Ecosystems - VariQuest

Science Unit for Primary ClassroomsEcosystemsIncludes10 NGSS-alignedlessonplans withEngage Every Learner. 40 downloadableposters andother resources!

TABLE OF CONTENTSJourney Through Our World’s Ecosystems1About VariQuest2VariQuest Software Directions3Lesson One: Immersion4-5Lesson Two: Living vs. Nonliving6-7Lesson Three: What is an Ecosystem?8-9Lesson Four: Creating an Ecosystem10 - 11Lesson Five: Understanding Food Chains12 - 13Lesson Six: Focus on a Terrestrial Ecosystem14 - 15Lesson Seven: Focus on an Aquatic Ecosystem16 - 17Lesson Eight: Ecosystem Assessment/Review18 - 19Lesson Nine: Sharing the Learning/Learning Celebration20 - 21Lesson Ten: Connecting Our Learning to the World Around Us22 - 23NGSS Alignment24VariQuest Contact Information25JOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMS

JOURNEY THROUGH OURW O R L D ’ S E C O S Y S T E M SIn this 21st Century, we have come to realizemore than ever that human activities are havinga negative impact on ecosystems, bringing thequestion to mind, how do we protect ecosystemservices for future generations? Educating ouryouth and creating awareness is a great place tostart!In partnership with The Curriculum Corner,we have comprised a collection of 10 NGSSaligned lessons, along with a student guide,to help students learn about ecosystems.Students will study what differentiates living fromnonliving objects, while exploring the variouscharacteristics of each. In addition, anunderstanding of the food chain willbe developed, and students will buildand observe their own ecosystem fordeeper cognition.Unit Overview:Ecosystems is a science unit that will spark a child’s interestin our earth and the ever-present need to protect it. Asstudents explore various ecosystems, a more in-depth studyof forest and freshwater environments is provided. The unitprovides a write-the-room style assessment for studentsto review their learning and includes “All About” postersfor students to create and share with others. Ecosystemsconcludes with a day focus on ways the class can worktogether to have a positive impact on the earth.As we at VariQuest put a spotlight on kinesthetic and projectbased learning, this unit provides hands-on activities andgames that will make the discovery of ecosystems moremeaningful. Print and assemble the student guidebefore the start of the unit to capture students’notes, observations, and understanding, as theyjourney through our world’s ecosystems.JOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMS1

About VariQuest Across the nation, the VariQuest Suite helps thousands ofschools promote differentiated instruction, project-based and blended learning,whole-brain experiences, and real-world skills in the learning styles that are natural tostudents. Educators and students can create custom posters, banners, manipulatives,bulletin boards, flashcards, recognition plaques, 3D prints, and much more to build alearning environment that promotes student achievement and engagement.Design Center2Trifecta 800Perfecta SeriesMotiva 400Cutout MakerJOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMSCold Laminator

Click below to download all of the Ecosystems PDF posters andtemplates.DOWNLOADINSTRUCTIONS FOR PRINTING POSTERS TO YOUR PERFECTA SERIES ORSTICKERS AND CARDS TO YOUR MOTIVA 400:1. Open VariQuest Design Center Software and select the Perfecta or Motiva module2. Insert memory device (USB, SD card, etc.) containing Ecosystems files3. Browse for PDFs using My PDFs icon4. Select Output Size for Perfecta, or Material Type and Size for Motiva5. Select Print*Use the Scan-to-Print feature on your Perfecta STP to quickly enlarge any8.5" x 11" document.Step 1Step 3Step 5 (Perfecta)Step 5 (Motiva)We at VariQuest applaud and thank you for allyou do as an educator, and we are delightedto make it our mission to support yours.JOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMS3

LESSON ONEImmersion (2 Days)CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALLMATERIALS FOR THIS LESSONLesson Objective: Students will learn the difference between living and nonlivingthings, as well as what living things need to stay alive.Materials: Various nonfiction and fiction titles that depict the followingecosystems: forest, mountain, desert, grasslands, tundra, freshwaterand marine Lesson Resources» Blank Ecosystem Anchor Chart posters for recording studentfindings Ecosystem Student Guide - Pages for use in Lesson:» Immersion: Observations of Illustrations and Photographs» Immersion: Presentation Notes (4 pages)Lesson Preparation:Desert, Forest, and Grasslands Posters Gather nonfiction and fiction titles depicting the seven ecosystemslisted. Be sure that each ecosystem is represented with at least onefiction and one nonfiction title (however 3 to 5 titles is recommendedfor each if possible). Prepare the seven blank Ecosystem Anchor Charts into postersusing the VariQuest Perfecta Series Poster Design System. Prepare individual copies of the Ecosystem Student Guide for allstudents by stapling the pages and creating books. (Be sure to lookthrough all the unit materials before stapling the booklets. Somelessons may require more than one of the same page.)Lesson Procedure:Day 1: Divide the students into seven groups. Pass out copies of the Ecosystem Student Guide booklets tostudents and have them write their names on the front covers.Ecosystem Student Guide Provide each group with the stack of books depicting one of theseven ecosystems.4JOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMS

