Life Science: Ecosystems and Matter Cycle Unit Curriculum Outline1

Grade Level: 5th Grade Unit Length: 5-6 weeks

Unit Number: 1 Author: Chelsie Pringle
Title and Conceptual Lens: Systems Thinking

Unit Overview:
Have you ever thought about the environments around you? Have you ever thought about how
we get energy to survive? Have you ever thought about how animals live with other animals in
their habitats?

In this unit, we will explore the parts of ecosystems and the matter and energy flow that make up
the variety of ecosystems found on Earth. We will also take a look at the relationships inside
ecosystems that allow the survival of the ecosystem and all of its working parts. We will conduct
investigations, read and write about the different parts and relationships in ecosystems, learn new
vocabulary words, and work in teams to conduct your own research. We will begin by looking at
the different parts of ecosystems and how they work together to make up the whole system. You
will use all that you have learned to investigate the answer to a question that you want to learn
more about while looking at a specific ecosystem of your choice. Our exploration will end with a
museum exhibit displaying the class projects that answer the researched questions picked by you
and your peers. 2

Technology Integration:
Student iPads
Google Classroom

Standards:
Content Area: Science
Standard: 2. Life Science
Grade Level Expectation: 1. Plants acquire their material from growth chiefly from air and water.
Evidence Outcomes: a. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air
and water. (5-LS1-1) (Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that plant matter comes mostly from air
and water, not from the soil.)

Content Area: Science

Standard: 2. Life Science
Grade Level Expectation: 2. Matter cycles between air and soil and among plants, animals and microbes as
these organisms live and die.
Evidence Outcomes: a. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals,
decomposers, and the environment. (5-LS2-1) (Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that matter that
is not food [air, water, decomposed materials in soil] is changed by plants into matter that is food. Examples of
systems could include organisms, ecosystems, and the Earth.) (Boundary Statement: Does not include molecular
explanations.)
 1

Unit Title: Life Science: Ecosystems and Matter Cycle

Conceptual Lens: Systems Thinking Grade: 5th Grade

Strand 1: Matter and Energy in

Strand 2: Food Webs
Plants

energy, food chain, producers,

xylem, ploem, vascular system,
consumers, decomposers,
nutrients, transport, matter,
organism, herbivors, carnivores,
energy, photoynthesis, cellular
omnivores, predator
respiration, chlorophyll

Unit Title:
Life Science:
Ecosystems and
Matter Cycle

Strand 3: Matter Cycles Strand 4: Ecosystems

matter, energy, element, carbon producers, consumers,

and oxygen cycle, food webs,
energy pyramid, energy flow
decomposers, organism, herbivors,
carnivores, omnivores, energy
pyramid, competition, predator-
prey relationship, symiotic
relationships, mutualism,
commensalism, parasitism

Unit Title: Life Science: Ecosystems and Matter Cycle
Conceptual Lens: Systems Thinking
Generalizations
1) Plants get the materials they
need for growth chiefly from air What is the process of photosynthesis? (F)
and water.
2) Energy moves through
organisms in a food web.
3) Matter and energy cycles are
important to the survival of
organisms in an ecosystem.
4) Matter is transferred among
plants, animals, decomposers,
and the environment.
5) The parts within a system
interact with one another to
perform a wide variety of
functions and form
relationships that support the
whole system.
2
Grade: 5th Grade
Guiding Questions:
F=Factual, C=Conceptual, D=Debatable
What is the structure of the vascular system in plants? (F)
How do plants use water for their growth? (C)
How does cellular respiration take place in plants? (C)
Why is water and air necessary for plant survival? (C)
Where are the different types of organisms in a food web? (F)
What are decomposers? (F)
How are organisms related in food webs? (C)
How are organisms related in food webs? (C)
What makes up a healthy ecosystem? (D)
What is the basis of energy in most living organisms? (F)
How does matter cycle with the element of carbon? Nitrogen? (C)
What makes one model of a matter cycle better than another model?
(D)
What is an ecosystem? (F)
What resources are necessary for living things to survive? (F)
How does the cycling of matter ensure an organisms survival in an
ecosystem? (C)
How do the different organisms in an ecosystem interact with one
another? (C)
How would an ecosystem be affected if the balance of an ecosystem
was thrown off with a change? (D)
How can a system be described in terms of components and their
interactions? (C)
Do you think all the parts in a system would function the same if one
part failed? (D)
Do you think one part of a system is more important than the other
parts? (D)

