T&L Instructional Plan!

Background Information
Teacher Candidate: Kiera Burnett
Date: October 20th, 2015
Grade: 5th Grade
Unit/Subject: Life Science/Ecosystems
Instructional Plan Title/Focus: Whos Eatin Who?
Section 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment
a. Instructional Plan Purpose:
We are going to be investigating how organisms are connected in an environment. This will help
students understand the different roles organisms play in a food web. They will investigate this by
playing different roles in the ecosystem and seeing how the introduction or disappearance of various
organisms will affect this. I would teach this lesson toward the beginning of a unit, but not as the very
first activity. This activity requires prior understand of ecosystems and the various levels within them. I
would follow this activity with further exploration of food webs including increasingly more organisms.
b. State/National Learning Standards:

LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

- The food of almost any kind of animal can be traced back to plants. Organisms are related in food
webs in which some animals eat plants for food and other animals eat the animals that eat plants.
Some organisms, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms (both plants or plants
parts and animals) and therefore operate as decomposers. Decomposition eventually restores
(recycles) some materials back to the soil. Organisms can survive only in environments in which
their particular needs are met. A healthy ecosystem is one in which multiple species of different
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types are each able to meet their needs in a relatively stable web of life. Newly introduced species
can damage the balance of an ecosystem. (5-LS2-1)
c. Content Objectives and alignment to State Learning Standards:
1. SWBAT relate organisms in an ecosystem based on food (LS2.A)
2. SWBAT classify organisms based on what they eat (LS2.A)
Language Objectives:
3. SWBAT use the following words: decomposer, producer, herbivore, and carnivore (LS2.A)
d. Previous Learning Experiences:
Prior to this activity, students would learn about the various levels within an ecosystem (decomposers,
producers, herbivores, and carnivores). They will have practiced relating two organisms and their
functions in an ecosystem, but will not have looked at interactions between more than two organisms.
This activity is an expansion of their prior learning.
e. Planning for Student Learning Needs
Accommodations would be made for students with various disabilities. Students with mental disabilities
would be partnered with another student so that they could still complete the activity. Students with
physical disabilities would be assigned a stationary organism in the ecosystem, such as a plant. During
the writing portion, students who are unable to write would be allowed a scribe.

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f. Assessment Strategies
Content/Language Objectives

Assessment Strategies

1. SWBAT relate organisms in an

ecosystem based on food

Informal: Teachers will observe students during the

activity in order to monitor understanding of each
organisms role. The ability to relate organisms will be
demonstrated by students consuming the proper
organisms and describing what happens when the
organisms are unbalanced.
Formal: Teachers will write a list of the organisms from
the activity (wheat, deer, wolves, and mushrooms) on the
board. Students will be shown an example food web and
introduced to the idea of relating organisms in this
manner. Finally, students will construct their own food
web to describe how organisms influenced one another
during the activity.

2. SWBAT classify organisms based on

what they eat

Informal: To demonstrate understanding of organism

levels, students will classify the organism they are
assigned and describe why it falls under that category.
Teachers will record student comments.

3. SWBAT use the following words:

decomposer, producer, herbivore, and
carnivore

Informal: To demonstrate the ability to use these

categorizing words, students will classify the organism
they are assigned using scientific terminology
(decomposer, producer, herbivore, and carnivore).
Teachers will record student answers and whether or not
they were able to correctly classify.
Formal: After completing the food web described above,
students will label each organism in their web as a
decomposer, producer, herbivore or a carnivore. Students
will be assessed on their ability to correctly classify each
organism. This information will be used to inform
teaching the following day.

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g. Student Voice:

K-12 students will be able to:

Student-based
evidence to be
collected

Description of how students will reflect on their

learning.

1. Explain student learning

targets and what is required to
meet them (including why
they are important to learn).

Exit Slip

After completing this lesson, students will be asked to

fill out an exit slip with the following questions:
1. What are you learning?
2. How did today help you learn it?
3. Why is learning about this important?
The answers to these questions will be analyzed that
evening and used to modify instruction the following
day.

2. Monitor their own learning

progress toward the learning
targets using the tools
provided (checklists, rubrics,
etc.).

Self
Assessment

Students will be asked to self assess during this lesson

in order to monitor their own understanding. During
this time I will make a series of statements and ask
students to respond with a thumbs up, thumb in the
middle, or thumbs down depending on how accurate
the student thinks the statement is for them. Following
the main activity, my statements would be:
1. I know how my organism affects others in this
ecosystem.
2. I can tell you what a level my organism is in the
ecosystem.
3. I know why my organism is in the level it is.

3. Explain how to access

resources and additional
support when needed (and
how/why those resources will
help them).

Exit Slip

The exit slip mentioned above would have one final

question:
4. Write a question you still have and list one way
(other than the teacher) you can find more
information to answer this question.

h. Grouping of Students for Instruction:

There are four portions of this activity. The first would be the ecosystem activity where students model
a food web. This would be full-class. After the activity, the teacher would facilitate a discussion full
class, allowing students to discuss with a partner before sharing. Next, the teacher would introduce food
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webs and their role in relating organisms. This would also be full-class instruction. Finally, students
would work individually to complete their own food webs.
Section 2: Instruction and Engaging Students in Learning
a. Introduction:
I will introduce this concept by igniting students competitive spirit and telling them we are going to see
who can survive the best in the wild by playing a game. I will introduce four organisms (wheat, deer,
mushrooms, and wolves) and assign students to one of the four.
b. Questions:
1. What level do you think this organism represents on the food web? (Analysis)
2. What would happen if I introduced another herbivore, like a rabbit, into the ecosystem? (Synthesis)
3. Which organism has to work the hardest to survive and why? (Evaluation)
4. What would happen to each other level in the food web if we removed carnivores? (Synthesis)
5. What would be the effect of a drought on this ecosystem? (Synthesis)
c. Learning Activities:
Learning Steps and Activities

Supporting Theories/Principles

Today we are going to play a game to practice

what we have been learning about ecosystems and
the different levels of organisms. Does anyone
remember what these levels are?
Students list decomposer, producer, herbivore,
and carnivore
Thats right, we have been studying four levels in
ecosystems. Today we are going to see which of our
classmates is most fit for survival in our classroom
ecosystem.