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALLMATERIALS FOR THIS LESSON Explain to the students that they are to work as a group tomake observations of the settings of the fiction stories and thephotographs in the informational text. They may also read the storyor look through the words of informational text to make observationsof living and nonliving creatures, as well as their environment. Students will use the Immersion Observation page in theirEcosystem Student Guide booklets to record their group’s findings.Day 2: Gather the class and have each group spend a few minutes sharingtheir observations of the ecosystem they were assigned. As these short presentations are occurring, the teacher will writeimportant findings and facts on each of the blank Ecosystem AnchorCharts while the rest of the class records the information on theImmersion Presentation Notes page of their Ecosystem StudentGuide.Mountain and Freshwater Posters1 Optional - Using the VariQuest Cold Laminator 2510, laminatethe anchor chart posters, use dry erase markers to record studentinformation, wipe clean and reuse as needed.Lesson Extension:Tundra and Mountain Posters The Ecosystem Student Guide contains a Glossary page tobe included if the teacher feels it will help students to meetvocabulary objectives and add to student learning. The teacher can pre-assign the words that will need to belooked up and understood by the end of the unit or studentscan add words and definitions they learn independently. Note: You may choose to add more than one Glossary pagedepending on the number of words you wish for the studentsto learn. Optional - Use the VariQuest Motiva 400 Specialty PrintingSystem to print words on cardstock and use as flashcards foradditional reinforcement.JOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMSLESSON Discussion after each presentation, so that students can add evenmore information to their notes, is suggested.5

LESSON TWOLiving vs. NonlivingCLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALLMATERIALS FOR THIS LESSONLesson Objective: Students will learn the difference between living and nonliving things, as wellas what living things need to stay alive.Materials: Literature Suggestion: Living and Nonliving Things – A Compare and ContrastBook by Kevin Kurtz Photograph of a live bear Teddy Graham crackers for each student Lesson Resources:» Living and Nonliving Sort Cards (green cards)» “Living Things Need” Checklist Cards (blue cards)» Optional – Living and Nonliving Things Book Sort pageChecklist Cards Ecosystem Student Guide - Pages for use in Lesson 2:» What Do You Notice?» What do Living Things Need? (top); Living & Nonliving Walkabout(bottom)Lesson Preparation: Find a picture of a live bear to display on a Smartboard or iPad(s). Purchase individual packages of Teddy Graham crackers for all your students(or plan to divide a large box of Teddy Grahams amongst the class). Prepare one set of green Living and Nonliving Sort Cards using theVariQuest Perfecta Series Poster Design System.» Consider using VariQuest 13”x19” Perfecta paper - A great size optionfor these cards.Living VS Nonliving Image Cards Attach these cards to the walls and furniture around your classroom in placeseasy for students to find. Prepare a class set (one per student) of blue “Living Things Need” ChecklistCards using the Perfecta Printer. Optional – Copy class set of Living and Nonliving Things Book Sort page.Living & Nonliving Book Sort Page6JOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMS

Lesson Procedure: Ask students to think about the difference between their snack and the photograph of thelive bear you have displayed. Tell them to record differences between the two “bears” onthe “What Do You Notice?” page of their Ecosystem Student Guide. When students are finished, gather the class and discuss their thoughts on thedifferences between the living bear and their snack. Immediately following the discussion, pose the following question to the class: What doyou think MOST living things need to survive? Through questioning, guide students to understand that most living things need air, waterand an energy source (food, sunlight, etc). Students should take notes in the top sectionof their Ecosystem Student Guide page.» Note: Be prepared to discuss the concept of underwater creatures needing air andwhat that might entail.» If you want to go more in depth about what most living creatures need to survive youmight also discuss the need to create new life and the need to grow and change. Asecond version of the “Living Things Need” Checklists have been created reflectingthis further discussion. Use the one that suits your learning objective best.2 Next explain the Walkabout activity. Pass out one blue “Living Things Need” Card toeach student. Their task is to walk around the classroom and look at each green Livingand Nonliving Thing Sort Card. They are to use their checklist to help them determine ifthe objects are living or nonliving and record their answer on the bottom section of theirEcosystem Student Guide page. Complete the lesson by reading the suggested literature title or another book that sumsup the learning.Lesson Extensions: Living and Nonliving Book Sort - Use the book Living and Nonliving Things – ACompare and Contrast Book by Kevin Kurtz at a literacy center for students. Theirtask is to find living and nonliving things within the pages of the book. Have themrecord their answers on the Living and Nonliving Things Book Sort page includedwithin the lesson resources. Optional - Use the T-Chart template, ID# TCH172 found in the VariQuest DesignCenter software, print to poster size using the Perfecta and have students recordtheir findings in a small group. Living and Nonliving Things Sort – Place the green Living and Nonliving Thingscards at a science center. Students sort them into the two categories.JOURNEY THROUGH OUR WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMSLESSON Once all students are finished with their Walkabout, discuss each card and whether thepicture on the card is living or nonliving based on the checklist provided. Students correctthe answers they have written in their Ecosystem Student Guide.7