Critical Content and Key Skills 3
Critical Content by Strands
Students will know…
Strand 1: Matter and Energy in Plants
- Structure of the plant vascular system
- Vascular system functions
- Process of photosynthesis
- Cellular respiration in plants
Strand 2: Food Webs
- The components of ecosystems
- Parts of ecosystems interact with one another
- Organisms are related in food webs
- Organisms survive in environments that meet
their needs
Strand 3: Matter Cycles
- Sunlight is the bases of energy for most living
organisms
- The element carbon is part of a matter cycle
- The element nitrogen cycles through an
ecosystem
- The water cycle ensures hydrogen and oxygen
are available to living organisms
- Food webs allow energy to cycle through
ecosystems
Strand 4: Ecosystems
- Every organism needs resources to survive
- The roles producers, consumers, and
decomposers have in an ecosystem
- Energy moves through an ecosystem
- Ecosystems maintain a delicate balance
- Several interactions and relationships take
place in ecosystems
3
Key Skills
Students will be able to…
- Develop and communicate an evidence-based
scientific explanation of the role of structures that
are important for survival in plants
- Analyze and interpret data to generate evidence that
plants use air and water for growth
- Create and evaluate models of a plant’s vascular
system and process of photosynthesis and cellular
respiration
- Analyze and interpret data to generate evidence that
all ecosystems have interacting parts that are
required for the survival of organisms
- Development and communicate an evidence-based
scientific explanation regarding energy moves
through food webs
- Create and evaluate concept maps of food webs
- Assess further scientific explanations regarding
how organisms survive in their environment
- Analyze and interpret data to generate evidence that
all matter cycles are interrelated
- Create and evaluate models of matter cycles that are
necessary to the survival of organisms in an
ecosystem
- Analyze the interactions between abiotic and biotic
factors in an ecosystem
- Evaluate how organisms adapt to survive in their
environments
- Evaluate how human activities, natural events, and
invasive species impact ecosystems
- Create a model that demonstrates the
interdependent parts and functions within an
ecosystem

Unit Title: Life Science: Ecosystems and Matter Cycle
Conceptual Lens: Systems Thinking Grade: 5th Grade
Curriculum Experiences 4 5
Suggested Suggested Learning Assessments
Time Line Experiences
Week 1 1. Matter and Energy in - Pre-Assessments:
Plants o Prior knowledge assessment
- Pixelated Images of what the students already
- Leaf Sort know and wonder (KWL
- Reading: Vascular Chart).
System in Plants o Use previous lessons as prior
- Celery Experiment knowledge assessments for the
- Plant in a Bag next lesson.
Experiment - Formative Assessments:
- Photosynthesis models o Review science journal for
- Cellular respiration investigations, notes, and
- Vocabulary Review explanations.
- Reading- Plants, finding o Listen to group work during
nonfiction text features investigations.
and main idea - Summative Assessments:
- Writing: Narrative o Student science journals with
writing and energy in observations, notes, and
plants conclusions.
- Claim-Evidence- o Exit tickets for the lessons
Reasoning o Book quizzes
o Claim-Evidence-Reasoning
Week 2 2. Food Webs - Pre-Assessments:
- Gallery Walk o Initial concept map
- Food Chain sort o Use previous lessons as prior
- Food Web Yarn knowledge assessments for
Activity the next lesson.
- Concept Map - Formative Assessments:
- Vocabulary sort o Review science journal for
- Reading: Food Chains investigations, notes, and
and Food Webs explanations.
- Writing: Diary of a … o Listen to group work during
- Carousel Brainstorm investigations.
Reflection o Student conversations during
the carousel brainstorm
- Summative Assessments:
o Student science journals with
observations, notes, and
conclusions.
o Exit tickets for the lessons
o Book quizzes
o Claim-Evidence-Reasoning
o Final concept map
4
Differentiation Resources
- Pre-taught vocabulary and - Science A-Z
vocabulary already added to - Reading A-Z
student’s assistive communication - Discovery
device Education
- Adapted notes sheets for student Streaming
science journal with sentence video online
frames and word banks
- Provide vocabulary words note
sheet with definitions and pictures
for students to glue into their
notebook
- Sentence starters provided to
students in order to participate in
group investigations, group
experiments, and class discussions
- Note sheets for videos and
reading
- Writing planning pages
- Guided lessons and small group
instruction
- Assisted technology
- Pre-taught vocabulary and - BrainPOP
vocabulary already added to - Science A-Z
student’s assistive communication - Reading A-Z
device - STEMscopes
- Adapted notes sheets for student
science journal with sentence
frames and word banks
- Provide vocabulary words note
sheet with definitions and pictures
for students to glue into their
notebook
- Sentence starters provided to
students in order to participate in
group investigations, group
experiments, and class discussions
- Note sheets for videos and
reading
- Writing planning pages
- Guided lessons and small group
instruction
- Assisted technology

