Grade 3 Science
Core Unit: Animals

Unit overview:

In this unit, the students consider food chains and webs, both those involving humans and those which exist in natural ecosystems. The conditions which cause pressures on the animal populations in those ecosystems, and adaptations which help animals survive are identified.

Related units:

The grade 1 Core Unit, Animals, focuses on the characteristics and the needs of animals, and prepares students for the concepts introduced in this unit .

In grade 2, the Optional Unit Dinosaurs deals directly with the study of extinct animals, while the Core Unit Habitats establishes the complexity and holistic nature of the environment.

An Optional Unit in grade 4, Vertebrates and Invertebrates, and the grade 5 Optional Unit, Communities and Ecosystems, expand upon some of the ideas from this unit.

Suggested themes:

animals, animals in nature, environment, farm animals, food, food chains, homes, protecting animals, shelter

Factors of scientific literacy which should be emphasized :

Common Essential Learnings foundational objectives which should be emphasized:

To use a wide range of possibilities for developing student's knowledge of science. (COM)
To develop an understanding of how knowledge is created, evaluated, refined, and changed in science. (CCT)

Science foundational and learning objectives:

Explain some food chains and food webs.
1.1 Identify foods for humans.
1.2 Identify foods for animals.
1.3 Describe some food webs involving humans.
1.4 Describe food webs in your locale which do not involve humans.
1.5 Apply the terms predator, prey, grazers, scavenger to the members of the food chains identified.
Appreciate that animals can become endangered .
2.1 Develop an operational definition of the term "endangered species."
2.2 List some endangered and extinct animals.
2.3 Examine some protective adaptations of animals.
2.4 Investigate reasons why animals become endangered or extinct.
2.5 Identify ways of protecting animals .

Suggested Activities:

If the optional grade 2 unit,

Dinosaurs,

Science: An Information Bulletin for the Elementary Level - Key Resources

Have the class become involved in Operation Lifeline, a project of the World Wildlife Fund. For a one-time nominal fee, teachers receive a 150-page activity book, a forty page teacher's guide, a large endangered species poster, and a regular Lifeline newsletter.
For this unit, Animals, the first three units of Operation Lifeline are especially appropriate. These three units, "What Does Endangered Mean?", "What Are Canada's Endangered Species?", and "Why Are They Endangered?", contain fifty activities which can be used as science activities or to integrate Science with other areas of study. The last three units will be specially referenced in a grade 6 Core Unit on the environment, although there may be activities from those units which may be chosen for this unit. Doing activities from the last three units of Operation Lifeline with a grade 3 class will not preclude them being done in grade 6.

Factors:

C12

Objectives: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5

Assessment Techniques: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Common Essential Learnings: Personal and Social Values and Skills. This activity helps students to develop and refine their understanding of the needs of all living things. Students learn that it is important to look at as many aspects of a situation as possible before making a judgement. It may then become necessary to reconsider the judgement when new information or new conditions emerge.

Go on a hike to observe animals. Remind the students that the group of organisms called animals is composed of more than just large mammals. Keep records of the appearance and activity of all animals observed. Look under rocks, boards, and fallen branches. Look on the leaves of plants and to a depth of two or three centimetres of soil. Stand quietly and listen for the noises animals make. It takes patience to locate some animals.
If no one can identify the animal, record as much information as possible about it: where it was sighted; its size, colour, and body shape; the number and structure of its legs; how it moves; presence of antennae; position and shape of its eyes. Some students may be able to make sketches that will aid identification. Encourage the development of this ability. Research to identify the animal can be done when the class is back in the school building. Check the school resource centre for field guides and other books about animals.

Use plaster of Paris to produce casts of animal tracks that are found in sand or mud. Refer to the grade 2 Core Unit

Habitats

Many insects and spiders can be captured for detailed observation. Clear plastic microboxes with a magnifying lens built into the lid are good for short term (half hour or less) observation. For longer term observation, a large jar with a food supply and source of water, closed with a piece of cheesecloth, nylon stocking or pantyhose material, or mosquito netting held in place with an elastic band, works well. Animals which have been captured should be treated with care and respect and released unharmed into a natural environment, if that is practical.

Try to place each of the animals observed in a food chain. Look for evidence of food gathering and consumption. Animal tracks are often associated with those activities. Consult Science: A Bibliography for the Elementary Level for reference books on identifying animals from their tracks .

Factors: A2, B2, B4, C1, C3, C9, C12, E1, E2, E3, F4, G3

Objectives: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.4

Assessment Techniques: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Common Essential Learnings: Critical and Creative Thinking. This activity provides an opportunity for students to strengthen their skills of observation. An awareness of the diversity of the animal kingdom helps the students to realize that humans and animals are interdependent, relying on the same ecosystem for survival.

List all the foods which the students have consumed in the previous twenty-four hours. Classify these foods on the basis of whether the source is plant or animal. Group the foods which come from animals according to the species of the animals. Identify which foods might come from Saskatchewan plants and animals.
Factors:

Objectives: 1.1, 1.3

Assessment Techniques: 1, 3, 5

Common Essential Learnings: Communication. Emphasize the concept that humans participate in food chains, and are dependent on other living organisms. The activity indicates a clear connection between their lives and the vitality of the ecosystem which they inhabit.

Construct a terrarium. Use the guidelines found in the Classroom Organization section of this Curriculum Guide, or in a reference book, for advice on this task. Cooperate with grade 1 and 2 classes to produce one which can be used in all three grades.
Stock it with animals which are available either from the wild or from pet stores. Possible species include gerbils, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, frogs, or toads.

