Habits and Habitats 4 th 5 th Grade Lesson Plan For more information, please contact: Janice Kerber Director of Education John D. MacArthur Beach State Park T: (561) 776-7449 Ext 104 Email: janicekerber@macarthurbeach.org [January 2012]
Habits and Habitats (Pretest / Post-test) 1. What factors determine the types of plants or animals that can survive in an area? 2. Draw and label the parts of a plant and the function of each part. 3. How is your schoolyard environment different from a beach environment? 4. Think of an environment familiar to you, then trace the flow of energy from the sun to producers to consumers in that area. 5. Describe an adaptation on a plant that allows it to survive in a specific location.
Habits and Habitats (Pretest / Post-test) Answer Key 1. What factors determine the types of plants or animals that can survive in an area? For animals the factors for survival in an area are adequate food, water, shelter within the space available. Too many animals may cause starvation, spread of disease, and competition for the resources. For plants to survive in an area they must be able to get water and nutrients and adequate sunlight, (Carbon Dioxide is not usually a problem.) Again too many plants cause a competition for the resources and some plants may not survive. 2. Draw and label the parts of a plant and the function of each part. (See attached) 3. How is your schoolyard environment different from a beach environment? Schoolyard environment has buildings, lots of open disturbed areas, grass, may have a mix of trees, shrubs, vines and other flowering plants and a mixed soil of sand and humus (dead plants and animals) and may have full sun and partial sun areas. Beach environment has sandy soil, few plants that can tolerate salt, mostly full sun. 4. Think of an environment familiar to you, then trace the flow of energy from the sun to producers to consumers in that area. Sun Sea grape Raccoon Bobcat 5. Describe an adaptation on a plant that allows it to survive in a specific location. Thorns on a rose bush; Mangroves ability to extract salt through its roots or leaves; Strangler fig starting at the top of a tree and then growing down using its host tree for support; or Cactus ability to hold water in its stem, etc..
Title Habits and Habitats Mini-Lesson Grade level Fourth and Fifth Grade Student Target Fourth Grade Benchmarks SC.4.N.1.1 Raise questions about the natural world, use appropriate reference materials that support understanding to obtain information (identifying the source), conduct both individual and team investigations through free exploration and systematic investigations, and generate appropriate explanations based on those explorations. SC.4.L.16.2 Explain that although characteristics of plants and animals are inherited, some characteristics can be affected by the environment. SC.4.L.16.4 Compare and contrast the major stages in the life cycles of Florida plants. SC.4.L.17.3 Trace the flow of energy from the Sun as it is transferred along the food chain through the producers to the consumers. SC.4.L.17.4 Recognize ways plants and animals, including humans, can impact the environment. Fifth Grade Benchmarks SC.5.L.14.2 Compare and contrast the function of organs and other physical structures of plants. SC.5.L.15.1 Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations. SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics. Materials Teacher Habitat Scavenger Hunt Student Pencil (1 for every 2 to 3 children) Clipboard (1 for every 2 to 3 children) Warm-up 1. Administer the pre-test provided in packet. 2. Discuss how environmental characteristics such as light, soil type, temperature, and moisture level affect the types of plants and animals that will live in an area. Main Lesson 3. Divide the group into teams of two to three students and distribute a clipboard, pencil, and Habitat Scavenger Hunt sheet to each group. 4. Tell the children they will be finding specific areas on the school grounds to meet the criteria for the Scavenger Hunt. Make sure you determine the boundaries with your students. Students should not touch or disturb any plants or animals in the area. 5. Take the children outside and have them record their findings on the Habitat Scavenger Hunt sheet. Reflection 6. Did you find a specific area for each of the descriptions? Discuss what plants were found in each area. What animals do you think might live in the different areas? Assessment Pretest Participation in the activity Attachments Information packet about John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
