Lesson Plan 4

Unit Title: Kaelepulu Pond

Title of Lesson: Making Marsh Connections

Rationale:

Wetlands provide food for many animals. Each animal and plant within the wetland is part of the food web. There is an interdependence in the ecosystem. Once one component is taken out, another animal may also die as a result.

Instructional Goals:

The third grade students will learn about the interdependence among the plants and animals in natural communities.

Performance objectives: The students will be able to . . .

1. Describe three relationships between plants and animals in the marsh.
2. Write a story identifying how plant and animal relationships are affected when an imaginary creature invades a marsh.

Prior knowledge:

Student were given the background and explanation on how plants such as algae are important in producing food for various animals.

Introduction/ Focusing Event:

Ask student question: "What do you think would happen if the algae in the water became polluted?"

Procedures:

Distribute student activity sheets and introduce the plants and animals included in the marsh food web game. Have students try to solve the riddles and discuss their answers.

Draw a simple food chain and a food web on the board using information from the riddles. expalin that these are only a few of the many plants and animals in a marsh.

Assign an animal role to each student and distribute arm bands.

Explain rules of the food web game:

• Prawns and gobies move by hopping on one foot. They must stay w/n the water of the marsh and collect algae to eat. If they go outside of the water boundary they are out.
• Gobies can tag (eat) prawns.
• Stilts are wading birds so they move by walking fast, but must keep one foot outside of the water boundary at all times.
• When an animal is eaten, it waits on the sideliness until the next round.
• Prawns and gobies remaining in the game must have at least one piece of algae to stay alive.
• Everyone freezes when whistle is blown.
• Show students boundaries of the water int he marsh and randomly distribute the dried leaves as algae in the water.
• Have children count the number of animals eaten.

Conclusion:

The class will discuss the questions listed below:

• What happened to the balance of the marsh food web when there were more gobies?
• What happened when there were more prawns?
• What might happen to the population of prawns and gobies if there were no stilts?
• If you let your dog run loose in the marsh, what might happen to the food web?
• What does it mean when we describe marsh plants and animals as being interdependent?

Student evaluation:

Students will be evaluated on their ability to follow directions, participation in class activity, and understanding and answering various questions.

Teacher Evaluation:

Was the game explain clearly and was it easy to play?

Did the students understand the underlying principles of interdependence?

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