Lesson #  # of  Lesson title or  Key Learning/What students learn/  What will the student do?

 
and  days  question given to  Specific Learning Outcomes from lesson  (Specific student activities) 
Author's  and  students.  plan 
initials  time    ​ (Related NGSS in parenthesis) 
allotted 

      Students will classify plants, animals,   

      decomposers, and environments by playing a   
      “headbands” game.   
      Students will describe the process through  The students will discover how matter is 
      which matter is transferred between the  transferred between the environment, plants, 
1 LE  1, 60min  How could I have  environment, plants, and animals by playing a  and animals. Using different items/living things 
dinosaur matter in me?  board game where the goal is to transfer their  with matter in them, and a board game that 
molecule of matter from a dinosaur to a human.  guides the flow of matter in environments, 
Students will identify and explain how matter is  students will discover how matter moves. 
transferred among living and non-living things,  Students will verbally explain one possible 
and be able to answer the question “How could  scenario of matter moving from a dinosaur to a 
I have Dinosaur matter in me?”  human. 
 
(5-LS2-1 - Develop a model to describe the 
movement of matter among plants, animals, 
decomposers, and the environment.) 

      Students will be able to verbally identify what an   

      example of one decomposer looks like on  The students will look at molded bread, 
      bread and what the decomposition process  decomposing fruit, and different images of 
      looks like with fruits and vegetables.  decomposers/non decomposers. Then they will 
      Students will describe the characteristics of a  take part in an activity where they will use 
      decomposer and tell the difference between  legos to build a plant or animal and need to 
      decomposers and other parts of the ecosystem  figure out how to create something new 
2 HC  1, 60min  Why do we need  after looking at various images of both  without breaking it down first. Then, we will 
decomposers?  decomposers and non-decomposers.   introduce decomposers to break down their 
Students will be able to explain the complex  lego structures for them. They will then explain 
role of a decomposer through creating a  further why decomposers were necessary. 
comic/story on their worksheets and answer the  Students will also connect it to another 
question, “Why do we need decomposers?”.  decomposer that is more abstract, the Black 
  Soldier Fly. Lastly, they will complete the 
(5-LS2-1 - Develop a model to describe the  worksheet “My World Without Decomposers” 
movement of matter among plants, animals,  as a summative assessment. 
decomposers, and the environment.) 
         
        The goal of this lesson is for students to answer 
        the question, “Do plants eat soil?” Students will 
      Students will design their own tests/experiments  investigate this question by designing their 
      to see if plants use soil as the primary source to  own tests to see if a plant eats soil to grow. 
      gain their mass.   They will need to change variables to test our 
      Students will use the data graph from a lesson  theory and we will engage in class discussions 
3 DC  1, 60min  Do plants eat soil?  related video to determine if plants eat soil to  throughout the lesson. Additionally, we will 
obtain more matter.  walk through a video that will help investigate 
  the question we are asking, too. Throughout 
(5-LS2-1 - Develop a model to describe the  the video, I will ask questions to keep the 
movement of matter among plants, animals,  students engaged in our overall question. In 
decomposers, and the environment.)  the end, students should discover that plants 
do not eat soil in order to obtain more matter. 
 

        The students will be asked a few questions 

        about what animals take in and release in an 
        environment and how their waste can be 
      Students will be able to verbally identify and  passed to another organism in an environment. 
      communicate what animals take in and release  Then they will take part in an activity where 
      into the environment by talking with their  each table group (six total) will be given an 
      partners and basing it off of prior knowledge or  essential nutrient for animals in an ecosystem. 
      inferences as well as concrete evidence from  They will be asked to take notes and become 
      notes.    experts on this item. They will then work as a 
      Students will describe the characteristics of  group to create a poster about the item they 
4 HC  1, 60min  How does an animal’s  each of the six essential nutrients for animals  were given. Next, they will be asked to present 
dinner impact the  written as a T-Chart in their science journals.   their item and poster to the class so the rest of 
nutrients in the food  Students will be able to analyze and explain the  the students can take notes on the five 
chain?  different nutrients they found on their food box  different nutrients that they didn’t do research 
labels and state, verbally, if a human could  on. This will give them a completed T-Chart in 
survive on just those nutrients.  their science journals. Students will then 
  connect these nutrients to their own lives and 
(5-LS2-1 - Develop a model to describe the  analyze food boxes that are common in their 
movement of matter among plants, animals,  pantries to decide which nutrients they contain 
decomposers, and the environment.)  and if that is enough for a human to survive. 
Lastly, they will turn all their notes into a ½ 
page summary of the nutrients needed for 
animals and how these nutrients are passed to 
other parts of the ecosystem. 

         
         
      Students will classify producers, consumers, and  Students will classify producers, consumers, 
      decomposers within an ecosystem through  and decomposers within an ecosystem through 
      analyzing a video clip of a frog eating a  analyzing a video clip of a frog eating a 
      caterpillar who ate a plant.  caterpillar who ate a plant. In groups, students 
      Within groups, students will diagram a food  will randomly choose a plant, animal, or 
5 LE  1, 60min  How does matter move  chain using the cut out photos and string  decomposer that is a part of a specific food 
in ecosystems?  provided.  chain. Each group will order themselves in the 
Students will examine several food chains and  manner in which the food chain would function. 
identify reasons why food chains are beneficial  After examining several food chains, students 
for each part of the ecosystem.  will identify reasons why food chains are 
  beneficial for each part of the ecosystem, and 
(5-LS2-1 - Develop a model to describe the  write a paragraph on why it helps grass. Finally, 
movement of matter among plants, animals,  students will write a short story on what they 
decomposers, and the environment.)  think would happen if one part of the 
ecosystem no longer existed. 
 
 
 

         
      Students will diagram food webs of animals and   
      plants that pertain to different ecosystems to   
      illustrate the transfer of energy in an ecosystem.    
      Students will model a food chain from their food  The students will explore food webs and food 
      webs by using construction paper and differing  chains and the interdependence of producers, 
      shapes to represent consumers, producers, and  consumers, and decomposers. Students will be 
6 DC  1, 60min  What is a food web?   decomposers.   assigned specific locations representing 
  different ecosystems and they will, in a group 
Students will explain the importance of  setting, create a large food web. Then, 
consumers, producers and decomposers in their  students will be asked to create food chains 
summative assessments where they will answer  from these food webs and will explain the 
the question, “What is a food web?”   transfer of energy among the food chain 
  model.  
(5-LS2-1 - Develop a model to describe the 
movement of matter among plants, animals, 
decomposers, and the environment.) 
 
 
 

        Students will fill out the final assessment 

      Students will draw conclusions about topics and  worksheet in their lab journals. Students will 
7 LE, HC, DC  60 min  Assessment  ideas learned throughout the unit. Students will  depict and notate a food web and answer 
be able to articulate what would happen in  questions about the cycle of matter within an 
different scenarios within an ecosystem.  ecosystem using evidence from the 
  experiments and activities in the unit.