Kristen A. Borsari
First, it is important to have a clear understanding of the word ecology as it is used in this unit. Ecology is a science and should not be confused with efforts of environmentalism. Ecology encompasses many aspects of the science of habitats; how animals and plants interact with and live within their environment, how animals and plants interact with each other, how this changes the way each evolves and how they survive in their surroundings. Ecology also entails how plants and animals are distributed and their abundance. When thinking about ecology all aspects of a living organism's world must be taken into consideration: predators, competition for food sources or living space, symbiotic relationships and growth (Smith, 1996).
Learning and teaching the regions of the United States is very daunting, as there are so many different aspects of each region that can and should be taken into consideration. It is very difficult for teachers to determine the focus of study for the regions- it is too broad to be taken as is- so there is a danger of fragmented learning or learning merely of the names of cities and landforms. The essential question guides the learning for this unit to focus around food chains. This is done for several reasons. One reason is because studying vertebrate animals is a part of the fourth grade science curriculum. The second reason is because food chains are a big part of what make species and habitats evolve, an important part of ecology. A third reason is because by studying food chains the emphasis of learning is based on relationships, cause and effect. A final reason is because it is something that the children will be able to identify with. The children all know the importance of eating, especially if they try to remember a time when they had to wait a while to eat. By the end of the unit, the children will be able to place themselves within the food chain, and understand how their daily choices can change that food chain.
It is this understanding of ecology which drives the unit and the essential question. When students begin to think of ecology in this way, and see the interconnectedness of organisms and their surroundings they will feel a greater sense of attachment to learning about the world around them. This will enable the students to better identify with the world in which they live, how all living organisms-large and small- affect their habitats. This knowledge and understanding is empowering to children who sometimes feel that they are very small in a very big world.
In a time when we are becoming more and more divorced from the earth, it is crucial for children to learn how their daily decisions can manifest into some real changes. After talking with children, it is clear that a majority of them do not really understand where their food is coming from. Most of them can easily say fruits and vegetables come from plants found on farms. The children do not know where these farms are: how long did it take their food to get to them? What was the additional cost of shipment? How does this type of shipment for the majority of our world add up and have an effect on road conditions? Many more questions of this nature can be asked. Surprisingly, it was very evident from a short discussion with students that many of them do not make the connection to the pictures of chicken or cow they see in a book and the chicken or cow they see on their dinner plate. It was upsetting when a friend told a story about her son going out to a restaurant, ordering chicken and when it came he thought they gave him the wrong dinner because he did not know chicken had bones in it! This is not so much ecology but it is important for children to understand that their food does not come at just a monetary cost. Another aim of this unit is to make students more aware and help them to be educated and aware consumers.