🐝 🐰 Animal Project 🐆 🐊

To culminate our science unit and the work we have done on inherited traits, habitats, and adaptations, your child will be creating his/her own animal, a kind of "Creature Creation."

I will discuss the assignment and send the information home on Sunday; however, you may read the instructions here, as well.

One of the first things to do is to consider the habitat you want your animal to live in (see below), as well as the traits it will have. (This is a helpful worksheet to organize your thoughts, and the powerpoint is the same information. We will be doing this in class on Sunday.)

For a little inspiration, follow this link for the "make-your-animal" website. The possibilities are endless!

This is a fun link, which shows some rare animal adaptations. You might get some good ideas by viewing these, as well.  Finally, these are some of the creatures former students made. Some are better than others, but you will quickly get the idea.

Most importantly, this is a great way for your child to demonstrate what he/she knows and understands about adaptations and how they help plants and animals survive and reproduce. Have fun with it!

Habitats/Ecosystems

Desert

The temperature is very hot and dry.  There is very little water available to drink.  Food is sparse, and is found mostly in the form of very small animals & insects, as well as a very limited amount of plant life.  As such, animals have to move around a lot to find shelter, food, and water.  There are few predators.  Nothing moves very fast.

Rainforest

The temperature is very hot.  The air is constantly very humid, and it rains almost every day.  Both plant and animal life is abundant, and many different forms of food are available.  The food chain is very complex, and no matter how big or small an animal is, predators abound.  Trees are very close together, so even though animals can move around, they cannot do so very quickly.  All food sources are also very easy to find, but there is a lot of competition.

Ocean/Lake/River Environment

The water environment can be home to many different types of life (fish, birds, water-dwelling animals such as dolphins or beavers, etc.)  The temperature is constant and temperate.  Food MIGHT be available, if the animal can access it.  Water is abundant (obviously).  There are many predators.  Some animals can move quickly, depending on their traits.

Grassland/Prairies

Temperature ranges from cool to very hot.  There is not very much shelter, so animals need to move around a lot.  Animals also need to move around a lot (migrate) to find their food, although various forms of food are available.  Water is sometimes available, but at some times of the year it can be difficult to find.  There are many predators, and those predators can move very quickly across the land.

 

Forests

The average temperature of the forest is 10 degrees Celsius. The average amount of rainfall in the forest is 30 to 60 inches a year. As the seasons change, so do the colors of the leaves of the deciduous. During the winter months water is generally not available to keep the leaves of some plants alive. Therefore, the leaves of some plants fall off and grow back in the spring. Those plants, like evergreens, keep their leaves during the winter have special adaptations to stay alive.  Precipitation in the temperate deciduous forest is spread throughout the year. However, during the winter months it is usually frozen and unavailable to animals. Animals must adjust to cold winters and hot summers. Leaves generally fall off in the fall, leaving animals with less cover to hide themselves from predators. You'd find bears (black and brown), fox, squirrels, cardinals, raccoons, and snakes in this habitat as well as many others. 

Arctic 

The Arctic is a very cold, windy, and often snowy biome located around the North Pole.Animals that live in the Arctic (either full time or seasonally) are adapted to extreme conditions. Many animals who overwinter in the Arctic (like the Arctic fox and the ermine) have a coat that thickens and changes color to white during the winter as camouflage in the snow (blending into the background is called cryptic coloration). Some animals hibernate during the cold season; they go into a very deep, sleep-like state in which their heartbeat slows down. These animals often hibernate in an underground burrow or pit. Some hibernators include skunks, chipmunks, and some bears (but these bears are not true hibernators, they go into a state that is closer to a normal deep sleep). Many animals (like the Arctic tern) spend the summer months in the Arctic, but leave as the weather turns frigid and food becomes scarce (these animals return again the next summer, repeating this pattern year after year). This behavior is called migrating.

Field Trip Monday!

