K.

Wall
PSIII - 2016

SUBJECT/UNIT
SCIENCE: Habitats and
Communities

Duration
September - December

Prescribed

Unit Overview:
In this unit, students will study various habitats and the ways in which animals and
humans interact with them. Students will learn how animals and humans adapt when
environments change and how our actions can have positive and negative impacts on that
environment. We will mostly be studying wolves, bears, and other animals primarily
found in the Yukon. This unit will be done simultaneously with the science weather unit.
Learning Outcomes Suggested
Prescribed Learning Outcomes

Suggested Achievement Indicators

It is expected that students will:

Students who have fully met the Prescribed Learning Outcome are able to:

Compare the structures and

behaviours of local animals and
plants in different habitats and
communities.
[B] Analyze simple food chains.

[A1]

[A]

Explain in detail why organisms are found in specific local

habitats, based on their structures and behaviours.
[A2] Identify the structural adaptations of two or more organisms.
[B1] Construct and explain the elements of a basic food chain.
[B2] Interpret population changes from data in one or two factor

graphs.
Demonstrate awareness of the
Aboriginal concept of respect for
the environment.
[C]

Determine how personal

choices and actions have
environmental consequences.
[D]

[C1] Describe in detail how to show respect for the environment.

[C2] Create accurate, detailed drawings to illustrate stories that

demonstrate the relationship Aboriginal peoples have with the land,

water, animals, plants, and sky.
[D1] Document the steps involved in supporting actions that positively
affect the school environment.
[D2] Prepare and illustrate a simple, local habitat improvement plan
that shows which plants and animals benefit from the plan.

Assessments:
These assessment pieces will encompass a variety of styles that allow students to write,
speak, physically create, and learn about animals and their habitats. Students will also be
able to express what their environmental impact is on the earth and brainstorm ways in
which to help minimize that effect.
Assignment Type
Habitat for Sale

Comparison Pieces

Description
Students will be given examples of various habitats
for sale with matching animals. First students will
participate in a short game and then be given the
chance to make their own sale advertisements and
get their peers to guess which animal would want to
move in.
Students will be given different comparison topics
and be asked to create written or oral responses.
Compare two habitats, what is different, what
is similar?
Spot the differences students must draw two
habitats but make small differences and see if
others can find them!
Compare two animals, what would their
habitats look like?

Assessment Weight
FORMATIVE

FORMATIVE &
SUMMATIVE

K. Wall
PSIII - 2016

Habitat Creation

Poetry

Environmental Inquiry

Resources:

Compare your habitat with another animals.

Students will be given the opportunity to bring in a
picture of their pet, or a pet they would like to own,
or just an animal they really like and we will use
shoeboxes and clay to create habitats that the
animals would actually live in.
Students will first create a draft of how they
want to design their shoe box and submit it
with a list of materials they might use, colors,
and details. Once they complete their draft,
they can begin to create their box.
Students must incorporate how environmental
factors and human interaction affects their
animals habitat and how they could help
preserve that habitat.
Weather that occurs around or within that
habitat must be included.
Students must also include a drawing of a
simple food chain in their write up (to be
displayed on a small poster board behind their
habitat.
Students will create a series of poetry pieces about
animals/habitats:
1. Acrostic Students will be given templates to fill
in using words about animals/habitats.
Each student will be asked What can I do to help
the environment? Students will be able to write,
film, or draw their response. Students should think
of a problem that they could also help solve
involving animals and the earth.

FORMATIVE &
SUMMATIVE

FORMATIVE &
SUMMATIVE
SUMMATIVE