1. Ecosystems
AMSTI Year 2
5th Grade

2. AL COS Alignment
#3 Use everyday indicators to identify acids and bases (Lesson 8)
#8 Identify major body systems and their functions (Lessons 4,6)
#9 Describe the relationship of populations within a habitat (Lessons 1-6)
#9a Food chains and webs (Lessons 1-16)
#9b Symbiotic relationships (Lesson 7)

3. Lesson 1 Thinking About Ecosystems
QUESTION:
What is an ecosystem?
PREDICT:
An ecosystem is . . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Make a KWL of “How living things depend on each other”.
2. Make an illustration of a perfect ecosystem.
3. Discuss as a group the riverbank environment

5. Thinking About Ecosystems
DATA:
What we know now:
(skip three lines)
What we would like to find out:
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

6. Thinking About Ecosystems
Next Steps/New Questions
(Answer one of the following)
*Describe a situation in nature in which one living thing depends on another living thing.
*Look at the riverbank environment again. Imagine that a group of people begins to set up a city in this area. What will change?
* What problems might occur when humans interfere with an environment?

7. Lesson 2 Setting up the Terrarium
QUESTION:
What is a terrarium?
PREDICTION:
A terrarium is a . . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Review pgs of student investigation book.
2. Explain distribution center and how to pick up supplies.
3. Record data on table as you build your terrarium.
DATA:

8. Setting up the Terrarium
Material
Amount/Size
Color/Description
Other Observations
Soil
Alfalfa Seed
Grass/Rye Seed
Mustard Seed
Rock/Twig/
Leaves
Water

9. Setting up the Terrarium
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

10. Lesson 3 Setting up the Aquarium
QUESTION:
What is an aquarium?
PREDICTION:
An aquarium is . . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Review pg. 16 of student investigation book.
2. Explain distribution center and how to pick up supplies.
3. Record data on table as you build your aquarium.

11. Setting up the Aquarium
DATA:
Material
Amount/Size
Color/
Description
Other
Observations
Gravel
Water
Elodea
Duckweed
Algae

12. Setting up the Aquarium
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

13. Lesson 3--Reading Duckweed, Elodea, and Algae
QUESTION:
Why are duckweed, elodea, and algae important to the life of an ecosystem?
PREDICTION:
Duckweed, elodea, and algae are needed because. . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Read as a group pgs. 17 – 20.
2. List 3 reasons for each; duckweed, elodea, & algae

14. Duckweed, Elodea, & Algae
DATA:
Duckweed –
Elodea –
Algae –
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

15. Duckweed, Elodea, & Algae
REFLECTION:
Explain three ideas about what you have read.

16. Lesson 4 Adding Animals to the Aquarium
QUESTION:
What is the relationship between the plants and animals in the aquarium?
PREDICTION:
Plants and animals in the aquarium . . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Review pg of student investigation book.
2. Explain distribution center and how to pick up supplies.
3. Record data on table as you add your animals to your aquarium.

17. Adding Animals to the Aquarium
DATA:
Snails
Guppies
Size
Number
Color
Motion
Shape
Other Observations

18. Adding Animals to the Aquarium
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

19. Lesson 4--Reading Guppies & Snails
QUESTION:
How does each animal contribute to the environment?
PREDICTION:
Guppies contribute. . .
Snails contribute. . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Read as a group pages
2. List three facts about each animal.

20. Guppies & Snails DATA: Guppies – Snails – WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

21. Lesson 5--Observing the Completed Aquarium
QUESTION:
What changes might occur in aquarium and terrarium?
PREDICTION:
Changes in the aquarium and terrarium include. .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Observe the aquarium and terrarium.
2. Make and discuss a living and non-living web.

22. Observing a Completed Aquarium
DATA:
Record Sheet 4A
Insert completed web
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

23. Lesson 6 Adding Animals to the Terrarium
QUESTION:
Why do we wait until now to add the animals to the terrarium?
What are producers?
PREDICTION:
We waited because. . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Materials manager brings terrarium to the back table.
2. Insert animals and return to the group.
3. Make observations.

24. Adding Animals to the Terrarium
DATA:
Draw and label the parts of one isopod and cricket.
Record Sheet 6A
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

25. Lesson 6--Reading Isopods and Crickets
QUESTION:
How are the crickets and isopods alike? How are they different?
PREDICTION:
Crickets and isopods are alike. . .different..
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Read as a group pages
2. List three facts about each animal.