Week 3 3. Matter Cycles - Pre-Assessments:
- Energy Pyramid o Engagement activity
- Energy cycles o Use previous lessons as prior
- Matter Flow in Food knowledge assessments for the
Webs next lesson.
- Formative Assessments:
o Review science journal for
investigations, notes, and
explanations.
o Listen to group work during
investigations.
o Student conversations during
the carousel brainstorm
- Summative Assessments:
o Student science journals with
observations, notes, and
conclusions.
o Exit tickets for the lessons
o Book quizzes
o Claim-Evidence-Reasoning
Week 4/5 4. Ecosystems - Pre-Assessments:
- Project Wild o Engagement activity
- Zoo Tour (field trip) o Use previous lessons as prior
- Abiotic and Biotic knowledge assessments for the
Factors next lesson.
- Levels of Ecology - Formative Assessments:
- Symbiotic Relationships o Review science journal for
- Human Effects of investigations, notes, and
Ecosystems explanations.
- Environmental Effects o Listen to group work during
on Ecosystems investigations.
- Balance in Ecosystems- o Student conversations during
Invasive Species the carousel brainstorm
- Animal Adaptations and - Summative Assessments:
Magazine o Student science journals with
- Ecosystem Newsletter observations, notes, and
- Ecosystem in a Bottle conclusions.
o Exit tickets for the lessons
o Book quizzes
Week 5/6 5. Ecosystems are - Project will be a summative
Complex Systems assessment for the unit
- Student Ecosystem
Project
5
- Pre-taught vocabulary and - Science A-Z
vocabulary already added to - Reading A-Z
student’s assistive communication - STEMscopes
device - BrainPOP
- Adapted notes sheets for student
science journal with sentence
frames and word banks
- Provide vocabulary words note
sheet with definitions and pictures
for students to glue into their
notebook
- Sentence starters provided to
students in order to participate in
group investigations, group
experiments, and class discussions
- Note sheets for videos and
reading
- Writing planning pages
- Guided lessons and small group
instruction
- Assisted technology
- Pre-taught vocabulary and - Science A-Z
vocabulary already added to - Reading A-Z
student’s assistive communication - STEMscopes
device - BrainPOP
- Adapted notes sheets for student
science journal with sentence
frames and word banks
- Provide vocabulary words note
sheet with definitions and pictures
for students to glue into their
notebook
- Sentence starters provided to
students in order to participate in
group investigations, group
experiments, and class discussions
- Note sheets for videos and
reading
- Writing planning pages
- Guided lessons and small group
instruction
- Assisted technology
- Mixed ability grouping - Student found
- Research sources resources for
- Project outline broken into research
smaller chunks
- Menu of choices to include in the
project
- Model of a project
- Step by step guidelines
 6

Culminating Unit Assessment 6

Unit Title: Life Science: Ecosystems and Matter Cycle
Conceptual Lens: Systems Thinking Grade: 5th Grade

What (the unit focus): Investigate the interdependent parts and functions within an
ecosystem.

