Watertown City School District/Mary Ellen Carroll
Watertown City School District/Mary Ellen Carroll
Science Grade 3
Unit/Plants and Animals Interact/Save The River
May & June
Supplemental Unit
Standard 4
Key Idea 6:
Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment.
Key Idea 7
Human decisions and activities have had a profound impact on the physical and living environment.
Unit Summary/Enduring Understandings:
Students will demonstrate an understanding that all living things depend on plants and animals to meet needs and that plants and animals depend on one another to help them meet their needs.
Students will understand what makes up a river ecosystem and the native and invasive species related to the St. Lawrence River.
Students will be aware of the role and function of Save the River.
Students will understand the relationship between human environment and the natural environment.
Essential Questions:
What is an ecosystem?
What are water ecosystems?
What are the native and invasive species related to the St. Lawrence River?
What is a Muskellunge?
What does a Muskellunge need to survive?
What are the environmental threats to a Muskellunge?
What is the role and function of Save The River?
Performance Tasks
What is an ecosystem?
1. Read aloud The Ecosystem of a Stream. Use a graphic organizer (What is an ecosystem?) to summarize information. See Graphic organizer #1
2. Ecosystem Outdoor Activity: Students will observe, record, examine and
analyze a small mapped out area on the ground. They will observe living
and nonliving things. They will each use a magnifying glass to observe
their mapped out area and a spoon to assist them with digging a few small
holes.
A classroom chart will be used to summarize students’ findings.
(Living and Nonliving Things)
Assessment: Students will illustrate and label their findings. Rubric 1-4
What are water ecosystems? (Include native species/SLR)
1. Students will view a PowerPoint presentation displaying the characteristics of
the two kinds of water ecosystems. (saltwater and freshwater)
Key vocabulary and main ideas will be summarized.
Assessment: Vocabulary and short response quiz.
2. Students will play a Yes/No learning game related to the native
species of the St. Lawrence River. Yes and No cards will be distributed to
small groups of students (3) and their objective will be to correctly match
pictures of native species with the Yes or No card. Student groups will
share their results.
What is a Muskellunge?
1.Display pictures and information about the Muskellunge. Students will use
poster paper, pictures of the muskellunge and facts to create a display about
the muskellunge. This will include: characteristics, diet, habitat and
interesting facts.
Assessment: Posters will be assessed by a 1-4 rubric.
2. Students will present their information (groups). Posters will be put on display
in the Sherman School library. The posters will be used to make an information
book for the Sherman library.
What does a Muskellunge need to survive?
1. Students will work in small groups of 3 to list what they think a Muskellunge
needs to survive.
2. Students will read “Habitat Requirements” and place the information on a
graphic organizer.
3. Students will read the information sheet on the Muskellunge and take notes.
4. Students will use the information from the graphic organizer and their notes to
decorate a large cutout Muskellunge. A survival fact will be written on the
each of the students’ Muskellunge.
Assessment: Project will be assessed by a rubric 1-4.
What are the environmental threats to a Muskellunge?
1. Students will view a Powerpoint presentation regarding the current threats of the muskellunge and steps being taken to address the threats.
*VHS (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia) (ballast water) (new regulations)
*overfishing (Catch and Release)
*habitat (changes)
*bait (laws)
*pollution (student generated)
What is the role and function of Save The River?
1. Students will participate in a fact hunt game in the classroom.
Fact cards regarding the role and function of STR will be
hidden in the classroom for the students to find. After locating the STR fact
cards, the students will sit in a circle and share the information on the cards.
2. Students will work in the computer lab to read the STR website and list 3 things
they learned about STR. (role and function)
Students will share their information then illustrate one fact about STR.
3. A representative from STR will be a guest speaker explaining the role and
function of STR. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Assessment: Written facts and illustrations will be assessed by a rubric 1-4.
- A Photo Story will be created displaying pictures of the third graders involved in their unit activities.
- The unit plan will be shared with STR.
- The Muskellunge fact posters will be displayed in the Sherman School library.
- The Muskellunge cutout /fact project will be displayed at Sherman School.