Unit #: 2 – From Matter to Organisms Grade: 5 Unit of Study: From Matter to Organisms PE’s: 5-LS1-1 5-LS2-1 5-PS3-1 Storyline: Students make models that trace the flow of energy and matter in ecosystems. They investigate the needs of plants and gather evidence that all organisms produce waste. They explain how animals depend upon one another as components in an interconnected system DCI’s: LS1.A LS1.B LS1.C PS3.D Anchoring Phenomena: Matter changes through energy flow to create organisms and maintain ecosystems. SEP’s: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Developing and Using Models Essential Questions: What matter do plants need to grow? How does matter move within an ecosystem? How does energy move within an ecosystem? CC’s: Energy and Matter Systems and System Models
Suggested Phenomena Performance Expectation(PE) Disciplinary Core Idea (DCI) Suggested Activity Science & Engr. Practices (SEP) Crosscutting Concepts (CCC) General Sherman How does a giant Sequoia grow? 5-LS1-1 LS1-C Grow seeds or a plant in a controlled environment to see what a plant’s needs really are. Ex. Grow a plant in water alone and/or in a close container to see what happens without air. Engaging in Argument from Evidence Energy and Matter General Sherman How does a giant Sequoia grow? 5-LS1-1 LS1-C Place celery or flowers in colored water to see water transportation and how a plant grows. Engaging in Argument from Evidence Energy and Matter Ecosystem What makes an ecosystem work? 5-LS2-1 LS2.A Look at an ecosystem. Use pictures and/or observational charts1 and have students make observations. Use pictorial2 from Project GLAD (or Developing and Using Models Systems and System Models
broken down by decomposers and the environment. Use: Mystery Science: Where do Fallen Leaves Go? Energy Uses in Body (pictures)3 What makes Curry sweat? What makes a baby grow? What causes a tree to grow? What makes a scar heal? 5-PS3-1 PS3.D LS1.C Use Energy Flow Activity4 in the attached 5E Lesson Plan. Developing and Using Models Energy and Matter 1.Desert Observational Pictures
Give pictures of a food web to students and tell them to make a flow chart (tell a story/put them in order) showing where the energy comes from and where it goes. (at least five minutes) Students work with partner to make a flow chart with pictures. They will tape the pictures to a paper. They will share with their group after working with their partner. Explore: Show Flocabulary video (or similar video on energy transfer) "energy transfer" to class. With their elbow partner, students reorganize their flow chart. Have students design an investigation with their partner to see if plants really need the sun to grow. Share out as a whole class. Show clip on energy uses. Start at 3:00 Stop at 3:41 Have students stand up and get ready to move. Put on music so they can dance or exercise to. Have them think of what is happening to their body. Ask: How did you get the energy to move? Energy does not disappear where is the energy going? Students watch the video to gather information. Students help their elbow partner reorganize the flow chart. Students work with their partner and write their ideas in the notebook. Share out as a whole class. Students watch and respond to the video. Students can fix their flow chart as they direct the teacher to fix the chart on the board. Students watch video and dance along with it. They then respond to the questions. Plants use the sun's energy to make food. Animals get their energy from plants and/or other animals. Plants and animals use energy for growth, repair, and movement. Energy transfers back to the environment in the form of heat.
Refer to flow chart and tie together the transfer of energy. Students make connections with their thinking. Explain: Have students create a model/visual on notebook paper working backwards that shows the energy transfer they experienced for themselves. Revisit poster with previous students' explanations. Ask if they are correct/how they could be revised. Give students an exit slip (post it) so they can write down gots/needs. Extend: If we went to Mars what would you need to survive? Students complete this task independently. Students generate corrections/revisions. Students write their gots/needs and put them up on the way out the door. Make a model to describe the energy in animals' food (used for body growth, repair, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun. Page Break