3rd Grade Ecosystems Unit

3rd Grade Ecosystems UnitLesson One

ResponseBefore story is read.Butternut Hollow Pond Are the following statements about our story True or False? Write the proper letter in each box for your response.ResponseAfter story is read.Butternut Hollow Pond is a safe place for animals to live.Birds are the most dangerous animal at Butternut Hollow Pond.Deer are the biggest animals at the pond.All animals at Butternut Hollow Pond are consumers.Butternut Hollow Pond is only about water animals. A Snapping Turtle ate all the baby ducks.Fish in Butternut Hollow Pond are the producers.Frogs catch their food with their tongues.Young Boys are consumers, fish are prey.Night time is very quiet at Butternut Hollow Pond.Some animals only hunt at night. Trees, brush, grass, and reeds are the producers.

Producer Consumer- Decomposer GameNeeded: Sentence strip tags and Energy CrownPlay game using instructions from the book.Create food chains using names of animals and plants found at a pond. (Names can be pulled from the pictures used in the who eats who pages.)

Lesson Two

Food Web Balance

Read Wolf IslandAnswer questions that go along with the Wolf Island story by Celia Godkin

Read the sample paragraph for inspiration!Lesson Three

Read the story:Cactus Hotel orDesert Giant and have students answerQuestions in their notebooks.Type of OrganismPRODUCERHERBIVORECARNIVOREOMNIVOREDECOMPOSERSaguaro CactusGila WoodpeckerElf OwlHarris HawkLong-nosed BatWhite-winged DoveMonarch ButterflyHoney BeeTohono Oodham IndiansCurved-Billed ThrasherHorned LizardSand antsCoyoteJavelinaTermitesBlack widow spiderDesert CentipedeBanded GeckoCactus MouseSpotted night SnakeAquatic beetleHister beetleStripe-tailed ScorpionGiant millipedeSaguaro Cactus HotelCreate an wonderful advertisement for your Saguaro Cactus Hotel that will attract animals to their new home! You may use pictures to help but the main context of the lesson is persuading your clients through your words!Lesson FourQuestions about what is needed to survive and read Brother Eagle Sister Sky.

Teach about pollution and do demonstrations.

Final part on conserving energy.Air PolLution

Air PolLution

Lesson FiveDiscuss water pollution then read the story and create the polluted Big Bear Lake as the students observe. Follow-up with the questions about the story. The second story The Story of Chinook Lake is similar but once again brings home the importance of good antipollution measures.Water Pollution

Water Pollution

Vocabulary Crossword PuzzlesYou can use all three or select which ones you want to use to help students recognize the words.GlossaryMake sure that you tab this section with a bright sticky note folded and taped into place. Have students use Marzanos vocab strategy sheet or use one that you like that will help the students understand the new words used in this learning unit. Take time to thoroughly discuss them and use as many ways to communicate the meaning as possible.