Cscott Sciencecircus
Cscott Sciencecircus
Cscott Sciencecircus
Carson Scott
Doctor Gayle
Elementary Methods
24 April 2016
Science Circus Unit Plan
Standards
Essential
Questions
What is an ecosystem?
How are living things
and non-living
environments
interconnected in an
ecosystem?
Learning
Target
I can describe
an ecosystem.
Investigation
Creating our
own ecosystem
I can describe
how the
different parts of
my ecosystem
are related to
each other.
Assessment
Observations
See
connecting
questions in
other lesson
assessments
Journal Page
3
Materials
Water Cycle
Does the
pollution stay
with the water
throughout the
whole cycle?
6 liter bottles
scissors
12 coffee
filters
6 goldfish
6 plants
1 bag of
extra soil
rope
8 clear
plastic cups
water
shaving
cream
blue food
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health of a habitat.
What happens when
our water gets
polluted?
I can describe
how pollution
effects the
environment.
What would
happen if the
water of our
ecosystem
became
polluted?
dye
brown food
dye
ice cubes
sharpie
marker
(See page 4 of
science journal)
How do plants
get nutrients?
After completing
a minimum of
three days of
observation,
students
complete the
reflection
portion of their
science journal
section on how
plants get
nutrients.
Students will be
asked to
compare and
contrast this
flower to the
planted flowers
on their mini
ecosystem. How
do the flowers in
your ecosystem
get water? How
does the water
get to the
leaves? The
flower petals?
See page 5 of
journal
6 carnations
Food coloring
(red, green,
blue, etc.)
6 tall clear
cups or
recycled
plastic water
bottles
water
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4
I can describe
the effect oil
spills have on an
ecosystem.
I can identify
how a living
thing might be
threatened or
endangered
from an oil spill.
8.3.1.C Identify
examples of change.
What is the
problem with
birds getting oil
on their
feathers? How
does this effect
their ability to
live?
I can identify
how change to
an ecosystem
can unbalance
the system.
nonrenewable resources.
4.5.1.A Identify
I can calculate my
carbon footprint,
describe how rivers
affect physical
characteristics of
places, and how
pollution effects our
earth.
Feather
Corn oil or
vegetable oil
Water
Soap
12 Small
paper bowls
(2 per group)
water
small plastic
container for
soap
toothbrush
What would
happen if oil
spilled in your
ecosystem?
Visit to the
Franklin Institute
See visit
handout
Science
Journal
Pencil
Ticket to the
Franklin
Institute
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7.4.1.A Describe how
lakes, rivers, and
streams impact people
7.2.1.B Identify the
basic physical processes
that affect the physical
characteristics of places
Lesson Plans:
Week 1 Exploration: Creating our own Ecosystem
Lesson Steps
Learning Target/Objectives
Description
I can describe an ecosystem.
Procedures
What steps are needed for this
1. Cut liter bottle top off about 1/3 of the way down.
2. Add aquarium rocks, water, and a goldfish to the bottom of
the litter bottle. Make sure a small whole above the water
Time
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experiment?
What does the demonstration look
like?
Engage (I do)
How will I hook my students into the
topic?
How does this connect to previously
learned content?
10 min.
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Explain (I do)
What guiding questions will assist
students in reaching the learning
target?
20 min.
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changes environments in a harmful way.
How is the fish connected to the plant?
How can you describe what an ecosystem is?
What did you observe in your ecosystem?
How does the string in your ecosystem work?
What would happen if the water in our ecosystem became
polluted?
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Description
I can state and describe what happens at each part of the water cycle.
Science Ideas
What scientific concepts are involved in
this experiment?
Procedures
What steps are needed for this
experiment?
What does the demonstration look like?
Time
1. Tape one cup of water on the window and mark the water line
with the sharpie and leave it there for the experiment.
2. Place hot water into one cup and cover the cup with another
cup on top. Place an ice cube on top of the put and allow
students to observe and record what happens.
3. Take a third cup of water and place shaving cream on top. This
represents the cloud formed in the second part of the
demonstration.
