Grade 3 - 3-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

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Disciplinary Core Ideas
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 K–2). (3-LS2-1)

Performance Expectations Students who demonstrate understanding can:
3-LS2-1. Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

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Use the Template and Resource Links to Fulfill NGSS

l. Goals:

1. Understand that being part of a group can help animals find food, protect themselves from predators, reproduce successfully and adapt to change.
2. Understand that animal groups vary greatly in size and function.

Essential Questions:

1. How does being part of an animal group help the animals obtain food?
2. How does being part of an animal group help the animals defend themselves?
3. How does being part of an animal group help the animals reproduce for effectively?
4. How does being part of an animal group help the animals deal with change?
   NGSS Note: Think, question, entertain ideas.
   
   

ll. Introductory Activities to Assess Prior Knowledge

A. Simple Activities - that assess students’ understanding of social interactions and group behaviors.
Animal Group Matching
Animal Group Behavior - Matching Activity

Social Interactions and Group Behavior Short Answer Quiz

Social Group or Solitary? Matching and Critical Thinking Quiz

B. Brainstorming Session
Question: Which animals live in a group and how does it help them survive?
    1. Break students down into groups of 3-4.
    2. Ask students to generate a list of up to 5 animals that they know of that live in groups and how this might help them survivie.
    3. Discuss

lll. New Knowledge - Text

A. Read about animals that live in groups and consider how this helps them.

Social Interactions and Group Behavior Reading

Social Interactions and Group Behavior - Diagram

Mammals that live in groups: Baboons, Bison, Caribou, Chimps, Deer, Dolphins, Elephants,  Elk, Hippos, Kangaroos, Killer Whales, Lions, Llamas, Mountain Goats,  Vincuna, Water Buffalo, Wildebeest, Wolf, Yaks,  Zebras

Birds that live in large flocks: Flamingos, Geese, Goldfinches, Red-winged Blackbirds, Penguins, Pigeons, Quail, Starling, Waxwings,  Wild Turkeys

Insecsts that live in groups: Honeybee, Termites

B. Read about how living in a group can help drive adaptations that increase survival. Use critical thinking to connect the group dynamic to their survival.
Adaptation Illustrated

lV. Experiments, Activities, Model-making (Critical Thinking)
Inquiry related to social interactions and group behaviors. Choose and Research an animal that lives in a group and then use critical thinking to complete the social interactions and group behavior sheet below about them:

Group Behavior Research Project - Critical Thinking

Social Interactions and Group Behavior Graphic Organizer

Social Interactions and Group Behavior Poster

Caribou and Wolves - Social Interactions - Critical Thinking Activity

Social Interactions and Group Behavior Short Answer Quiz

Social Group or Solitary? Matching and Critical Thinking Quiz

Assessment: Social Interactions and Group Behavior - Multiple Choice Test

V. Summarize Knowledge - Enduring Understandings

1. Being part of a group can help animals find food, protect themselves from predators, reproduce successfully and adapt to change.
2. Animal groups vary greatly in size and function.
   

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 K–2). (3-LS2-1)

Science and Engineering Practices (NGSS)

Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Engaging in argument from evidence in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to critiquing the scientific explanations or solutions proposed by peers by citing relevant evidence about the natural and designed world(s).
• Construct an argument with evidence, data, and/or a model. (3-LS2-1)

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
•   Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. (3-LS2-1)

Performance Expectations

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

3-LS2-1. Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

Common Core State Standards Connections

ELA/Literacy

RI.3.1     Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. (3-LS2-1)
RI.3.3     Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. (3-LS2-1)
W.3.1     Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. (3-LS2-1)

Mathematics
MP.4    Model with mathematics. (3-LS2-1)
3.NBT     Number and Operations in Base Ten. (3-LS2-1)

Articulation of DCIs across grade-levels:
1.LS1.B (3-LS2-1); MS.LS2.A (3-LS2-1)