6.L.2.3+Ecosystems+&+Biomes

Science 6.L.2.3


 * Lesson 1: I can describe various organisms found within a microhabitat. **

1. Engage: Read aloud the story of [|__S. T. Shrew__] Complete the enrichment activity regarding writing a new story for Jackie’s next adventure using Save the Last Word for Me reading strategy with a partner.

2. Introduce(Review from 5th grade) the following vocabulary words using vocabulary cubes: Producer Consumer Decomposer Competition Symbiosis Parasitism Food Chain Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore


 * Lesson 2: I can describe how energy is transferred between a food chain and a food web. **

1. Review from previous day. Share stories in small groups. If someone wants to present to class, allow time.

2. Quiz-Quiz trade vocabulary review

3. Science Notebook entry: Explore: __ [|Oh Deer!] __


 * Lesson 3: I can describe how energy is transferred between a food chain and a food web. **

1. Explain: Round Write Robin (students write the questions in their science notebooks and pass their notebook to the next person to answer. They discuss after each question and make adjustments to the response as necessary): What do animals need to survive? How do these components influence carrying capacity? What are some “limiting factors” that affect the survival of animals? How do factors that limit carrying capacity affect the health, numbers, and distribution of animals? How do these factors affect competition within a species? Why is good habitat important for animals? Are wildlife populations static, or do they tend to fluctuate as part of an overall “balance” of nature? Is nature ever really in “balance” or are ecological systems involved in a process of constant change?

2. Elaborate: Play: [|__The Food Chain Game__]


 * Lesson 4: ** **I can describe various ways that organisms adapt for survival purposes.**

1. Round Write Robin Science notebook entry on Food Chains/Webs (Students begin with an organism in a food web and sketch into their own science notebook. Students pass the notebooks around the table adding to each others notebooks & food webs/chains each time in the time allowed. Which group can include the most organisms?)

2. Discuss what adaptation means.

3. [|__Adaptation Artistry__]

4. Present projects


 * Lesson 5: I can describe how biomes affect the ability of organisms to grow, survive and/or create their own food. **

1. Read article regarding Biomes of the world (edhelper, Science A-Z, CK-12, etc.)

2. Introduce & Begin Biomes of the World project:

__Biomes included:__ Freshwater Freshwater wetlands Coral Reef Marine Estuaries Desert Rainforest Taiga Savanna Temperate Forest Chaparral Alpine Grassland Tundra

Great website resources:

[|__University of California Biomes Website__] [|__Radford University Biomes of the World__] [|__Kids Do Ecology World Biomes Website__] [|__Blue Planet Biomes__] [|__NASA BIOMES__] [|__Earth's Floor Biomes Page__] [|__Plant adaptations within the Biomes__]

[|__http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/__]

[|__http://www.mbgnet.net/__]

[|__http://www.longmeadow.k12.ma.us/wms/pages1/renius/biome.html__]

[|__http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=161__]

[|__http://emints.savannahr3.com/hbeatty/biomeswebquest/evaluation.html__]

[|__http://education.indiana.edu/Portals/435/StudentSamples/Elementary1/Unit%20Plan%20Biomes.pdf__]

[|__http://www.qcteach.org/lessonplans_science__]

[|__http://www.mysciencebox.org/ecology__]

[|__http://www.kidsknowit.com/interactive-educational-movies/free-online-movies.php?movie=biomes__]

1. Watch a Brainpop video on selected biome (Taiga, Desert, Tundra, Rainforest, Savannah, Ocean)
 * Lesson 6: **

2. Continue Biomes of the world project

3. Present Projects


 * Lesson 7: **

1. FInish presenting projects

2. Complete [|__Habitat Pen Pals__] as an assessment. Each student should pick an animal from their biome. The purpose is to accurately portray their biome. Other students will then try to guess appropriately which biome the letters are written about. (After writing take up papers without names and teacher distributes so that no one knows who wrote the paper)

** Unit Vocabulary List: ** -Abiotic:a nonliving organism -Biotic: a nonliving organism -Ecosystem: a community of interacting organisms -Habitat: a specific place where organisms live -Population: a group made up of only one kind of plant or animal -Community: all the plants and animals that live in the same area -Ecosystem: a community of interacting organisms -Organism: a living thing -Producer: living things that get energy from the sun and make (produce) food -Consumer: living things that eat (consume) food to get energy (ex: animals) -Decomposer: recyclers of the environment. Change dead organisms into chemicals that plants need to make food. -Biosphere -Herbivore: only eat plants -Carnivore: only eat other animals -Omnivore: eat plants and animals -Food chain: shows that organisms need each other to survive; always begins with a producer (plant). -Food web: food chains that work together and overlap -Energy pyramid: -Carrying capacity -Prey: an animal that is eaten -Predator: catches and eats another animal -Limiting factors -Symbiosis -Mutualism -Commensalism -Parasitism -Competition: organisms compete for the same food -Predation