-804d-413a-a1bf-

be7a3d24e19a. Once reaching that point, the topic will shift to the idea of producers and

consumers (trophic levels), with producers (autotrophs) being plants that receive their energy

directly from the sun, primary consumers (heterotrophs) being organisms that consume or eat

plants and secondary consumers being organisms that eat organisms that eat plants. Humans

may belong to any level of consumers, however they are generally secondary or tertiary

consumers depending on their diets. Decomposers are a special kind of consumers that get

energy from decomposing dead organic matter. Students should be able to identify the trophic

levels within their specific food chains by answering questions such as “What is an example of a

producer?” “Where do they get their energy?” “What are organisms that consume producers

called?”

Extend: What happens when organisms that don’t belong get involved?

To introduce students to the next lesson which will be on invasive species, I will ask

them to think about what might happen when something that isn’t native to an ecosystem

moves in. To tie in the Great Lakes ecosystem even more, I will pull up pictures of the Zebra

Mussel. The Zebra Mussel acts as a filter in the water. It can filter up to 1 gallon of water a day.

Doing this removes necessary organisms such as algae from the water. The clearer water allows

for aquatic plants to grow out of control which leads to problems for recreational users,

drinking water, and water intake pipes. The zebra mussel is impossible to eradicate without

http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=7bc5e992-804d-413a-a1bf-be7a3d24e19a

http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=7bc5e992-804d-413a-a1bf-be7a3d24e19a


wiping out the other living things in the water. This species is just one of the examples of

invasive species that can be found locally. Tying in the local aspect makes the concepts relevant

to the students. Important points of the conversation would be: have they ever visited the

Great Lakes, what kinds of living things did they see there, what would happen if these things

were wiped out by invasive species?

Evaluate:

“As organisms feed on one another they establish a web of relationships known as a

food web. One of the common features of such a complex set of interrelationships is that

natural communities are relatively stable. This stability allows us to identify and name various

kinds of communities”(Enger, Ross, and Bailey, 2010, page 333). Food webs show the

relationships between living things in a certain environment in relation to what they eat. These

environments are called communities and each community is unique with unique members,

both living and nonliving.

Students will be divided into groups of 4 to 5. Each group will be given a set of cards

which feature the sun, grass, local plants, local animals, and humans, along with cards with

arrows on them which will help show the flow of energy. Once each group has the necessary

materials, they will be instructed to determine the flow of energy throughout a local ecosystem

and demonstrate their knowledge by creating a food web from the given cards. The students

should create a food web with the animal cards and the arrow cards signifying the transfer of

energy. The instructor should observe each group and assess their understanding. The

instructor should ensure that each group has an accurate food web.


Earthworms: Invasive Species

Grade Level: Fourth Grade

Concept: Ecosystems: Invasive Species

Objectives:

Students will observe the characteristics of worms in their natural habitat.

Students will observe the effects of decomposition on an environment.

Students will observe and record data.

Students will identify characteristics of invasive species and the impact of them on an

ecosystem.

Time Frame: This lesson will take 3-4 days to complete. The compost box will be an even longer

process, possibly the length of a semester or school year.

Michigan Benchmarks:

S.IP.04.11: Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate

senses.

S.IP.04.12: Generate questions based on observations.

S.IP.04.13: Plan and conduct simple and fair investigations.


groups.

S.IA.04.13: Communicate and present findings of observations and investigations.

S.RS.04.18: Describe the effect humans and other organisms have on the balance of the

natural world.

S.IP.04.15 Make accurate measurements with appropriate units (millimeters,

centimeters, meters, milliliters, liters, Celsius, grams, seconds, minutes) for the

measurement tool.

S.IP.04.16 Construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations.






where they live.

L.EC.04.21: Explain how environmental changes can produce a change in the food web.

Materials:


Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin

Shovels

Magnifying glass

Box for composting

Leaves

Sand or soil

Fruit and vegetable scraps

Worms

Water

Beaker

Observation Journals

Internet Access

Poster board or large paper

Markers or crayons

Safety: Students should be instructed to handle the worms with respect and care.

