5.3.1 - Construct an Explanation that plants use air, water, and energy from sunlight to produce matter needed for growth.
A Plant Puzzle - Readworks Story
What do Plants Need to Live and Grow - Nearpod
How Does a Seed Become a Plant - Video
GSD Model Lesson - Seed to Plant - Link
Mystery Science - What do plants eat?
For the explore section of the lesson, if you want to grow seeds in a bag, both radish seeds and pinto beans work well, and grow fairly quickly. Be sure the paper towels that students use are not too wet. The biggest problem with starting seeds in a bag is mold on the seeds. It takes around between 2 - 5 days for these seeds to start germinating. Consider letting students keep their ziploc bags at their desks. You can actually see the size of the roots and shoots changing over the course of a school day. For the elaborate section, the Mystery Science lesson includes a more complex balloon balance. Sometimes this balance does not seem to work very well. I think that the system they use with binder clips may have too much friction to get the balance to move when the air is removed from the balloons. If you want to give it a try, go for it. We were able to get it to work at home in an area with no air blowing, but not in a school gymnasium that had fans going.
5.3.1 - Photosynthesis - Emphasize at the conceptual level - plant matter mostly comes from air & water - not soil.
How Plants Make Food - Literacy
Photosynthesis Nearpod
Crash Course - Look Who's Talking?
Where do trees get their mass - video - show at the end of the lesson
This lesson requires no extra supplies as the lab in the explore phase of the lesson is a virtual lab.
In class students may want to change conditions for their seeds grown in a bag. Students could tape their bags to a window that receives direct sunlight. After learning about how soil provides nutrients for growing plants, students may want to try to keep their plants growing in soil. You could plan for students to replant their seeds in a cup of soil.
5.3.2 - Animals obtain energy and matter from the food they eat for body repair, growth, and motion to maintain body warmth. Energy used by animals was once energy from the sun.
Read Works Article - Warm-Blooded and Cold-Blooded Animals
Can use a pill bugs investigation for this unit.
Energy Machine Video Link - Compares energy we get from different foods
This lesson can easily be used with in-class students. Consider printing the data set and letting students analyze the data with a partner as a way to get them talking about patterns, and to make data analysis more engaging. Students could also work together during Part 4, the elaborate section of the lesson. Have students record the food eaten by one group member and create a poster style model for how that food’s energy originally came from the Sun.
Animals Eating Compilation from the Oakland Zoo Video Link
Another option for this research project would be to allow students to work with a partner and create a poster to share how their animal uses food for growth, body repair, movement, and to maintain its body temperature.
5.3.3 - Develop and use a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. Emphasize matter cycles between the air and soil among plants, animals, and microbes as they organisms live and die.
Newsela Article - Animals Losing Fear as Predators Disappear
Newsela Article - Changes in West Coast Waters Lead to Sea Lion Pups Going Hungry
Brainpop Food Chain Video Link
Backyard Food Chain Interactive Link
Wildlife Foodchain Interactive Link
Week 30 - This lesson is an introduction to the standard so the lesson assessment is only an exit ticket.
Week 30 Adapted from Mystery Science - Why would a hawk move to New York City? - Awesome hands-on activity in this lesson to do with in class students. More engaging way to build food chains.
Week 31 - DK Find Out Interactive - Rotting Log
Sci Show Kids - Make the Most of Compose Video Link
Literacy - How Do Compost Piles Work?
A Teacher's Guide to Composting
Mystery Science - Do Worms Really Eat Dirt?
GSD Model Lesson Link - Disappearing Apples
Mystery Science - Where Do Fallen Leaves Go?
For in class learners, you may want to look at these lessons for ideas and extensions. **If you have students put an apple slice in a ziploc bag, this may take at least a month for the apple slice to have noticeable changes (become squishy). Consider collecting students’ bags and apples and keeping them in a cupboard. Have students make observations every few weeks. It can be helpful to set this up before teaching this lesson (which is probably something to keep in mind for the future). **You can also have students grow mold on slices of bread in the classroom. This works best with bread from a bakery. Mold should grow within 5 days. **Finally, when students develop models of a rotting apple, have them share and compare with classmates. This is a great way for them to discuss their thinking and gather ideas from classmates.
Week 32 - Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
DK Find Out Interactive - Food Chains
What is a Food Chain Video Link
Read Works Article - Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
For the final assessment, consider having students draw a model on a piece of paper and then explain their model on Flipgrid, instead of a typed explanation.
Mystery Science - Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?
Great lesson to use after students learn about food chains. Goes farther into food webs & students use a food web they create to figure out why some animals survived while dinosaurs went extinct based on feeding patterns.
**The final assessment is based off of the assessment in the GSD Model Lesson: Moving Matter. Click here (Links to an external site.) for a Google Doc version of the assessment to use with in class learners.
GSD Model Lesson: Moving Matter Link
This lesson includes printable desert food chain cards for students to sort. The lesson also shares strategies for having students develop their own model of the zebra and lion in the beginning of the lesson and revise it throughout. Consider using the resources in the GSD Model lesson with your in class learners.