Understanding By Design Unit Template

(Revised & adapted)

Title of Unit / Energy and Ecosystems / Grade Level / 5
Subject / Science / Time Frame
Developed By / Flora Zhong, Stephanie Bass, Chris Gaffney, Zhiping Fennekohl
Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results
Narrative about this Unit of Study: (including the Big Idea)
This unit is a study of ecosystems on Earth. Students will explore how life on Earth is diverse and interrelated. Living things interact with each other and with their physical environment. The sun is the source of energy of all living systems. The two major parts of the unit are the investigation on how energy flows through an ecosystem and understanding how ecosystems change naturally over time. Students will also study how living and non-living things depend on each other for survival in an ecosystem with an emphasis on how humans impact ecosystems.
Learning Outcomes – Identified Primary Standards
What relevant goals will this unit address?
Standard 4 Key Idea 5:
5.1a Animals and plants have a great variety of body plans and internal structures that contribute to their ability to maintain a balanced condition.
5.1c All organisms require energy to survive. The amount of energy needed and the method for obtaining this energy vary among cells. Some cells use oxygen to release the energy stored in food.
5.1d The methods for obtaining nutrients vary among organisms. Producers, such as green plants, use light energy to make their food. Consumers, such as animals, take in energy-rich foods.
5.1e Herbivores obtain energy from plants. Carnivores obtain energy from animals. Omnivores obtain energy from both plants and animals. Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, obtain energy by consuming wastes and/or dead organisms.
5.1f Regulation of an organisms’ internal environment involves sensing the internal environment and changing physiological activities to keep conditions within the range required for survival. Regulation includes a variety of nervous and hormonal feedback systems.
5.1g The survival of an organism depends on its ability to sense and respond to its external environment.
Understandings
What understandings about the big ideas implied in the PLOs are desired? / Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content?
Students will understand that...
·  All organisms require energy to survive; and different organisms (producers and consumers; herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers) have different methods for obtaining energy.
·  Organisms have hormonal and nervous feedback systems which they use to adapt to their internal environment.
·  Organisms depend on their ability to adapt in order to survive.
·  Organisms and their environments are interconnected
·  Changes in one part of the system will affect other parts of the system
·  Matter needed to sustain life is continually recycled among between organisms and the environment
·  Humans can alter the living and non-living factors within an ecosystem, thereby creating changes to the overall system
·  The life processes of organisms are affected by their interactions with each other and their environment and may be altered by human manipulation / ·  How do plants produce food?
·  How is energy passed through an ecosystem?
·  How do organisms compete and survive in an ecosystem?
·  How do ecosystems change over time?
·  How do people affect ecosystems?
Knowledge:
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? / Skills
What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Students will know...
·  The components of an ecosystem
·  Plants use water, air and energy from the sun to produce their own food (photosynthesis)
·  All living things need food for energy. However, they have different ways to get energy
·  Producers, consumers and decomposers serve a role their ecosystem (food web and food chain)
·  Organisms compete for food to survive in an ecosystem / Students will be able to…
·  Examine a variety of ecosystems. Compare how the organisms interact with each other
·  Identify cause and effect relationships
·  Create diagrams of the oxygen cycle
·  Explain the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in their ecosystem
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills?
Brief Written Description of the Performance Task
Protecting Ecosystems
You have been chosen to speak at a SAVE THE EARTH conference. They would like you to speak on how we can save one of the ecosystems on Earth. The presentation is to increase the audience’s awareness of the damages of the chosen ecosystem and propose a plan for restoring or protecting that ecosystem. You will be provided with the following articles: Human Impacts on Ecosystems and Working to Preserve, Conserve, and Restore Ecosystems as well as a video clip People and Their Environment.
Since you will be speaking to a large audience you are to bring visuals (a poster, a power point presentation, a slide show etc.)
