Name: ______Number: ______Date: ______

\ / Fourth Grade Lesson Plans
Subject: Science

April 8-12

4-2.1Classify organisms into major groups (including plants or animals, flowering or nonflowering plants, and vertebrates [fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals] or invertebrates) according to their physical characteristics.
4-2.2Explain how the characteristics of distinct environments (including swamps, rivers and streams, tropical rain forests, deserts, and the polar regions) influence the variety of organisms in each.
Science / MATERIALS
DAY 1 / Standard: \
  1. Students read MacMillan/McGraw-Hill South Carolina Science, pp. 64-65.
  2. Students complete “The World of Plants Classification” concept map as you progress (Resource 3).
  1. Students observe flowers/fruits of flowering plants, cones of non-flowering plants (if ferns are available, show the spore cases underneath the fronds). I placed a powerpoint in the commons folder on FLOWERING AND NON-FLOWERING PLANTS.
  1. Students look through magazines to find pictures of both flowering and non-flowering plants. Put pictures on a poster and label them as flowering and non-flowering plants. Or you can create a collage on paper.
  2. If time watch a USV on Flowering Plants of your choice.
  3. TSW complete the Test/Quiz on Vertebrates/Invertebrates/Flowering and Nonflowering. They may or may not use their notes…..you can decide this.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT STUDENTS KNOW:
Flowering Plants
Flowering plants are those plants that make seeds within flowers.
Some flowers become the fruits that contain seeds.
Examples are grasses, roses, oak trees, fruit trees, tomatoes, or bean plants.
Nonflowering Plants
Nonflowering plants are those plants that produce seeds within cones or produce spores instead of seeds.
Some examples of nonflowering plants are pines, spruce, or cedar trees that produce cones, and ferns, mosses, and lichens that produce spores.
Assessment: Test / Science Notebooks
Science Books
Test/Quiz (In Commons Folder)
Magazines
Google Images
USV of your choice on Flowering or nonflowering plants
Flowering Chart (Commons Folder)
pp-Flowering and Non-flowering plants
Day 2 / Standards:
  1. Students will choose one of the following plants or animals and tell where it lives. Why does the plant or animal live there? Options: polar bear, fish, cactus, fruit tree, shrimp.
  1. The class will discuss how environmental characteristics (such as temperature, water, etc.) determine the type of plant and animal life that can survive.
  1. We will now start our focus on Animal Enviroments. Today we will work on Rainforest and Deserts.
  1. Students read MacMillan/McGraw-Hill South Carolina Science, p. 131 (rainforests), p. 132 (deserts).
  1. TSW begin to fill in their Environments Chart (ATTACHED).
  1. To help fill in the chart, TSW watch the USV’s Tropical Rainforest (11 min) and American Deserts: What is in a Desert (10 min).
  1. Also show the Virtual Rainforest found at
  1. Once the chart has been filled for Rainforest and Deserts, TSW draw minipictures of a Rainforest and a Desert. Make sure they include details from what is in their charts. (Picture sheet in commons folder)
  1. TTW introduce Polar Region.
  2. TTW use this website to help teach it
  3. TSW fill in their chart.
IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENTS TO KNOW:
Tropical Rainforests
Are very humid and warm and have an abundance of rain that leads to lush plant growth (for example, tall trees, vines, ferns, orchids, and other colorful flowering plants).
Animals that live in the rainforest are colorful, to match the many varieties of plants.
Many animals are also tree dwellers (for example birds and monkeys), moving across the tree canopy rather than traveling on the ground.
Deserts
Are dry with extreme temperature ranges.
Some deserts are covered with sand.
During the day it is very hot, whereas the nights are very cold.
Most of the plants (for example cacti), and animals (for example lizards, scorpions, and jackrabbits) have ways to conserve the moisture, are able to go long periods without water, or can withstand the extreme temperature changes.
Polar Region
Cold
Lichens and mosses grow there
Seals, Polar Bear, Penquins
Assessment: Science Notebooks and Minipicture Chart / Science Notebooks
Science books
USV
Minipicture Chart (Commons Folder)
Environments Chart (ATTACHED)
Summary of Characteristics of Distinct Environments
Swamps / Rivers and Streams / Tropical Rainforests / Deserts / Polar Regions
Temperature / Warm-hot / Varies / Hot / Hot-Cold / Cold
Water / Abundant / Water Environment / Humid / Dry / Dry/Frozen
Plant Life (examples) / Cypress trees, ferns, water lilies / Bushes/trees on banks, water plants / Abundant trees, vines, lush growth / Scarce cactus / Mostly lichens, mosses
Animal Life (examples) / Alligators, water birds, turtles / Fish, crayfish, snakes, insects / Birds, Frogs, Monkeys / Lizards, scorpions, rabbits / Seals, polar bears, penguins

Environments Chart

Swamps / Rivers and Streams / Tropical Rainforests / Deserts / Polar Regions
Temperature
Water
Plant Life (examples)
Animal Life (examples)

Environments Chart

Swamps / Rivers and Streams / Tropical Rainforests / Deserts / Polar Regions
Temperature
Water
Plant Life (examples)
Animal Life (examples)

ORGANISMS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT QUIZ

**You may use your notes to help you complete this.

  1. Which animal might you find in the stream environment?
  1. shark
  2. sunfish
  3. octopus
  4. alligator
  1. Which animal is an invertebrate?
  1. Canadian goose
  2. Monarch butterfly
  3. elk
  4. brown bear
  1. Which plant below is a non-flowering plant?
  1. rose
  2. fern
  3. daisy
  4. sunflower
  1. Organisms that live in the environment shown in the picture below have special needs in order to survive in that environment. Those organisms must be able to ______.

  1. gather sunlight
  2. conserve water
  3. protect against cold
  4. breathe underwater
  1. Explain the difference between a vertebrate and an invertebrate. Give one example of each.

Answer in a complete sentence. What am I?

  1. I am an environment that is very humid, has LOTS of plant and animal life and I am becoming endangered. What environment am I?
  1. I am an environment that is made up of cypress trees and water. I can also be humid. What environment am I?
  1. I am an environment that can be found in your neighborhood. Some people like to fish from me. What environment am I?
  1. I am an environment that is very dry, cactus and other plants conserve water because I do not get a lot of rain. What environment am I?

Short Answer/Paragraph

  1. Pick your favorite environment and describe EVERYTHING you know about the environment. (15 point question)