Forests in Utah and across the western United States and Canada are dying. Everywhere you look, you see dead trees. This damage is not due to fire. What could be killing the trees? Insects? Disease? Grade 4 students gather evidence to explain the phenomenon during a field trip to the local forest service station. Then we consider the cause of death for trees in our school yard. We make a plan to restore the trees in our own school yard "forest".
0 Comments
See NY Times article published Oct. 21, 2015:
"2015 Likely to Be Hottest Year Ever Recorded" Your shoe. Is it made of parts? How are structure and function related? Create a classification system for shoes.
Students here are engaged in a study of the biodiversity in our own schoolyard, giving them a chance to develop their classification skills and better understand how life has adapted to certain environments. Engage: Life on our planet is diverse. Scientists are still finding new species that have never been seen before! Students view a photo slideshow (or photo slideshow) of ten interesting species discovered in the past year. Working in small groups, the students classify them (group them with other familiar species based on shared physical features). Students list things that are the same about the organism and its assigned group (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, invertebrates, or mammals). Explore: Students explore two microhabitats near our school grounds, a wetland area near a detention pond and a forested area at a nearby park. They compare and contrast the plant and animal life observed, generating a species list for the two different locations. Which microhabitat has more diversity, the wetland or the forest? Which group of animals do we find the most of? (Invertebrates!) Thinking routine: Zoom In. Students are challenged to create a classification system for the invertebrates they discovered on their field study. As an example, students classify their own shoes and learn to create a dichotomous key. Then students classify the invertebrates, dividing them into smaller groups and creating a dichotomous key (e.g., insect vs. non-insect). Students observe the invertebrates closely, conducting research and recording observations in their science notebooks. Explain: Students research the invertebrates we found in the schoolyard then construct explanations based on evidence for why each has certain features and behaviors. What adaptations help each organism survive in its environment? Is the organism specially adapted for life in a wetland, forest, or desert? Students research the plants we found in the schoolyard then construct an explanation based on evidence for why pine cones close up when they get wet. They consider the relationship between structure and function in a pine cone. They also compare the leaves of deciduous and coniferous trees, thinking about structure and function. Elaborate: Students notice that animal diversity is low on our school grounds. They want to improve our school yard habitat and attract more wildlife, specifically birds. We decide to purchase bird feeders. What kind of food do birds like best and where is the best place to hang a feeder? During a whole-class discussion, students design two investigations to help us get answers. Students designed a favorite food investigation to test which seed birds prefer, or if they would instead prefer dried meal worms, nut cakes, or sugar water. We discovered that most birds in our schoolyard prefer black oil sunflower seeds. Next, students designed a place investigation to test whether birds prefer deciduous vs. coniferous trees, peaceful vs. noisy environments during feeding. We discovered that birds in our school yard prefer to feed in peace and a deciduous tree. Evaluate: Students record the results of their investigation in their science notebooks. Assessment Probe: Is It an Animal? (also related Adaptation and Is It Living?). More student questions posted on question board:
Do fish live in the Great Salt Lake? Extend: In the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, migrating birds interact with other species and depend on the wetland habitat. Standards: S5.O1. Describe the physical characteristics of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts. S5.O2. Describe the common plants and animals found in Utah environments and how these organisms have adapted to the environment in which they live. S5.O3. Use a simple scheme to classify Utah plants and animals. S5.O4. Observe and record the behavior of Utah animals. Science Benchmark Utah has diverse plant and animal life that is adapted to and interacts in areas that can be described as wetlands, forests, and deserts. The characteristics of the wetlands, forests, and deserts influence which plants and animals survive best there. Living and nonliving things in these areas are classified based on physical features. Engage: Fossils are the remains of organisms that used to be alive a long time ago. Students watch a video that describes the steps required for fossil formation. Using models, the teacher demonstrates three ways that fossils can form (i.e., preserved organisms, impressions or tracks, mineral replacement of organisms). Students generate questions about fossils and together we choose a driving question: Where do paleontologists go to find fossils? Explore: Students examine a collection of rocks, recording their observations in science notebooks. They discover that fossils usually form in only one kind of rock--sedimentary rock. Students learn to distinguish sedimentary rock from other kinds of rock (igneous and metamorphic). Explain: Students construct an explanation for why fossils are only found in sedimentary rock. In a whole group discussion, students suggest how different kinds of rock may have formed (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic). Students then record an explanation in their science notebooks using the CER model (claim, evidence, reasoning). Early finishers hone their classification skills, identifying common rocks found in Utah. Elaborate: A local paleontologist is invited to speak with students about how they locate and identify fossils. Working in small groups, students research locations where fossils have been found in Utah and construct an (interactive?) class fossil map. Optional: Students create a product to show what they have learned about fossils. Products may include:
Evaluate: Student presentations are evaluated by peers and teacher. Science assessment probe: Mountaintop Fossil. Students celebrate their learning by making homemade crystals (snowflake ornaments to display on our holiday tree). Crystal Instructions: Borax Crystal Snowflakes: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/magic-crystal-snowflake You'll need 3 tablespoons (T) Borax detergent per cup of boiling water. Suspend a pipe cleaner shape, and keep submerged under water overnight. The largest crystals on Earth, discovered in a cave in Mexico in the year 2000. Learn more. Standards:
S3.O1.b,c,d
A student noticed an interesting weather phenomena and recorded this question on our question board: If heat rises then why are mountains cold? In Utah, it's common to see snow in the mountains but not in the valley. This intriguing observation inspired the following weather investigation. Utah's first snowfall this year came on Christmas morning. (How great is that?) Shortly after students returned from their holiday break, we kicked off our weather investigation by reading a story about a snow scientist named Wilson Bentley. I am always inspired by his perseverance, and his passion for science and photography. He captured images of over 2,000 snowflakes in his lifetime. His work was published in 1931 just two weeks before he died. It was his gift to the world. Engage: Working in small groups, students examine a couple illustrations (hand-colored woodcuts) from the book Snowflake Bentley. They first interpret the art then reveal the text, choosing a sentence, phrase, and word that capture the essence. Together students collaboratively tell and build an understanding of the story. Bentley's original publication of snow crystals is presented. Students silently draw the snowflakes as they reflect on the implications of Bentley's life and work. We wait for the next snow storm to capture some snowflakes of our own. We are curious: How do clouds make snow crystals? Thinking routines: See, Think, Wonder (illustrations) and Sentence, Phrase, Word (text). Engage: Students view a weather report listening for key words and phrases. We list the words and phrases on the board to see what big ideas surface. Together we generate questions for our weather investigation: Why does it snow more in the mountains than in the valley? How do meteorologists predict when a storm is coming? What is the relationship between air pressure and temperature? Explore: Students generate a list of basic weather elements they can observe and measure. Students go outside to observe the weather once a week for a month, using weather instruments to collect data for a chart (precipitation, air temperature, air pressure, cloud cover, wind speed and direction). Students also photograph and draw pictures of the clouds. They look for patterns that can be used to make predictions about the weather. Explore: Students discover that clouds can be used to predict the weather. Using our cloud photos, we identify at least three different kinds of clouds (see Types of Clouds). On a cloudless day, we try to make our own clouds by tracing puddles with chalk and watching the water evaporate. We compare the effect of temperature on evaporation rate (in sunshine and shadow). Explain: Students observe hot and cold balloons to think about the effect of temperature on air pressure. Students socially construct an explanation for why cold balloons shrink and warm balloons expand. Using the CER model, each student records their explanation in a science notebook. Students also compare what happens when food coloring is dropped into warm vs. cold water then act out the movement of molecules. In a whole group discussion, we consider how these findings inform our thinking about weather (see Weather Fronts and A Recipe for Wind) and answer our driving question about