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Grade 4: Life Systems
Grade 4: Life Systems
Habitats & Communities
Habitats & Communities
For PDSB Educators: if you are looking to reach out to the Peel Field Centres for further ways to connect your learning to the environment visit the PDSB Field Centre Share Point site.
For PDSB Educators: if you are looking to reach out to the Peel Field Centres for further ways to connect your learning to the environment visit the PDSB Field Centre Share Point site.
Nature Journaler: @billiejooutdoors
Nature Journaling: I Notice..., I Wonder...?, It Reminds me of...
Nature Journaling: I Notice..., I Wonder...?, It Reminds me of...
Nature journaling is an incredible way for students to observe the habitats in their school yard and community. The nature journal allows them to write/draw their observations helping to cement the concepts being taught.
Nature journaling is an incredible way for students to observe the habitats in their school yard and community. The nature journal allows them to write/draw their observations helping to cement the concepts being taught.
At this age all three prompts "I notice..., I wonder...?, and "It reminds me of..." become very intuitive. However the last statement becomes very important for connection making. Encourage students to begin writing using single words, simple sentences, lists, point form, paragraphs etc.. Please note that spelling is not a focus in the nature journal. At this age you may start to see art fears - please ensure you are re-iterating it is not about a pretty picture. It is about their observations. Please see the link feedback at the bottom of this lesson for tips on this. Using words, pictures and numbers allows the students multiple tools to document their observations. With permission Bethan Burton has allowed us to link to her website as she has written a blog post for Teaching nature journaling at all ages.
At this age all three prompts "I notice..., I wonder...?, and "It reminds me of..." become very intuitive. However the last statement becomes very important for connection making. Encourage students to begin writing using single words, simple sentences, lists, point form, paragraphs etc.. Please note that spelling is not a focus in the nature journal. At this age you may start to see art fears - please ensure you are re-iterating it is not about a pretty picture. It is about their observations. Please see the link feedback at the bottom of this lesson for tips on this. Using words, pictures and numbers allows the students multiple tools to document their observations. With permission Bethan Burton has allowed us to link to her website as she has written a blog post for Teaching nature journaling at all ages.
Here are some more ideas to get you started.
Engage the fives senses (whenever possible)
Make leaf prints ( paint the leaf and press the print into the journal)
Make leaf rubbings
Trace the items they are looking at
Add leaves into the journal using tape
Count the birds/squirrels/insects etc.
Measure as much of the phenomena as the students can using non standard and standard units of measurement.
Here is a downloadable lesson from John (Jack) Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren book: How to Teach Nature Journaling. All resources shared with permission. "I Notice..., I Wonder...?, It Reminds me of..."
GIVING FEEDBACK here is a fantastic resource from Jack and Emilie
NOTE: You are encourage to spend time in the outdoors Nature Journaling. However, you can also bring nature inside, look out your wonder window, have a refrigerator Safari or even observe a house plant or pet.
Forest Fires
Forest Fires
THIS ACTIVITY WILL TAKE PLACE OVER SEVERAL DAYS
THIS ACTIVITY WILL TAKE PLACE OVER SEVERAL DAYS
When most individuals think about forest fires they immediately think about all the destruction and loss of life. However, have you ever considered that on some scale forest fires are beneficial to the environment and the animals that live there? In this activity we are going to explore this concept.
When most individuals think about forest fires they immediately think about all the destruction and loss of life. However, have you ever considered that on some scale forest fires are beneficial to the environment and the animals that live there? In this activity we are going to explore this concept.
Step #1:
Step #1:
Watch the video to the left titled "Why Natural Wildfires are Necessary"
Make note of how the fires are beneficial to a habitat
Step #2:
Step #2:
Look at the following website and see where fires are currently burning in Ontario during the fire season (Spring to Fall). Click on the interactive map to see how many are active, new and have been put out. In the tool section along the top of the map there is a fire icon. Click on that and a tabbed menu will come up under the map. Here you will be able to see all the fires, the regions they are in, the status and how big they are.
Are you surprised by the number of fires that are burning? Why/Why Not? If you are doing this activity in the winter scroll to the bottom of the main page to see how many fires Ontario had the previous fire season and what the 10 year average is.
Step #3:
Step #3:
- Research the following items;
Can there be different types of forest fires?
