Welcome to the Movement of Matter Science Lesson!
What You Are Learning
Are you ready to explore the amazing world of ecosystems and the interconnected relationships between plants, animals, and the environment? In this lesson, you will learn how matter moves through these systems and how different organisms rely on each other to survive. Get ready to develop your own model to describe this complex and fascinating process!
How You Will Learn
You'll learn through STEM Ed Today's 7 Step Learning Framework: recall, notate, read, write, watch, craft, and test. First, we'll start with the recall section to help spark your memory about today's lesson. Next, you will take notes about important facts. After, you will read a story about the subject to help build your understanding. Later, you will explain your learning through writing which helps develop your scientific learning. Nearing the end, you will watch a video that helps explain the concept and better solidify your understanding through visual representation. After, you will have a hands-on project that will let you show off your newly learned skills. Last, you will be tested so we can see what you may need to study more of. Whichever the case, you will have a comprehensive learning experience with this lesson.
Let's Get Started
So scroll down, follow the directions, and explore this fascinating topic!
1. Recall
Directions
Recalling science information before learning is a good idea because it helps us remember and understand new information better. It's like warming up before doing exercise or stretching before playing a sport.
Read through the article below to spark your memory and how it can affect our lives. After you finish reading, answer the questions from the What Do You Already Know Worksheet. If you need to download the worksheet, click on the picture of it or here.
Matter Moves in Ecosystems: Exploring the Relationships Between Plants, Animals, and the Environment
Have you ever wondered how living things get the matter they need to survive? It turns out that matter moves among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment in ecosystems. Let's learn more about this amazing movement of matter!
Plants
The Ultimate Food Makers Did you know that plants can turn non-food matter, such as air, water, and decomposed materials, into food? It's true! This process is called photosynthesis. When plants make food, they use energy from sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen. This is why plants are called the ultimate food makers in ecosystems.
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Food Webs
Who Eats Who? Now that we know how plants make food, let's talk about who eats who in ecosystems. Food webs show how organisms are related to each other in an ecosystem. For example, some animals eat plants for food, while others eat the animals that eat plants. This is why a food web is sometimes called a "who eats who" diagram.
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Decomposers
The Cleanup Crew What happens to dead plants and animals in an ecosystem? They don't just disappear. Instead, they are broken down by decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria. These tiny organisms are like the cleanup crew of an ecosystem. They break down dead organisms into simpler substances and recycle some materials back to the soil. This is important because it allows matter to keep moving in ecosystems.
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Ecosystem Balance
A Delicate Dance Did you know that organisms can only survive in environments that meet their particular needs? That's why a healthy ecosystem is one in which multiple species of different types are each able to meet their needs in a relatively stable web of life. This delicate dance of balance is disrupted when newly introduced species upset the natural order of things.
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Matter Movement
A Cycle of Life We've learned that matter moves among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment in ecosystems. Organisms obtain gases, water, and nutrients from the environment, and release waste matter (gas, liquid, or solid) back into the environment. This cycle of matter movement is essential to life in ecosystems.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, matter movement is an amazing process that keeps ecosystems functioning. We've learned about how plants make food, who eats who in food webs, the role of decomposers, the delicate balance of ecosystems, and the cycle of matter movement. There's so much more to learn about this fascinating topic, so keep exploring and asking questions!
Directions
Great reading! Now it's time to fill out the What Do You Already Know Worksheet before moving on to the next section, Notate.
2. Notate
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Directions
Taking notes means writing down important information that you learn in science class. It's like making a list of important things you want to remember. When you take notes, it helps you to remember what you learned and to study better. Science can be a little tricky, but taking notes can make it easier to understand the big ideas and remember important details.
Launch the presentation below to learn some more science facts about solar energy. As you read, fill out the Science Notation Worksheet. Try to take at least 1 note per page.
Read
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Directions
STEM professionals rely on reading a lot to get the information they need for their work. To be successful in STEM, students should learn ways to better understand what they read, especially when it comes to nonfiction texts and the important things they need to know.
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To get started, click on the book below and read it carefully. Once you have finished reading, move on to the Reading Reflections Worksheet and complete it.
