This 3-week project-based learning (science-focused) research-based unit is the perfect way to teach reading, writing, research skills, and science in one engaging, real-world unit. Your students will use key standards, such as research, reading comprehension, and engineering design in a real-life scenario. The best part about PBL is that student choice and differentiation are built in!
Driving Question: How can I construct a model that teaches my community about the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment?
NGSS Standards Covered:
- NGSS.5-LS2-1:
Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
Students are challenged to research an ecosystem and determine how each producer, consumer, or decomposer gets energy. The students will then create a food web and come up with a model to show the movement of matter within the ecosystem.
Banish those boring worksheets and get your students excited about real life learning! This 3-week project covers the following skills:
- Research
- Food Webs and Food Chains
- Ecosystems
- Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
- Reading Comprehension
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Explanatory Writing
- Design & Creativity
- Critical Thinking
- Engineering Design Process
Included in this Resource:
- Lesson Outline
- Sample Pacing
- Teacher Guide with Lesson Plans
- Scaffolded Research Notes
- Engineering Design Process Overview
- Rubric & Sample Answers
Plus, a BONUS digital version is included as well!