the effect of elevation on temperature and pressure. Thinking routine: Student Fishbowl. Elaborate: Students compare data for extreme weather on earth and other planets. They learn that NASA is collecting weather data on Mars (learn more), but the instrument designed to measure wind speed was damaged during the rover's landing (reference). Students are invited to do the work of engineers, designing and building an anemometer (hypothetically for the Mars rover). Working in small groups, students plan, build, test, and improve their design then present it to the class. Evaluate: Student groups present their anemometer designs to the class (using prompts on the white board). We reflect on the 21st century skills we are developing. We are becoming problem-solvers, innovators, and collaborators! Summative assessment probe: What Are Clouds Made Of? or Wet Jeans or Air Pressure or Hot and Cold Balloons. Fun Fact: Data from satellites orbiting Mars reveal an unexpected pattern of temperature variation on the red planet (reference) that NASA scientists are now trying to explain. Maybe a young scientist from grade 4 will be the one to explain this strange phenomena! Note: See NSTA journal article Wacky Weather for another great weather-related engineering project. Explore: Record-breaking heat in Utah and complete lack of snow this winter prompted a student to post this question on our question board: Is the world getting hotter so we have to find somewhere else to live? We conduct a big data analysis to look for patterns in weather data, comparing current winter temperatures (orange line) to the long-term average temperatures (blue line). Students graph the results in their science notebooks. Explain: Students read informational text to gather evidence that earth's climate is warming. They construct an explanation based on evidence for what is causing global warming. More student questions posted on question board:
Standards:
S2.O1. Observe, measure, and record the basic elements of weather.
S2.O2. Interpret recorded weather data for simple patterns.
Weather describes conditions in the atmosphere at a certain place and time. Water, energy from the sun, and wind create a cycle of changing weather. The sun's energy warms the oceans and lands at Earth's surface, creating changes in the atmosphere that cause the weather. The temperature and movement of air can be observed and measured to determine the effect on cloud formation and precipitation. Recording weather observations provides data that can be used to predict future weather conditions and establish patterns over time. Weather affects many aspects of people's lives. Engage: Students view images of Spinosaurus, the first dinosaur known to swim (reference). Working in small groups, students brainstorm a list of interview questions for Spinosaurus. They discover that some of these questions can be answered by studying fossils. What did paleontologists infer from the fossils of Spinosaurus? Student groups research discovered facts about Spinosaurus, matching inferences to the fossil clues that support them. Student resources: infographic, news report 1, news report 2, video interview with the paleontologist who rediscovered Spinosaurus. Activity adapted from Fossils: Uncovering the Facts. Explore: Fossils are the remains of organisms that used to be alive a long time ago. Today, students do the work of paleontologists, rotating through six different stations to study dinosaur fossils (borrowed from the Natural History Museum of Utah). They use fossil clues to make inferences about what each dinosaur ate, how it moved, how it reproduced, how it defended itself, how it died, and how its environment changed over time. Fossil Stations:
Students generate questions they have about dinosaurs, fossils, and earth's history. Together we choose a driving question: Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? Explain: Students construct an explanation based on evidence for why the dinosaurs went extinct. Using informational text, students record each piece of evidence on a sticky note. They consider the evidence supporting a large meteor impact vs. the eruption of a supervolcano and how both of these events could have drastically changed the global environment. Thinking routines: Crazy Professor and Tug of War. Elaborate: Students consider how environments are changing today by comparing before and after pictures of various habitats. After listing indicators of change, students research an endangered animal that is dependent on this habitat and identify the cause(s) for its decline. Students work in small groups to develop a conservation plan that will protect the endangered species and prevent its extinction. Evaluate: Students present what they discovered about their endangered species to the whole class. They describe the animal's adaptations, why it's endangered, and what can be done to protect it. Students set up an art display in the school library to raise awareness about endangered animals. Science assessment probe: Habitat Change. Extend: Students still have lots of questions about dinosaurs, fossils, and earth's history.