Determine what the animals' food requirements are, and ensure that adequate food and proper habitat will be available. Observe the animals and record descriptions of how they move, how they feed, and what proportion of their time is spent eating, resting, and moving. Emphasize the importance of being kind and respectful of all living things. The students might determine how the animals respond to various stimuli. Ensure that the stimuli will not cause harm or undue stress to the animal. It is important that both girls and boys have the opportunity to feed, care for, and closely observe the animals. Discourage squeamish student behaviour.

Factors:

C10

C12

Objectives: 1.2, 1.4, 2.2, 2.5

Assessment Techniques: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9

Common Essential Learnings: Critical and Creative Thinking. This gives students a chance to observe closely a number of different animals. The activity helps them realize that the creatures are living organisms, with ways of adapting to their circumstances, and that each has specific needs. By having these animals in an artificial environment, the influence of the actions of humans is made clearer.

Ask the district Conservation Officer or wildlife biologist from Saskatchewan Parks and Renewable Resources to come to your classroom to talk about the species of animals in your region, the type of habitat each prefers, the adaptability of those species, and the pressures on the species' populations. The Officer might be able to give some hints on how and when to sight the animals. Preparation for the visit could include listing the animal species which have been seen by the students, accumulating pictures and information about each species, and generating some questions to ask the guest.
Factors:

C12

Objectives: 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5

Assessment Techniques: 1, 3, 5, 9

Common Essential Learnings: Technological Literacy. The speaker will be able to discuss the impact of settlement and human activity on the ecology of the local area. The impact of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles may be discussed. Encourage students to identify other human activities that affect the environment. The idea of a balance between costs and benefits in making decisions can be introduced.

From two to six earthworms can be kept in a large glass jar filled with moist topsoil. Earthworms can be collected by the students as they crawl to the surface on a rainy day. An ideal size is the large commercial-size pickle or relish jars from a restaurant. If, before the jar is filled, a jar or bottle half the diameter of the larger jar is placed in the centre of the larger one, the earthworms will be forced to burrow closer to the outside walls and will be easier to observe.
The soil should be kept slightly moist. Cover the soil with a thin layer of leaves and pieces of leaves from various plant species. If the leaves start to become mouldy, remove and replace them. A piece of heavy black paper should be wrapped around the outside of the jar to exclude light from the sides. The paper can be removed when the earthworms are to be observed. The jar should be covered with a piece of window screening or mosquito netting held in place with a heavy elastic band, and kept in a cool location in the room.

The earthworms can be removed for observation if they are handled gently. Keep them on a moist paper towel when they are out of the jar, and return them to the jar after a brief period of time. Students may devise simple experiments to observe the response of the worms to bright light, salt water or other stimuli. Use a hand lens to get an enlarged view of the worm.

A variation of this activity is to layer the soil when the jar is first being prepared. Place a layer of crumbled leaves or other organic material on the bottom. Cover this with a layer of sand, about 1 cm deep. Place a layer of topsoil on top of that. Continue layering the materials in this way until the jar is full. The earthworms will help mix the layers. This will help to show one of the important roles that earthworms play in maintaining soil quality.

Factors:

C10

Objectives: 1.2, 1.4, 2.3

Assessment Techniques: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9

Common Essential Learnings: Communication. This gives students the chance to see how another species lives and organizes its life, and develops an appreciation of the complex behaviour of an organism which humans usually consider quite primitive.

The same procedure that is used in activity 7 to create a habitat for earthworms can be used to create an ant colony.
Dig up an ant hill to supply the ants for your colony. Have your jar near the hill so you can transfer the ants and whatever soil comes with them more easily. If you are able to capture a queen ant, your colony will have a better chance of surviving longer than two to three weeks. Make sure that the screening is always securely fastened to prevent the ants from escaping. Remove it only to add food or water for the ants. What do ants eat when they invade a house or come uninvited to picnics? What might they eat if there is no human activity?

Factors:

C10

Objectives: 1.2, 1.4, 2.3

Assessment Techniques: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9

Common Essential Learnings: Critical and Creative Thinking. This activity gives the students a chance to observe ants, and generate questions to investigate. Can any of the ants be identified so that those individuals can be tracked, in order to create a story about the day in a life of an ant? Are there ants that have specialized tasks? How do the ants gather food? Do the ants share food?

Create a display showing an ideal habitat for one endangered species. The students can draw pictures or use pictures from magazines for the display. All needs of the species chosen should be illustrated -- shelter, food and water supply. Ask the students to consider whether predators should be included in the display. Include a short paragraph to explain the display, and to indicate why the animal is endangered.
Factors:

Objectives: 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.3

Assessment Techniques: 3, 4, 5, 7a, 9

Common Essential Learnings: Communication. Students, through research and investigation, determine what the ideal habitat for a particular species is, and then decide how to convey that information through the display. This provides an opportunity to discuss how information can be organized on a display.

There are many resources from literature which appeal to children in this age group. Integration with English Language Arts is possible. Students could list, read, and describe stories about animals. Characteristics of real and imaginary animals could be listed and compared.
Factors: (Varies, depending on the literature selections used.)

Objectives: A1, B4, C6, F4, G1

Assessment Techniques:

2, 4, 6, 7c, 9

Common Essential Learnings: Critical and Creative Thinking. This activity gives students the opportunity to visualize animals in real and fictitious settings. They in a wide variety of experiences involving different ways of participate knowing.

Grade 3 Science Core Unit: Animals

Unit overview:

Related units:

Suggested themes:

Factors of scientific literacy which should be emphasized :

Common Essential Learnings foundational objectives which should be emphasized:

Science foundational and learning objectives:

Suggested Activities:

Grade 3 Science
Core Unit: Animals