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Student:AshleyArcuri&ChristineSpoagis

Professor:Esposito

Course:EDU521

Date:June22,2016

Grade:2ndGrade

Topic:Ecosystems

ContentArea:Science

ScienceInstructionalObjective
In this lesson plan, students are introduced to the concept of an ecosystem,
and explore how to analyze ecosystems using a systems thinking approach .Aclass
discussion of information about the components and processes of ecosystems.

Workinginsmallgroupformateachgroupwillbegivenapeardoxtoaccessbackground
knowledge.Thestudentswillthencreatetheirownecosystem.Studentswillcompletethisat90
percentaccuracy.
Standard
5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants,
animals, decomposers, and the environment. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is
on the idea that matter that is not food (air, water, decomposed materials in soil) is
changed by plants into matter that is food. Examples of systems could include
organisms, ecosystems, and the Earth.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does
not include molecular explanations.]

Indicator:
Thiswillbeevidentwhenthestudentsareputintosmallgroupswithdifferentspeciesand
properlymakeanecosystem.
Standard
NYSScience:#4Studentswillunderstandandapplyscientificconcepts,principalsandtheories
pertainingtothephysicalsettingandlivingenvironmentandrecognizethehistorical
developmentofideasinscience.
5-LS2-1.Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals,
decomposers, and the environment.[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that matter
that is not food (air, water, decomposed materials in soil) is changed by plants into matter that is
food. Examples of systems could Include organisms, ecosystems, and the Earth.] [Assessment
Boundary: Assessment does not include molecular explanations.
Indicator:

Thiswillbeevidentwhenthestudentsworkinsmallgroupsandpresenttheirecosystemwith
properconsumers,producers,anddecomposers.

Motivation
TheteacherwillshowthestudentsaneditionofaNationalGeographicmagazineonthe
KeystoneSpeciesinSharkBay.
Materials
Smartboard,computer,andtablet.
Strategies
Directinstruction,cooperativelearning,smallgroupwork,andhandsontasks,teacher
demonstration,andcreativity.
Adaptation
Thestudentwhodoesnotenjoygroupworkwillbeworkingindependentlycreatingtheirown
ecosystem.
DifferentiationofInstruction
Theteacherrealizesthatnotallstudentshavethesamepreferencetherefor;theteacherwill
dividethemintogroupbasedonperpetuallearningstyles.Thestudentsthatareauditorylearners
willbegroupedtogetherandcreateamockinterviewwithamarinebiologist.Thestudentsthat
arevisuallearnerswillbegivenpicturesofanecosystemandtheywillwritedown5definitions
explainingwhatanecosystemcontains.Thestudentsthataretactilelearnerswillbegiven
Memorycardsandtheywillwriteanythingtheythinkpertainstotheecosystem.Thestudents
thatarekinestheticlearnerswillcreateasonganddanceaboutecosystemsusingthenew
vocabularyandfactstheyhavelearned.
DevelopmentalProcedures
Thestudentswillbeshownpicturesofthemarineecosystem.Theywillremainintheirsmall
groupsandwillbegiventheproperinformationtoidentifyandexplainwhatspecificwords
mean.(Whatisanecosystem?Whatisaproducer?Whatdoesitinclude?Whatisa
decomposer?Whatdoesitinclude?Whatisaconsumer?Whatdoesitinclude?Howdoliving
andnonlivingorganismcoexist?Whatisthemostbeneficialtoobtainbalance?)

Whenthestudentshavecompletedtheirdefinitionstheycreateandpresenttheirown
ecosystemstotheclassandexplainwhytheycreateditthewaythattheydid.(Whydidyou
buildyourecosystemthewaythatyoudid?Whatdidyoufindmostdifficult?Why?Doyoufeel
asifyourecosystemcouldsustainbalance?WhyorWhynot?Whatweresomethingsthatyour
groupdiscussedinmakingyourecosystem?)
Assessment
Theteacherwillreviewtheecosystemstomakesurethatallgroupshavecompletedthetaskat
90percentaccuracy.Shewillbedeterminingthisbyhavingachecklistpreparedforeachgroup.
IndependentPractice
Followingthelessononbuildingtheirownecosystem,studentswillgohomethefollowingnight
andprintoutpicturesonthecomputerofadifferentecosystemsandpresentthem.Theteacher
willreviewthepicturesforaccuracy.
AcademicIntervention
Forthestudentswhodidnotmeettheobjectivetheteacherwillprovideoneoneinstructionsand
providethestudentswithaworksheetwithamarineecosystemandsentences.Thestudentswill
fillinthecorrectblankwordsthataregiventotheminakeybox.
AcademicEnrichment
Forthestudentswhometand/orexceededthelessonobjectivestheywillbegiventhetimeto
drawlabelsfortheecosystemtofurtherexplainthedetailsandwhateachpartoftheirecosystem
is.

References

Keystone Species in Shark Bay. (2010). Retrieved June 22, 2016, from
http://nationalgeographic.org/activity/keystone-species-shark-bay/