1st Nine Weeks- Consult the 3rd Grade Science Curriculum Map for specific details.
The 3rd Grade Science Curriculum Map outlines the following information:
Recommended pacing, scope, and sequence for each unit.
Alignment with standards, conceptual understandings, and performance indicators
Links to Unit Concept Storyboard Maps, Content and SEP Support Documents, and Curriculum Guides
Details for Evidence of Understanding, Essential Learning Experiences, and Suggested Learning Engagements
Where appropriate, alignment with specific FOSS, DSM, GEMS, and STC kit Activities and Investigations
3.L.5A The characteristics of an environment (including physical characteristics, temperature, availability of resources, or the kinds and numbers of organisms present) influence the diversity of organisms that live there. Organisms can survive only in environments where their basic needs are met. All organisms need energy to live and grow. This energy is obtained from food. The role an organism serves in an ecosystem can be described by the way in which it gets its energy.
3.L.5A.1 Analyze and interpret data about the characteristics of environments (including salt and fresh water, deserts, grasslands, forests, rain forests, and polar lands) to describe how the environment supports a variety of organisms.
3.L.5A.2 Develop and use a food chain model to classify organisms as producers, consumers, and decomposers and to describe how organisms obtain energy.
3.L.5B When the environment or habitat changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce, some move to new locations, and some die. Fossils can be used to infer characteristics of environments from long ago.
3.L.5B.1 Obtain and communicate information to explain how changes in habitats (such as those that occur naturally or those caused by organisms) can be beneficial or harmful to the organisms that live there.
3.L.5B.2 Develop and use models to explain how changes in a habitat cause plants and animals to respond in different ways (such as hibernating, migrating, responding to light, death, or extinction).
3.L.5B.3 Construct scientific arguments using evidence from fossils of plants and animals that lived long ago to infer the characteristics of early environments.
This indicator can be addressed in this unit or in Unit 2: Exploring the Earth’s Materials and Resources.
See Science Standards Content Vertical Articulation Chart
Students will gather data from observations (direct and indirect) and research about different environments in order to describe how the characteristics of the environment support the organisms that live there.
Students will use information from various sources to develop food chain models to classify organisms and describe how energy is transferred in an ecosystem.
Students will gather data from observations (direct and indirect) and research to construct explanations for how changes in habitats can be both helpful and harmful to the organisms that live there.
Students will use information from various sources to develop models that illustrate how plants and animals respond to changes in their environment.
Students will use evidence from observations of fossils to construct arguments about the environments in which their fossils once lived.
This learning goal can be addressed in this unit or in Unit 2: Exploring the Earth’s Materials and Resources.
Analyze and Interpret Data- SEP Support Document
Develop and Use Models- SEP Support Document
Obtain and Communicate Information- SEP Support Document
Construct Arguments- SEP Support Document
Environments- Essential Knowledge Support Document
Food Chains- Essential Knowledge Support Document
Changes in Habitats- Essential Knowledge Support Document
Plant and Animal Responses- Essential Knowledge Support Document
Fossils- Essential Knowledge Support Document
This link will take you to a print-friendly version of the science concept storyboard.
It is ESSENTIAL that students gather data through observations and research about the characteristics of a habitat (can be assigned or selected by the student), what lives there, how they interact, and how organisms respond to changes in their habitat.
Plants and animal observations are ESSENTIAL to this unit. This data can be collected in a variety of ways, including:
Direct observations of live organisms from kits.
Direct observations of classroom organisms in habitats.
Constructing and observing a terrarium.
Field studies (on or off campus)
Observations of organisms at home/in neighborhood.
Observations of organisms in their natural habitats using videos (no sound- just observations)
How do environments impact the organisms that live there?
Why do different organisms live where they live?
How do plants and animals get the energy they need to survive?
Who eats whom?
How do changes in habitats affect the things living there?
How do we know what life was like millions of years ago?
How do we know what the environment was like millions of years ago?
Habitat
Ecosystem
Environment
Organism
Saltwater
Freshwater
Forest
Desert
Grassland
Rainforest
Polar Lands
Food Chain
Consumer
Producer
Decomposer
Hibernation
Migration
Extinction
Fossil
Structures of Life (FOSS Kit) Investigations 3 and 4
Oceans (DSM Kit) Investigations 10, 11, 12 (5th grade kit)
Pearson SC Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 5
Lesson 1 (3.L.5A.1)
QuickLab pg.187 could be modified as students build different types of habitats
Lesson 1 fails to meet all parts of 3.L.5A (does not include details for all environments, content needs to be supplement in order for standard to be fully met, see resources below)
Lesson 2 (3.L.5A.2)
QuickLab pg. 197--Great intro to transfer of energy from one organism to another
Students need more experiences developing food chain models than this lesson provides
Knowledge of food webs on page 202-203 is not essential knowledge but an extension beyond this indicator
Lesson 3 (3.L.5B.1, 3.L.5B.2)
Quick Lab pg 207- Great intro to pollution's effect on organisms but students need further experience obtaining and communicating this information
The information in this lesson is can be used as a good introduction to these two indicators but students need further experiences obtaining the info required of these indicators-- one possible activity to supplement is to have students research and report on different changes and the way in which organisms respond.