26. Isopods and Crickets
DATA:
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

27. Lesson 7--Joining the Terrarium and Aquarium
QUESTION:
What is the relationship between the terrarium and the aquarium?
PREDICTION:
The terrarium and the aquarium . . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Follow directions on page 44 of the Student Investigations book.
2. Discuss the Food Chain Wheel.
3. Make a Terrarium Web (living & nonliving)

28. Joining the Terrarium and Aquarium
DATA:
Web and Food Chain Wheel
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:

29. Lesson 8 Upsetting the Stability
QUESTION:
How will a pollutant affect our ecosystem?
PREDICTION:
Pollutants affect our ecosystem by. . .
PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Discuss natural pollutants.
2. Discuss human pollutants.
3. Decide which pollutants will be used.

30. Reading Selections Read the passage assigned to your group on pp.48-52
Use library and web resources to gather additional information about your pollutant.
Be prepared to share your information with the class in Lesson 9.
Predict what would happen if your pollutant was added to one of the class ecocolumns.

31. Upsetting the Stability
WHAT I LEARNED:
NEW QUESTION:
REFLECTION:

32. Lesson 9 Reporting on Pollutants
Following the guidelines we discussed in Lesson 8, present your information to the class on the assigned pollutant.
During other presentations, be a good listener. Take notes and write down any questions you want to ask the groups.

33. Ecocolumn Observation
Draw and label the components of your ecocolumn.
Record any changes that have taken place since you joined the aquarium and terrarium.
Give one example of interdependence found in your ecocolumn.

34. Lesson 10 Planning Pollution Experiments
How can we test the effects of the three pollutants using our class ecocolumns?
What factors (variables) will we have to keep the same to have a fair test?

35. Pollutant Fact Sheets
Use the pollutant fact sheet to help design your experiment.
You may test all three pollutants in your class or only one.
Don’t forget to leave one ecocolumn as your control for comparison.

36. Record Sheet 10A The pollutant we are testing is _____.
We will make it by mixing ______ with ______ water.
We will add _______ dropperfuls to our experimental ecocolumn _____ times per week.

37. Record Sheet 10A Our question we will try to answer is :
To make our experiment a fair test, we will not change these factors:

38. Record Sheet 10A
In our daily observations, we will look for these conditions:
We predict that our ecocolumn will show these changes to the plants and algae after adding the pollutant:

39. Record Sheet 11A Terrarium Aquarium Date of Observation Pollutant Used
Amount of Pollutant pH
Description of Plants
Number of Plants
Description of Algae
Other Observations

40. Record Sheet 13-A
Use your observations, drawings, and data tables to complete Sheet 13-A.
Give specific answers and use supporting details from your science notebook.
Given the results of the pollution experiment, why do you think we continue to use road salt, fertilizers, and fossil fuels?

41. Pollutant Experiment Results
DATA:
2 days
4 days
8 days
16 days
Vinegar
Road Salt
Fertilizer

42. What We Found Out About The Effects of Acid Rain
Terrarium:
Aquarium:
What would happen to the animals?

43. What We Found Out About The Effects of Overfertilization
Terrarium:
Aquarium:
What would happen to the animals?

44. What We Found Out About The Effects of Road Salt
Terrarium:
Aquarium:
What would happen to the animals?

45. The Chesapeake Bay: An Ecosystem in Danger
What are the main problems in the Chesapeake Bay?
How are these problems similar to what you experienced with the pollution experiment?
Describe a situation where too much of something is going into the bay.
Describe a situation where too much of something is being taken out of the bay.
Describe another ecosystem that is similar to the Chesapeake Bay.

46. Lesson 15-16 Examining a Real Environmental Problem
Students will represent a particular point of view in a “mini-conference” regarding the Chesapeake Bay issue
Citizen
Dairy Farmer
Waterman
Land Developer
Recreational Boater

47. Lesson 15-16 Examining a Real Environmental Problem
Use pp to help students understand the point of view of their assigned group
In a class presentation, each group must answer the following:
What do you see as the problem in the Chesapeake Bay?
What are your proposed solutions?
What are the advantages to your solution?
What are the disadvantages?

48. Lesson 15-16 Examining a Real Environmental Problem
Use Record Sheet 15-A to help students organize their presentation
Introduce the term trade-off
Establish guidelines for the mini-conference so that groups remain focused and respectful of others’ ideas
Once all groups have spoken, have the class choose which group has the best solution and discuss the reasons behind their choice