4. Drop the blue food coloring into the shaving cream. This
represents the water that is evaporating and accumulating in
the cloud
5. As the cloud gets heavy with the food coloring, the blue
coloring will start to rain. Allow students to observe and
record what is happening.
Engage (I do)
Repeat procedure, this time adding brown food coloring to steps two
and three to represent water pollution. For step four, drop the same
brown color food dye, again to represent the polluted rain water.
https://newsela.com/articles/colorado-mining/id/11723/
10 min.
Do Now:
Read News ELA article on mining in Colorado out loud to students and
elaborate on what has happened.
-3 min.
article
read
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learned content?
Students write and/or draw a response to the following question in
their science journals:
What would happen if the pollution from the mine was pouring
into your ecosystem?
What could happen to the living parts of your ecosystem?
-4 min.
reflection
time
-3 min
review of
Lorax and
intro
So last week we created our very own ecosystem to take care of and
so far we have been so responsible about taking care of our little
communities and keeping them healthy. We have also been learning
about how humans can change ecosystems and sometimes we really
hurt ecosystems with the things we change. Who remembers what
happened in Dr. Suesss story The Lorax? (students should mention
deforestation, how the barbaloots, Swamee swans, and Humming Fish
had to leave) Exactly, because all the trees were cut down and his
factory was letting out so much pollution, the ecosystem was out of
balance and those living animals were no longer able to survive! And
how were the nonliving things affected? Like the air? (students should
mention smoke from factory)
Exploration (We do)
Student collaborative work time to
explore science experiment.
25 min.
10 min.teacher
demo
15 min.students
turn
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Procedure:
1. Tape one cup of water on the window and mark the water line
with the sharpie and leave it there for the experiment.
2. Place hot water into one cup and cover the cup with another
cup on top. Place an ice cube on top of the put and allow
students to observe and record what happens.
3. Take a third cup of water and place shaving cream on top. This
represents the cloud formed in the second part of the
demonstration.
4. Drop the blue food coloring into the shaving cream. This
represents the water that is evaporating and accumulating in
the cloud
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5. As the cloud gets heavy with the food coloring, the blue
coloring will start to rain. Allow students to observe and
record what is happening.
Repeat procedure, this time adding brown food coloring to steps two
and three to represent water pollution. For step four, drop the same
brown color food dye, again to represent the polluted rain water.
While you are completing the experiment, I want you to draw your
observations in the correct bubbles in your Science Journal. Draw what
the condensation part of the experiment looks like, the evaporation,
and the precipitation. Make sure you use lots of color and detail.
Explain
5 min.exit ticket
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Description
I can label the parts of a flower.
Science Ideas
What scientific concepts are involved in
this experiment?
Procedures
What steps are needed for this
experiment?
What does the demonstration look like?
Engage (I do)
How will I hook my students into the
topic?
How does this connect to previously
learned content?
Time
10 min.
3 min.
hook
7 minlabel the
flower
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flower! Open up your science journal to today and get ready to begin!
Teacher creates anchor chart and draw and labels different parts of a
flower. Students follow along and record in their science journals (page
5)
Today we are going to set up an experiment that is going to show us
how water reaches all parts of a flower! This experiment is going to
take some patience because it is going to take a few days to see it
happening so we are going to observe our flowers over three days and
each day we are going to record what we see is different about our
flower! The changes we notice are going to show us how the different
parts of a flower get their nutrients!
Exploration (We do)
Student collaborative work time to
explore science experiment.
Monday:
Students get into their science group and the material monitor comes
to collect the materials needed for their group. Each group gets a
different color food dye to put into their water.
Procedure:
1. Fill the water bottles about 2/3 with water.
2. Place 5 drops of one color of food coloring into a single bottle.
Use a different color for each bottle of water.
3. Place one freshly trimmed carnation inside each bottle of water.
Observe changes over three to four days (depending on how fast
flowers need to absorb color). See guided notes in science journal for
daily recording sheet.
Now that we are all set up for our experiment its time to write a
hypothesis! I want you and your group members to think about how
you think plants get nutrients! Now that youve learned the different
parts of a flower, I want you guys to gather around your mini
ecosystem and think about how your potted flowers are getting
nutrients! We know that all living things need food and water. How do
you think your flowers in your community are getting those things?
