Content Standards
Scientific inquiry
1.1 Students will acquire and practice the ability to do scientific inquiry.
Students in groups will observe periodically one square yard permanent plot of land and look for evidence of life. Students will pose questions, conduct simple experiments, gather data in the form of species richness, diversity, and evenness; and communicate their findings orally and in writing as they compare two permanent plots trough the seasons.
Life science
3.2.a Students will observe that plants and animals have life cycles
3.2.b. Students will identify some of the interrelationships that exist among plants and animals.
3.3 - Students will observe ways in which humans depend on the natural and constructed environment.
Students will study the differences between primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers and a wide variety of food chains where humans play an important role. Students will observe the dependence of humans on biodiversity as a means of subsistence and economic growth.
Earth science
4.1.3 Students will gain knowledge of the properties of soil and the dependence of plant life on soil.
Students as they research their plot of land will look at the importance that the soil has in maintaining a balance between plants and organisms. Students will compare three different types of plots and observe differences in the types of soils and the types of plants and living organisms in each of them.
Technological science
5.1.6 Students will work individually and collaboratively to use simple tools, techniques, and quantitative measures.
5.2.1. Students will observe that science presents effective ways to ask and answer questions about the natural world.
Students will create study teams and pose questions related to the plot observations, use simple tools to collect data (i.e. magnifying glass, net), make sense of the data in comparing two different plots, and come up with ways to answer their own questions.
Ecology
6.2.1. Students will learn about populations living in different locations, and they will learn about the concepts of population density and its impact on daily life.
Through comparing two or three different plots (two in the school yard, one in a butterfly garden) the students will make observations of the species richness, diversity and evenness and come up with their own generalizations of the relationships observed in those plots.
Historical perspectives in science
7.1 Students will develop an understanding of science as a human endeavor.
Through the planning of their own simple experiments, the students will develop an understanding that scientists engage in answering questions to simple and not so simple questions, and that they design ways to come up with answers.
Evaluation Rubrics
CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT LIST
Listing/Categorizing - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1. Labels
T: I have written the name of each of the labels on the cards.
O: I have written the name of most of the labels on the cards.
W: I haven written the names of some of the labels.
2. Classify between animate and inanimate
T: I have placed all the picture cards under each of the labels.
O: I have placed most of the picture cards under each of the labels.
W: I have not placed some of the picture cards under each of the labels.
3. Questions and sentences for animate versus inanimate
T: I have asked and responded with sentences to all the questions.
O: I have asked and responded with sentences to most of the questions.
W: I have asked and responded with sentences to some of the questions.
4. Classify between plant and animal
T: I have placed all the picture cards under each of the labels.
O: I have placed most of the picture cards under each of the labels.
W: I have not placed some of the picture cards under each of the labels.
5. Questions and sentences for plant versus animal
T: I have asked and responded with sentences to all the questions.
O: I have asked and responded with sentences to most of the questions.
W: I have asked and responded with sentences to some of the questions.
6. Writing
T: I have written all of the lists.
O: I have written most of the lists.
W: I have written some of the lists.
Did I do my best work?
Terrific OK Needs Work
CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT LIST
Gathering Fieldwork Data - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1. Date
T: I have written today's date at the top of the log entry.
O: I have written the date on my log entry.
W: I have not written today's date on the log entry.
2. Season
T: I have written the current season at the top of the log entry.
O: I have written the season on my log entry.
W: I have not written the season on the log entry.
3. Time of day
T: I have written the time of day at the top of the log entry.
O: I have written the time of day on my log entry.
W: I have not written the time of day on the log entry.
4. Plant drawings
T: I have made many different drawings of plants on the plot.
O: I have made some drawings of plants on the plot.
W: I have not made any drawings of plants on the plot.
5. Animal drawings
T: I have made many different drawings of animals on the plot.
O: I have made some drawings of animals on the plot.
W: I have not made any drawings of animals on the plot.
6. Labels
T: I have written the names of all of the plants and animals in the plot.
O: I have written the names of many of the plants and animals in the plot.
W: I have not written the names of any plants or animals in the plot.
Did I do my best work?
T
errific
O
K Needs
W
ork