Why (the generalizations): The individual parts within a system interact with one another
to perform a wide variety of functions and form relationships that support the whole system.

How (the engaging scenario for students):

The local museum has selected your class to create an interactive student exhibit where
students can come and learn about ecosystems and systems thinking. Your team’s task is to
create a project of your choice, in which you answer a question of your choice about an
ecosystem that are interesting to you. You must inform other students about the importance
of the system or ecosystem, important parts in the system or ecosystem, how the parts in the
system work together (relationships between organisms in the ecosystem), and how energy
is transferred through the ecosystem. Your team needs to select a project from the choice
board or a project based on a combination of the items from the choice board in order to
answer your essential question and inform other students about your team’s ecosystem.

Your project must include:

• An essential question
• Explain the purpose and functions of the main parts of the ecosystem
• How the parts of the ecosystem work together and how they are interdependent
• Explain how matter cycles and energy flows through your system
• A project demonstrating an understanding of your essential question and the
ecosystem
• Cited sources that you used in your research

We will have a classroom museum exhibit in which you will need to be prepared to present
your project to your classmates, younger peers, families, and other members of the
community. Your presentation needs to include the essential question, the function of the
main parts of your ecosystem, the relationships between the parts of the ecosystem, and the
answer to your essential question.
 7

Ecosystem: ___________________________________________________
Essential Question:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
 8

Ecosystems Project Scoring Rubric 8

Approaching Meets Exceeds
I have somewhat shown that I have shown that structures within the I have thoroughly demonstrated that
Understanding structures within the ecosystem ecosystem are interdependent and structures within the ecosystem are
of interact with one another, but I left interact with one another to perform a interdependent and interact with one
Generalization - out some important details. wide variety of functions that support another to perform a wide variety of
Understanding

Interdependent the whole system. functions that support the whole

Systems system and its survival.

I have little description about the I have described the structures and I have described the structures and
Understanding structures and functions of the parts functions of at least most of the parts in functions of at a variety of important
of within ecosystem or I have left our the ecosystem that are important for parts in the ecosystem and described
Generalization – important information. the survival of the ecosystem and the how those structures are important
Structures and organisms within it. for thee survival of the ecosystem
Functions and all of its organisms.
I have not stated my EQ anywhere in I have stated my EQ and have begun to My EQ is answered with details to
Essential my project or it is hard to answer it with some detail given. I support the answer. I have shown a
Question understand. have shown an understanding of the complete understanding of the
concept I chose to research. concept I chose to research.
Content

The project is vague and lacks The project shows relevant detail that The project shows detail that goes
detail. It is not well organized and it helps answer my essential question. It above and beyond my essential
is hard to follow the presentation is well organized and easy to follow. question. It shows that I understand
Detail and how two or more systems work
Organization together. I have organized my
project well and all parts are easy to
follow and understand.
I have little to no evidence to support I have supported my EQ answer with The project shows a clear
Evidence to my thinking. some evidence. I have properly used understanding of the topic with
support my my sources to demonstrate an evidence from multiple sources to
understanding of what I am back up my thinking. I have
thinking
researching. accurately used my sources to
support my own thinking.

I did not cite any sources that I used I cited my sources accurately and used I accurately cited all sources and I
in my project multiple sources in my project. I put used a variety of sources in my
Sources Cited the information into my own words presentation. I did not copy
and used and did not copy straight from the information from the sources, but
accurately source. put it into my own words
Process

demonstrating a clear understanding

of the content.
The project demonstrates little effort The project demonstrates good effort The project shows effort that went
and evidence of creativity in my and there is evidence that I worked to above and beyond by adding extra
Effort/ project is lacking. add my own creative touch to the elements to the project. The
Creativity project. creativity is evident in every part of
the project I put together.
Our group had trouble making Our group worked well Our group worked well together. We
decisions and working together. together. Members each had a chance respected each other's thinking and
Cooperation and to add in their thinking and it was each member contributed equally to
Group work respected by everyone in the group. the project. We pushed each other's
thinking and learned from listening
to each other.
 9

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