Project GLAD

ECOSYSTEMS AND TROPHIC LEVELS

Level 6

IDEA PAGES

I.UNIT THEME - Include cross-cultural sensitivity theme

  • All living things are classified and interdependent.
  • Organisms in ecosystems exchange energy and nutrients among themselves and with the environment.
  • Populations of organisms can be categorized by the functions they serve in ecosystems.
  • Different ecosystems can be impacted by humans
  • Cross-cultural theme: All cultures have views on ecological needs (logging vs. deforestation). Biomes/ecosystems have common characteristics around the globe.

II.FOCUS/MOTIVATION

  • Important Big Book
  • Ecologist Awards
  • Inquiry Charts
  • Observation Charts
  • Interest pieces
  • Guest speakers
  • Videos, movies, filmstrips
  • Field Trips

III.CLOSURE

  • Living Walls
  • Important Big Books
  • Realia
  • Vocabulary Strips
  • Poetry
  • Where's My Answer

-Living things

-trophic level

  • Art / Models
  • Theater / Role Playing (ecosystem interaction of trophic levels)
  • Team study – Expert Groups
  • Group presentations of team tasks
  • Scientific Experiments
  • Personal Exploration
  • Portfolio/Learning Logs
  • Student-authored books
  • Videos, documentaries, laser discs, streaming videos

IV. EARTHSCIENCE - Grade 6CONCEPTS

Ecology (Life Science)

5. Organisms in ecosystems exchange energy and nutrients among themselves and with the environment. As a basis for understanding this concept:

a. Students know energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis and then from organism to organism through food webs.

b. Students know matter is transferred over time from one organism to others in the food web and between organisms and the physical environment.

c. Students know populations of organisms can be categorized by the functions they serve in an ecosystem.

d. Students know different kinds of organisms may play similar ecological roles in similar biomes.

e. Students know the number and types of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of light and water, a range of temperatures, and soil composition.

Resources

6. Sources of energy and materials differ in amounts, distribution, usefulness, and the time required for their formation. As a basis for understanding this concept:

a. Students know the utility of energy sources is determined by factors that are involved in converting these sources to useful forms and the consequences of the conversion process.

b. Students know different natural energy and material resources, including air, soil, rocks, minerals, petroleum, fresh water, wildlife, and forests, and know how to classify them as renewable or nonrenewable.

c. Students know the natural origin of the materials used to make common objects.

Investigation and Experimentation

7.0 Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations.

a.Develop a hypothesis.

c.Construct appropriate graphs from data and develop qualitative statements about therelationships between variables.

d.Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and verbal presentations.

e.Recognize whether evidence is consistent with a proposed explanation.

g. Interpret events by sequence and time from natural phenomena.

h.Identify changes in natural phenomena over time without manipulating the phenomena.

V.LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS - Grade 6 California Standards

READING

Word Analysis, Fluency, Systematic Vocabulary DevelopmentWord Recognition

1.1 Read aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.

Vocabulary and Concept Development

1.2 Identify and interpret figurative language and words with multiple meanings.

1.3 Recognize the origins and meanings of frequently used foreign words in English and use these words accurately in speaking and writing.

1.4 Monitor expository text for unknown words or words with novel meanings by using word, sentence, and paragraph clues to determine meaning.

Reading Comprehension

2.0 Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of the text by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose.

Structural Features of Informational Materials

2.2 Analyze text that uses the compare-and-contrast organizational pattern.

Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text

2.3 Connect and clarify main ideas by identifying their relationships to other sources and related topics.

2.4 Clarify an understanding of texts by creating outlines, logical notes, summaries, or reports.

Expository Critique

2.7 Make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate, supporting citations. Literary Response and Analysis

3.0 Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They clarify the ideas and connect them to other literary works.

Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text

3.2 Analyze the effect of the qualities of the character on the plot and the resolution of the conflict.

3.3 Analyze the influence of setting on the problem and its resolution.

3.4 Define how tone or meaning is conveyed in poetry through word choice, figurative language, sentence structure, line length, punctuation, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme.

3.6 Identify and analyze features of themes conveyed through characters, actions, and images.

3.7 Explain the effects of common literacy devices in a variety of fictional and nonfictional texts.

WRITING

WRITING STRATEGIES

1.0 Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits
student’s awareness of the audience and purpose. Essays contain formal
introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions.

