Key Idea/Concepts/Skills of Lesson: Data Gathering/ Data Processing/ Communicating

Name: Jana Hadley Grade Level: 3rd

Type of Lesson: Process Skill

Lesson Goals: Students will use various sources to gather data on Australia’s ecology. Students will interpret their information in order to find patterns and develop conclusions of how different environmental elements are interconnected. Students will present their information using maps and tables.

Prerequisite Skills and/or Concepts: Students should have a basic understanding of how to interpret a map. They should have basic knowledge of where Australia is on a map in relation to the United States.

Alabama Course of Study Reference: Social Studies, Grade 3, People, Places, and Regions: Geographic Studies, 2.) Describe physical characteristics, including landforms, bodies of water, soil, and vegetation of various places on Earth. 3.) Identify components of various ecosystems.

National Standards Reference: People, Places, and Environments, Early Grades – Create students spatial awareness and geographic perspective of the world beyond their personal locations. Students should develop skills to assist them in identifying where they are located in relation to other regions of the world.

Exploration

Objective: Procedures: Assessment: 1. Students will recognize 1. Have the students divide The teacher will use the that there are distinct into small groups. students' answers to the environments in the United handouts as an informal States. 2. Pass out handouts and checklist to the students' maps to the students and prior knowledge of ecology. 2. Students will be aware of have them get out pencils. the connections between different aspects of the 3. Explain to the students ecological system. that they are to as a group choose eight questions to Materials: answer from the handout. Maps of the United States They will discuss their  Geothermal Map answers with the entire  Map of Land class later so they should Handout of Eco-Questions discuss and give complete answers. 4. The teacher will lead the students in a discussion about the questions. All of the questions even those that were not answered will be discussed. The teacher will encourage the students to think of the how things in are environment are related to each other.

5. The teacher will take up the handouts as an informal assessment checklist.

Invention

Objectives: Procedures: Assessment: 1. Students will define the 1. The Teacher will define The teacher will use the terms: environment, for the students the terms Students’ tables and maps to ecology, and biomes. environment, ecology and assess the students’ biomes. Using a brief understanding of the ecology 2. Students will use various power point display of Australia. sources to research the examples will be given of environment, the ecology each term. and the biomes of Australia. 2. The students will be 3. Students will use a table reminded of their to process their information. conclusions about the ecology of the United 4. Students will draw a States. Any misconceptions map to communicate to will be corrected. others the findings of their research. 3. The teacher will pass out the table templates and Materials: maps. Maps of Australia  Land Maps 4. The teacher will show the  Geothermal Maps students how a table works Table Templates for gathering and Plain Paper processing information. Colored Pencils Library Books on: 5. The teacher will explain  Ecosystems that the students are to do  Environment research into the ecology of  Australia Australia. They may work Access to the Internet together in small groups to Power Point Presentation: do the research but they  Examples of Key must write down and turn in Terms their own tables and maps. The students are to use the table templates to compile their information. They are then to come and get plain paper and colored pencils to draw their own map of Australia showing their ecological research findings.

6. The teacher will give suggestions to guide their research such as: where is it hot in Australia and why? Where is it dry? or Really wet? Are their certain animals that only live in one location in Australia? etc.

7. The teacher will walk around and informally assess if the students understand the assignment and are working on task.

8. After the students have completed their tables and maps they will present them to the class.

9. Closure: The teacher will summarize the information gathered about ecology of Australia.

Expansion

Objective: Procedures: Assessment: 1. Students will apply their 1. Students will use their The students will compile general understanding of previous maps of Australia an oral presentation of their the ecology of Australia to and America and a world chosen animal. These an individual organism. map will be passed out in should be presented to the Materials: addition. entire class in the format a story, essay, or two-part Materials: 2. The teacher will again journal. Correct assessment Maps of the United States summarize how an of the animal’s original  Geothermal Map ecosystem works and how habitat is expected as well  Map of Land animals fit into the ecology as overall effort. Maps of Australia of an environment.  Land Maps  Geothermal Maps 3. The teacher will explain World Map that their next project is to Library Books on: be a creative project but that  Ecosystems it is to be based on their  Environment research and understanding of ecology.  Australia Paper 4. The students are to pick Pencils and Colored Pencils an Australian or American animal and tell about its’ natural environment. Students are then to imagine and write about what would happen if the animal was in a different location. The students may write this in a story form, as an essay, or as a two-part journal. The students need to include illustrations with their work.

5. The teacher will walk around the room to assess that all of the students understand the assignment. The teacher will encourage the students to think about what the animal would think about the unusual situation.

6. After the students have completed their assignment they will present them to the entire class. 7. Summarize: Students will have an opportunity to think about and apply their new knowledge of ecology. They will also use their creativity to imagine a different perspective. Eco-Questions

Where does a polar bear live?

Why wouldn’t he naturally live in Florida?

Where does it snow in the United States?

Why does it snow up north but not on Miami Beach?

Would an alligator like to live in Minnesota?

Why do cactuses grow in New Mexico?

Would you wear shorts in North Dakota during December?

What are two reasons Texas would be no fun to snowboard in?

Why would a mountain goat be hot at the bottom of a mountain?

Why do birds fly south for the winter?

Where do fish take vacations? Why would a prairie dog get worried if it rained a lot?

What are some of the same things a stinkbug and a raccoon might care about?

What would a visiting earthworm from Arizona think of Alabama red clay?

How could the water in Illinois affect the water in Mississippi?

Why would a tree grow better in a national forest than in New York City?

How could pond scum be important?

Why would summer be no fun without bats?

Why would spring be dull without bees?

How do plants affect dirt and how does dirt effect plants?

Why are swamps protected?

Have you heard the terms eco-friendly or go green, what do they mean?

What is eco short for? Eco-Table

Resources: http://www.surfnetkids.com/ecology.htm http://kids.discovery.com/ http://www.planetpals.com/ecodictionary.html http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/ http://yucky.discovery.com/flash/ http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/ http://www.wordcentral.com