We're squeezing in one more field trip! Yes, since this program ties in so nicely with our current science unit, we Grade 3 teachers agreed that it would be really nice if the children could have one last opportunity to enjoy some hands-on learning. So, though it's a bit last minute (apologies!), we're going for it. 

Permission slips were sent home on Wednesday, May 31, and here are all the details: 

• Where? The Green Planet 

• When? Monday, June 5

• What time? Our bus will leave at 8:30, so please be at school by 8:15. The actual program runs from 9:00-11:00 AM. Busses will arrive back to school by 11:45 AM. 

• How much? AED 60 

• Why? To learn more about rainforest relationships (more below)

• What else? Non-fasting students may bring a snack and water and will use a designated discreet area to eat/drink. Please return your permission slip on Sunday!

Rainforest Relationships

Life in the rainforest is competitive and survival is tough. Rainforest plants and animals have developed complex relationships with other species in order to survive in this diverse environment. The Rainforest Relationships program gives students the opportunity to explore these complex relationships and learn about how working together is the key to survival, while also getting to know the indigenous plants and animals. 

Thanks so much for your support! We're looking forward to a thrilling morning!

Science Homework

Today, we wrapped up a lesson about animal habitats and adaptations. Students were given two 40-minute periods to complete this work, yet some did not use their time wisely and will need to finish their homework tonight. Students should have brought home their paper, but if they forgot, you can find the assignment here.

As promised, here are the links that you'll need to complete your 6-7 post-it notes: 

• Desert
• Arctic
• Temperate forest
• Tropical rain forest
• Grasslands
• Ocean 
• Lake/River

Thanks in advance for getting your work finished! Remember to do your best work and to label your post-it notes with your name. 

Using Seesaw to Present Creature Creations

On Sunday, the children will be using Seesaw to give a short presentation about the animal they created. To do this, they will have the choice to either take a picture of their project, then record an audio file to describe it, or they can make a short video, which will include their presentation about the animal and the animal itself. Please use this, so you will know what information to include in your presentation.

I will guide them through the steps of how to actually record the audio or video, but I thought it would be helpful if the students (and you) have the rubric, so you will know how I will be grading them. This grade will be for the speaking and listening standard on the report card, not the science.

As part of the students' science grade for this unit, I will be looking at three things. The first is the actual model of their animal. The second is their brochure, and the third is an "open response" type of assessment, which I'll give next week. Please feel free to view this rubric, as it may help to guide your child as he/she finishes the brochure.

Please just let me know if you have any questions. The children are very excited to showcase their learning!!

Animal Project

To culminate our Science unit and the work we have done on inherited traits, habitats, and adaptations, your child will be creating his/her own animal, a kind of "Creature Creation."

I sent the information home today, however you may read the instructions here as well. One of the first things to do is to consider the habitat you want your animal to live in (see below), as well as the traits it will have. (This is a helpful worksheet to organize your thoughts, and the powerpoint is the same information.)

For a little inspiration, follow this link for the "make-your-animal" website that we viewed in class. The possibilities are endless!

This is a fun link, which shows some rare animal adaptations. You might get some good ideas by viewing these, as well.  Finally, these are some of the creatures former students made. Some are better than others, but you will quickly get the idea.

Most importantly, this is a great way for your child to demonstrate what he/she knows and understands about adaptations and how they help plants and animals survive and reproduce. Have fun with it!

**SAVE the DATE**

Thursday, February 25

"Third Grade Zoo" 

This will be an open house in our grade level and a time for students 

to tell you all about our creature creations! 

(Stay tuned for the time.)

Habitats/Ecosystems

Desert

The temperature is very hot and dry.  There is very little water available to drink.  Food is sparse, and is found mostly in the form of very small animals & insects, as well as a very limited amount of plant life.  As such, animals have to move around a lot to find shelter, food, and water.  There are few predators.  Nothing moves very fast.

