Growing Students in Science
Third Grade: Plants and Animals in the Forest |
Fall
The focus of the fall trip is the forest ecosystem, highlighting the ground level of the forest, including the soil. Students follow an interactive map to help them practice their geography skills and get acquainted with Holden. Students also
sharpen their observation skills and learn about the life cycles of two forest animals, the chipmunk and wood thrush. Students examine the components of soil and collect samples to take back to the classroom for a teacher lead experiment.
Winter
Students are split into small groups with each group making a forest terrarium. The terrariums contain soil, a forest plant,decaying plant material and a few pill bugs. A short lesson accompanies the making of terrariums, which include the
introduction to the terrarium ecosystem and a pill bugs lifecycle.
Spring
The focus of the spring trip is that plants and animals in a forest community are interdependent, relying on each other in many ways throughout their lives. The investigation for this unit starts off in the classroom, where the teacher prepares the
students for their visit with various hands on activities. Students discover ways in which animals use and depend on
plants, as well as the ways in which woodland plants depend on animals. Students learn that animals depend on plants
for food, cover, and homes. They also learn that plants depend on animals for pollination, seed dispersal and recycling
of nutrients.
