Lesson 3- What to Eat?

Learning Area Year Time/Session Date

Science Year 4 12.30-13.15 5th July 2011

Topic/Lesson Title

Biological Science; What to Eat?

PREPARATION

Rationale:

In the Biological Science standards for year 4, students are required to understand and
observe predator and prey relationships, students need a sound understanding of living
things, habitats and producers, consumers and decomposers, before this lesson as it is a
part of the progression of the year four biological science requirements of ACARA (2011).
This lesson is a part of a series, which increases understanding of biology of us as humans,
other living things and the interdependence of life (Curriculum Council, 1998). The ’What to
eat?’ lesson demonstrates the needs and actions of living things displayed in a food chain
(Department of Education and Training Western Australia, 2005).
It is also recommended that students get the opportunity to visit a wildlife park prior to
commencing this lesson. This enables the lesson to enhance real-life connections through
authentic learning, and promote secondary learning by allowing students to reflect, solve
problems and investigate (Shelley, Gunter & Gunter, 2010).

LEARNING AREA LINKS

Australian National Curriculum

Biological Science
Year 4 – Observing predator-prey relationships.

DOMAINS

Social/Emotional Physical Cognitive Language

- Participate and -Moving from laptop - Organising - Listening
cooperate to worksheet tasks information - Writing
- Involvement in the - Recording - Volunteering ideas
task and Information and insights
discussions - Comprehension of
- Displaying positive the structure of
food chains
Interpersonal Skills
 - Practicing fairness - Synthesising
- Acts respectfully previous
knowledge to
current task.
(Clark, 2004)

Children’s prior knowledge/experiences

 Living things in a habitat – producers, consumers, decomposers

 Knowledge of national animals in Australia- Geography Lessons
 The Life and Living topic in this instance was introduced to students through a trip to
the local bushland to explore different fauna and flora.

Objectives:

Work collaboratively to create food chain for an Australian environment via use of the
interactive resource detailed below.

Preparation/Resources

 Digital resource found under ‘Student Lesson Page’ on website-

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/16022007/interdependence/lesson.html

 20 x Food chain worksheets (found in ‘Resource Information’ on website)

 Pens/pencils to fill out food chain worksheets.
 Interactive White Board
 20 x Laptops/ Computers

PROCEDURE

Introduction/Motivation: Minutes: 5
  Seat class after lunch in groups of four and re-cap on the previous lesson, animals,
habitats, producers, decomposers and consumers.
 Explain to the class that they will be producing a food chain today. Ask if anyone
remembers what a food chain is from previous lessons?
 Explain to the class that all animals have different dietary requirements to survive.
Some eat meat and some eat plants, and this is displayed in a food chain.
 Explain that all living things need to do this to survive.
 State that animals can be categroised into two groups, predator and prey. Explain the
concepts briefly.

Main Body of the Lesson: Minutes: 25

 As a whole class, use the interactive whiteboard to make a list of animals,

categorising into a table with the heading of predator and prey.
- Remind students of their visit to local bushland to make connections between the
living things they found there.
- Make sure all students agree and understand.
 Explain that these animals form a food chain or web.
(5 mins)
 Ask students to move to their laptops/ computers, go to the student page
(http://curriculumpagebiologicascience.weebly.com/), and select Lesson Three- What
to eat? This is where they will use the digital resource to explore the two starter
pages on the food chain and it’s construction.
- Open up the resource on the Interactive White Board and demonstrate how to
access the lessons so students know they are on the right track.
(10 mins)
 After this exercise, hand out food chain sheets to each student (Sheets in Resource
Information section on webpage) and ask them to use their knowledge of Australian
animals and the bushland they visited previously to create a food chain.
- They may either draw or write the animals on the sheet provided.
- They may work as a group, but must fill out their own individual food chain
sheet.
(10 mins)

Formative Assessment

 Over the shoulder observation of group work- involvement and organisation.

 Observing student’s reactions and engagement during IWB activity.
 Assess levels of student understanding during discussion and suggestions at the
end.
*Take anecdotal notes throughout lesson as a reference to progress.

Summative Evaluation

Collect the food chains at the end of the lesson and mark based on-

 Understanding of learning area- Conveys understanding of which animals are prey

and which animals are predators, demonstrated by their positioning in the food chain.
 Collaboration- Effort and input whilst creating food chain.

Debrief and Transition Minutes: 5

Ask students to hand their food chains in -

 Ask who feels they understand what a food chain/web is?
  Ask if they enjoyed using the digital resource?
 Let students know that I will keep their food chains safe, as they will be using them
next lesson to explore what happens when part of it is removed.
Prepare for mathematics, seat on the mat for quick mental math quiz.

Extension and Modifications for Particular Children

 Extended expectations – some will have a better understanding of a food chain, these
students will be valuable for scaffolding the more inexperienced students during whole class
discussion and group work.
 Those who do not grasp the concept as easily will have peer interaction, and teacher support
to help them.

Follow Up Lesson/s

 The follow up lesson will explore the interdependence of living things.

Review and Reflect

 How did the group structure work? How well did the group work together?
 Did the resource work well as a whole class activity or would it have been better suited to an
individual task?
 Did the students enjoy the lesson?
 Were they motivated?
 Is there any room to move with the digital resource?
(Shelley et al, 2010)

Full references on http://year4biologicalscience.weebly.com/reference-information.html