Organization and Focus

1.1 Choosethe form of writing that best suits the intended purpose.

1.2 Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions:

a.Engage the interest of the reader and state a clear purpose.

b. Develop the topic with supporting details and precise verbs nouns.

c.Conclude with a detailed summary linked to the purpose of the composition.

1.3 Use a variety of effective and coherent organizational patterns, including comparison and contrast; organization by categories; and arrangement by spatial order, order ofimportance, or climactic order.

Evaluation and Revision

1.6 Revise writing to improve the organization and consistency of ideas within and between paragraphs.

Writing Applications

2.1 Write narratives:

a.Establish and develop a plot and setting and present a point of viewthat is appropriate to the stories.

b. Include sensory details and concrete language and character.

2.2 Write expository compositions.

a.State the thesis or purpose.

b. Explain the situation.

c.Follow an organizational pattern appropriate to the type of composition.

d. Offer persuasive evidence to validate arguments and conclusionsas needed.

WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Sentence Structure

1.1 Use simple, compound, and compound-complex sentences; use effective coordination and subordination of ideas to express complete thoughts.

Grammar

1.2 Identify and properly use indefinite pronouns and present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect verb tenses; ensure that verbs agree with compound subjects.

Punctuation

1.3 Use colons after the salutation in business letters, semicolons to connect independent clauses, and commas when linking two clauses with a conjunction in compound sentences.

Capitalization

1.4 Use correct capitalization.

Spelling

1.5 Spell frequently misspelled words correctly.

VI.VOCABULARY

1

Ecosystems and Tropic Levels, Level 6 CA

Noshaba Afzal, Jabbar Beig, Adam Fee, Carrie Jamil (Project GLAD 03/09)

abiotic

autotrophs

bacteria

biomes

cacti

carnivore

cave

chemo-

synthesis

consumers

decomposer

desert

earthworms

ecosystems

ferns

food web

fungi

guano

herbivore

heterotroph

insect

moss

natural

nutrient

omnivore

organism

peat

photosynthesis

phylum

primary

producers

rainforest

resource

secondary

soil

sow bug

sunlight

swamp

taiga

temperate

tertiary

trees

vegetarian

vines

water

1

Ecosystems and Tropic Levels, Level 6 CA

Noshaba Afzal, Jabbar Beig, Adam Fee, Carrie Jamil (Project GLAD 03/09)

VII.ELD STANDARDS - CALIFORNIA STANDARDS

LISTENING and SPEAKING (ELD Standards)

Beginning Level:

Demonstrates comprehension through nonverbal responses

Begins to speak 1 - 2 words

Independently uses common phrases (greetings, etc.)

Early Intermediate Level:

Speaks using inconsistent grammar

Asks and answers simple questions

Restate and follow multi step directions

Restate simple main idea

Communicates basic needs

Prepares and delivers short presentation (groups and pairs)

Intermediate Level:

Listens and identifies key ideas; both verbally and nonverbally. (Main idea and details)

Is understood when speaking, fairly consistent grammar

Actively participates (ask and answer) in social situations

Short presentation from variety of sources

Early Advanced Level:

Does all of above in expanded form

Speaks appropriately to purpose

Uses idioms and figurative language

Advanced:

Does all of above - very expanded

Does all across content areas

READING (ELD Standards)

Beginning Level:

Word Analysis

Practice English phonemes

Early Intermediate Level:

Produce some English phonemes while orally reading own writing

Recognize obvious cognates

Intermediate Level:

Applies knowledge of common morphemes and phonemes
Advanced Level:

Uses knowledge of roots and affixes

FLUENCY and SYSTEMATIC VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT (ELD Standards)

Beginning Level:

Read aloud simple words in literature and content texts

Responds with short answers in social/academic settings

Creates a simple dictionary

Simply retells stories verbally/non-verbally

Communicates basic needs

Early Intermediate:

Uses background knowledge to predict meaning

Reads simple passages and paragraphs

Self-corrects some while reading aloud

Reads own writing with intonation

Uses standard dictionary

Intermediate Level:

Covered in Listening and Speaking

Uses decoding, knowledge of vocabulary academic/social to read independently
Recognizes words have multiple meanings

Early Advanced Level:

Same as above - expanded

Advanced Level:

Applies knowledge of multiple meanings

Same as above, expanded

READING COMPREHENSION (ELD Standards)
Beginning Level:

Reads and responds to text, directions verbally and non-verbally
Recognizes categories of common informational materials
Points out text features: titles, etc.

