Description

This module engages students with young plants and animals (offspring) and the structures and behaviors that help them grow and survive into adulthood. Students observe and describe changes that occur as young plants grow, and design terrariums (habitat systems) that provide for the needs of both plants and animals living together.

Students explore the phenomenon of variation in the same kind of organism, including variation between young and adults. They learn about the behaviors of parents to help their offspring survive. And they explore structure and function relationships as they compare different kinds of animal and plant structures. They use their understanding of structure and function to invent solutions to human problems.

• Anchor phenomenon 1—Grassy lawn changing into a field
• Problem to solve 2—Rescued injured duckling
• Problem to solve 3—Design a way to work on a roof safely

Throughout the Plants and Animals Module, students engage in science and engineering practices by collecting and interpreting data to build explanations and designing and using tools to answer questions. Students gain experiences that will contribute to the understanding of the crosscutting concepts of patterns; cause and effect; systems and system models; and structure and function.