This Life Science Course Unit teaches 4th grade students the followng: how ecosystems are communities of organisms that interact with each other and their physical environment; that living factors are called biotic factors and non- living factors are called abiotic factors; biomes have specific biotic and abiotic factors that make each one unique; all organisms have needs that are met by their environment and adaptations provide an advantage in meeting those needs; basic interactions in ecosystems are food chains and food webs in which matter cycles and energy flows; overtime, ecosystems maintain a balance, but that balance can be changed positively or negatively by natural and human actions. The Grade 4 Life Science Unit uses a series of investigations, experiments, active learning experiences, questions, and assessments to teach students the course content. Assessments include: pre-, post- and 3 formative assessments. You can download the complete grade 4 Life Science lessons (zip file, 59mb).
| Introduction and Conceptual Flow Narrative | Download PDF | |
| Conceptual Flow Graphic | Download PDF | |
| Pre-Assessment | A (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 1 School Walk Around | 4.1 | Download zip (3 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 2 Plot Study | 4.2 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 3 Biomes | 4.3 | Download zip (7 Files) |
| Formative Assessment #1 | B (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 4 Basic Needs | 4.4 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 5 Oh Heron! | 4.5 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 6 Sniff This! | 4.6 | Download zip (3 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 7 Blubber Gloves | 4.7 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 8 Seed Adaptations for Dispersal | 4.8 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 9 Lotusland | 4.9 | Download PDF |
| Formative Assessment #2 | C (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 10 Food Chains | 4.1 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Lesson 11 Crawly Composters | 4.11 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 12 Mighty Microorganisms | 4.12 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 13 Matter Cycles-Sum it Up | 4.13 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 14 Energy Flows | 4.14 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 15 Food Web | 4.15 | Download zip (2 PDF’s) |
| Formative Assessment #3 | D (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
| Lesson 16 That’s An Otter Story | 4.16 | Download PDF |
| Lesson 17 Channel Island Outreach | 4.17 | Download PDF |
| Post-Assessment | E (Assessment File) | Download PDF |
The Grade 4 Conceptual Flow Narrative for Life Science: Ecosystems (below) builds on the course concepts addressed in each lesson and the links that connect each lesson to the next. Current lessons are linked to the previous lesson and the following lesson by using a storyline to enable the development of student understanding, as they progress from one concept to the next.
-love learning -your best ed lessons guide, Scott
