Survival of Living Organisms 1
Running head: NEEDS OF ALL LIVING THINGS
Backward Design Unit- 3rd Grade Science: Needs of All Living Things
Tarleton State University
Unit Cover Page
Survival of Living Organisms 2
Unit Title: Needs of All Living Things Grade Level(s): 3
Subject/Topic Areas: Living Organisms and Their Survival
Key Words: organisms, ecosystem, environment, resources, habitat, food chain, and food web
Designed by: Time Frame: 6 weeks
School District: Troy I.S.D.
School: Troy Elementary School
Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):
In this unit of science, students will come to know that all living organisms must have
food, water, light, air, a means to dispose of waste, and an environment where they can live. It is
also important that students are aware of organisms with similar needs, which compete with each
other for these resources, and how environments may be modified to meet the needs of
organisms in it.
The performance task for this unit gives students the opportunity to design, develop and
maintain three different types of habitats, complete with plants and animals, and to then observe
those habitats for growth and changes within them. Journal entries will allow students to keep
track of changes within the ecosystem and will allow for student expression and area of interest
to become evident.
Unit design status: ______Completed template pages-Stages 1, 2, and 3
Completed blue print for each performance task Completed rubrics
Directions to students and teachers Materials and resources listed
Suggested accommodations Suggested extensions
Status: Initial draft (date ________) Revised draft (date ___________)
Peer reviewed Content reviewed Field tested Validated Anchored
Survival of Living Organisms 3
6-Page Template, Page 2
Established Goals: G
112.5. Science, Grade 3
(8) Students will understand that living organisms need food, water, light, air, a way to
dispose of waste, and an environment in which to live
(8A) Students will observe and describe the habitats of organisms within an ecosystem
(8B) Students will observe and identify organisms with similar needs that compete with
one another for resources such as oxygen, food, water, or space.
(8D) Students will describe how living organisms modify their physical environment to
meet their needs.
What understandings are desired?
Students will understand that. . .
There is a relationship between organisms, habitats, and ecosystems and habitats of
some organisms overlap in the ecosystem.
What essential questions will be considered?
What do living organisms need to survive?
How are the habitats of plants, insects, animals and people alike? How are they
different?
What types of things do humans do to change their environment to meet their needs?
What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Students will know. . . Students will be able to. . .
Key terms-organism, habitat, ecosystem, Apply understanding to design a habitat
environment, food chain, food web that meets the basic needs in a given
environment for a specific animal.
The connection between plants and animals Use graphic organizers to observe and
in an ecosystem. describe climate and resources for a
particular environment
Characteristics of habitats such as desert,
forest, pond, ocean, and neighborhood.
Survival of Living Organisms 4
6-Page Template, Page 3
Stage 2 – Determine Acceptable Evidence
What evidence will show that students understand?
Performance Tasks* (summary in GRASPS form):
Classroom Ecosystems
This task is an experiment to recreate several different types of ecosystems in the
classroom. Given a collection of materials of natural resources, students will design and
build a replica of a forest, desert, and pond environment. These replicas will include soil,
moisture source, and plant life and animal life. Students will journal the building process
and the maintenance of the habitat for six weeks, including information about plant
growth and animal behaviors.
*Complete a Performance Task Blueprint for each task (next page).
Other Evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, observations, dialogues, work samples):
Quiz-Which organisms belong in which habitat?
Test-Unit vocabulary
Prompt-Describe the habitat for a person who lives in a cold weather environment
and how it might differ from a person who lives in a warm weather environment.
Skill Check-Interpret interactions between organisms and each other and the
environment.
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:
1. Self-assess the journal.
2. Reflect on the completeness and accuracy of your entries for each of the three habitats
and your conclusions about how organisms interact in an environment.
Survival of Living Organisms 5
6-Page Template, Page 4
Performance Task Blueprint
What understandings and goals will be assessed through this task?
Students will recognize multiple habitats in
the world and understand the connections
between them to realize the
interconnectedness of all living things and
those factors necessary for their survival.
What criteria are implied in the standards and understandings regardless of the task specifics?
What qualities must student work demonstrate to signify that standards were met?
Animal health and safety
Appropriate choice of materials for habitat
Feasibility
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding?
Utilizing what we have learned about organisms, habitats, ecosystems and environments,
we will recreate and maintain three types of habitats complete with the food, water, light
and oxygen requirements to support a food web. We will document, in journal format,
the building, plant and animal introduction, and maintenance of each of the habitats for a
six-week period, noting changes and developments within the systems.
What student products and performances will provide evidence of desired understandings?
Daily journal entries Habitat maintenance activities
By what criteria will student products and performances be evaluated?
Effective explanation of habitat Correct spelling and conventions are
requirements and development used
Habitat is successful and functioning
Journaling is complete and accurate
Survival of Living Organisms 6
6-Page Template, Page 5
Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
Consider the WHERETO elements.
Introduce the Essential Questions and discuss the Classroom Ecosystems performance
task.
W
Begin with an entry question (Where do I live?) to hook students into thinking about the
environment of several different types of animals.
H Provide students with access to magazines such as My Big Backyard and National
Geographic Kids to read and discuss in small groups.
Listen to books about plants and animals read aloud by the teacher.
Introduce vocabulary terms as needed through reading, writing, listening, speaking and
worksheets.
Read Verdi and discuss the habitat of a snake and what other things might be present in
E that habitat.
Have students practice determining appropriate habitats for animal types.
Give quiz on which animal goes with which habitat.
Read Stellaluna and discuss habitat modifications she needed to survive.
Review and discuss animal types and their habitats. Discussion question: What might an
animal do to change its environment to meet its needs?
R Discuss the manipulation of systems and how it might affect survival. Look for patterns
and draw conclusions.
Have groups share their ideas about ecosystems and discuss as a class.
Students respond to a written prompt: Describe how I might change my habitat if I were
E a beaver.
At the end of this unit, students review their daily journal and self-assess the
effectiveness of their ecosystems.
Each student completes a daily journal activity, noting developments in each of the three
habitats and the possible causes and effects of the development.
T Students choose a different habitat other than one reproduced in the classroom and
develop a plan to build it, addressing organisms in the environment and the requirements
of those organisms.
Students will learn about habitats, environments and ecosystems, build three habitats in
the classroom, and maintain them, while journaling the process to show understanding of
O the parts and the whole, while they learn, do and reflect.