Science.2.12.A
The student is expected to
describe how the physical characteristics of environments, including the amount of rainfall, support plants and animals within an ecosystem;
Knowledge and Skills Statement
Organisms and environments. The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met through interactions within their environment.
Demonstrated Proficiency
Ask students to design a terrarium that would provide a good habitat for a specific plant or animal. Students should determine the amount of light, heat, and moisture the plant or animal needs to survive. They should also consider whether the organism needs shelter and, if so, what kind.
In a short paragraph, students should explain how their chosen organism would get access to those resources in their natural ecosystem. Student responses should indicate that students recognize that different organisms have different needs and that their needs are typically met within their natural environment. For example, a student might design a terrarium for a leopard gecko and explain that a leopard gecko thrives in a desert ecosystem with high heat, low rainfall, and a rocky or sandy ground. They also find places to hide like rocky crevices in the desert to cool down or avoid predators. A plant example students could discuss is the vanilla orchid. A terrarium designed to house a vanilla orchid would require bright, indirect light to simulate the light a vanilla orchid would get by growing part way up a tree and a consistently warm and humid environment that simulates frequent rain. Vanilla orchids are native to rainforests and these conditions help them thrive in that ecosystem.
Further Explanation
One common misconception is that an environment and an ecosystem are the same. The environment includes both biotic and abiotic components, whereas the ecosystem is composed of only biotic components and organisms. As an educator, it is important to know that the terms biotic and abiotic factors are taught in grade 5. At this grade level, the conditions and objects surrounding an organism are taught as living (or once-living) and non-living factors.
Supporting Information
Research
"Wilcox, Jesse, and Abby Rose. “Visualizing Habitats: Using Visual Data to Help Kindergarteners Model Relationships Between Living Things and the Places They Live.” Science and Children 60, no.1 (2022):26–31.
www.nsta.org/science-and-children/science-and-children-septemberoctober-2022/visualizing-habitats."
Summary: Students in this article observe pictures of living things and different environments and match the living things to their environments. The article explains a project that helps students understand visual data and draw conclusions as to why certain plants and animals live in their specific environments. Teachers can make observations and ask questions during this time to assess students' current knowledge of the subject. Small groups are then each assigned a different habitat with pictures, books, and illustrations to help them understand the needs of the animals in that habitat. Teachers should ask questions about each habitat and encourage students to consider each area's temperature, rainfall, and landscape. Many students could make conclusions about how each environment met the needs of the things that lived there, like deer needing a lot of grass to eat or trees needing a lot of rain. Students can create their own model habitats with the animals and plants that should live there.