Science.2.13.C

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The student is expected to

record and compare how being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend themselves, and cope with changes; and

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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms have structures and undergo processes that help them interact and survive within their environments.

Describe a scenario where species use grouping for different purposes. For example, zebras feed in a herd and wolves hunt in a pack. Being part of a group benefits each animal in different ways. Students will write to explain how being in a group benefits each species differently. In the zebra example, students might explain that zebras feed in a herd because it is harder for a predator to isolate one zebra when they are all standing close to each other. This protects the whole herd. Wolves hunt in a pack because they can work together to surround the prey animal they are hunting. If wolves hunted individually, separating one prey animal would require much more energy. Students will confirm their understanding by sharing their explanations with a peer.
 

the circumstances, objects, or conditions that surround an organism including abiotic (climate and soil) and biotic (living organisms) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival

an individual form of life, such as a plant, animal, bacterium, protist, or fungus; a body made up of organs, organelles, or other parts that work together to carry on the various processes of life

a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result; a continuing natural or biological activity or function

something arranged in a definite pattern of organization; the arrangement of particles or parts in a substance or body; the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other

Research

Dobson, Christopher, and Dan Postema. “The Amazing Ecology of Terrestrial Isopods.” Science and Children 51, no. 7 (2014): 60-66.  
www.nsta.org/science-and-children/science-and-children-march-2014/amazing-ecology-terrestrial-isopods.

Summary: This article describes a study done in an elementary classroom on how roly-polies interact with their environment. Roly-polies were chosen because they are easily accessible and safe for children to handle and observe closely. This study shows how organisms interact with non-living things (sunlight, water, temperature) and other living things, either by competition or mutualism. Students observe how roly-polies use things in their environment to help them survive by finding moist and dim areas. Roly-polies also benefit from group behavior by huddling together in response to water loss or warmth. 

 

Research

Cook, Kristin, and Jessica Ivy. “I Will Survive: An Engineering Design Challenge for the Virtual Classroom.” Science and Children 59, no. 5 (2022): 57–61. www.nsta.org/science-and-children/science-and-children-mayjune-2022/i-will-survive.

Summary: In this article, students design an animal with structures specifically used to help it survive after environmental changes. Students should know about habitats, animal adaptations, and human environmental impact. Students are asked to provide evidence of how their animal structures help them survive.