Boston School Forest
Third Grade
Curriculum
Introduction
The mission of the Boston School Forest is to provide the youth of Stevens Point area schools educational opportunities that foster personal growth as well as awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the natural world leading to sound stewardship of the earth.
Environmental education programs that are the most effective emphasize students’ involvement and interaction with the natural environment. The Boston School Forest is the living laboratory for our youth to study, learn from, and explore. The Boston School Forest curriculum is intended to provide classroom teachers, school forest staff, and volunteers with lessons, activities, and background information on the environmental education topics studied in our living laboratory, the school forest.
The Boston School Forest’s curriculum is designed to correlate directly with the Stevens Point Area Public School District curriculum. Our goal is to have students benefit the most from their school forest experiences. They will develop a deeper understanding of the concepts learned at the school forest if they are prepared and have time to reflect and review concepts learned.
The curriculum contains optional pre and post fieldtrip lessons that are flexible and brief. Teachers can apply their professional knowledge and insight as to how extensively these activities will fit into their teaching plans. These activities aren’t intended to add an additional burden to our very busy classroom schedules. It is hoped that they can be of help to teachers and enhance the learning experiences of our students.
When teachers have a multi-aged or split grade class, they can choose which school forest lessons they would like to have the school forest staff teach. Contact the Environmental Education Coordinator to make arrangements.
The first curriculum written for the school forest in the 1967-1968 school year has been lost in time. It is intended that this renewed effort will be continued into the future with regular updates and additions. The curriculum writers invite teachers to share their ideas and suggestions for additional activities that will enhance this document. All contributors’ activities included will be acknowledged in updated copies of the curriculum.
The following people deserve acknowledgement for their time, dedication, and thoughtful insight into the planning and development of this document; Allison Bancker, Jerry Corgiat, Karen Dostal, Pat Hoffman, Kathy Kruthoff, Lori Lampert, Judy Mansavage, Cris Miller, Casey Nye, and Susan Zook.
Curriculum
Scope and Sequence
Students in the Stevens Point School District visit the Boston School Forest each year from Kindergarten through 6th Grade. The visit occurs in a designated season and engages students in activities related to an age-appropriate theme.
Environmental Education Curriculum TopicsGrade / Environmental Appreciation / Sensory Awareness / Adaptations / Biodiversity / Ecology / Ecosystems / Energy / Forestry / Habitat / Life Cycles / Outdoor Recreation / Service Learning / Taxonomy
K / / / /
1 / / / / /
2 / / / / / / / /
3 / / / / / / /
4 / / / /
5 / / / / /
6 / / / / /
Seasons and Themes by Grade Level
Grade / Season / Major Theme(s)
K / Winter / Basic Needs
1 / Winter / Life Cycles through the Seasons, Animal Groupings
2 / Spring / Pond and Forest Ecosystems, Life Cycles
3 / Fall / Biodiversity, Food Chains, and Webs
4 / Winter / Wisconsin Forests, Seasonal Differences
5 / Fall / Orienteering, Classification, and Characteristics of Trees
6 / Spring / Wilderness Survival, Service Learning
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Stevens Point Area Public Schools
Third Grade Boston School Forest Curriculum
Curriculum Areas:Environmental Science,
Social Studies, Language
Arts, Math, Physical Education / General Topic:
Food Chains and Webs / Subtopics: Relationship of Living Things, Biological Diversity in Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitats
Standards and Benchmarks / Teaching Strategies & Student Activities / Teacher Resources / Assessment tools
Environmental Education
A.4.1 Make observations, ask questions, and plan environmental investigations.A.4.2 Collect information, make predictions, and offer explanations about questions asked
A.4.3 Develop answers, draw conclusions, and revise their personal understanding as needed based on their investigations
A.4.4 Communicate their understanding to others in simple terms /
Read aloud “Please Pass the Energy”, Food Chain Activity
Obstacle Course Team ChallengeWater Quality Monitoring
Pond Diversity Study
Read Aloud Salamander Rain, Food Chain Game /
“Please Pass the Energy”
Salamander Rain
KEEP Activity Guide Pages N37-N41 / ObservationParticipation
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Boston School Forest
Third Grade Lesson Outline
I. PurposeThese lessons are intended as an option for classroom teachers to extend students’ Boston School Forest experiences. The pre- and post-field trip third grade lessons can be used in whole or part with the mission of introducing basic concepts and vocabulary, extending enthusiasm generated at the forest, and exciting students through assimilating their knowledge beyond the forest visit. The optional follow-up family activity letter is included for you to copy and send home if you choose.
