Grade 04 Science - EC: S4.B.3.3.3
Grade 04 Science - EC: S4.B.3.3.3
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
Activities
- Define pest.
- Define parasite. Give one example of a parasite.
- Give two reasons why pests are a problem.
- What is the difference between a native species and an invasive species? Give one example of each.
- Write a paragraph to explain what tends to happen when an invasive species is introduced to an ecosystem. Explain why this happens.
- Snakehead fish are native to Asia and are now an invasive species found in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Delaware’s Division of Fish and Wildlife ask that fishermen kill any snakehead fish that they catch in order to help control the population. Do you agree or disagree with this method of population control? Explain your reasoning.
- Pests are often viewed negatively. Do you think that pests are always bad for an ecosystem? Give two examples to support your opinion.
Answer Key/Rubric
- A plant or animal that is unwanted and/or harmful
- An organism that lives in or on another organism and benefits while its host is harmed
Examples include, but are not limited to: worms, lice, protozoa, aphides, ticks - Examples include, but are not limited to: harmful to health, compete for resources
- Native species normally live in a particular ecosystem.
Examples include, but are not limited to: eastern hemlock, dogwood, tulip poplar, squirrels, geese
Invasive species are not part of the original ecosystem and can be harmful to the native species.
Examples include, but are not limited to: snakehead fish, Japanese beetle, zebra mussels, foxtail, purple loosestrife, Eurasian water milfoil
- Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:
- Invasive species tend to disrupt the entire ecosystem
- When a new species is introduced into an ecosystem, it does not have any predators to control its population
- Invasive animal species will become very large
- Invasive plant species will begin to take up lots of space in the ecosystem
- Student responses will vary, but should include their opinion and supporting details.
Topics addressed in agreement may include, but are not limited to:
- Eliminating this invasive species in Delaware is the only way to keep the ecosystem healthy.
- The snakehead fish does not have any natural predators in this area, if it is left alone in this ecosystem, the population will continue to increase and kill all of the native fish and plants.
- It is also a bad idea to introduce one of the snakehead fish’s natural predators into the Delaware ecosystem because then you will have two invasive species. This predator will create the same problem that the snakehead fish did.
Topics addressed in disagreement may include, but are not limited to:
- Do not think it is right to kill animals if you are not going to eat them.
- Delaware should catch all of the snakehead fish and return them to their natural habitat.
Use this rubric to evaluate student responses:
- Student responses will vary, but should include their opinion and supporting details.
Use this rubric to evaluate student responses:
