Design Topic: Wetland Ecosystems Subject Science Grade 5 Designer: Lyndsay Harris

STAGE 1 DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: _Wetland Ecosystems____________________________________________

Established Goals:

TOPIC E: Wetland Ecosystems (Alberta Education, 1996)

Students will:

1. Recognize and describe one or more examples of wetland ecosystems found in the local
area; e.g., pond, slough, marsh, bog, fen.

2. Understand that a wetland ecosystem involves interactions between living and nonliving
things, both in and around the water.

3. Identify some plants and animals found at a wetland site, both in and around the water;
and describe the life cycles of these plants and animals.

4. Identify and describe adaptations that make certain plants and animals suited for life in a
wetland.

5. Understand and appreciate that all animals and plants, not just the large ones, have an
important role in a wetland community.

6. Identify the roles of different organisms in the food web of a pond:

o producers-green plants that make their own food, using sunlight

o consumers-animals that eat living plants and/or animals

o decomposers-organisms, such as molds, fungi, insects and worms, that reuse and
recycle materials that were formerly living.

7. Draw diagrams of food chains and food webs, and interpret such diagrams.

8. Recognize that some aquatic animals use oxygen from air and others from water, and
identify examples and adaptations of each.

9. Identify human actions that can threaten the abundance or survival of living things in
wetland ecosystems; e.g., adding pollutants, changing the flow of water, trapping or hunting
pond wildlife.

10. Identify individual and group actions that can be taken to preserve and enhance wetland
habitats.

11. Recognize that changes in part of an environment have effects on the whole environment.

Understandings: Students will understand that Essential Questions:

Wetland ecosystems consists of ponds, sloughs, What is a wetland and why are they
marshes, fens or bogs.
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1
Design Topic: Wetland Ecosystems Subject Science Grade 5 Designer: Lyndsay Harris

Organisms in a wetland live in, on and around important to our environment?

wetlands.
What can we do as individuals to protect our
Organisms adapt to suit their environment. wetlands?

Wetland organisms interact and that each How do plants and animals survive in
organism plays a role as part of a food web. wetlands?

Human action affects wetland habitats. What potentially can happen if one species
leaves a wetland?
Common Misconceptions:
-All wetlands consist of swamps and flooded How do organisms adapt to their
plains; environment?
-Breeding grounds for mosquitos;
-They serve no purpose, therefore are not
important;
-All organisms within an ecosystem get along;
-Students may not understand that ecosystems
are dynamic and change as a result of natural and
human-influenced processes;
-Students often misunderstand or misuse the word
adaptation to indicate that individual organisms
intentionally change in response to changes in
their environment;
-Plants are dependent on humans;
-Plants cannot defend themselves against
herbivores;
-Food webs are interpreted as simple food chains;
etcmore found on:
http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/tundra-
life-in-the-polar-extremes/common-
misconceptions-about-biomes-and-ecosystems

Students will know: Students will be able to:

How to recognize a wetland and its
characteristics
That organisms interact
Definitions of a producer, consumer, decomposer
The impact humans have on wetlands
The importance to protect our wetlands
Explain what adaptations are
Draw and interpret food webs & food chains
Recognize a wetland and know what they
can do to protect them.

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:
Final Project: Creation of a wetland creature Quizzes via Kahoot (Assessment for Learning)
including aspects of information learned Journaling (Formative Assessment)
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 2
Design Topic: Wetland Ecosystems Subject Science Grade 5 Designer: Lyndsay Harris

throughout the unit (Summative Assessment) Interactive Notebooks (Formative Assessment)

Walking Field Trip to local wetland area Interactive Review Game (Formative
(weather pending): Field Observation Study Assessment)
Science Fair Walk: students present work of
created animal in local wetland

Key Criteria:

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:
Day 1 (SLE 9): Provocation: Whirling Disease in Bow River (News article and video); Introduction
to Wetland Ecosystems and overarching question: Wetlands Why should we care?; KWL Chart on
Wetland Ecosystems, Introduction to Final Project (Science Walk)

News article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-cfia-bow-river-watershed-whirling-

disease-1.3976875
News video: http://globalnews.ca/video/2962904/whirling-disease-could-impact-the-fish-
population-in-western-canada
http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/whirling-disease-spreading-in-bow-river-watershed-1.3284441

Days 2, 3 & 4 (SLE 1): Understanding types of Wetland Ecosystems creating interactive
notebooks, recognizing different types of wetlands (TPT Descriptions and Types of Wetlands), slide
show of different wetlands FINAL PROEJCT: think about what type of wetland (native to Alberta)
that you want to have; set the setting). Students to complete PART I: Wetland Ecosystem in their
groups and submit.

DAYS 5 & 6 (SLE 5.3): Identify plants and animals around a wetland

Day 6 (SLE 2, SLE 11): Hands-on Experiment Plant Filtration System

(http://www.lapappadolce.net/62-esperimenti-scientifici-limportanza-del-verde/), create section in
notebooks to record observations
FINAL PROJECT: What will you add to your wetland to ensure the best water quality?

Day 7 & 8 (SLE 5.12): Wetlands (TPT Biotic & Abiotic)

Day 9: Review of concepts learned: how will they relate to the final project; on-line quiz through
Learn Alberta (http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/wonwet/html/index.html)

DAY 10: Build a model Wetland (Natural Filtration System) Wonderville Wet & Wild Experiment
(Group Demonstration and Activity)

Day 11 & 12 (SLE 5.14): Wetland Adaptations (PART I of Final Project: Creating a new animal
with adaptations that would survive in an Alberta Wetland
http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/fishcreek/grade5/Science_files/Wetland%20Adaptations%20Project.pdf)

Day 13: Bill Nye Wetlands Video & accompanying notes Video:
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 3
Design Topic: Wetland Ecosystems Subject Science Grade 5 Designer: Lyndsay Harris

http://www.weebly.com/uploads/8/8/6/2/8862464/bill_nye_wetlands_3__321.mp4 (CLOZE:
http://www.holyspirit.ab.ca/st.pat/_cabinet/9/10/Wetlands_Notes_-_Bill_Nye.pdf)

Day 14 (SLE 5.17): Food Chains & Food Webs (PART II of Final Project: Developing a Food Chain
or Web, placing the creation in the food chain or web)

Day 15 (SLE 5.16): Identify roles of Producers, Consumers, Decomposers (PART III of Final
Project: Identify your creation)

Day 16: Experiment (small group activity): Can you Undo Water Pollution? (bins with garbage, oil,
dirt, etc); record results

Days 17-25 and throughout as need: Students will work on their projects after each major
concept is covered. This will vary as reflections will be done to see where students will further
lessons on the various concepts.

Day 26: Power point jeopardy game for final review (TPT Wetlands Bundle)

Day 27: Unit Exam

**Weather permitting, student will walk to a nearby wetland to participate in a Wetland Ecosystem Field Study
***Fridays: students work on interactive websites on Crossfield Elementary School Website or work on Final Project

Differentiation if complete work early:

-Flash Cards
-Work Sheets

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4