Resources:

Common Earthworm. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2012, from National Geographic website:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/earthworm/

Composting With Worms. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2012, from Wisconsin Department of

Natural Resources website:

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/compost2.htm

Cronin, D. (2003). Diary of a worm. New York: Scholastic.

Earthworm. (2012). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/176371/earthworm



Holdsworth, A., Hale, C., & Frelich, L. (2003, March). Earthworms. Retrieved from Minnesota

Department of Natural Resources website:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/earthworms/index.html

Explorable Question: What do worms eat?

Engage: The lesson will begin with reading “Diary of a Worm.” The book is a fictional account of

the life of a worm and it discusses humorous events of a particular worm’s life. After reading

the story, I will ask students to think about what worms do for the earth, where they are found,

and what they have observed about worms. Students should think about worms in their natural

habitat and places they have seen worms before.

Explore:

1. Students will go outside to take a sample of local dirt. Each group of 4 students will dig

in an approximately 1 square foot area. They will count and record the number of

worms they find in their area.

2. We will return to the classroom and students will report the findings of their group.

Each student will then create a bar graph based on the data found by the whole class.

They should be instructed to think about how the number of worms in an area affects

the decomposition in that area.

3. Next, students will create a compost box for the classroom. They will be given soil or

sand for the first layer, then leaves or newspaper for the second layer. Then they should

add the worms into the box. They should record the number of worms that are added.

Next, the fruit and vegetable scraps should be added in around the perimeter of the box

and lastly, another layer of dirt/sand and leaves/newspaper should be added.


4. The compost box should have holes in the bottom so that it may drain. There should be

a bin or something underneath the box to catch the output from the worms.

5. Students should measure and record weekly the output from the compost box. They

should also make weekly entries in their observation journals about the state of the

compost box, such as the amount of food visible, what the worms are observed to be

doing, etc.

Explain: Worms are part of the food chain as decomposers. They break down dead and

decaying organic matter, such as plants and animals, in the ground and release nutrients into

the environment. Their food consists of decaying plants and other organisms; as they eat,

however, earthworms also ingest large amounts of soil, sand, and tiny pebbles. It has been

estimated that an earthworm ingests and disposes its own weight in food and soil every day.

“Earthworms occur in virtually all soils of the world in which the moisture and organic content

are sufficient to sustain them…Earthworms cannot see or hear, but they are sensitive to both

light and vibrations” (Earthworm, 2012).

Extend: However, most earthworms in the United States are invasive species, meaning they are

not native to the area. Earthworms were introduced to the land with the first European

Settlers. The first earthworms probably arrived with soils and plants brought from Europe.

Ships traveling to North America used rocks and soil as ballast which they dumped on shore as

they adjusted the ballast weight of the ship. During the late 1800's and early 1900's many

European settlers imported European plants that likely had earthworms or earthworm cocoons

in their soils. The Minnesota DNR states, “We have no evidence that earthworms ever


inhabited Minnesota before European settlement. Even if they did, the glaciers killed any native

North American earthworms in our region. For the last 11,000 years since the glaciers receded,

Minnesota ecosystems developed without earthworms.”

Because they are invasive species, the presence of earthworms has a serious effect on the

forest ecosystems found in states like Minnesota and Michigan. Earthworms are helpful to soil

health because they transport nutrients and minerals from below to the surface via their waste,

and their tunnels aerate the ground. However, “without worms, fallen leaves decompose

slowly, creating a spongy layer of organic "duff." This duff layer is the natural growing

environment for native woodland wildflowers. It also provides habitat for ground-dwelling

animals and helps prevent soil erosion.” The earthworms eat the “duff layer” and may get rid of

it completely. Some plants do not survive the invasion, while some may return some time later.

A heavy earthworm infestation may lead to soil erosion and degradation of nutrients.

Students will develop a plan to reduce the number of earthworms introduced to unnatural

environments. They will brainstorm ways worms may be brought into these environments, such

as fishing or dumping them or boats. They will then create a poster warning people of the

effects of earthworms and informing others of how earthworms have infiltrated into our

ecosystems. The posters should include data from the lesson, their observations, and the

compost box.