In this introduction, I am activating prior

knowledge so that students can build on
preexisting schemata during the activity. I am
also getting students excited about the lesson so
that they are more engaged in their learning.

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Introduce each of the organisms and assign

students to these organisms. The numbers given
are the appropriate ratio for a class of 20.
Mushrooms (2 students)
Wheat (12 students)
Deer (4 students)
Wolves (2 students)
Now I want you to work with students who have
the same organism as you and decide what level
your organism represents on the food web. Your
group will present to the class in two minutes. Be
prepared to defend your decision.
Circulate during discussion and record student
comments. After two minutes, have students
present and defend their selection.

In this section, I am using formative assessment

to evaluate the students understanding of the
various levels of the food web as well as their
ability to use reasons to justify their
classifications. This form of formative
assessment, eavesdropping, is particularly useful
because I can assess without students feel
pressured.

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Introduce the game.

Students are trying to catch other organisms
based on their role in the ecosystem.
When a student is caught, they must give their
cards to the organism eating them and return to
the teacher (the sun).
On occasion, the teacher will reintroduce
organisms (students) into the ecosystem.
The game will last ten minutes with occasional
pauses and resets as needed.
Explain the role of each organism.
Wheat: Your goal is simply to survive,
herbivores and decomposers will be
chasing you.
Deer: Your goal is to catch producers.
Carnivores and decomposers will be
chasing you.
Wolves: Your goal is to chase herbivores. You
are being chased by decomposers.
Mushrooms: Your job is to decompose all other
organisms. You are not being chased by
anyone.
Allow students to play the game, observing
students ability to relate organisms and
recording observations.

This games rules parallel biological rules as

well. Students are role playing in order to better
understand the roles of the organisms they
represent in an ecosystem. I am using formative
assessment here as well by recording
observations on students ability to apply and
follow those rules.

Before returning to class have students close

their eyes and give a thumbs up, down, or in the
middle to reflect how accurate the following
statements are for them.
1. I know how my organism affects others in this
ecosystem.
2. I can tell you what a level my organism is in
the ecosystem.
3. I know why my organism is in the level it is.

By allowing students this opportunity to

formatively self-assess their progress toward the
learning targets, they are able to monitor their
own understanding and refocus on the important
topics of the lesson. This is the perfect time as
students are returning to the classroom, giving
them time to consider their progress.

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Return to the classroom and discuss the

following questions to extend the activity. After
each question, allow students time to think and
discuss with a partner before sharing with the
class.
1. What would happen if I introduced another
herbivore, like a rabbit, into the ecosystem?
(Synthesis)
2. Which organism has to work the hardest to
survive and why? (Evaluation)
3. What would happen to each other level in the
food web if we removed carnivores?
(Synthesis)
4. What would be the effect of a drought on this
ecosystem? (Synthesis)

These questions are higher-level thinking type

questions, requiring students to analyze,
synthesis, and evaluate using their knowledge
and experiences. Because these questions are
more difficult, I employed think-pair-share so
that students have the ability to collaborate and
therefor feel more confident in their participation.

We just saw how different organisms affected each

other in an ecosystem while playing our game. We
also talked about some other changes we could
make and their possible effects. That was a lot of
information! Biologists use a tool called food webs
to organize this information.

This portion follows the gradual release of

responsibility. First, I have students play a game
follow game rules (matching biological roles).
Then, students discuss changes in these
ecosystems in a guided setting. Finally, I ask
students to create their own food web to model
these relationships. As an enrichment activity,
students are asked to add in a variety of other
organisms, synthesizing where they may fit in the
food web.

Ask students to create a food web that

represents the activity including wheat, deer,
wolves, and mushrooms.
Students work independently to draw a food
web and label organisms based on their level in
the food web.
To extend this activity, have students write in
how additional herbivores and carnivores would
affect this food web.

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Finally, have students complete an exit slip

including the following questions:
1. What are you learning?
2. How did today help you learn it?
3. Why is learning about this important?
4. Write a question you still have and list one way
(other than the teacher) you can find more
information to answer this question.

This exit slip employs the principles of student

voice. Students are asked to identify the learning
targets, how to reach them, why they are
important, and resources they could use to
understand better. The teacher can use this
information to shape future instruction.

d. Closure:
To close this activity, I would ask students what they learned from doing these activities. Students
would briefly discuss the struggles and ideas they had when creating the food web as well. This
discussion would be followed by an exit slip to monitor student voice.
e. Independent Practice:
Students would be encouraged to discuss this activity with parents. As an extension activity, students
could independently visit another ecosystem and draw a food web for it. This could even be done in
their own back yards!
f.

Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology:

Organism Cards
Paper

g. Acknowledgements:
Food Chain Game. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://cpaws-southernalberta.org/upload/
Animal_Game.pdf
Willard, T. (2015). The NSTA quick-reference guide to the NGSS, elementary school (p. 70). Arlington, VA:
NSTA Press.

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