Around the World in 60 minutes: Lesson Plan

Name: Sarah Case

Subject/Concept: Science/Ecosystems
Grade Level: 5th Grade
Date of Lesson: November 2016

Whole Class___ Small Group__

OBJECTIVES:
TSW be able to:
Define an ecosystem
Analyze an ecosystem
Describe the abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem
Identify organisms within an ecosystem as producers, consumers, or
decomposers
Guiding Questions:

What is an ecosystem and what are its parts and functions?

What can challenge an ecosystem

What are the roles of plants and animals in an ecosystem?

Instructional Input/Procedures:
1. We will brainstorm as a class what an ecosystem is through concept
mapping technology tool
2. TTW play video on ecosystems:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYmdrJWLQ4Y
3. TTW will ask the students, what are ecosystems and how do they work?
4. TTW ask students for examples of living and nonliving or biotic and abiotic
organisms.
5. I will then write: city, forest, and aquarium on the board and ask which of
these three represent an ecosystem. TTW guide discussion to bring out that
all of these are examples of ecosystems. They can be large or small and
may include humans. I will explain that ecosystems are often described as
a community of organisms and their abiotic parts make an ecosystem or
environment.
6. I will show them the Yellowstone wilderness area photo:
https://d43fweuh3sg51.cloudfront.net/media/assets/wgbh/lsps07/lsps07_doc_lp
awildarea/lsps07_doc_lpawildarea.pdf
I will explain that this is an ecosystem and I will ask them to point out
biotic and abiotic organisms.
I will then ask what their source of energy is in this ecosystem and
guide them to answer that the Sun is the biggest source of energy
and that energy flow within an ecosystem is one of its system
processes.

7. TTW then guide discussion to bring out the following:

Which kinds of living things can use the energy of the Sun to make
their own food?
How do other types of organisms obtain their energy?
Guided Practice/Activity:
I will play a game to explore the jungle ecosystem and find out about
animals online at:
http://pbskids.org/plumlanding/games/explorer/jungle_rangers.html
I will tell them that they will play a game to find the abiotic and biotic
organisms and to point those things out in this game as well
Independent Practice:
TSW play an online game
http://lpb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/lsps07.sci.life.oate.ecosys
tem/
Ask students to find what the site is looking for (abiotic organisms,
biotic organisms etc.)
When they have gotten everything correct and read everything on
the site, I will have them screenshot the food web and email it to
me.
Closure/Questioning:
1. What is an example of an abiotic organism?
2. What is an example of a biotic organism?
3. What is an ecosystem and what are its components?
4. Good job today, and now you can go home and impress your parents
with how much you know about ecosystems!
Materials:
Computer
White board
Dry erase markers
Yellowstone picture
Websites listed above
Accommodations:
I can click for students and they tell me what to click
Extra time
Assessment:
Teacher observation

 Independent practice

Rubric
4 points
Correctness All answers
correct
Complete
All
complete
Participation Participated
3 times in
discussion

3
6-7 correct

2
5 or less
correct
6-7
5 or less
complete
complete
Participated Participated
2 times in
once or no
discussion
times in the
discussion