Evaluate: Earthworms provide food for a large variety of birds and other animals. Indirectly

they provide food for humans by assisting plant growth. Earthworms ventilate the soil,

stimulate drainage, and pull organic material into the ground, which accelerates the


decomposition of organic matter and produces more nutrition for growing plants. (Earthworms,

2012).

To assess their understanding, students should write an entry in the journals discussing what

would happen if worms were removed from an ecosystem. They should include both

advantages and disadvantages, as well as base their claims off data from the lesson.


Oh Deer

Grade Level: Fourth Grade

Concept: Ecosystems, Predator/Prey Relationships

Objectives:

Students will:

Use role-playing to understand the relationship between deer, their environment, and wolves

Create graphs based on their explorations

Observe the effects of an unbalanced ecosystem

GLCEs:

S.IA.04.11 Summarize information from charts and graphs to answer scientific questions.

S.RS.04.11 Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances, models, exhibits, and activities.

S.RS.04.15 Use evidence when communicating scientific ideas.

S.RS.04.18 Describe the effect humans and other organisms have on the balance of the natural world.

L.EC.E.1 Interactions- Organisms interact in various ways including providing food and shelter to one another. Some interactions are helpful; others are harmful to the organism and other organisms.

L.EC.04.21 Explain how environmental changes can produce a change in the food web.

Materials:

1. Paper 2. White boards and markers 3. Robin Hood story

Safety: None.

References:

Baldwin, J. (n.d.). A Story of Robin Hood. Retrieved from http://www.mainlesson.com/


display.php?author=baldwin&book=fifty&story=robin

Limiting Factors. (2012). Retrieved from New Hampshire Public Television website:

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep12a.htm

Parker, C. (1999). Oh Deer! Game Directions [Activity]. Retrieved from

http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/documents/313_01.pdf

Wild Wolves Good for Ecosystem. (2007, January 31). BBC News. Retrieved from

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6310211.stm

Engage:

Students need to think about how nature maintains equilibrium and what happens

when it is disturbed. I will ask them, “What would happen if a population got too big?” Can a

population keep growing forever? What does this population need to survive? Will there be

enough of those things if the population gets too big? What things in nature help to control

populations? That question should help to direct their thoughts to prey. At this point, students

should understand that some animals eat other animals to survive.

Explorable Question: How does the number of prey (wolves) affect the balance of an

ecosystem?

Explore:

1. Students will be split into three (not necessarily equal) groups: resources (food, shelter,

and water), deer, and wolves. Start out with fewer wolves than deer. Each deer and wolf

will represent 100 deer and wolves and each resource will represent ten plants.

2. Each student will be given a tag with their group on it.

3. You will need a large space for this so going outside or using the gym may be necessary.




4. Mark two lines on the ground 20 yards apart. Have the deer group stand at one side

with their backs to the other group. Have the resource group stand at the other end.

Place the wolf group in the middle, off to the side.

5. Explain that the deer need to find food, water, and shelter in order to survive in their

environment. If they don’t, they will die. They must also make it past the wolves to get

to the resources they need.

6. Give students one minute to make it from the deer side to the resource side. To get the

resources, the deer must get the tag from that person. For the wolves to get the deer,

they should get the deer tag from them. At the end of each round each person who lost

their tag must switch teams. Resources that lost their tag move to the deer team. Deer

that lost their tag move to the wolf team. Deer that did not get resources or get “eaten”

by the wolves become resources because they have died. Wolves that did not get a deer

have also died and become deer.

7. At the end of each round, record the number in each group. The game should have 10-

15 rounds to gain accurate data.

8. After the game is completed, return to the classroom and place the data where all

students can see it. Have students create a graph using the deer and wolf data for each

round.

Explain:

Begin by asking students what happened when there were a lot of wolves. The deer

population significantly decreased. What happened when there were a lot of deer but not


many wolves? The deer population increased. What happened when there were not enough

resources for the deer? The deer population decreased.

In nature, the availability of food, water, shelter and space can change animal and

plant populations. “Other limiting factors like competition for resources, predation and disease

can also impact populations. If any of the limiting factors change, animal and plant populations

change, too” (Limiting Factors, 2012). Increases in populations may also occur, such as if there

are more plants (resources) for one particular species. As we’ve seen with the food webs, if one

population increases, the animal that gets its energy from that population might also increase.

