This information is from the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse.
| Abstract |
| Abstract: This unit is one of twenty four science curriculum units developed for grades one through six. Each unit provides children with opportunities to learn about topics in the physical, life, and earth sciences and technology through direct observation and experimentation. In this eight week unit, developed for grade 5, students come to understand the interdependence of living and nonliving elements in their environment by building, observing, and experimenting with ecosystems. Using two liter bottles, students build a terrarium and an aquarium, which they later connect as an ecocolumn after studying the two separately. Students simulate the effects of some common pollutants such as road salt, fertilizer runoff, and acid rain on their ecosystems, report their findings and pool their data. Finally, while considering the Chesapeake Bay as a model ecosystem, the class divides into groups representing various points of view including that of a person who makes his or her living from the water, dairy farmer, land developer, recreational boater, and watershed resident. As each group presents its needs and its impact on the environment, students come to see the complexity of environmental issues and in turn propose possible solutions and reach compromises between the groups. The teacher's guide contains 16 activities, each of which provides an overview of the activity, the objectives, background information, materials needed, preparation and procedural directions, extensions to the activity, and ways to evaluate student learning. The teacher's guide also includes information on maintaining live plants and animals, recycling activities, and an extensive bibliography including resources for teachers and students, children's literature, games, computer programs, and videos. For each of the activities, the student activity book provides a think and wonder section, a materials list, a find out for yourself section which includes questions, procedures for setting up the activity, and an ideas to explore section. (Author/KSR) |
| Table of Contents |
| [Student activity book:] Getting started: thinking about ecosystems Marking and cutting the bottles Setting up the aquarium with plants Adding animals to the aquarium Observing the completed aquarium Setting up the terrarium with plants Adding animals to the terrarium Joining the terrarium and aquarium Upsetting the balance Planning the pollution experiments Setting up three pollution experiments Observing early effects of the pollution experiments Where do pollutants go? What happened to our ecosystems? Coming to conclusions Examining a real environmental problem Holding a mini conference: a look at trade offs [Teacher's guide:] Foreword Acknowledgments Contents Unit overview, materials list Teaching strategies and classroom management tips Lessons Getting started, thinking about ecosystems Marking and cutting the bottles Setting up the aquarium with plants Adding animals to the aquarium Observing the completed aquarium Setting up the terrarium with plants Adding animals to the terrarium Joining the terrarium and aquarium Upsetting the balance Planning the pollution experiments Setting up three pollution experiments Observing early effects of the pollution experiments Where do pollutants go? What happened to our ecosystems? Coming to conclusions Examining a real environmental problem Holding a mini conference: a look at trade offs Appendices Postunit assessments and teacher record chart of student progress Tips on receiving and maintaining live materials Recycling activities Reprints Bibliography Letters to parents |