Subject:

Bath School Department 2003
Content Area: Science
Grade 3

Content Standard: B. Ecology
Students will understand how living things depend on one another and on non-living aspects of the environment.
Common Assessment: Maine LAD Assessment - Dead Birds (also K6, Scientific Reasoning)

Performance Indicators Essential Elements
(specific grade level learning objectives) Suggested Performance Activities
Suggested
Classroom
Assessments
Vocabulary

1. Describe a food web and the relationships within a given ecosystem.

Understand relationship between predator and prey.

Students will design a food web for a specific ecosystem such as passing a ball of yarn to form a web between plants and animals.
Resources:
McGraw-Hill Gr. 4 p. 213
(McGraw-Hill, Ch. 11, p. 338) Owl pellet dissection

Students will label and explain the food web they have designed.

affects
bacteria
biomes i.e. tundra, rain forest, ocean, desert, etc.
climate
consumers
decomposers
ecology
ecosystem
effects
food chain
food web
habitat
living
living components
non-living
physical components
population
prey
producers
regions

2. Explain the difference between producers (e.g., green plants), consumers (e.g., those that eat green plants), and decomposers (e.g., bacteria that break down the "consumers" when they die), and identify examples of each.

Every part of the food chain is dependent on all the other parts, no matter how small.

Students will discuss the differences between producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Resource:
McGraw-Hill, Ch. 11, p. 334-336)

Students will be able to identify producers, consumers and decomposers and describe their functions.

3. Compare and contrast physical and living components of different biomes; i.e., regions characterized by their climate and plant life (e.g., tundra, rain forest, ocean, desert)

Know the different biomes.

Students will research and make a model of a biome.

Resources:
DK Encyclopedia of Nature CD

Students will be able to describe the physical and living components of several biomes and make comparisons.

4. Investigate the connection between major living and non-living components of a local ecosystem.

Identify living and non-living objects.

Students will observe and discuss the connection between major components of several local ecosystems. such as Kennebec River, marsh, or pond.

Students will be able to discuss the connections between living and nonliving components of a specific local ecosystem (i.e., pond, woods, etc.)

Performance Indicators	Essential Elements (specific grade level learning objectives)	Suggested Performance Activities	Suggested Classroom Assessments	Vocabulary
1. Describe a food web and the relationships within a given ecosystem.	Understand relationship between predator and prey.	Students will design a food web for a specific ecosystem such as passing a ball of yarn to form a web between plants and animals. Resources: McGraw-Hill Gr. 4 p. 213 (McGraw-Hill, Ch. 11, p. 338) Owl pellet dissection	Students will label and explain the food web they have designed.	affects bacteria biomes i.e. tundra, rain forest, ocean, desert, etc. climate consumers decomposers ecology ecosystem effects food chain food web habitat living living components non-living physical components population prey producers regions
2. Explain the difference between producers (e.g., green plants), consumers (e.g., those that eat green plants), and decomposers (e.g., bacteria that break down the "consumers" when they die), and identify examples of each.	Every part of the food chain is dependent on all the other parts, no matter how small.	Students will discuss the differences between producers, consumers, and decomposers. Resource: McGraw-Hill, Ch. 11, p. 334-336)	Students will be able to identify producers, consumers and decomposers and describe their functions.
3. Compare and contrast physical and living components of different biomes; i.e., regions characterized by their climate and plant life (e.g., tundra, rain forest, ocean, desert)	Know the different biomes.	Students will research and make a model of a biome. Resources: DK Encyclopedia of Nature CD	Students will be able to describe the physical and living components of several biomes and make comparisons.
4. Investigate the connection between major living and non-living components of a local ecosystem.	Identify living and non-living objects.	Students will observe and discuss the connection between major components of several local ecosystems. such as Kennebec River, marsh, or pond.	Students will be able to discuss the connections between living and nonliving components of a specific local ecosystem (i.e., pond, woods, etc.)