Title Habits and Habitats Grade level Fourth and Fifth Grade Student Target Fourth Grade Benchmarks SC.4.N.1.1 Raise questions about the natural world, use appropriate reference materials that support understanding to obtain information (identifying the source), conduct both individual and team investigations through free exploration and systematic investigations, and generate appropriate explanations based on those explorations. SC.4.L.16.2 Explain that although characteristics of plants and animals are inherited, some characteristics can be affected by the environment. SC.4.L.16.4 Compare and contrast the major stages in the life cycles of Florida plants. SC.4.L.17.3 Trace the flow of energy from the Sun as it is transferred along the food chain through the producers to the consumers. SC.4.L.17.4 Recognize ways plants and animals, including humans, can impact the environment. Fifth Grade Benchmarks SC.5.L.14.2 Compare and contrast the function of organs and other physical structures of plants. SC.5.L.15.1 Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations. SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics. Materials for Pre & Post Lessons Teacher MacArthur Beach Packet Copies of the post-test Data Collection sheets from the field trip Schoolyard Eco Hike Sheet Student Pencil Clipboard Pre-visit Warm-up Lesson (completed in classroom before visiting) 1. Review the information in the MacArthur Beach packet with your students. Main Lesson (completed during visit with their staff) 1. Welcome, Introductions to park, overview of park, and safety talk. 2. Divide the students into smaller groups of 8 to 10. A. Estuary, Hammock and Beach Hike: Students will explore the ecosystems from the Estuary to the Beach focusing on the diversity of the environments, plant structures and functions, and adaptations necessary for survival in these environments. Students will do sampling of air temperature and speed, soil temperature and composition, and determine weather conditions. Post-visit Reflection Lesson (completed in classroom after visiting)
1. Do an Eco Hike to compare two different sites on your school grounds. Collect data similar to the information collected on the field trip. Discuss the results. Did you find any differences? Why? What similarities do the sites have in common? 2. Write about your experiences at John D. MacArthur State Park. Assessment 1. Complete the post-test included in your packet. 2. Participation in the activity Attachments Information packet about John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
Please divide your class in half and assign your students a job. Start filling jobs from the top to the bottom. You may not need 2 biologist or the support technicians. If you have more than 24 students, assign each child to a team and we will provide them a job when you arrive. Please bring this form with you on the day of your field trip. Habits and Habitats Job Assignments Job (Team 1) Responsibility Student Recorder 1 Record information Recorder 2 Record Information Air Temperature Technician Use anemometer to get air temperature Air Speed Technician Use anemometer to get air Speed Soil Temperature Technician Use thermometer to get soil temperature Soil Sampler Technician Use soil core tool to gather soil sample Soil Sifter Use sift to separate soil sample Weather Forecaster Forecast weather conditions at each site Biologist 1 Determines what plants or animals might live in the ecosystem Biologist 2 Determines what plants or animals might live in the ecosystem Support Technician Assist where needed Support Technician Assist where needed
Habits and Habitats Job Assignments Job (Team 2) Recorder 1 Recorder 2 Air Temperature Technician Air Speed Technician Soil Temperature Technician Soil Sampler Technician Soil Sifter Weather Forecaster Biologist 1 Biologist 2 Support Technician Support Technician Record information Record Information Use anemometer to get air temperature Use anemometer to get air Speed Use thermometer to get soil temperature Use soil core tool to gather soil sample Use sift to separate soil sample Forecast weather conditions at each site Determines what plants or animals might live in the ecosystem Determines what plants or animals might live in the ecosystem Assist where needed Assist where needed Student
SCHOOLYARD ECO HIKE In teams of two to three students, record(tally) the number of organisms seen in two study sites. If you find other organisms that aren t listed, please add them to the bottom of the worksheet. Types of organisms Sunny, Dry Site Shady, Moist Site Flowers Moss Fungi Lichens Algae Grass/weeds Trees Shrubs Vines Ants/anthills Butterflies Bees Beetles Worms Caterpillars Grasshoppers Spiders