Build an Ecosystem

Erin OConnell
Date: 11-4-16
Concept: Adaptation
Essential Understanding: Survival depends on adaptation.
Essential Question: Does Adaptation rely on the ecosystem?
Subject: Science
Integration: This could be integrated to other subjects such as writing and math
Objective: At the end of this lesson students will be able to demonstrate an ecosystem that
represents an herbivore or carnivore.
Standard: 2-LS4-1
Motivation: Think of what characteristics are in your ecosystem and share with your neighbor.
Then go into a group discussion on dinosaurs ecosystems. (9:00-9:05)
Vocabulary: Adaptation, ecosystem, dry, marine, triorama
Body of lesson: Dinosaur habitats included plants, trees, dirt, sand, etc. Aquatic dinosaurs
habitats included water, marine plants, etc. After the motivation students will be given the option
to choose between creating a dry ecosystem or marine. They will get their materials and create a
triorama that will consist of characteristics that are a part of that ecosystem. (9:05-9:15)
Evaluation: Pick out different trioramas and ask why they chose certain characteristics to make
up their ecosystem. This will be more of a conclusion. (9:15-9:20)
Assessment: As an assessment students will contrast two different ecosystems that specific
dinosaurs can or cannot inhabit.
Materials:
Paper for trioramas
Kinetic Sand
Blue Playdough
Plastic fishtank plants
Glue
Little plastic dinosaurs