Students will design a plan to save or restore the ecosystem of their choice. The plan should include the followings:
1.  Explain how non-living things and living things interact in the chosen ecosystem.
2.  Analyze how human activities (e.g. deforestation and pollution) have affected that ecosystem.
3.  Propose a plan for restoring or protecting that ecosystem.
4.  Anticipate obstacles in carrying out the plan.
Rubric for Assessment:
Standard / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
5.1a Animals and plants have a great variety of body plans and internal structures that contribute to their ability to maintain a balanced condition. / Student was able to give many specific examples of multiple body plans, and/or internal structures of plants that contribute to the plants ability to maintain a balanced condition. / Student was able to give some specific examples of multiple body plans, and/or internal structures of plants that contribute to the plants ability to maintain a balanced condition. / Student was able to give a few specific examples of multiple body plans, and/or internal structures of plants that contribute to the plants ability to maintain a balanced condition. / Student gave minimal specific examples of multiple body plans, and/or internal structures of plants that contribute to the plants ability to maintain a balanced condition.
5.1c All organisms require energy to survive. The amount of energy needed and the method for obtaining this energy vary among cells. Some cells use oxygen to release the energy stored in food. / Student was able to explain specifically how, and why, different cells use oxygen to release energy stored in food. / Student was able to explain moderately how, and why, different cells use oxygen to release energy stored in food. / Student was somewhat able to explain how, and why, different cells use oxygen to release energy stored in food. / Student offered a limited explanation of how, and why, different cells use oxygen to release energy stored in food.
5.1d The methods for obtaining nutrients vary among organisms. Producers, such as green plants, use light energy to make their food. Consumers, such as animals, take in energy-rich foods.
5.1e Herbivores obtain energy from plants. Carnivores obtain energy from animals. Omnivores obtain energy from both plants and animals. Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, obtain energy by consuming wastes and/or dead organisms. / Student was able to explain specifically the different methods that different organisms have for obtaining nutrients; and provides specific examples for each. / Student was able to explain the different methods that different organisms have for obtaining nutrients; and provides a few examples. / Student was somewhat able to explain the different methods that different organisms have for obtaining nutrients; and provides a few examples. / Student offered a limited explanation of the different methods that different organisms have for obtaining nutrients; and provides very few examples.
5.1f Regulation of an organisms’ internal environment involves sensing the internal environment and changing physiological activities to keep conditions within the range required for survival. Regulation includes a variety of nervous and hormonal feedback systems. / Student was able to specifically explain Regulation and how it affects the relationship between the organism and its environment; and gives multiple examples. / Student was able to moderately explain Regulation and how it affects the relationship between the organism and its environment; and gives some examples. / Student was able to somewhat explain Regulation and how it affects the relationship between the organism and its environment; and gives a few examples. / Student offered a limited explanation of Regulation and how it affects the relationship between the organism and its environment; and gives very few examples.
5.1g The survival of an organism depends on its ability to sense and respond to its external environment. / Student was able to explain specifically how an organism depends on adaptations to survive in its environment; and gives multiple specific examples. / Student was able to moderately explain how an organism depends on adaptations to survive in its environment; and gives some specific examples. / Student was able to somewhat explain how an organism depends on adaptations to survive in its environment; and gives a few examples. / Student offered a limited explanation of how an organism depends on adaptations to survive in its environment; and give very few examples.
Other Evidence
Through what other evidence – student work samples, observations, quizzes, tests, self-assessment or other means – will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?
Objective(s)
Related to knowledge, skills or both? / Listed Aim or Learning Intention of Each Lesson. / Assessment / Resources
-Students will understand how leaves use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. / ·  Students will view the video clip, The Oxygen Cycle. Students will then create their own diagrams of the Oxygen Cycle along with explanations of the cycle in captions. / Teacher will examine students’ Oxygen Cycle diagrams to check for understanding. / www.discoveryeducation.com
-Students will understand how the parts of plants make food by means of photosynthesis. / ·  Students will identify the parts of the word photosynthesis. Explain how the parts meanings relate to the fact that plants make their own food. Then list at least three other words that have one of the word parts found in photosynthesis.
·  Students will write a numbered list of steps, summarizing the process of photosynthesis. / Teacher will examine students’ interpretation of the process of photosynthesis. / http://player.discoveryeducation.com/?guidAssetId=18b0cd74-fb69-4fde-9997-b4309a1ee58f&redirect=false
-Students will understand how food chains make up food webs. / ·  Students will view the video clip Food Webs. Students and teacher will discuss the relationship between plants and animals as well as how different food chains interact with one another and overlap.