Rainforest

The temperature is very hot.  The air is constantly very humid, and it rains almost every day.  Both plant and animal life is abundant, and many different forms of food are available.  The food chain is very complex, and no matter how big or small an animal is, predators abound.  Trees are very close together, so even though animals can move around, they cannot do so very quickly.  All food sources are also very easy to find, but there is a lot of competition.

Ocean/Lake/River Environment

The water environment can be home to many different types of life (fish, birds, water-dwelling animals such as dolphins or beavers, etc.)  The temperature is constant and temperate.  Food MIGHT be available, if the animal can access it.  Water is abundant (obviously).  There are many predators.  Some animals can move quickly, depending on their traits.

Grassland/Prairies

Temperature ranges from cool to very hot.  There is not very much shelter, so animals need to move around a lot.  Animals also need to move around a lot (migrate) to find their food, although various forms of food are available.  Water is sometimes available, but at some times of the year it can be difficult to find.  There are many predators, and those predators can move very quickly across the land.

 

Forests

The average temperature of the forest is 10 degrees Celsius. The average amount of rainfall in the forest is 30 to 60 inches a year. As the seasons change, so do the colors of the leaves of the deciduous. During the winter months water is generally not available to keep the leaves of some plants alive. Therefore, the leaves of some plants fall off and grow back in the spring. Those plants, like evergreens, keep their leaves during the winter have special adaptations to stay alive.  Precipitation in the temperate deciduous forest is spread throughout the year. However, during the winter months it is usually frozen and unavailable to animals. Animals must adjust to cold winters and hot summers. Leaves generally fall off in the fall, leaving animals with less cover to hide themselves from predators. You'd find bears (black and brown), fox, squirrels, cardinals, raccoons, and snakes in this habitat as well as many others. 

Arctic 

The Arctic is a very cold, windy, and often snowy biome located around the North Pole.Animals that live in the Arctic (either full time or seasonally) are adapted to extreme conditions. Many animals who overwinter in the Arctic (like the Arctic fox and the ermine) have a coat that thickens and changes color to white during the winter as camouflage in the snow (blending into the background is called cryptic coloration). Some animals hibernate during the cold season; they go into a very deep, sleep-like state in which their heartbeat slows down. These animals often hibernate in an underground burrow or pit. Some hibernators include skunks, chipmunks, and some bears (but these bears are not true hibernators, they go into a state that is closer to a normal deep sleep). Many animals (like the Arctic tern) spend the summer months in the Arctic, but leave as the weather turns frigid and food becomes scarce (these animals return again the next summer, repeating this pattern year after year). This behavior is called migrating.

Great Heights!

One of our earliest science investigations for Unit 2 explored the idea of plant growth, specifically, answering the question: Why do trees grow so tall? 

This is the largest tree in the world.  It's located in California and named Hyperion. The tree was discovered in 2006, and is 379.7 feet (115.7 m) tall.

Students learned that plants naturally gravitate towards the light because they need it to survive. After planting two identical seeds, one in the sunlight and one in a dark closet, students were surprised to see that the one in the dark closet did not grow leaves, turned slightly yellow, and grew the tallest, but then died shortly thereafter.

The one in the sunlight was shorter, however it grew wide, green leaves. Students could then deduct that the reason for this was because the plant in the darkness was groping (and hoping) to find sunlight, thus it kept reaching up, much like trees in a shaded forest do.

As an adaptation, when plants or trees become outgrown by other larger plants/trees around them, they shoot up to find the sunlight they desperately need to survive.

We also explored the idea that roots always seem to grown in a downward direction. Why is that? Are they looking for dirt, just as the top of the plant searches for sunlight? Would they know if we turned them a different direction? Would their roots actually move?

To find out the answer to these questions, we are conducting an experiment.

First, we planted radish seeds and placed them in the window. After only one day, the seed coat fell off and the seed began to grow a tiny root. Soon, root hairs were visible, then finally leaves grew. Now, the question is, what will happen to the roots when we turn our plant bags sideways?

Stay tuned!! 

PS. How does that tree compare Big Ben and other famous trees?

