The Earth's Ecosystem - Science Lesson Plan

In the following lesson, students shall demonstrate an understanding of cycles and patterns in earth systems and recognize characteristics of different major ecosystems of the world including: rainforest, tundra, taiga, desert, grasslands, and temperate forest. Students will have the opportunity to work together in groups.

Concepts: The earth's ecosystems.
Grade Level: 5-6

Objectives:
Students shall- 1) demonstrate an understanding of cycles and patterns in earth systems. 2) recognize characteristics of different major ecosystems of the world.

Materials:
Chalk/marker
List of students' names placed in groups
6 slips of paper with a type of ecosystem on each one

Procedure:
(Introduction)
- Introduce ecosystem as the day's lesson.
- Ecosystem: a system made up of an ecological community and its environment especially under natural conditions. (Learning Activities)
- Have students think back to the song. Begin with hole in the ground and illustrate each step on the board. Explain that the tree is it's own little ecosystem.
- Inform students the tree actually part of a larger ecosystem called the Temperate Deciduous Forest.
- Explain that there are 6 prominent types of ecosystems in the world -ask student's help in naming them and teacher lists them on the board.
• rainforest, tundra, taiga, desert, grasslands, temperate forest

(Conclusion) - Assign students to their groups and have them draw out an ecosystem to
research as a group.

(Extension) - The assignment is to research, write a report about their ecosystem.

Evaluation:
Students will share their ecosystem explaining the cycles and patterns of their specific ecosystem as well as the characteristics of that ecosystem.
1) Did students identify cycles and patterns in their specific ecosystem?
2) Did students identify specific characteristics?

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