Grade 03 Science - EC: S3.B.3.1.1
Grade 03 Science - EC: S3.B.3.1.1
Continuum of Activities
The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.
This continuum of activities offers:
- Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
- Questions/activities that grow in complexity
- Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance
Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content
Activities
- Define ecosystem.
- Identify a living component of an ecosystem.
- The nonliving components of an ecosystem are frozen soil, cold air, and little snowfall. Predict a living component of this ecosystem and explain why you chose it.
- “In a saltwater ecosystem, some living components are squirrels, bears, and oak trees. Some nonliving components are sand and saltwater.” Critique this statement.
- The living components of an ecosystem are bison, coyotes, and grass. Rich soil and plenty of rainfall are nonliving components. Draw a conclusion as to which ecosystem this could be and why.
Answer Key/Rubric
- An ecosystem is defined as everything that exists in a particular environment.
- Acceptable responses may include, but are not limited to:
Anything from the plant community or the animal community (e.g., a tree, a squirrel)
- Acceptable responses may include, but are not limited to:
- A living component of this ecosystem could be a polar bear, because they live in places where there is snow and frozen soil.
- A living component of this ecosystem could be moss because it is able to grow in frozen soil.
- Acceptable responses may include, but are not limited to:
- This statement accurately named nonliving components of a saltwater ecosystem- sand and saltwater.
- However, the living components were not correct.
- Squirrels, bear, and oak trees are found in forests, not the ocean.
- Living components of a saltwater ecosystem might be shark, fish, and seaweed.
- Acceptable responses may include, but are not limited to:
- This could be a grassland ecosystem, like a prairie.
- Bison and coyote both live in grasslands and grass grows there.
- In grasslands, there is plenty of rain and rich soil.
