Overview
- Students should become familiar with several specific examples of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and the plants and animals unique to them. The water-related ecosystems to be discussed are the pond, marshland, swamp, stream, river, and ocean, and the dry-land ecosystems to be discussed are the desert, grassland, rain forest, and forest. Water-related and dry-land ecosystems contain many types of plants and animals that often compete for the same natural resources. These resources are often shared. Students will also explore the human role in protecting and conserving limited resources in the various ecosystems. It is intended that students will actively develop and utilize scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
Virginia Standards of Learning
The student will investigate and understand that ecosystems support a diversity of plants and animals that share limited resources. Key concepts include
a) aquatic ecosystems;
b) terrestrial ecosystems;
c) populations and communities; and
d) the human role in conserving limited resources.
Understading the Standards
- Water-related ecosystems include those with fresh water or salt water. Examples include ponds, marshes, swamps, streams, rivers, and oceans.
- Dry-land ecosystems include deserts, grasslands, rain forests, and forests.
There are distinct differences among pond, marshland, swamp, stream, river, ocean, desert, grassland, rainforest, and forest ecosystems.
- A population is a group of organisms of the same kind that lives in the same place. Examples of a population are a flock of swans in a pond, a school of fish in a river, and a herd of cattle in the grassland.
- A community is all of the populations that live together in the same place. An example of a dry-land community would be a forest made up of trees, squirrels, worms, rabbits, and hawks. An example of a water-related community would be an ocean made up of fish, crabs, and seaweed.
- Organisms compete for the limited resources in their specific ecosystem.
- Humans need to help conserve limited resources.
Books
Spilsbury, Louise, and Richard Spilsbury. The War in Your Backyard: Life in an Ecosystem. Chicago, IL: Raintree, 2006. Print. 1410919706
- This is a great book for students to see how organisms interact in specific ecosystems.
Johansson, Philip. The Frozen Tundra: A Web of Life. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2003. Print. 0766021769
- An interesting element of this book for children is the explanation of what is termed the "food web". Basically, it is the flow of energy from the sun to plants to animals that feed upon plants (herbivores) to animals that feed upon other animals (carnivores) - the cycle of life in the frozen North.
Kessler, Colleen. Hands-on Ecology: Real-life Activities for Kids. Waco, TX: Prufrock, 2007. Print. 1593632010
- A guide filled with activities for parents, babysitters, educators, and home schoolers meant to teach conservation and environmentalism to kids in grades 3–5.
Interactive Websites
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/woods/01.html
-(Walk in the Woods) Gives students a basic understanding of a terrestrial ecosystem
http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html?load=environment
(EekWorld) This is a great website that lets kids explore a variety of different ecosystems at their own pace. Children can learn about the different characteristics of aquatic, tundra, desert, and many more ecosystems that are on our earth today. Links are provided on the side for children to investigate different ecosystems further if they please.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/hall/
( Xpedition Hall) This is a great website that lets kids explore ecosystems and habitats through interactive images and visuals. Children won't get bored exploring the plethora of different environments and ecosystems that are present in this interactive site.
-(Walk in the Woods) Gives students a basic understanding of a terrestrial ecosystem
http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html?load=environment
(EekWorld) This is a great website that lets kids explore a variety of different ecosystems at their own pace. Children can learn about the different characteristics of aquatic, tundra, desert, and many more ecosystems that are on our earth today. Links are provided on the side for children to investigate different ecosystems further if they please.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/hall/
( Xpedition Hall) This is a great website that lets kids explore ecosystems and habitats through interactive images and visuals. Children won't get bored exploring the plethora of different environments and ecosystems that are present in this interactive site.
Activities
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g35/
- A lesson plan to teach students about aquatic ecosystems and the basic needs of the animals who live in them.
http://www.lessonplans.com/ext-resource.php?l=http://iitc.tamu.edu/1998and2000/lessons/lesson21.html
- This lesson plan is designed to give students an overview of ecosystems and their importance. It covers everything from consumers and producers to different habitats that organisms live in.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g35/ecocycle.html
- In this lesson, children are learning about the different characteristics that an ecosystem holds. They will learn that not all ecosystems are the same through the use of online resource websites included in the lesson.
- A lesson plan to teach students about aquatic ecosystems and the basic needs of the animals who live in them.
http://www.lessonplans.com/ext-resource.php?l=http://iitc.tamu.edu/1998and2000/lessons/lesson21.html
- This lesson plan is designed to give students an overview of ecosystems and their importance. It covers everything from consumers and producers to different habitats that organisms live in.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g35/ecocycle.html
- In this lesson, children are learning about the different characteristics that an ecosystem holds. They will learn that not all ecosystems are the same through the use of online resource websites included in the lesson.
Assessments
http://www.neok12.com/diagram/Ecosystems-01.htm
- Use this website as a quick quiz for students to assess their knowledge of the different types of ecosystems and food chain.
http://www-bioc.rice.edu/pblclass/6th%20grade/Biology/ecosystems/Ecosystem%20Worksheet.pdf
- While this worksheet is somewhat simple in design, it's a great way to test a student on their knowledge and comprehension of terms such as population, community, ecosystem, and habitat through a matching activity. Provides pictures as well.
http://www.k12reader.com/reading-comprehension/Gr4_Wk2_Ecosystems.pdf
- This assessment has students reading a short passage about ecosystems and then answering questions that immediately follow. The students can find the answers to the questions in the text.
- Use this website as a quick quiz for students to assess their knowledge of the different types of ecosystems and food chain.
http://www-bioc.rice.edu/pblclass/6th%20grade/Biology/ecosystems/Ecosystem%20Worksheet.pdf
- While this worksheet is somewhat simple in design, it's a great way to test a student on their knowledge and comprehension of terms such as population, community, ecosystem, and habitat through a matching activity. Provides pictures as well.
http://www.k12reader.com/reading-comprehension/Gr4_Wk2_Ecosystems.pdf
- This assessment has students reading a short passage about ecosystems and then answering questions that immediately follow. The students can find the answers to the questions in the text.