Module 32: Balanced Ecosystems- Science 3 - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this module, students will learn to observe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem. They will describe ways some animals cooperate to survive, explain how animals compete to survive, and draw conclusions about how cooperation and competition are important for balanced ecosystems. Students will identify threats to biodiversity and make observations about threats to biodiversity.

Module Materials:

  • Pencils
  • Crayons or colored pencils
  • Notebook
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Highlighter
  • Markers
  • Blank paper

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 Balanced and Unbalanced Ecosystems
  1. Observe physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem.
  2. Describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem.
2 Competition and Cooperation
  1. Describe ways some animals cooperate to survive.
  2. Explain how animals compete to survive.
  3. Draw conclusions about how cooperation and competition are important for balanced ecosystems.
3 Threats to Biodiversity
  1. Identify threats to biodiversity.
  2. Make observations about threats to biodiversity.

Module Key Words:

Key Words
ecosystem
balance
biodiversity
animals
cooperation
competition
threat

Module Assignments:

Lesson # Lesson Title Page # Assignment Title
1 Balanced and Unbalanced Ecosystems 6 Is It Balanced? Assignment
2 Competition and Cooperation 6 Cooperation or Competition Sort Assignment
3 Threats to Biodiversity 6 Biodiversity Threats Assignment

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 Balanced and Unbalanced Ecosystems After completing this lesson, ask your student what an ecosystem is, what it means to have a balanced ecosystem, the importance of biodiversity, and what happens when an ecosystem is unbalanced.
2 Competition and Cooperation After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain what cooperation and competition are in an ecosystem, and what causes competition in an ecosystem.
3 Threats to Biodiversity After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain the five threats to biodiversity.

Module Guiding Questions:

When a student starts a lesson ask them questions to check for prior knowledge and understanding and to review concepts being taught. At the end of the lesson ask the questions again to see if their answer changes.

Lesson Title Question
Balanced and Unbalanced Ecosystems
  1. Why is balance important in an ecosystem?
Competition and Cooperation
  1. What are examples of competition and cooperation in ecosystems?
Threats to Biodiversity
  1. What are the threats to biodiversity?

Module Video Questions:

When a student watches a video take time to ask them questions about what they watched. Suggested questions for the videos in this module are listed here. Suggestion: Have the student watch the entire video first all the way through. Then have them watch the video a second time, as they watch it pause the video and ask the questions.

Lesson Title Video Question

Module Suggested Read Aloud Books:

Take time to read to your student or have them read aloud to you. Read a different book each day. While reading the book point out concepts being taught. You may purchase these books or find them at your local library. Suggested things to discuss while reading the book:

  • What is the main idea?
  • What are three things new you learned?
  • How does this book relate to what you are learning about?

# Book Author Lexile Level

Module Outing:

Take some time to apply what your student is learning to the real world. Suggested outings are below.

# Outing