II. Pre-Field Trip Options
a. Mystery bags activity
b. Forest Energy Flow from LEAF / 12
III. Post-Field Trip Options
a. Read aloud Salamander Rain by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini
b. Food Chain Game
c. Food Web Dream Catcher / 15
IV. Family Extension Activities
a. What’s for dinner and where did it come from? / 21
V. Boston School Forest Activities
a. Biodiversity Hike
b. Discovery Center
c. Obstacle Course Team Challenge
d. Water Quality Monitoring and Pond Diversity Study / 23
VI. Appendix 1. Multiple Intelligences Chart / 27
VII. Appendix 2. EE Subgoals model / 28
VIII. Appendix 3. Boston School Forest History / 29
IX. Appendix 4. Location and Directions / 32
Boston School Forest
Third Grade Pre-Field Trip Option
District Curriculum Topics: Environmental Awareness, Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Energy, Habitat, Life Cycles
School Forest Theme: Food Chains and Webs
Alignment to State Standards: EE B.4.1
Multiple Intelligence Connections: Naturalistic, Linguistic-Verbal, Visual-Spatial
Lesson Length: 30 minutes
Supplies/Technology:
· Forest Energy Flow from LEAF (attached)
· Paper bag, natural objects such as: shells, pine cones, leaves, feathers, toy deer, fox, turtle, etc. You will need one item for each participant.
· Paper and pencils
Process: (Strategies and Activities)
1. Follow the procedure for Activity 2 in the attached LEAF lesson.
2. Show students the paper bag and inform them that inside is an assortment of mystery objects. As the bag is passed around the circle, they are to pull out one item.
3. Direct the students to identify their object for the class and name a food chain it could be a part of.
4. Instruct the students to draw a picture of their food chain.
5. Close by having students share their drawings with one another and discuss other food chain options.
The LEAF Lesson Guide contains grade-level specific forestry units. The guide is obtained by taking a LEAF course. For more information and upcoming dates visit the LEAF website at: www.uwsp.edu/cnr/leaf or call (715) 346-4956.
“Forest Energy Flow” activity
ACTIVITY 2
1. Have the class brainstorm other producers, consumers, and decomposers than the ones used above.
§ Producers can be any kind of green plant they think of.
§ Consumers can be mammals, insects, birds, fish, etc. If humans are not on the list that the class creates, stress to them that we are consumers too.
§ Decomposers are bacteria and fungi. They are sometimes too small to be seen.
2. Divide the class in thirds. Assign one third to be producers, one third to be consumers, and one third to be decomposers.
3. Distribute the food energy circles that the class made in the introduction to the producers. Each producer should have two energy circles. (see student page)
4. Explain to the class that they are going to learn how energy flows between producers, consumers, and decomposers. Give them instructions and have them follow along step by step.
5. Ask the producers to stand in two rows facing each other with space between the rows. The producers should hold their food energy in their hands in front of them.
6. Next ask the consumers to come into the playing area between the rows of producers. Each should collect only one energy circle from the producers. Producers must always have one energy circle left.
7. The next step is to ask the decomposers to join the consumers in the playing area and collect one energy circle from the consumers.
8. Explain that the decomposers have used the energy in the energy circle. Producers need to add more. Ask the decomposers to return the circles to the producers. Review how the producers (plants) will make food energy. (They use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide from the air to make food energy with their leaves.)
9. Have students play one round as they have just practiced it.
10. Tell students that in the next round you will remove one or two producers. Ask them what they think will happen. Allow the students to speculate. Don’t give away the outcome. Begin the round but remind the consumers that they may not take an energy circle from a producer who only has one left. Decomposers should still take one energy circle from the consumers. A consumer or decomposer who cannot collect an energy circle must leave the playing area.
11. The result of the round will be that some of the consumers and decomposers did not survive because they did not get any energy. Through questioning, lead the students to the conclusion that there have to be producers making energy for consumers and decomposers to survive.
12. Review the steps in the flow of energy. Producers make food energy using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. That food energy passes to consumers and decomposers.
