Title:

Teacher:
Content
Focus:
Project Idea:
Summary of the
issue, challenge,
investigation,
scenario, or
problem.

MIAA 360 PBL OVERVIEW

By Amy Schmerer
Interdependent Relationships
Est. Start Date:
Duration: 4 weeks
Amy Schmerer
Grade Level:
3rd Grade
Life Science and Measurement and Data
Other subject areas to be included: Writing, Reading, Art
Students will investigate interdependent relationships in ecosystems
Students will work in groups of 4, each with a particular focus, to research the plant life, animal life, climate,
landscape and human effect on a particular ecosystem
Students compare/contrast various ecosystems and graph data collected

Essential
Question:

How do organisms and their habitat make up a

system in which the parts depend on each
other?

Driving Question: How do you survive in a video game?

Content and
Skills
Standards to
be addressed
(CCCSS,
NGSS, CA)

3-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

3-LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
When the environment changes in ways that affect a places physical characteristics, temperature, or availability of resources, some
organisms survive and reproduce, others move to new locations, yet others move into the transformed environment, and some die.
(secondary to 3-LS4-4)
3-LS2.D: Social Interactions and Group Behavior
Being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend themselves, and cope with changes. Groups may serve different functions and vary
dramatically in size. (Note: Moved from K2) (3-LS2-1)
3-LS2-1. Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive
3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can
survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment
changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.*
3-LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
Populations live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affects the organisms living there. (3-LS4-4)
3-LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
Some kinds of plants and animals that once lived on Earth are no longer found anywhere. (Note: Moved from K2) (3-LS4-1)
Fossils provide evidence about the types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments. (3-LS4-1)
RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the
basis for the answers.
RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in
technical procedure in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

(3-LS2-1),(3-LS4-1),(3-LS4-3),(3-LS4-4)
W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. (3-LS2-1),(3-LS4-1),(3LS4-3),(3-LS4-4)
W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. (3-LS41),(3-LS4-3),(3-LS4-4)
W.3.9 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief
notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. (3-LS4-1)
SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace. (3-LS4-3),(3-LS4-4)
3.NBT Number and Operations in Base Ten (3-LS2-1)
3.MD.B.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories.
Solve one- and two-step how many more and how many less problems using information
presented in scaled bar graphs. (3-LS4-3)
3.MD.B.4 Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of
an inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in
appropriate unitswhole numbers, halves, or quarters. (3-LS4-1)

T+A
21st Century Skills
and MPS to be
explicitly taught
and assessed
(T+A) or that will
be encouraged (E)
by project work
but not taught or
assessed

Culminating
Products and
Performances

NGSS Practice: Asking Questions and Defining

Problems
NGSS Practice: Developing and Using Models

E
X
X
X

NGSS Practice: Engaging in Argument from

Evidence
MP.2 Reason abstractly and
quantitatively.
MP.4 Model with mathematics.

MP.5 Use appropriate tools

strategically.

MP.1 Make sense of problems and

persevere in solving them
21st Century Skills: Communication & Collaboration

T+A
X
X

st

21 Century Skills: Creativity & Innovation

21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking & Problem

Solving
21st Century Skills: Information, Media & Technology

Group:

Share Visual Representation of Their Ecosystem/Biome

And orally present Group Research findings

Individual
:

Written Assessment and Individual Research Report

Class
School
Community
Experts
Web
Other

X
X

Presentation Audience:
X

Entry event to
launch inquiry
engage
students:
Outline or
Conceptual
Flow
Include
assessment
point:

Project Overview
Pose the question: How do you survive in a video game?
Writing Pre-Assessment, Quick Write: How do you survive in a video game?
Discussion
Show video: Food Chain and Food Web
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pasB5FxhVUks
1. Why dont Polar Bears live in the dessert? (Group Discussion)
3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some
survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
2. Students work in groups to research an ecosystem. Each student within the group has a specific research topic.
3-LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience When the environment changes in ways that affect a
places physical characteristics, temperature, or availability of resources, some organisms survive and reproduce, others
move to new locations, yet others move into the transformed environment, and some die.

3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some
survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for
the answers.

W.3.9 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on
sources and sort evidence into provided categories. (3-LS4-1)

3.MD.B.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve
one- and two-step how many more and how many less problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs.
(3-LS4-3)

3. Assessment point: Individual Research Report

Share report with your group

4. Groups work on group project

5. Groups present group project to class and peers take notes and assess other groups projects
6. Assess understanding of interdependent relationships in ecosystems

Assessments:

Formative
Assessments
(during project)

Summative
Assessments
(end of project)

Resources
Needed

Quizzes/Tests
Journaling/Learning
Log
Preliminary
Plans/Outlines
Rough Drafts
Online Tests/Exams
Written Product (s)
with rubric
Oral Presentation with
rubric
Multiple Choice/Short
answer test
Essay Test

On-site people, facilities

Equipment
Materials

Community Resources
Reflection
Methods

(Individual,
Group, and/or
Whole Class)

X
X
X
X

Other Products

X
X

Peer Evaluation of Presentations

With rubric
Self-Evaluation

Other

X
X

Access to computer lab or chrome book cart

Audio-visual equipment, laptops
Note cards to organize information gathered.
Science Journals/Learning Logs to record information from group presentations.
Materials to create models of ecosystems (empty boxes, chart paper, clay, paint,
markers, crayons, color crayons, paper, glue, tape, yarn)
Materials to make graphs (graph paper, rulers, colored pencils)
Mobil animal labs

Journal/Learning Log
Whole-class Discussion
Survey

X
X

Focus Group
Fishbowl Discussion
Other

Project Teaching and Learning Guide

Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students
(to successfully complete culminating projects and to do well on summative assessments)
Student needs to be able to: Collect information from different sources and
write on note cards.

Student needs to be able to: Create bar graphs and line plots to represent the data
collected

Student needs to be able to: Write a research paper about their biome of
study including all necessary details

Student needs to be able to: Give an oral presentation on their project

Student needs to be able to: Work collaboratively to design a

representation of their biome of study

Student needs to be able to: Construct an argument with evidence that

in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some
survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

Questions to be Provided by the Project Teacher

(to successfully complete culminating products and to do well on summative assessments)
Teacher asks questions to recall facts, make observations, or demonstrate
understanding: What does the food chain look like in the ecosystem you
studied? Why cant a polar bear survive in the desert? Which biome
would a monkey best survive in?

Teacher asks questions to summarize, analyze, organize, or evaluate: What are

some differences between a desert and a rain forest? Which biome would you best
survive in? Why?

Teacher asks questions to apply or relate: What would you need to be able
to survive in the tundra? How about the desert? Describe the food chain
thinking about what you ate for lunch.

Teacher asks questions to predict, design, or create: We learned previously that

NASA is going to bring people to Mars in 2040. Based on your knowledge of
interdependence, what will humans need to bring with them to survive on Mars?

Teacher Reflection:
How did the unit flow? What worked well? What needs to be changed for next time? What did the students learn? What evidence do you have to support
students learning?