LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

If a tree falls in the forest...

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/15/g35/treefalls.html

A lesson plan for Grade 5 Science

Provider: National Geographic

About this resource

Appropriate grades
5
Subjects
science (environmental science)
Provider
National Geographic

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In this lesson, students will explore the role that forests play in their own lives by listing everyday products made from trees. Then students will research and categorize less common products that may be less familiar to them. This lesson is found on the Xpeditions website.

To tie this lesson more strong to the North Carolina curriculum, teachers should focus the lesson by asking and discussing questions such as “Within our ecosystem, what role do we play? What role do trees play for us?” with the intent being to get students to understand and use the vocabulary of producers, consumers, and decomposers.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 5

  • Goal 1: The learner will conduct investigations to build an understanding of the interdependence of plants and animals.
    • Objective 1.02: Identify and analyze the functions of organisms within the population of the ecosystem:
      • Producers.
      • Consumers.
      • Decomposers.
    • Objective 1.06: Explain and evaluate some ways that humans affect ecosystems.
      • Habitat reduction due to development.
      • Pollutants.
      • Increased nutrients.
    • Objective 1.07: Determine how materials are recycled in nature.
  • Goal 2: The learner will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of landforms.
    • Objective 2.07: Discuss and analyze how humans influence erosion and deposition in local communities, including school grounds, as a result of:
      • Clearing land.
      • Planting vegetation.
      • Building dams.