Grade3Week31RemoteLesson:CherishtheEarthLessonOverview:Thisweekinsciencestudentswilllearnaboutthebalanceofpredatorsandpreyinafoodwebandhowhumanscanimpactthisbalance.Studentswilldesignasolutiontoprotectaspecies.Vocabulary:

• Keystonespecies• Balance

PartOneWatchthisvideoaboutaboyandtheseastar:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ined9107zme8ki/StarfishStory.mp4?dl=0•Whatdoyouthinkthelessonofthisstoryis?•Whataresomesmallstepsyoucantakeoralreadytaketohelptheenvironment?PartTwoCheckoutthisvideoofyourPSScienceInstructortalkingaboutpredators/preyinafoodweb:https://www.dropbox.com/s/i9bnow1lcgyx4xd/331CherishTheEarth.mp4?dl=0Asglobalcitizens,wehavethejobofprotectingtheEarth.Thisistheonlyplanetwehavetoliveon.Inalotofsituations,theEarthtakescareofitselfaslongashumansdon’tinterferetoomuch.Therearekeystonespeciesliketheotter,andtheowl,thathelpkeepthebalanceintheirfoodwebs,andpreventotherpopulationsfromovergrowingandnegativelyaffectingtheecosystem.Whendeforestation,pollution,orotherhumaninfluencesaffectthekeystonespecies,therestoftheecosystemsufferstoo.

ReadmoreaboutKeystoneSpeciesinthisarticle:https://www.dropbox.com/s/yyza8wwvc1p7mal/natgeo-keystone-species-37566-article_only.pdf?dl=0PartThreeScientistsgetcreativeinhelpingtheBurrowingOwl,aspeciesthatstruggleswithhabitatloss.ReadbelowabouthowscientistsinSanDiegousedsquirrelstosolvetheirproblem:https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/stories/owls-and-squirrelsYourturntogetcreative!•Chooseathreatenedkeystonespeciesfromthearticleyouread(oryoucanchooseOwlsorOtterstoo!)anddesignasolutiontohelpprotectthemandkeeptheirecosysteminbalance.**MakesureyouconsiderhoweasyyoursolutionwouldbetoexecuteandthatyoursolutiondoesNOTaffectanyotherlivingthingsintheecosystem**Youcanchoosehowyourwanttoshareyoursolution:Youcandrawadiagram,buildamodel,orwriteaboutit(orallofthese!).Youcanalsodesignapostertohelpwithawarenessforyourchosenanimal.HowItLinkstoNGSS:3-5-ETS1-2 Generateandcomparemultiplepossiblesolutionstoaproblembasedonhowwelleachislikelytomeetthecriteriaandconstraintsoftheproblem.Science&Engineering

PracticesDisciplinaryCoreIdeas CrosscuttingConcepts

• Askingquestionsanddefiningproblems

• Constructingexplanationsanddesigningsolutions

• Obtaining,evaluating,andcommunicatinginformation

• Engaginginargumentfromevidence

LS2.D:SocialInteractionsandGroupBehavior:Beingpartofagrouphelpsanimalsobtainfood,defendthemselves,andcopewithchanges.Groupsmayservedifferentfunctionsandvarydramaticallyinsize.(3-LS2-1)LS3.A:InheritanceofTraits:Othercharacteristicsresultfromindividuals’interactionswiththeenvironment,whichcanrangefromdiettolearning.Manycharacteristicsinvolvebothinheritanceandenvironment.(3-LS3-2)

• Patterns• Systemsandsystem

models.• Energyandmatter:

Flows,cycles,andconservation.

• Stabilityandchange.

LS3.B:VariationofTraits:Theenvironmentalsoaffectsthetraitsthatanorganismdevelops.(3-LS3-2)