What parts of the flower are important for food and water? You will
need to write a beautiful hypothesis! How do plants get nutrients?
What do you think will happen to the flowers in colored water?
20 min.set up
and
hypothesi
s
completio
n
10 min.Tuesday,
Wednesd
ay, and
Thursday
for
observati
on
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Tuesday:
Ok friends! So our carnations have been in colored water for one full
day now! What we are going to do today is get into our groups and
observe how your carnation has changed or not changed. You are
going to draw in your science journal a detailed picture of your
carnation today, then we will all discuss the results!
Wednesday:
Students follow same steps from Tuesday. Then whole group discusses
changes and how they think water is traveling to the leaves and petals
of their flower. The flowers should have started to show more color by
now.
Explain
What guiding questions will assist
students in reaching the learning
target?
Thursday:
Again students follow same observation steps from Tuesday. Flowers
should have even more color now. Has your hypothesis changed? Or is
it the same?
How do plants get nutrients?
What are the parts of a flower?
What parts of a flower give nutrients to the flower?
Why do you think flowers need roots?
What would happen if our plants didnt have water?
How is soil and water connected to the health of plants?
Friday:
After completing a minimum of three days of observation, students
complete the reflection portion of their science journal section on how
plants get nutrients. Students will be asked to compare and contrast
this flower to the planted flowers on their mini ecosystem. How do the
flowers in your ecosystem get water? How does the water get to the
leaves? The flower petals?
10 min.
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Modifications
Description
I can describe the effect oil spills have on an ecosystem.
Science Ideas
Procedures
What steps are needed for this
experiment?
What does the demonstration look like?
Time
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Engage (I do)
How will I hook my students into the
topic?
How does this connect to previously
learned content?
3 min.
25 min.
5 min.
Teacher
demonstrat
es each
step and
shows
journal on
projector
20 min.
Students
conduct
experiment
on their
own
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First did the feather absorb or repel the liquid? Has the
feather changed?
After your feather has been dipped in oil, sprinkle a little
water on it. Does it repel or absorb the water this time?
Last, try cleaning off your feather in the bowl of water by
adding some soap and gently scrubbing it with your
toothbrush. Again, record your findings.
Explain
7 min.
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7.2.1.B Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places
Materials:
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Clip boards
Pencils
Chaperones
Pre-Planning:
Students will be divided into groups of four to five students per chaperone.
Groups 1, 2, and 3 will begin with movie The Last Reef; Groups 4, 5, and 6 will begin with Changing Earth exhibit.
Groups 4, 5, and 6 will see movie second while groups 1, 2, and 3 see the Changing Earth Exhibit.
I Do:
Friends, today at the Franklin Institute we are going to visit the amazing Changing Earth exhibit and we are going to get to see an
awesome short movie called The Last Reef! This is going to connect with everything we have been learning so far in our Sharing
the Planet science unit. So far we have learned about different landforms and bodies of water. We have learned about how plants grow
and why we need them! We have learned about how insects live and all of the special things they do to help our planet! We have talked
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a lot about how to keep our planet healthy and strong, but now we are going to learn about how we have changed the planet in some
not so good ways and what we can do to stop that!
We Do/You Do:
Ok friends! you have 3 sections to fill out! You dont have to do them in order, however you must complete all the parts within one
section before moving on to another. The first section is on your Carbon Footprint! Thats a huge word and its up to you to find out
what it is and what your carbon footprint is! The second section is all about rivers! The third is about soil! What is soil again? Do we
remember? (student should respond) Awesome! I think you guys are ready to explore and fill in those Scientific Diaries.
Post Visit Reflection:
What were some things you tried in the stream table? How did the water affect what you created with the materials in the
stream table?
What did you notice about the three different soil samples during the third section?
Students must create a poster with their group suggesting one way they can reduce their carbon footprint. Their method needs to relate
to coming to school or being at school in some way. The add needs to have a slogan and clear images of how the students are
encouraging reducing their carbon footprint. For example, students could draw themselves riding a bike to school. Posters will be
hung up in the stair case for the school to see different ways to be environmental at Pan American.
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