Standards:
S4.O2.b,c,d Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
Describe plants and animals...and how these organisms have adapted to the environment in which they live.
Standards:
Science Benchmark Utah has diverse plant and animal life that is adapted to and interacts in areas that can be described as wetlands, forests, and deserts. The characteristics of the wetlands, forests, and deserts influence which plants and animals survive best there. Living and nonliving things in these areas are classified based on physical features. Standard 5: Students will understand the physical characteristics of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts and identify common organisms for each environment. During a field study at the wetland, students worked in small groups to create a species list of plants and animals. A few students identified plants and birds, but most students were fascinated by the bugs. They collected bugs in small jars that were provided to encourage close observation. Bugs found at the wetland included the ant, beetle, grasshopper, dragonfly, worm, snail, slug, bee, spider, moth, crane fly, and pill bug (or rollie pollie). The following week, I asked students if all of the wetland "bugs" were insects. Most students thought no. But after some discussion, we decided that we did not all agree on what an insect was. I explained that when scientists classify organisms, they group similar creatures together. Then they create a classification scheme to help them agree on how to identify and study the organisms. As an example, I asked students to take off one shoe and put it in the middle of the rug. I invited students to suggest ways of grouping the shoes based on their structural features. I recorded their ideas on the board in the form of a dichotomous key (a series of two choices). When we completed our key, I chose a random shoe from the group and we tried to identify it using our key. It worked! We were successful! It was time to research how scientists classify "bugs". (Or, maybe a better word would be invertebrates.) We discovered that scientists define an insect as having six legs and a three-part body (head, thorax, abdomen). We sorted our wetland species list into two groups, insect or non-insect. Creatures in the non-insect group included worm and snail (0 legs), spider (8 legs), and the rollie pollie (14 legs). What else has 14 legs? Crustaceans like shrimp, crayfish, and lobster. These are the rollie pollie's closest relatives! (So cool!) For our next field study, we took to the trees. We explored the "forest" at the park near our school. We compared conifers (or evergreens) to deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the fall. We found all kinds of seeds in the trees (pine cones, helicopter seeds, berries, etc.). We used binoculars to look for birds in the trees. We saw robins, magpies, and a hawk circling overhead. We also discovered a nest in one of the trees!
It was interesting to compare the plants and trees in the two habitats we explored (i.e., the wetland and the forest). Back in the classroom we again practiced using a dichotomous key. This time to identify various trees. Students rotated to different centers to explore parts of a tree, including seeds, wood, and leaves. The highlight was dipping pine cones in water, and watching them close up to protect their seeds. Students loved this! A student asked an interesting question about trees and posted it on our question board: How do trees help make the air we breathe? Great question! We will definitely keep thinking about this and see what we can discover! Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 explored the wetland in our outdoor classroom this week, equipped with back packs full of science tools. Grade 3 students were invited to make a list of all the living and non-living things they could find in this environment. Grade 4 students were challenged to identify as many plant and animal species as they could, using their trusty field guides. Grade 5 students were challenged to find two similar species then compare and contrast their traits. Here, students measure the length of a cattail and discover tiny seeds inside that blow away in the wind. ("Look! It's just like a dandelion!") Most students were interested in catching insects. One student group collected a record six species in under 10 minutes! His species list included a spider, worm, snail, earwig, pill bug, and beetle. Other student groups compared two species of grasshopper and a cricket. But my personal favorite was when a student shouted, "Teacher! My pill bug is giving birth!" Sure enough. He had caught a pill bug in his jar, and crawling out of its belly were dozens of pale, baby pill bugs. It was incredible! At the end of our exploration of the wetland, students gathered in small groups to create their list of living vs. non-living things (grade 3), species list (grade 4), or traits list (grade 5). Which organisms are specially adapted for life in a wetland? Could any of these organisms also survive outside the wetland? Why or why not? We will keep thinking!
|
Archives
November 2015
|