2nd Grade Unit on Seed Dispersal, Plant Life Cycles and Pollination

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This unit focuses on the diversity of life at Hartje School Forest and centers around NGSS Standards on Ecosystem Interactions, Energy and Dynamics. Field experiences in observing and recording the diversity of life, seed dispersal methods, plant pollination, and plant life cycles will support science disciplinary core ideas, cross-cutting concepts, and hands-on engineering practices.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Diagram/Illustration, Formative Assessment, Interactive, Interim/Summative Assessment, Learning Task, Lesson, Lesson Plan, Module, Unit of Study

Authors: Amy Workman, Stacy Stecker

5th Grade Rain Garden Design Challenge Lesson Plan

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This lesson engages 5th grade students in identifying areas of erosion and non-point source pollution entering waterways on school property, making a claim on the most suitable site to locate a rain garden by conducting field tests on slope and soil type, and testing for the presence of phosphates in waterways on school forest property. Students then compete in a rain garden design challenge using their data to create a poster presentation, including a map and claim evidence reasoning, for the best rain garden design plan, scored using a rubric.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Formative Assessment, Interim/Summative Assessment, Lesson Plan, Rubric/Scoring Guide, Unit of Study

Author: Amy Workman

5th Grade Rain Garden Design Challenge Handouts

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These handouts accompany the 5th Grade Rain Garden Design Challenge Lesson Plan. The handouts give criteria for identifying areas of erosion and non-point source pollution entering waterways on school property, slope and soil suitability criteria for situating the rain garden, and data collection procedures for phosphate testing. The handouts also include guidelines and criteria for the final poster presentation design and Claim-Evidence-Reasoning, as well as rubrics for scoring and guidelines for peer feedback.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Formative Assessment, Interim/Summative Assessment, Learning Task, Lesson Plan, Reference Material, Rubric/Scoring Guide, Unit of Study

Author: Amy Workman

Survival and Adaptation of Plants and Animals

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In this lesson, students learn how adaptations, limiting factors, and predator prey relationships all affect the survival of plants and animals. Predator-prey relationships are simulated in two games, where students record their experiences and display data in story and chart/graph form, and explore the adaptations of animals in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Extension activities include habitat investigations in natural areas.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Formative Assessment, Learning Task

Authors: Alison DeBaufer, Amy Workman, Rachel Burkel

Plant Growth, Plant Families, and Plant Problems and Solutions - 1st grade

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Students will compare and contrast adult plants and seedlings/young plants using pictures, journaling, growing plants in the classroom and comparing experimental plant growth with natural plant growth to learn why plants survive and where.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Formative Assessment, Game, Interim/Summative Assessment, Learning Task, Lesson, Rubric/Scoring Guide, Unit of Study