·  Students will act as links in the food chain by participating in the Magic School Bus Gets Eaten activity. / Teacher will observe students’ understanding during the activity. / http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/food-webs.htm
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/magic-school-bus-gets-eaten
-Students will understand how food energy is passed from plant to animal to animal in an ecosystem. / ·  Students will view the video clip Food Chains. Students and teacher will discuss how food energy is passed from plant to animal.
·  Students will work in pairs to create a model of the food chain process. / Teacher will examine students’ mobiles to check for understanding. / http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/food-chains.htm
-Students will explain how populations interact. / ·  Students will examine images of environments/communities to identify different populations and how they interact. / Teacher will monitor students’ understanding through discussion. / Teacher’s choice of images
-Students will describe plant and animal adaptations. / ·  Students will watch a video clip and complete a graphic organizer to help them describe plant and animal adaptations. / Teacher will examine students’ graphic organizers for understanding. / http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=plants+and+animals%27+adaptation
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=plants+and+animals%27+adaptation
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/?assetGuid=e7d9171b-637b-472e-8c4a-edb5924f4ec5&fromMyDe=0&isPrinterFriendly=0&provider=&isLessonFromHealth=0&productcode=DSCE&isAssigned=false&includeHeader=YES&homeworkGuid=
-Students will observe and describe changes in a variety of environments. / ·  Students will examine an image showing how a pond changes over time. Students will discuss the changes that occurred. They will work in pairs to create an illustration of a different environment changing over time (4 successive drawings). / Teacher will examine students’ illustrations for understanding. / Science textbook image (pgs. 304-305)
-Students will describe how changing ecosystems affect the organisms living there. / ·  Students will create an illustration that shows the regrowth of a climax community in an area that has had a flood, volcano, or other natural disaster. They must include several stages of secondary succession in their illustrations. / Teacher will examine students’ illustrations for understanding. / Science textbook diagram (pgs. 306-307)
-Students will explain how changes can cause extinction. / ·  Teacher and students will discuss the major causes of extinction (habitat loss, an introduced species, pollution, population growth, and overconsumption).
·  Students will work in pairs to participate in Learning the Causes of Extinction activity. / Teacher will observe students’ understanding during the activity. / http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/learning-causes-extinction
-Students will explain how people’s actions can affect the environment. / ·  Teacher will show students a before and after photograph of the school cafeteria. Students will discuss the negative impact that humans can have on the school environment. / Teacher will monitor students’ understanding through discussion. / Before and after images of the school cafeteria
-Students will describe ways to protect the environment. / ·  Students will discuss ways to protect the environment. / Teacher will examine students’ final projects (poster, power-point presentation, or slide show etc.) for understanding. / http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=protect+environments
http://earth911.com/news/2010/04/19/how-kids-are-saving-the-planet/
http://www.earthskids.com/change-save_earth.htm
www.timeforkids.com
Universal Design for Learning
REPRESENTATION
The ‘what’ of teaching & learning.. / ACTION & EXPRESSION
The ‘how’ of teaching & learning… / ENGAGEMENT
The ‘why’ of teaching and learning…
Students’ products e.g. explanation illustrations / Shared reading – ‘Close Reading’ strategies
Read Aloud / Whole groups/ Small groups/ Partner work
Science Notebook / Teacher modeling of the writing process – entries in the science notebook. / Video clips – whole groups / small groups
Role play
Model Charts of:
-  Flow Charts
-  Sketch and labels
-  T chart
Process charts / Teacher will model how to create a range of visual literacy to demonstrate learning e.g. flow chart/labeled diagram/cross-section
Guided Reading / Hands on experiments
Student created products e.g. model of how plant create energy via photosynthesis
Students’ products e.g. explanation illustrations / Shared reading – ‘Close Reading’ strategies
Read Aloud / Small groups using iPads with audio
Student make models e.g. photosynthesis / Vocabulary – (visuals) word listing and recording on shared charts or personal science notebook / Smart board – interactive
Independent and partner reading – research reading

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)