Plant "Surgery"

As part of our investigation into our science unit, Life Cycles, Traits, and Adaptations, students explored another science mystery and were able to answer these questions:

• Why are flowers so colorful and how does their color impact their survival? 
• Why and how flowers are pollinated? 
• What happens to the eggs of a plant after they are pollinated? 
• What insects and animals help the pollination process and how? 
• How does pollination ensure a plants survival/reproduction? 

Ask if your child can articulate these answers to you!  

Students then had a fantastic time dissecting a lily to locate the various parts (stamen, pistil, ovary, petals, and pollen). They were very excited to feel how sticky the pistil was and were amazed that the pollen was so concentrated (thick) that they could write with it! (I cautioned them to take care with their clothing, so, hopefully, there no stains!) 

I hope you'll enjoy the pictures of our fun... (and to view more of them, click here)

Emre took his role as a scientist very seriously. 

Finding the eggs wasn't easy, but we could see a few (we think). 

Smiles all around! 

Funny story: When I bought these lilies and I mentioned that I needed them to open by the next day because I was a teacher and we were going to use them for a science lesson, the florist surreptitiously grabbed this pink rose and handed it to me, saying, "Here, for you, teacher." It was so touching and a nice surprise! Unfortunately, most of them did not open by the next day, we were flexible and did another investigation about apples (inheritance, traits) instead. :) 

Wooly Mammoth

To culminate our Unit 2 in science, we had fun creating fossils yesterday and also viewed this news story about the discovery of a wooly mammoth in Siberia that was so in tact that paleontologists were able to extract DNA from it! The students were absolutely mesmerized as they learned more about such a well-preserved 40,000 year-old whole body fossil. (To view the entire documentary, click here.)

It has been a fascinating journey as we've considered the interdependence of organisms in ecosystems (how plants and animals depend on each other for survival), the effects of changes on a habitat (such as fires, landslides, deforestation, pollution, and invasive species), ecosystem engineers (like in the example of the wolves in Yellowstone National Park), various types of fossils (trace, cast or mold, and whole body), and an inquiry to determine what fossils can tell us about the plants, animals, climate, habitat, and problems of a particular geographic area.

After our spring break, we will be returning to Social Studies for about 5 weeks and then we'll finish the year with our last two science units.

We are all looking forward to learning even more in these last few units!

PS. For further reading about the wooly mammoth, you may enjoy this. 

Science Request

Does your child love to help you in the kitchen or even make things  independently? (I know many do as I've sampled their cooking/baking!) 

Well, this is their (or your) opportunity to help us with a science lesson.

Please view this google form and sign-up to help if you're able.

Thanks so much! 

How Wolves Change Rivers Science Lesson

In our Unit 2 of science, we have been studying Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems. It's already been a fascinating study as we've discussed social animals versus those who prefer to live alone and how this behavior contributes to their survival. We've also examined how ecosystems change through natural events, like landslides, fires, and invasive species, as well as through human causes, like deforestation. 

Today's lesson was about the dramatic impact that wolves had after being reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. (They had been absent for 70 years.)

"Wolves were once native to the US’ Yellowstone National Park — until hunting wiped them out. But when, in 1995, the wolves began to come back (thanks to an aggressive management program), something interesting happened: the rest of the park began to find a new, more healthful balance. 

In a bold thought experiment, George Monbiot imagines a wilder world in which humans work to restore the complex, lost natural food chains that once surrounded us." (You can watch George Monbiot's TedTalk here.)

The students thoroughly enjoyed noting all of the causes and effects and making connections between them on a chart we made in class. This required some higher-level thinking as we analyzed the many changes to the ecosystem and evaluated if these changes were positive or negative or both.

For those who were absent, please view this short movie two times, then answer these questions on a sheet a paper and submit them to me by Sunday, March 15: 

1. How do wolves "give life" to other organisms? 

2. What is a ecosystem engineer? Use examples from the movie to support your answer. 

For those interested, these are the Next Generation Science standards we specifically tackled today: 

3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.