The Invasive Reptile Ruckus
The book, "The Invasive Reptile Ruckus" is a story about four fifth-graders - Alex, Maya, Jackson, and Lily, who love to go on adventures together. While exploring their school playground, they stumble upon a group of lizards that they had never seen before. After realizing that these lizards are an invasive species that can harm the environment, the group decides to research and create a plan to safely remove them without hurting them or other wildlife in the area. They use the design process to ask questions, explore ideas, create a model, explain ideas, and analyze the situation. The group designs and creates traps to catch the invasive reptiles in their neighborhood and prevent them from laying eggs and multiplying. The book teaches readers about the negative effects of invasive species and how small actions can have a big impact on the environment.
Reading Reflection Worksheet
After finishing reading, work on this Reading Reflection Worksheet. These questions were designed to help get you thinking about the story, the lesson, and many other things were learning about with this book.
Write
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Directions
Writing is an important part of science because it helps us learn better. When we learn something new in science, we have to understand it and use words to explain it. This helps us remember and understand it better. When we write about what we learn in science, we have to think carefully and use our own words to explain it. This helps us understand it even more deeply. So, writing about science helps us learn more and remember what we learned better.
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Let's work on the Scientific Writing Worksheet below! By completing this worksheet, you can learn even more and practice your existing knowledge and engineering skills.
In this reflective writing activity, you will be exploring the concept of invasive species and its impact on the environment. You will be using a systematic process, which includes planning, translation, peer review, and editing, to connect different ideas and reflect on what you have learned.
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To get started, you will need to plan out your writing. Think about what you have learned about invasive species and how it affects the environment. You can write down some notes or draw a mind map to help you organize your thoughts.
Next, you will translate your ideas into writing. This means you will write down your thoughts and ideas in sentences and paragraphs. Remember to use clear language that your peers can understand.
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Once you have written your reflective piece, it's time for peer review. Ask a classmate or a teacher to read your writing and give you feedback. This feedback will help you to improve your writing and make it clearer for your audience.
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Finally, you will edit your work. This means you will read through your writing and make any necessary changes to improve the clarity and accuracy of your ideas. This is an important step to ensure that your message is effectively communicated.
By going through this process, you will deepen your understanding of invasive species and how it impacts the environment. I can't wait to read your reflective writing piece!
Watch
Directions
Have you ever watched a movie or TV show that has cool science stuff in it? Maybe you saw a cartoon that explained how your body works or a video game that taught you about space. These are all examples of artistic representations of scientific ideas or facts, and they can be really helpful for you to understand and remember science concepts.
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When you see a picture or a video that shows you how something works or how it looks, it can be easier for you to remember it. It's like when you draw a picture of something to help you remember it for a test. Artistic representations can also make science more fun and interesting, especially if you don't like reading or listening to lectures.
Edpuzzle Videos
Get ready to be amazed by this awesome Edpuzzle video! It's filled with exciting visuals and information that will help you better understand and explore the topic. When asked, answer the questions throughout the video by typing in your answers. So, click on the video preview and let's discover new things together!
Create
Directions
Hands-on, project-based learning activities are great for learning science. They help you understand scientific concepts in a fun and engaging way. When you work on projects, you get to use your hands to experiment and explore, which helps you understand things better. By doing projects, you get to see and experience scientific ideas for yourself, which helps you understand them much better. Hands-on projects also help you think creatively and solve problems, which is a really important skill in science and in life.
Investigating Invasive Species
Welcome, young scientists!
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In today's lesson, you will learn about invasive species and their impact on our environment. You will work in groups to research and create a presentation on a specific invasive species.
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First, you will learn what an invasive species is and how it affects ecosystems. Then, you will choose a partner or be assigned to a group and research your assigned invasive species. You will find out where it came from, how it got here, and how it is impacting our environment.
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Next, you will create a visual aid, like a poster or PowerPoint presentation, to show what you learned about your invasive species. You will also prepare a brief presentation to share your findings with the class.
Finally, you will present your research to the class and answer any questions your classmates may have.
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Remember, the goal of this lesson is to educate ourselves and others about the impact of invasive species on our environment. So, let's work together and have fun while learning about this important topic!
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Materials Needed Include:
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Computer with internet access
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Paper and pencils
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Field guides to local flora and fauna
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Poster board, markers, and other art supplies
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Plant samples of both native and invasive species
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Test
Directions
The big test you will take covers different things you learned throughout the lesson. The test is made for kids your age, and the questions are made from the material you just learned.
You will.