Lesson 35 covers:

• Elementary Level: Review of Living Things, Senses, and Seasonal Changes
• Mid Level: Review of Living Organisms, Ecosystems, and Life Cycles
• High Level: Review of Ecosystems, Cells, Genetics, & Human Body Systems

Elementary Level (Kinder to Grade 2)

Subject: Review of Living Things, Senses, and Seasonal Changes

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • 1-LS1-1: Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive.
  • 1-LS3-1: Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
  • K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change.
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Connections:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8: Recall information from experiences to answer a question.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify living vs. non-living things.
2. Describe how plants and animals use their senses to survive.
3. Observe and record seasonal changes in nature.
4. Apply knowledge through a hands-on scavenger hunt and a short assessment.

Materials Needed

• For Sensory Scavenger Hunt:
  • Small magnifying glass
  • Clipboard with paper & pencil
  • Collection bag (for leaves, rocks, etc.)
  • Printed scavenger hunt checklist (e.g., “Find something smooth,” “Find a living plant”)
• For Plant & Animal Observation:
  • Picture cards of local plants/animals
  • Binoculars (optional)
  • Journal for drawing observations
• For Review & Test:
  • Flashcards (living vs. non-living, senses, seasons)
  • Simple multiple-choice/coloring test sheet

Lesson Activities

Day 1: Sensory Scavenger Hunt (Outdoor Exploration)

1. Introduction (10 min):
   • Discuss the five senses and how animals/plants use them.
   • Explain the scavenger hunt rules.
2. Activity (30 min):
   • Walk around the yard/park to find items on the checklist.
   • Encourage descriptions: “How does the bark feel? Why do flowers smell sweet?”
3. Wrap-Up (10 min):
   • Share findings. Ask: “Which items were living? How do you know?”

Day 2: Observing Plants & Animals (Science Journaling)

1. Introduction (10 min):
   • Show pictures of local wildlife. Ask: “How do these animals use senses to find food?”
2. Activity (30 min):
   • Sketch a plant/animal outside or from a photo. Label its parts (e.g., roots, feathers).
   • Compare seasonal changes: “How do trees look different in fall vs. spring?”
3. Review Game (15 min):
   • Play “Living or Non-Living?” with flashcards.

Day 3: Review & Assessment

1. Hands-On Review (20 min):
   • Sort objects into living/non-living piles.
   • Act out animal behaviors (e.g., “Show how a rabbit uses its ears to hear”).
2. Simple Test (20 min):
   • Circle living things in a picture.
   • Match senses to body parts (e.g., nose → smell).
   • Draw a tree in two different seasons.

Assessment & Feedback

• Scavenger Hunt Checklist: Completion and accuracy.
• Science Journal: Detail in drawings/labels.
• Test Score: Mastery of key concepts (adjust questions as needed).

Extensions for Advanced Learners

• Research how animals hibernate or migrate in different seasons.
• Plant a seed and track its growth over weeks.

Mid Level (Grade 3 to 5)

Subject: Review of Living Organisms, Ecosystems, and Life Cycles

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
  • 4-LS1-2: Use a model to describe how animals receive different types of information through their senses, process it, and respond to it.
  • 5-LS2-1 (Preview): Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Connections:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4: Report on a topic with appropriate facts and descriptive details.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define and identify components of ecosystems (producers, consumers, decomposers).
2. Compare life cycles of different organisms (e.g., butterfly vs. frog).
3. Create a diorama or poster modeling an ecosystem, including biotic/abiotic factors.
4. Demonstrate understanding through a written and hands-on assessment.

Materials Needed

• For Ecosystem Diorama/Poster:
  • Shoebox or large poster board
  • Craft supplies (clay, colored paper, glue, markers)
  • Printed images of plants/animals (or drawn)
  • Scissors, tape
• For Research & Planning:
  • Books/websites on ecosystems (e.g., desert, rainforest, ocean)
  • Graphic organizer for ecosystem components
• For Review & Test:
  • Flashcards (vocabulary: predator, photosynthesis, food chain)
  • Printed diagrams (e.g., life cycle of a plant)
  • Short-answer test sheet

Lesson Activities

Day 1: Introduction to Ecosystems

1. Engage (15 min):
   • Watch a short video on ecosystems (e.g., Crash Course Kids: Ecosystems).
   • Discuss: “What happens if one part of an ecosystem disappears?”
2. Direct Instruction (20 min):
   • Define key terms: population, community, food web.
   • Compare two ecosystems (e.g., desert vs. forest) using a Venn diagram.
3. Activity (25 min):
   • “Ecosystem Match-Up”: Sort organism cards into categories (producer/consumer/decomposer).

Day 2: Life Cycles & Project Planning

1. Review (10 min):
   • Quick quiz: “Draw the life cycle of a frog in 4 steps.”
2. Research (30 min):
   • Choose an ecosystem for diorama/poster.
   • Fill out a planning sheet: List 3 plants, 3 animals, and how they interact.
3. Hands-On (20 min):
   • Start building diorama base (paint shoebox, draw poster background).

