5E Lesson Plan

Teacher: ​Katelyn Valor

Date:​ September 22, 2020
Subject/grade level: ​Life Science- Web of Life​ ​5th
Materials:
- Science Notebook
- Pencil
- Eat or Be Eaten Cards
- Scissors
- Rules of the Game
- Web of Life Google Form
- ‘​Teachers Pay Teachers’ Predator & Prey Sort
- Computer
- Zoom
- Google Classroom
NGSS:
5-LS2-1​ ​Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among​ ​plants, animals,
decomposers, and the environment.

SEP​: ​Developing and Using Models

- Modeling in 3–5 builds on K–2 models and progresses to building and revising simple
models and using models to represent events and design solutions.
● Develop a model to describe phenomena.

DCI​:​LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

● The food of almost any kind of animal can be traced back to plants. Organisms are
related in food webs in which some animals consume plants for food and other
animals consume the animals that consume plants. Some organisms, such as fungi
and bacteria, break down dead organisms (both plants or plants parts and animals)
and therefore operate as “decomposers.” Decomposition eventually restores
(recycles) some materials back to the soil. Organisms can survive only in
environments in which their particular needs are met. A healthy ecosystem is one in
which multiple species of different types are each able to meet their needs in a
relatively stable web of life. Newly introduced species can damage the balance of an
ecosystem.

CCC​: ​Systems and System Models

● A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions.
Lesson objective(s):
Students will be able match various animal pictures to their predator/prey.
Students will be able to use the cards and create food chains showing the transfer of matter
through consumption.
Students will write out specifically researched food chains with arrows showing the flow of
consumption down the food chain.
Students will be able to answer the question, “Where does a food chain begin & end?”
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
EL​: Students will be provided with the new vocabulary terms before the lesson using ​Quizlet​.
The flash cards have the vocabulary term, an image, and the definition. Students also have the
ability to have the words and definitions read to aloud to them. My students will be able to
understand the content faster when it is read aloud to them.

SPED​: Students will be given the ​Quizlet​ flash cards which have the vocabulary term, an
image, and the definition. Students also have the ability to have the words read to them. Having
the material read aloud to them will make it easier to learn. Students will also be given fewer
cards when making their food chains. This will help keep their focus on just a few animals
while still grasping the content.

Gate​: Students will be allowed to move at their own pace and will be given the opportunity to
research different animals to create more food chains. They will also be asked to challenge
their thinking by using more than for living things to create their food chain. My students work
quickly and enjoy relating research topics to their interests.
ENGAGEMENT
- The teacher shows the students various pictures of animals and asks students to match
the predator and the prey. (‘​Teachers Pay Teachers’ Predator & Prey Sort​)
- Categories would be changed from “predator & prey” to “Hunter & Hunted” to
avoid front loading vocabulary
- Pre-assessment: Students’ science notebooks will include notes showing which
animals they matched together. This will allow me to see if they understand the
terms predator and prey.
- Questions to help engage students
- What kinds of food do different animals consume?
- What seems to be the difference between these two groups of animals?
- Why do some animals eat other animals and some animals consume plants?
EXPLORATION
- Students will be exploring the Eat or Be Eaten Cards. The students will create food
chains using the Eat or Be Eaten Cards. After looking over the cards and creating a few
of their own food chains, they will play with a partner.
 - Students will compare their knowledge of the animal community, drawing their own
conclusions about characteristics that differentiate animals at the top & bottom of food
chains.
Formative Assessment​: Students will record their food chains using the Eat or Be Eaten cards in
their science notebooks and share their largest food chain in class.
- Asking students to create the longest food chain will drive competition and passion for
the topic.
EXPLANATION
- The teacher will ask students to identify the predator (plant/animal doing the
consumption) and prey (the animal/plant that is getting consumed) in the example using
a coyote and a rabbit.
- Introduce terms (after student explanations) connecting to prior knowledge
- Predators
- Prey
- Food Chain
- Ecological community
- ecosystem
- These words will be used continuously throughout the lesson.

What kind of animals or things are at the top of the food chain? Why?
What kind of animals or things are at the bottom of the food chain? Why?
How are animals linked to one another?
As students share their ideas and understandings, I will record their responses on a shared
google document. After getting responses from a variety of students we will formulate concrete
answers to the questions and write them in our science notebook.

Higher Order Thinking Questions:

- Describe what happens when you take an animal out of the food chain.
- How would you describe a food chain to someone who has never been taught the idea?
- How can you describe what happens when you move down the food chain?
- Give an example of a food chain with at least 3 items.
ELABORATION
Students will develop a more sophisticated understanding of the concept when they apply their
knowledge to different animals. Students will choose an animal of their liking and create a food
chain to show what it consumes and what it is being eaten by.
- This knowledge will help students understand what specific animals live in
certain areas (ecosystem). With this new knowledge, students will understand the
relationships between living things.
 EVALUATION
Summative Assessment: Students will complete an Exit Ticket ​Web of Life- Mystery 1​ Google
Form.
- The exit ticket will allow me to see what my students took away from the lesson and
what we still need to practice.