Lesson Overview

Organisms in Their Environment

4th Grade
(Order: Plants/Animals 6 weeks before starting unit)

Lesson Overview Time Other Things to Know: Advance Preparation

1  Pre Assessment 30 min *Make chart: …Think About Plants/Animals…
 Field Trip (Collecting 60 min *Plan for: location of classroom habitat
Specimens) 60 min *Prepare: Habitat, food, water
60 min * Book: On One Flower
2  Purposeful Observations 60 min * Copy/Laminate: Word Sort Card Set, Observ. log
3  Ecosystems/Habitats 45 min *Prepare: Habitat display- save for web/chain lesson
45 min * Begin observations for log
4  Freshwater Habitat 60 min * Set up: Dwarf African Frog habitat
Dwarf African Frog, Elodea, Cabomba * Have: 2, 10 gallon jugs of room temperature water
5  Physical Characteristics 50 min * Copy/Laminate: Word Sort Card Set
Pond Snail, Guppies 50 min *Make: Freshwater Habitat Observation Log
6  Food Chains 60 min *Copy: Food Web Detective Handout
60 min *Prepare Card Game- Check plant/animal pictures
60 min * Book: Who Eats What? Food Chains/Webs
7  Physical Characteristics 60 min * Copy: Presentation Product Descriptor
Color 60 min * Make bulletin board of camouflage butterflies
advantage/disadvantage for 60 min * Need: Time for research, Need: research materials
survival * Book: The ABCs of Habitats
8  Physical Characteristics 60 min * Copy: Mountain Lion/Rabbit Handout
Eyes 60 min * Need: Large Area to play game, ½ sheets of paper
9  Interactions Plants/Animals 55 min * Need: resource materials
10  Change in Environment 60 min *Need: Space for dramatic interpretations of change
Nonliving: Change in Food Web 60 min
11  Change in Environment 60 min * Copy: Product Descriptor & Presentation Format
Add species: Change in Food Web 60 min *Copy/Laminate: Word Sort Card Set
60 min *Need: Resource materials on invasive species in MI
Perform a simple play 60 min *Need: Research Time
60 min * Make chart: Think About Invasive Species
12  Humans Affect Natural 50 min * Need: Research materials, Loggerhead Sea Turtles
Habitats 50 min *Prepare: Scavenger Hunt
* Sign up: www.seaturtle.org (free) Pg. 97
* Make data chart, Make chart: Think About …
* Book: Turtle Sumer, A Journal of my Daughter
13  Endangered or Threatened 60 min *Copy: Coordinate Mapping
Species 60 min *Copy/Laminate: Word Sort Card Set
60 min *Need: Computer Lab for part 2
14  Long-term Observations- 55 min *collect data: growth or interactions …
Habitats
 Post Assessment