Welcome to Mrs. Chenu's 4th Grade Animal Project...
In life science, we have been learning about environments and how there is a close relationship between an organism and its environment. All organisms have certain environmental needs in order to survive, grow and reproduce. For this project, you will do some research about your favorite endangered animal. You will need to learn about your favorite animal's primary sources of energy, its habitat, environmental factors that influence the animal including information about why it is endangered, the food chain it belongs to, and it's physical and behavioral adaptations. With this information, you will write a report on your animal and create a PowerPoint or Keynote highlighting important key concepts you learned through your research. Finally, you will present you PowerPoint or Keynote to the rest of your class.
4th Grade Life Science Standards Addressed:
LS2 All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow. As a basis for understanding this concept:
LS2a Students know plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains.
LS2b Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
LS2c Students know decomposers, including many fungi, insects, and microorganisms, recycle matter from dead plants and animals.
LS3 Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
LS3a Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and nonliving components.
LS3b Students know in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
LS3c Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend on plants for food and shelter.
LS3d Students know that most microorganisms do not cause disease and that many are beneficial.
4th Grade Life Science Standards Addressed:
LS2 All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow. As a basis for understanding this concept:
LS2a Students know plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains.
LS2b Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
LS2c Students know decomposers, including many fungi, insects, and microorganisms, recycle matter from dead plants and animals.
LS3 Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
LS3a Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and nonliving components.
LS3b Students know in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
LS3c Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend on plants for food and shelter.
LS3d Students know that most microorganisms do not cause disease and that many are beneficial.
Key Vocabulary
component
environment living nonliving organism recycle condition predator preferred environment shelter survival carnivore compete/competition consumer decomposer ecosystem energy food chain food web herbivore matter omnivore condition range of tolerance optimum tolerance viable
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Web Resources
California FOSS Web Information on environments. Includes games, online activities, books, vocabulary and many more resources.
National Geographic Kids Plenty of information on different types of animals. Smithsonian National Zoological Park Information and live web cams on many different animals residing at the Washington D.C. National Zoo. World Wildlife Federation Wildlife conservation and endangered species conservation organization. Animals A-Z Information and pictures on over 590 animals. Animal Planet Wild Animals Information, videos and games on hundreds of animals. Food Chain- Kid's Corner Information and games on food chains. Chain Reaction Online game where you can build a food chain. Food Chains Card Game A downloadable and printable card game with information on animals in the arctic, deserts, rainforest, mountain and grasslands habitat. Animal Adaptations PowerPoint presentations on animal adaptations. BBC Nature- Adaptations Information on types of adaptations Gould League Build your own food web here. Build Your Own Food Web You can build your own meadow, arctic or pond food web. |
Reference
Environments Module (October 6, 2010). FOSSweb California. Retrieved December 8, 2011 from http://www.fossweb.com/ca/modules3-6/Environments/index.html