Day 3-4: Project Work & Presentations

1. Project Time (60 min/day):
   • Add organisms to diorama/posters; label roles (e.g., “cactus – producer”).
   • Write a 5-sentence summary: “How does energy flow in your ecosystem?”
2. Peer Sharing (15 min):
   • Present projects to family/peers. Ask: “What was the most surprising fact you learned?”

Day 5: Review & Assessment

1. Game-Based Review (20 min):
   • “Food Web Tag”: Assign roles (sun, grass, rabbit, hawk); simulate energy flow.
2. Test (30 min):
   • Part 1: Label a food chain diagram.
   • Part 2: Short answer: “How do decomposers help an ecosystem?”
   • Part 3: Draw and describe one life cycle.

Assessment & Feedback

• Project Rubric: Accuracy, creativity, and clarity of ecosystem model.
• Test Score: Focus on critical thinking (e.g., “Predict what happens if bees disappear”).
• Self-Reflection: “What was the hardest part of this project? Why?”

Extensions for Advanced Learners

• Research invasive species in their chosen ecosystem.
• Build a digital ecosystem model using free tools like Google Slides or Minecraft Education.

High Level (Grade 6 to 8)

Subject: Review of Ecosystems, Cells, Genetics, & Human Body Systems

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • MS-LS1-4: Use argument based on evidence to explain how animal behaviors and plant structures affect reproduction.
  • MS-LS2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms.
  • MS-LS3-2: Develop and use a model to describe asexual vs. sexual reproduction.
  • MS-LS1-3: Construct an explanation supported by evidence for how body systems interact.
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Connections:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words with a visual (e.g., flowchart, model).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including scientific procedures/experiments.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Explain how abiotic/biotic factors influence ecosystem stability.
2. Compare cellular processes (photosynthesis, respiration, mitosis).
3. Model inheritance patterns (Punnett squares, dominant/recessive traits).
4. Analyze interactions between human body systems (e.g., circulatory + respiratory).

Materials Needed

• For Ecosystem Projects:
  • Poster board or digital tools (Canva, Google Slides)
  • Magazines/printed images of organisms
  • Markers, glue, scissors
• For Labs/Activities:
  • Microscope (optional: prepared slides of plant/animal cells)
  • M&M’s or beads (for genetics simulation)
  • Stopwatch, stethoscope (for heart rate experiment)
• For Review & Quizzes:
  • Flashcards (Quizlet or paper)
  • Graphic organizers (Venn diagrams, concept maps)

Lesson Activities

Day 1: Ecosystems & Biodiversity

1. Engage (20 min):
   • Watch How Wolves Change Rivers (YouTube) to discuss keystone species.
   • Debate: “Should humans intervene to save endangered species?”
2. Activity (40 min):
   • Ecosystem Stability Project: Create a poster/digital infographic on a biome (e.g., coral reef, taiga). Include:
     • 3 threats (e.g., pollution, invasive species)
     • 2 solutions (e.g., conservation laws)

Day 2: Cells & Energy Flow

1. Lab (30 min):
   • Microscope Exploration: Sketch plant vs. animal cells; label organelles.
   • Virtual Option: Use Cell Explorer (BioMan Biology).
2. Modeling (30 min):
   • Diagram photosynthesis/respiration equations with molecular models (ball-and-stick or drawings).

Day 3: Genetics & Heredity

1. Hands-On (40 min):
   • M&M Genetics: Use colored candies to simulate allele inheritance. Calculate genotype probabilities.
   • Family Trait Survey: Chart inherited traits (e.g., earlobe attachment) in household members.
2. Discussion (20 min):
   • Ethics of genetic engineering (GMOs, CRISPR).

Day 4: Human Body Systems

1. Experiment (30 min):
   • Heart Rate Lab: Measure pulse before/after exercise. Graph data; explain circulatory/respiratory link.
2. Project (30 min):
   • Body System Comic Strip: Draw a character (e.g., “Oxygen Molecule”) traveling through 2+ systems.

Day 5: Review & Assessment

1. Stations Review (45 min):
   • Station 1: Sort vocabulary (ecosystem vs. genetics terms).
   • Station 2: Build a food web with string/yarn.
   • Station 3: Punnett square word problems.
2. Quiz (30 min):
   • Section A: Multiple choice (e.g., Which organelle makes energy?).
   • Section B: Short answer (e.g., Explain how deforestation disrupts carbon cycles).
   • Section C: Diagram labeling (e.g., respiratory system).

Assessment & Feedback

• Project Rubric: Accuracy, depth of research, and clarity of visuals.
• Quiz Score: Focus on application (e.g., Predict how a mutation might affect survival).
• Self-Assessment: “Which topic was most challenging? How did you overcome it?”

Extensions for Advanced Learners

• Research a genetic disorder and present findings as a “Medical Conference Report.”
• Design a sustainable city incorporating ecosystem principles (STEM connection).