However, increases aren't always good as sometimes a population will grow too large for the

environment. Predator/prey relationships have a large responsibility for affecting populations.

If the balance between predator and prey is changed, populations are changed. “The white-

tailed deer population in some areas has grown too large because there are no natural

predators. Mountain lions and wolves are the natural predators of the white-tailed deer. Wolf

and mountain lion populations have been lowered due to over-hunting and habitat loss. This

loss of a natural predator for the white-tailed deer, along with other factors, has led to

overpopulation of the white-tailed deer in some areas” (Limiting Factors, 2012).

After explaining this to students, I would have them read from the Idaho Public

Television Website: http://idahoptv.org/dialogue4kids/season4/prey/facts.cfm. This website

explains the relationships between predators and prey and also shows how animals may

sometimes be both in nature. Predators are necessary to all ecosystems but an over population

or under population may be detrimental to the ecosystem.

http://idahoptv.org/dialogue4kids/season4/prey/facts.cfm


Extend:

Students will begin by reading the story of Robin Hood found here:

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=baldwin&book=fifty&story=robin. In this

story, Robin Hood hid in Sherwood Forest. He roamed among the trees and hunted deer.

Wolves used to be plentiful within the real Sherwood Forest in England. However, due

to hunting and deforestation or a lack of necessary resources, the wolf population has been

nearly entirely eliminated. When the wolf population was eradicated, the deer population in

the forest increased significantly. When the deer population increased, the population of plants

decreased significantly. Deer eat all of the plants and saplings of trees, making it difficult for

these plants to reproduce and replenish the forest. Many people have called for the wolves to

be reintroduced into this area in order to control the deer population. These people believe

that allowing wolves back into the forest will reduce the deer population which will increase the

plant and tree population which will allow the forest to be replenished, maybe to what it was

thought to look like in Robin Hood’s lifetime.

Although Robin Hood may be a fictional story, Sherwood Forest is a real place with a

real ecosystem that is facing real problems. Many of the trees in the forest are hundreds of

years old and many of them are unable to reproduce due to the large numbers of deer. Discuss

with students the necessity for all members of the ecosystem. Why are predators necessary to

maintain any ecosystem?

Evaluate: Students will have completed graphs based on their exploration in the “Oh Deer”

game. I will give them a random number of wolves and/or deer and they will determine how

many of the opposite group there would be based on their data.

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=baldwin&book=fifty&story=robin


Then students will write a story in which Robin Hood lives today in modern Sherwood Forest.

How would his life be different? How would the forest look different to him? How would that

affect the story? What could Robin Hood do to fix the forest? They will be evaluated on

creativity, along with use of information and knowledge from the lesson and application of that

knowledge to solve the problem.


Resource List: Ecosystems

Albert, Dennis A. (1995). Regional landscape ecosystems of Michigan, Minnesota, and

Wisconsin: a working map and classification. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station. St. Paul, MN.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/habitat/rlandscp/index.htm

This resource, from the United States Geological Survey, features information about the

specific characteristics of Michigan’s many ecosystems, including vegetation, animals,

soils, rocks, and climate.

Baldwin, J. (n.d.). A Story of Robin Hood. Retrieved from http://www.mainlesson.com/

display.php?author=baldwin&book=fifty&story=robin

This story was used to tie in ELA concepts to the lesson about predation in forests.

Students will read the story then use the ideas to tie in concepts from the lesson.

Common Earthworm. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2012, from National Geographic website:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/earthworm/

This is resource for information about earthworms.

Composting With Worms. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2012, from Wisconsin Department of

Natural Resources website:


This website offers information on how to compost with worms. It specifically tells you

how to construct your composting bin.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/habitat/rlandscp/index.htm



Cronin, D. (2003). Diary of a worm. New York: Scholastic.

I used this trade book to engage students in my lesson on worms. While it is fictional

and embellished, it helps students to think about the life of worms.

Earthworm. (2012). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from


This is a definition of an earthworm from an encyclopedia.

Ecosystem. (2012). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://britannica.com

This is the definition of an ecosystem from an encyclopedia, used for the explanation of

an ecosystem.

