The Pond Problem

1. The Pond Problem By: Jon Harris

2. Introduction HELP!!! Mr. Harris has taken his class out to the local pond to talk about nature but has forgotten the names of all the animals he sees. He needs your help to find out what animals are in the pond.

3. Your Task In your groups, you will choose one of the following animals to research. You will find the name of the animal, where it lives, what it eats, and what eats it, using the information in the following websites. What kind of snake is this? What kind of toad is this? What kind of fish is this? What kind of birdis this? Resources: Mark Moran (Mark.Moran@fcps.edu). http://www.fcps.edu/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/home.htm

4. Process • I will put you into groups of three or four • You will visit the previous links to look up information on the animal you have chosen • When you are finished, your group will make an informative poster about the animal, using the information that you have gathered • Each group will also make a food web showing what your animal eats and what eats your animal • Your group will present what you have found to the class

5. Evaluation Your grade will be given based on the following guidelines Below Average Average Above Average • Display board has a few of the facts about the animal • Presentation hard to hear and follow. Little or no information about the animal is given. • Food web is cluttered and does not show the animals place in the food chain. • Display board has most of the facts about the animal that were asked for and has some arrangement • Presentation is either loud enough or clear enough but not both. Students give some information about their animal • Food web shows most of the relationships between the animals and is able to be followed Display board is nicely arranged and has all the facts asked for Presentation is superior. Easily heard and is clear. Students give multiple facts about their animal Food web is easy to follow and shows the relationships between all of the animals.

6. Ohio Academic Content Standards: 3rd Grade These are the State Academic standards that will be covered during this lesson Scientific Inquiry: 3. Read and interpret simple tables and graphs produced by self/others. 5. Record and organize observations (e.g., journals, charts, and tables). 6. Communicate scientific findings to others through a variety of methods (e.g., pictures, written, oral, and recorded observations). Science: Life Sciences: 2. Relate animal structures to their specific survival functions (e.g., Obtaining food, escaping or hiding from their enemies).

7. ISTE Science Standards • These are the ISTE standards that will be covered during this lesson • CONTENT STANDARD A: SCIENCE AS INQUIRY • A1. Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry: • Plan and conduct a simple investigation • Communicate investigations and explanations • A2. Understanding Scientific Inquiry: • Scientists develop explanations using observations (evidence) and what they already know about the world (scientific knowledge) • Scientists review and ask questions about the results of other scientists’ work

8. Conclusion Thank you so much for helping Mr. Harris. Thanks to you, he was able to teach his class about all the animals he found on the trip!