SCIENCE UNIT PLAN

NAME: Neerja Yadav-Dulalchan

CLASS: Form 5 Biology
TOPIC: Living organisms in the environment
TIME FRAME: 3 weeks

National Goals

Knowledge of the basic principles of Science as it impacts

on daily life.
An appreciation of the value of a healthy environment and
avoidance of any personal action that would contribute to its
deterioration.
An appreciation of the importance of conserving and
recycling available resources.

Big Idea

The survival of living organisms is dependent on the environment

which must not be diminished if life is to continue.

Formal Science Knowledge, Background and Experiences

Aims

Students will be able to:

Students should know:

That plants are capable of using sunlight, water and carbon

Recognize the importance of classification and the ecological

study of organisms in the environment.

Appreciate the role of abiotic factors in the survival of living

organisms.

Appreciate the role and importance of plants, animals and

decomposers in an ecosystem.

Recognize the effect that Man can have on other living organisms
and the environment.

Appreciate how activities like recycling and conservation can

sustain life and the environment.

dioxide to produce food.

Animals eat plants and animals for food.

That organisms breakdown food for respiration to gain

energy.

That plants absorb water from the soil.

That mans activities can lead to the destruction of the

environment.

Possible Alternatives / Everyday Ideas

Living organisms can survive independent of the

environment.(there is little or no interaction of living
organisms and their environment)

Misconceptions

The word organism refers to animals alone

The term dirt and soil are interchangeable.
The energy gained by feeding comes from that organism alone.

General Objectives
Students should be able to:

Group organisms in terms of kingdoms.

Describe how to carry out simple ecological studies.

Discuss the impact of abiotic factors on living organisms.

Describe how energy flows through the ecosystem using diagrams.

Describe the special relationships between organisms of different species.

Discuss the negative effects that man has on the environment.

Describe the different ways that man can restore and conserve living organisms and the environment.

List of lessons

Lesson Design/ Model of Teaching / Strategies

1. Classification of organisms

Information processing Concept Attainment( Video and

pictures of organisms), memorization, advance organizer

2. Sampling methods for an ecological study

Information processing- Concept Attainment( Video on

sampling and pictures of the different organisms in the study),
Inductive thinking,
Social Interaction laboratory method, collaborative learning

3. General comparison of abiotic and biotic factors and their impact on

living organisms.

Information Processing - Memorization,

Social interaction collaborative learning, jigsaw

4. Formation and erosion of soil

Information Processing - Concept attainment (Video, Pictures
of the effects of soil erosion, measures taken to prevent erosion)
,
Social Interaction Model laboratory method(creating soil
profile), collaborative learning
5. Comparison of different soils in terms of water holding capacity,
mineral nutrients and air content.

Information processing- 5 E inquiry, Concept attainment(video

clip of footballers on field, picture of rice farming)
Social interaction- laboratory method, collaborative learning

6. Construction and description of the different organisms in food chains

and food webs.

Information processing- advance organizer,

attainment( Nature Video on food chains)

Concept

Social interaction- collaborative learning, role playing

7. How energy is gained and lost through a food chain/web

Information processing- Concept attainment ( animated video)

Social interaction- collaborative learning

8. Special relationships among organisms of different species

Social interaction- collaborative learning, role playing
Information processing- Concept attainment (Video on
mutualism, commensalism, parasitism)
9. The negative impact of man on the environment
Social interaction- group projects, collaborative learning, role
playing
Information processing- concept attainment (videos)
Behavioural model- behaviourism
10. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Social interaction- collaborative learning, group projects

Personal model- non- directive teaching

11. Importance and methods of conservation

Social interaction- social inquiry, collaborative learning

Personal model- non- directive teaching
Information processing- concept attainment(videos)

Lesson Number
Resources to be used

Videos

Biological Specimens

Charts

Pictures

Laboratory equipment

Models

Textbook

Type of Student Activities to be provided

1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,11

Group work

1,2

Presentations

Laboratory Exercises

Discussions

Role Playing

Work sheet assessments

Quizzes/ games

1,4,6

1,2,4,5

2,4,5

1-11
1-11

Whiteboard / Markers
1-11

MMP, Laptop, PPP

Worksheets

1-11

Skills to be Developed

Drawing

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Communication and collaboration

Making observations

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

Reflective journaling
Short-answer questions, both oral and written
Observation and recording of students behaviour and
class participation
Oral and written presentations of assigned work
Student self- assessment
Laboratory Reports
Group Projects.

3 essay-type question
3 structured-type question
2 written lab reports
Marking of journal entries using a holistic rubric
SBAs.

TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
KNOWLEDGE AND COMPREHENSION
LESSON #

Applying

USE OF KNOWLEDGE
Analysing

Evaluating

Creating

TOTAL %

Remembering

Understanding

10

4
5

10

15

12

10

11
TOTAL

5
5

2
26

20

29

9
12

15

100

A good variety of lesson types and strategies. Logically organised. Comprehensive concept map. Some statements, e.gcross and selfpollination could be broken down into the concepts vs a statement.

Living organisms in the environment

are classified into groups by similarities in
Physiological & morphological features
Forming

quadrats

Which are

such as

line transects

to calculate

animalia fungi prokaryota

man affects
environs

which

predator/ prey
improved by fertilizers

eroded made of artificial

natural

pollution, deforestation, over fishing etc.

overcome by
recycle, reduce, reuse,
reforestation, conservation

animals

be herbivores, omnivores

which can

carnivores

called

when dead

called

consumers broken down by decomposers

relationship shown by

needed by
soil organisms

special relationships

communities

important for soil air mineral matter organic matter

by

orgs exist in

produce food consume others

producers

soil water

chemicals to dissolve
for plants to absorb

habitats

feed on can have

such as

soil

can be

protoctista species density

such as

make up

sampling methods abiotic factors interact biotic factors plants

such as

Five distinct Kingdoms

plantae

can be studied by depend on

live in

consists of

made of

stone fine earth

gravel
made of
sand
has

silt

large particles
and large spaces
allowing drainage

food webs, food chains bio pyramids

dead
forming
humus

living energy flow that

such as decreases as
trophic level
bacteria, fungi
are

can be combined
to form
clay
has

loam

small particles
and small spaces
encourage capillarity

which show

which show
numbers,
biomass,
energy

Commented [rk1]: About three levels here.

Living organisms ---exist in ----- groups ---with---- similiarities-- in morphology etc

Very comprehensive