Title – Part to Whole in an Ecosystem

By – Jennifer Dalke

Subject – Science, Language Arts, Art

Grade Level – 4-6

Integrated Subjects:

Language Arts, Art

Skills Used:

Observing; Classifying; Communicating

Key Vocabulary:

Population, Community, Ecosystem

Lesson Time:

60 minutes

Illinois State Goals:

11.A.2a, 11. A.2c, 12.B.2a

Conceptual Objective:

Students will be able to distinguish between the characteristics that make
up an individual, a population, an community, and an ecosystem.

Process Objective:

Students will make a poster showing the relationship between an
individual of a species, a population of that species, a community that includes
that population, and the ecosystem that includes the community and nonliving
parts of the environment.

Materials

* magazines

* poster boards (3 ft x 2 ft)

* markers

* scissors

* glue

* chalkboard

Procedure

1. Make four columns on the chalkboard with the headings: Individual,
Population, Community, and Ecosystem.

2. Re-introduce these terms to the class and have students give
examples of each.

3. Explain to the class how individuals make up populations, which
make up communities, which make up ecosystems. Tell students to
think of an individual thing they’d like to follow through these relationships.

4. Pass out supplies and have children draw or use magazine cut-outs
to illustrate the relationships starting with an individual and finishing with an
ecosystem. They can do this any way they want, but it might be easiest
to draw arrows from one to the next.

5. Allow working time for children to complete posters.

6. Announce clean-up time for students to clean their work areas.

7. Have each child stand up and explain his/her ecosystem.

Evaluation

1. Did student make good use of his/her time? Assess the completeness and neatness of poster.

2. Did the student categorize correctly on the poster? Assess the
accuracy of the poster.

Troubleshooting

1. Students may have trouble finding what they want in magazines, and
they might not be able to draw it. Teacher should advise children to
portray it as best as they can, and to write what it is underneath.

E-Mail

Jennifer

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