Ecosystems: What's In My Corner of the Ecosystem? (n.d.). Lesson Plan #2. Retrieved from

United States Forest Service website:


This lesson plan helped to outline my plan on observation journals. While I did not use it

explicitly, it helped me to think about how to make observation journals more than just

writing things down.


McGraw-Hill.


http://britannica.com/



This is a textbook utilized in NSCI 233. It features an extensive amount of information

about ecosystems, communities and the connections between them which will be the

focus of my lessons.

Friends of the Rouge. (n.d.). Friends of the Rouge: Rouge in the Classroom [Organization].

Retrieved from http://therouge.org

Friends of the Rouge is an organization that provides information, resources, and hands

on experiences in the process of commitment to cleaning up the Rouge River. I’d like to

use them as a resource and hypothetically, as a field trip or use their Rouge in the

Classroom program in which a representative from the organization visits the classroom

and teaches about the Rouge Watershed.

Invasive Species Committee. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2012, from U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service website: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/greatlakes/invasives/index

The invasive species committee offers information about the threats of present invasive

species and the possible threats of others. I used this in my worm lesson plan to discuss

invasive species in the Great Lakes.

Kallen, S. A. (2004). Ecosystems: Life In a Pond. Kid Haven Press.

Life in a Pond examines the habitat that ponds provide for thousands of species of

plants and animals and how human activities are affecting their existence. This is a

children’s reference book that could be used for their exploration and understanding.

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/greatlakes/invasives/index


There are also other books in this series that may be helpful that I have not yet

explored.

Leager, C. R. (2007). Ecosystem in a jar. Science and Children, 44(8), 56-58. Retrieved from


This lesson plan, written in the five E format involves having students create an

ecosystem in a jar (or container.) The students will observe the interrelatedness of

ecosystems within the confines of a classroom.

Limiting Factors. (2012). Retrieved from New Hampshire Public Television website:

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep12a.htm

I used this article as a resource to describe how populations within an ecosystem are

dependent on each other for control of their size.

McShaffrey, D. (n.d.). Environmental Biology-Ecosystems. Retrieved from Marietta College

website: http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html

This page has information about the basic ideas of ecosystems, along with information

and graphics about how energy flows through an ecosystem, along with food chains.

Parker, C. (1999). Oh Deer! Game Directions [Activity]. Retrieved from


I adapted this game to fit into my “Oh Deer” lesson. I used these guidelines as a general

idea and built from there.




Robertson, A., & Mahlin, K. (2005). Ecosystem journalism. Science and Children, 43(3), 42-45.

Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/236895267?accountid=14578

a. This article features an activity in which students would create a newspaper at

the end of a unit on ecosystems. The newspaper, or final product, would be used

as an assessment of understanding. I chose this because the activity forces the

lessons on ecosystems to be relevant to students’ lives and their interests and

also because it was cross curricular in that it combined science and ELA content.

Science and Technology: Ecosystems. (n.d.). Retrieved from Environmental Protection Agency

website: http://www.epa.gov/gateway/science/ecosystems.html

b. The EPA provides resources and information about ecosystems and protecting

and assessing their health.

Schoolyard and Urban Ecosystems. (2004). Retrieved from Michigan Department of

Environmental Quality, Michigan Tech website:


c. This website offers student-friendly information about local animals and plants. I

used it as both a reference for myself and as a website I could have students visit

to learn more information.

Wild Wolves Good for Ecosystem. (2007, January 31). BBC News. Retrieved from






d. This article explains why wolves are needed in forests. In much of England,

wolves have been hunted to extinction and therefore the deer population has

been growing quickly which limits the growth of the forest.

Zebra Mussel. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2012, from Great Lakes Science Center website:

http://www.glsc.usgs.gov/main.php?content=research_invasive_zebramussel&title=Inv

asive%20Invertebrates0&menu=research_invasive _invertebrates

e. I used this resource in my lesson on invasive species to talk about local invasive

species, specifically the zebra mussel which is a large problem in the Great Lakes.

kaitlyn lupro - university of michigan · concepts in biology (14th ed.). new york: mcgraw-hill....

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