How do fires benefit habitats? Look at plants, soils, insects and wildlife.
What is a prescribed burn and why are they used?
- The following websites will help with your research;
Fire Behaviour - Canadian Government
Fire Ecology - Canadian Government
Fire Management - Canadian Government
Step #4:
Step #4:
Read about the following species that have adaptations for forest fires;
Any others you come across
Step #5:
Step #5:
Even though there are many benefits to forest fires , they are still very dangerous and can cause massive destruction if they get too big and out of control. Canada has had its fair share of devastation due to forest fires. Read this article as it outlines the worst fires from the last two decades.
Step #6:
Step #6:
Create your own species that has structural adaptations to either survive a forest fire or that requires it for its survival. This is where you can get as creative as you would like. Here are some ideas but again you can use whatever you would like.
Draw/paint
Sculpt with clay/Play-Doh
Use recycled materials
Anything else you can think of
Once you are finished with your art project either write a description or create a short video of your new species include the following information; name, habitat, adaptations, life cycle, food and any other cool facts. Take a look at the PBS Video "Deep Look - Daddy Longlegs" for some inspiration.
NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.
Planting - Habitat
Planting - Habitat
You will need to use the PDSB BYOD Library or other sources to help with this activity.
You will need to use the PDSB BYOD Library or other sources to help with this activity.
Humans rely heavily on plant habitats to purify the air and water, for food, clothing, building materials and medicine. Humans continue to destroy those habitats around us, pushing us to have greater dependence on other countries for these products. If we focus on food alone is there a way our country can become self sufficient at this?
Humans rely heavily on plant habitats to purify the air and water, for food, clothing, building materials and medicine. Humans continue to destroy those habitats around us, pushing us to have greater dependence on other countries for these products. If we focus on food alone is there a way our country can become self sufficient at this?
The first task in this activity is to observe a green space in your community. The green space can be your own garden, a park, lawn, or any other green space near your home. Use a journal to keep track of your observations and ask yourself the following questions:
Is this green space healthy? Why or why not?
What are the positive and negative impacts humans are having on this area?
What is the space currently being used for? Example: playground, soccer field, flower garden, etc.
For the second task you will design your green space into a food garden. When designing think of the following:
How will I design my garden to ensure the plants needs are being met?
What food will I grow?
What plants grow best together?
What can I do to ensure bees, butterflies and birds come to the garden to pollinate?
How will I help to make sure the garden is successful?
Who will I feed help feed with the food I grow?
Who will I ask to help with the garden?
Anything else you can think of
For the third and final task come back to the original big idea "Is there a way our country can become more self sufficient at growing food for ourselves"? Write a paragraph with your ideas of how this can be accomplished.
Extensions:
Start a garden in your yard or inside, what vegetable can you grow?
Reading, writing, and art will also be part of this activity
NOTE: This can be used with the Nature Journaling activity at the top of the page.
The Fisher Story
The Fisher Story
You will need to use the PDSB BYOD Library or other sources to help with this activity.
You will need to use the PDSB BYOD Library or other sources to help with this activity.
Watch the Fisher Story. This video is from Issac Murdoch and the Lessons From the Earth and Beyond website which is designed to help us understand and discuss the importance of Indigenous knowledge.
Watch the Fisher Story. This video is from Issac Murdoch and the Lessons From the Earth and Beyond website which is designed to help us understand and discuss the importance of Indigenous knowledge.
1) What are some positive characteristics and features of the animals in this story?
Choose and research an animal that best represents your personality and compare 3 traits you feel are similar to you (body shape, personality, behaviour, features, adaptations, etc.). Make sure you have researched the actual animal and do not base your knowledge on what you have seen in media
How does this bird/mammal/amphibian/reptile/plant/tree help the earth?
2) Choose an ecosystem of your liking. Choose at least three characteristics/adaptations that you feel would help a creature in your chosen ecosystem have the best chance of survival. For example, in a water ecosystem the creature could breathe underwater or be able to hold their breath for extended periods of time, but also breath on land if needed - you choose what you feel would be more beneficial. Perhaps it is a new creature with different abilities to help it survive. What do you believe this creature has within itself to benefit the earth? Not the people of earth, but the actual earth.
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