Next Generation Science Standards
• 5-LS2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
• MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
energy transfer through an ecosystem. While this lesson is intended for fifth- through eighth-grade students with severe developmental and intellectual exceptionalities, it has the potential to be adapted for different contexts.
Level 1 Create laminated cards, connecting a plant or animal to its appropriate food item. Although each animal eats vari- ous items, consistency is important for people with special needs, so only one food item is provided. The species cho- sen for the Country School include Desert Cottontail, horse, mouse, Red-Tailed Hawk, Orange Tree, and grass; however, it is advisable to choose species that are common around your schoolyard. You may require an expanded list if you live in an area with seasonally-occurring species. Using the laminated diet cards, take students outside
to search for plants and animals around your schoolyard. When a plant or animal is discovered, ask students if they like that species and if they think they eat the same foods.
Then, show students the associated diet card and verbalize “(plant/animal) eats (food)” (e.g., “horse eats grass”). Next, prompt students to reiterate the food item by saying, for instance, “now you say” or “What does the horse eat?” Level 1 should last no longer than 15 minutes and should
include no more than three species, thereby aiding stu- dents in retention and allowing them to become immersed in nature and enjoy learning. Level 1 should be repeated in several sessions to allow students to absorb material, thereby allowing them to more deeply process the informa- tion and better connect the diets to the species found on-site. Once students demonstrate sufficient growth and knowledge at this level, move to Level 2.
Level 2 This activity can be performed indoors, but it is encouraged that you take students outdoors around your schoolyard to spend time in nature, as the association of being outdoors aids students in remembering previously-learned material.
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