Dynamic Ecosystems Project

Performance Expectations

LEARNING STANDARDS: (NGSS, CCLS, NYCSS, NYSLS)

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. 5-LS2-1
NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI)
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems LS2.A:
•    The food of almost any kind of animal can be traced back to plants. Organisms are related in food webs in which some animals eat plants for food and other animals eat the animals that eat plants. Some organisms, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms (both plants or plants parts and animals) and therefore operate as “decomposers.” Decomposition eventually restores (recycles) some materials back to the soil. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their particular needs are met. A healthy ecosystem is one in which multiple species of different types are each able to meet their needs in a relatively stable web of life. Newly introduced species can damage the balance of an ecosystem. (5-LS2-1)
Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems LS2.B:
•    Matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes as these organisms live and die. Organisms obtain gases, and water, from the environment, and release waste matter (gas, liquid, or solid) back into the environment. (5-LS2-1)
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
Systems and System Models
•    A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. (5-LS2-1)

2.Common Core State Learning Connections ELA/Literacy

•    RI.5.7 - Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently. (5-LS2-1)
•    SL.5.5 - Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. (5-LS2-1)