Compare/contrast; fact/opinion and cause/effect using visuals and verbally
Early Intermediate Level:

Same as above – expanded

Responds simply to a variety of texts
Intermediate Level:

Use of detailed sentences to respond to variety of texts, directions, or categories of
informational materials

Understands rhetoric of consumer materials
Early Advanced Level:

Expanded

WRITING (ELD Standards)
Beginning Level:

Organize and list expository information: pictures, etc.
Create simple sentence with assistance

Write simple narrative, description, and compare/contrast
Uses writing process, basic

Completes basic business forms (name, phone #)
Early Intermediate Level:

Uses common verbs, nouns and high frequency modifiers in simple sentences
Follows an outline to create paragraph

Increases writing in content areas
Collects information and takes notes
Expanded use of writing process and business forms
Intermediate Level:

As above – expanded

Investigate and research a topic in content area
Early Advanced Level:

Write in different genre: (plot, characters or thesis and support)
Expanded above

Advanced Level:

Writes persuasive/expository/narrative and informational coherently and with detail
Writes responses to literature, develops thesis and supports with rhetorical devices
Writes biographies and autobiographies

WRITING CONVENTIONS (ELD Standards)
Beginning Level:

Recognizes basic editing and revising
Early Intermediate Level:

Edits for basic conventions, revises with teacher assistance
Intermediate Level:

Expanded editing and revising
Early Advanced Level:

Uses expanded transitions
Advanced Level:
Expanded editing and revising

READING - LITERARY RESPONSE AND ANALYSIS (ELD Standards)
(covered in Reading Comprehension)

Beginning Level:
Role-play characters
Uses visuals to identify characteristic of fiction, non-fiction, poetry
Early Intermediate Level:

Covered in Reading Comprehension
Intermediate Level:

Covered in Reading Comprehension
Early Advanced Level:

Covered in Reading Comprehension
Advanced Level:

Analyzes setting and its influence

Compare/contrast similar themes, authors, plots, etc.

VIII.MATH/SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLS

•Observing, comparing, communicating, organizing

•Information and research skills, cite sources

•Maps and globes

•Critical thinking skills

IX.RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

Teacher

  • Classifying Living Things - Scholastic, 1995
  • Habitat Handbook - San Diego Zoo, 1992 - Zoological Society of San Diego Ed. Dept.
  • Parade of Life - Prentice Hall Science, 1993
  • Ecology - Prentice Hall Science, 1993
  • Wetland Activities - Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries, Lake Charles, LA
  • National Geographic

- September 1994, “Sonoran Desert”

- April 1994, “The Everglades”

- July 1987, “The Great Lakes Troubled Waters”

- November 1979, “The Desert," "The Wetlands”

  • Windows on Science; Volume 1; Life Science; Optical Data Corporation

Fiction

Cactus Fox, Julian May

Road Runner, Naomi John

The Desert is Theirs, Byrd Baylor Amino, Baylor & Schweitzer

Mojave, Diane Siebert

The 100 Year Old Cactus, Holmes

Desert Dance, Scott Foresman, C Armajo, 1993 Tortoise Tales, Manning-Sanders

Wild Fox, Mason; Down East Books, Maine*

Animals Don't Wear Pajamas, Feldman/Owens; Hold and Co. N.Y.*

James and the Giant Peach, Ronald Dahl; illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, Knopf, 1961

Jumanji, Chris Van Allsburg

Non-fiction

Fox, (See How They Grow): DK Inc., N. Y.*

Habitats, Hickman; Addison-Wesley*

Pond and River, (Eyewitness Books); Knopf N.Y.*

Ecosystems and Food Chains, Troll Associates*

Pond Life (A New True Book); Children’s Press Chicago*

Ponds and Streams (Nature Club); Stidworth; Toll Associates*

Wonders of the Pond, Sabin/Grant; Troll Associates*

Extinct Amphibians, Steele, P; Franklin Watts, N.Y.*

Wetlands, (EcoZones), Stone, L; Rourke Enterprises Inc. Florida*

Swamps and Marshes, Sabin; Troll Associates*

Pond Life, Kirkpatrick; Raintree Publications

Chains, Webs and Pyramids: The Flow of Energy In Nature, Pringle/Adkins Crowell Co. N.Y.*