CONCLUSION
Hand out Student Page 2, The Adventures of Zippy the Energy. Assign students to write a comic strip entitled The Adventures of Zippy the Energy. Students should include where Zippy started (as sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water) and what Zippy did along the way through the forest. (The trip through producer, consumer, and decomposer.) Display the completed comic strips in the classroom.
CAREERS
The career profile in this lesson is about Alan Haney, Ecologist, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. Career Profile 2D.E is found on page 52. A careers lesson that uses this information begins on page 88.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Choose a story/picture book to read to the class that contains images of producers, consumers, and decomposers. As you read through the book, ask students to point out which items are producers, consumers, or decomposers.
REFERENCES
Benson, D. E. (1999). Living with Nature and Wildlife: Doing Our Part. Washington D.C.: Wildlife Management Institute.
Miller Jr., G. T. (1991). Environmental Science: Sustaining the Earth. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company
Boston School Forest
Third Grade Post-Field Trip Option
District Curriculum Topic: Environmental Awareness, Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Energy, Habitat, Outdoor Recreation
School Forest Theme: Food Chains and Webs
Alignment to State Standards: EE A.4.1, B.4.1
Multiple Intelligence Connections: Naturalistic, Linguistic-Verbal, Bodily-Kinesthetic
Lesson Length: 30 minutes or more
Supplies/Technology:
· Salamander Rain by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini
· KEEP Activity pages N37-N41 (attached)
· Popped popcorn
· Cones or other markers for the playing field
· Cups – small, medium, and large (one of each type per student)
· Organism tally chart copied onto a portable white board or chart paper
Process: (Strategies and Activities)
1. Read aloud Salamander Rain by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini.
2. Follow instructions for attached KEEP activity.
FOOD CHAIN GAME
Adapted from KEEP Activity Guide
Objectives
Students will be able to
§ Draw a simple food chain or web;
§ Explain why energy is “lost” as each successive link in a food chain; and
§ Diagram how energy flows and how nutrients cycle in a food chain.
Rationale
Understanding these concepts helps students recognize how energy flows through communities. It also helps students appreciate that the world around them depends on a continuous supply of energy.
Summary: By playing an outdoor tag game, students simulate the transfer of energy between organisms in a food chain.
Grade Level: 3 – 5 (K – 2)
Subject Areas: Agriculture Education; Science (Environmental, Life [Biology])
Setting: Classroom and large playing area
Time: Preparation: 50 minutes Activity: 50 minutes
Vocabulary: Biomass, Carnivore, Chemical Energy, Consumer, Decomposer, Food Chain, Herbivore, Omnivore, Photosynthesis, Producer
Major Concept Areas: Energy flow in ecosystems
Materials:
§ A sandwich or a photograph of a sandwich
§ Cones or other objects to mark playing field boundaries
§ Small, medium, and large cups, preferably each size a different color (one of each type per student)
§ Two to three large bags of white popcorn
§ Portable chalkboard and chalk or flip chart and marking pen
§ String (optional)
Getting Ready:
Thread strings through the cups so students can tie them around their waists. Set up the playing field boundaries. Allow ample space for students to play tag, but not so much space that students will never encounter one another.
PROCEDURE
Orientation
Share the following scenario with students:
Mr. Smith is driving to work for the first time. Along the way there are four toll
booths. At each toll booth he must pay 50 cents. He only has one dollar in change. Therefore, he is able to make it through only two toll booths before calling his wife to bring him more money. Mr. Smith knows that from now on he must make sure he has enough money at the beginning of the day so that he can make it to and from his workplace.
Tell students that this scenario presents a simple budget that Mr. Smith had to develop. Explain that nature has budgets too, but instead of enough money, there needs to be enough energy. Ask students where humans get energy to grow and to function. They should know that our energy comes from food. Show a picture or describe the components of a sandwich, such as a hamburger. Challenge students to trace each food item in the sandwich back to the sun. Discuss how energy is being transferred from one organism to another and how each organism uses the energy it receives. Share the definition of a food chain (see background). Review the process of photosynthesis, stressing how plants are able to convert the sun’s energy into chemical energy (stored energy in food). Tell students that they will be playing a game that simulates energy transfer in a food chain. They should also remember the analogy of the budget; they may need it to make the game successful.