Lesson 4 (3.L.5B.3)
Quick Lab on pg 213- Intro to the look of fossils and how they are formed
In order to meet the SEP tied to this indicator students should be given the opportunity to observe different fossil samples (real or teacher created) in order to gather evidence and state claims based on their observations.
Lab Investigation pg. 218(3.L.5B.2)
Lab helps students understand how animal behavior changes when the environment changes but not how plants respond to changes in their environment
AIMS Activities: 2005 SC Science AIMS 3rd Grade Life Science w/ coinciding 2014 SC Science Standards
Food Chain (3.L.5A.2)
Chain Games (3.L.5A.2)
Sea Food (3.L.5A.2)---Extension into Food Webs
The Board of Change(3.L.5B.1, 3.L.5B.2)
Habitat Changes (3.L.5B.1, 3.L.5B.2)
Mealworm Moments, pt. 1 (3.L.5B.1, 3.L.5B.2)
Mealworm Moments, pt. 2 (3.L.5B.1, 3.L.5B.2)
Can You Dig It? (3.L.5B.3) 3rd Grade Earth Science AIMS book
“Leaf” a Lasting Impression (3.L.5B.3) 3rd Grade Earth Science AIMS book
Coordinating a Record of the Past (3.L.5B.3) 3rd Grade Earth Science AIMS book
Rock Recordings (3.L.5B.3) 3rd Grade Earth Science AIMS book
The Antarctic Food Chain (3.L.5A.2)
This lesson introduces students to the animals of Antarctica and to the Antarctic food chain. Students will draw pictures of a variety of animals and attach the pictures to a wall collage (be sure to set aside some space on one of the classroom walls). They will then listen to or read statements about each animal's diet and draw arrows to show which animals eat which. Students will end up with a food web that illustrates the importance of krill to the Antarctic ecosystem.
“Oh Deer” (3.L.5B.1)
This lesson simulates a deer habitat as a whole-class activity where students see how the availability of resources and changes to those resources impact a deer population.
Elementary Ecosystems (3.L.5B.1, 3.L.5B.2)
This lesson teaches students the basics of species inter-dependency within an ecosystem or habitat. Students will perform a simple simulation to see how one species can affect many others, and gain a basic understanding of the importance of biodiversity. You may want to define and use the word "ecosystem" in the lesson.
Teacher Note: This activity can be done in conjunction with a food web/food chain activity where the students first develop a food web model then they enact the activity where students assume different roles within the food web to see how they are interdependent upon one another.
Fist to five
Turn & Talk
Think/Pair share
Vocabulary Smart Cards Games
Exit Slip (could use the questions on the back of the Pearson SC Interactive Science Vocab cards as a formative assessment for students)
2 New, 1 knew
Whiteboard quick checks (verbal questions or questions written in a presentation)
Kahoot or Google Form
Name that environment
Consumer, producer, decomposer?
Lab Investigation ‘How do earthworms meet their needs in a model of an ecosystem?’
Pearson SC Interactive Science Textbook: “Got It” Section at the end of each lesson
South Carolina Test Practice, end of chapter, does not address 3.L.5A.1
Research project (individual or group)
Student choice --include animal(s), habitat, climate, food chain, plant life
Habitats (3.L.5A.1)
This link will take you to the Smithsonian Science Education Center's Habitats App. This short, interactive activity involves students making inferences about different animals and selecting one of four habitats to place them in. While the activity itself is fairly simple, once placed, there is a link that will take you to more information about the animal, including information about how it is adapted for its habitat, including images and video clips.
Missouri Botanical Garden Biomes and Ecosystems Webpage (3.L.5A.1)
This website provides background information about a wide array of biomes and habitats, including the plants and animals that live in them, as well as the different abiotic factors that impact the organisms there. This can serve as a resource for students when conducting research into different habitats and ecosystems.
Wild Finder (3.L.5A.1)
This World Wildlife Federation website lets you search for different ecosystems and different animals and see what regions they live in and what other animals live with them.
Biome/Habitat Resource (3.L.5A.1)
This website is part of All About Nature and Enchanted Learning and has many links to resources about different habitats and biomes and the plants and animals within them. As with any resource, be sure to preview any materials before incorporating them into the learning experience.
Study Jams (video resources)
Flocabulary
Enchanted learning- from this main page you can access information/activities/quizzes pertaining to each environment
Skwirk Videos- Types of environments
Animal Cams
Explore Live Cams- This page is home to a few dozen live cams of many different habitats and animals.
San Diego Zoo - This is the home page for the animal cams at san diego zoo
National Geographic Video Resource:
As with any video resource, teachers should carefully preview and vet any videos before showing them to students.