Endangered Wetland Animals, Taylor, D.; Crabtree Publishing, N.Y.*

Cactus, C. Overbeck

Desert Giant, Barbara Bash

Deserts and Wastelands, Dougal Dixon

Desert Dwellers, Terry Shannon

Look at the Desert Animals, June Behrens

Survival Under the Sun, Lewis Wayne Walker

Sand, Sally Cartwright

The Desert, What Lives There, Andrew Bronin

Desert, Delia Goetz

The Wild Young Desert, Ann Atwood

Read About Deserts, Carroll R. Norden

Time Life: Desert

Desert Animals, Sticker Fun, Golden

National Wildlife, March 84 “Diggin In”

National Geographic, Nov. 79, “The Desert”

Travel and Leisure, Sept. 86, “The Great American Desert”

Ranger Rick, March 86, “The Touch Me Not Gang”

Dinosaurs and Their Young, Russell Freedman

Jane Goodall: Living Chimp Style, Julie Fromer

The World of Animals, Virginia Harrison

Mushrooms, Sylvia A. Johnson

The Living World, Tony Seddon and Jill Bailey

Tyrannosaurus Rex, Millicent Selsam

Book of Animals, Martin Walters

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS - Poetry

Earth Songs, Myra Cohen Livingston

Light in the Attic, Shel Silverstein

New Kid on the Block, J. Prelutsky

When Clay Sings, B. Baylor

Random House Book of Poetry

Zoo Doings, Jack Prelutsky

PLACES TO VISIT OR WRITE

Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA

Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

WEBSITES

(poetry frames)

ECOSYSTEMS AND TROPHIC LEVELS

PLANNING PAGES

  1. FOCUS/MOTIVATION

•Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word

•Important Big Book

•Observation Charts

•Ecologist Awards

•Poetry

•Inquiry Charts

•Guest speakers

•Videos, movies, filmstrips

•Field trips

•Pre/post tests

II.INPUT

•World Map

•Pictorial Input Chart of one ecosystem with tropic levels

•10/2 lecture with primary language

•Newspaper interest pieces

•Student demonstrations

•Silent Video

  1. GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE

•T-graph/processing

•Team co-op group evaluation

•Open Sort with textbook Picture File Cards

•Closed Sort with Picture File Cards - classify, compare, order

•Exploration Report

•Inquiry Chart

•Mind Mapping, list-group-label

•Heads Together/Process Grid

•Poetry

•Sentence Patterning Chart

  1. READING/WRITING

A.Total Group

• Group Frames (Teacher uses info. from students to model appropriate frame)

- Big Book - The Important Book

Cooperative Strip Paragraph - multiple paragraphs Information

- Poetry Frames

B.Small Group Reading/Writing Activities
• Ear-to-Ear Reading

• Textbook pairs of pairs reading, tutoring, worksheets

• Co-op interpretations of literature legends poetry

• Focused Reading

• Flexible Reading Groups
• Expert Groups

• Team Tasks

• Reader's Theater

• Team Writing Workshop
• Group Process Grids

• Farmer-in-the-Dell/Sentencing Patterning Chart
• Interactive Reading

• Book Sharing

C. Individual Activities - Portfolio
• Paragraph writing

• Poetry writing

• Chalk art

• Interactive Journal Writing
• Learning Logs

• Individual Tasks

  1. Writer's Workshop
    • Mini Lesson

• Writing/planning
• Conferences

• Author's Chair

V.REINFORCEMENT/EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Poetry with musical instruments

• Read Aloud

• Newspaper interest pieces

  1. DAILY ACTIVITIES

• Read Aloud

• Silent Sustained Reading/Book Sharing
• Silent Sustained Writing

• Listening Activities

• Oral Language Activities

• Daily News/Interest Piece
• Personal Interaction

VII. CLOSURE

• Focused Reading

• Process Inquiry Charts

•Vocabulary Strips - Where's My Answer

• Reading Big Books, share individual poetry
• Personal Exploration with Rubric

• Student Generated Text

SAMPLE DAILY LESSON PLAN

DAY1:

FOCUS/MOTIVATION

  • Super Scientist (Ecologist) Awards / 3 Standards
  • Cognitive Content Dictionary w/Signal Word
  • Observation Charts
  • Inquiry Chart
  • Big Book - Teacher made

INPUT

  • Graphic Organizer Input Chart World Map – Big Picture

Primary Language groups w/ 10/2 lecture

Learning log