This Life Science Course Lesson Unit teaches fourth-grade students the following: that ecosystems are communities of organisms that interact with one another and their physical environment; that living biotic factors and non-living abiotic factors are different for each biome; that all organisms have needs that their natural surroundings satisfy; that adaptations give a competitive edge; and that biomes have specific biotic and abiotic aspects that make each one unique. The Grade 4 Life Science Unit teaches students the course subject through a sequence of investigations, examinations, hands-on experiences, questions, and examinations. Pre-, post-, and three formative evaluations are included. You can download the complete grade 4 Life Science lessons (zip file, 59mb). Also freely available is their Grade 5 Life Science Lesson Unit: Transport Systems in Animals and Plants.
| 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) expands on the course ideas covered in each session as well as the relationships that connect them. Using a narrative, current lessons are linked to the prior lesson and the upcoming lesson to allow for the growth of student knowledge as they advance from one topic to the next.
-love learning -your best ed lessons guide, Scott
