Unit Plan: Field Study – The Wonder of Birds
Science / Grade 6
Big Ideas
- Multi-cellular organisms rely on internal systems to survive, reproduce, and interact with their environment. (Science 6)
CONCEPTS
- Systems
- Organism
- Interdependence
- Survival
- Adaptation
- Reproduction
- Interactions
- Environment
- Stewardship
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering…
- How is form related to function in bird beaks?
- What adaptations help a bird survive in its environment?
- How do birds spend their time?
- What interactions do you observe –between birds, and between birds and their environment?
- Can birds be identified by a variety of features?
- How do human impact birds and how can negative impacts be mitigated?
- What is a system?
- What does it mean to think using a systems approach?
- How have I experienced ‘Systems’ at ODS? (e.g. how birds interact with each other and their environment)
- How am I connected to ‘Systems’ in my everyday life?
Evaluative Criteria
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding by:
- correctly identifying bird species using a field guide
- correctly aging taxidermy eagle specimens
- matching bird beak types with types of food eaten
- observing taxidermy bird specimens and pair share expected food type based on beak shape
- completing a time study sheet after observing a bird’s behaviour
Monitoring Progress
Teacher will monitor progress:
Teachers can monitor progress through ongoing formative assessment including but not limited to:
- N/A
Resources
- BirdQuest Beaks Matching sheet
- Binoculars – ideally one pair per student
- Binocular Basics sheet
- Cheakamus Centre Bird Study map
- Field guides to birds
- Legends:
Keepers of the Earth – How Turtle Flew South for the Winter (p.157)
People of the Land: Legends of the Four Host First Nations – Smekw’á7 – The Great Blue Heron (p.75)
Squamish Legends: Seagull Raven and the Daylight Box
How the Robin Got Its Red Breast: A Legend of the Sechelt People – illustrated by Charlie Craigan.
- Time Study template
- Owls and Crows Activity Instructions
- Beetles: I notice, I wonder, It reminds me of
- Beetles: Walk and Talk
- Extension sheet (for back at home school) – Project Wild – Adaptation Artistry p. 139, p. 85; Crane Game (US Fish & Wildlife Service)
Reflection
Teacher Reflection
- What aspects of the field study went well?
- What did students struggle with?
- What did you struggle with?
- What would you add/revise the next time you taught this unit?
- Were there any unintended outcomes?
- Were students engaged?
Downloads
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Big Ideas
- Multi-cellular organisms rely on internal systems to survive, reproduce, and interact with their environment. (Science 6)
CONCEPTS
- Systems
- Organism
- Interdependence
- Survival
- Adaptation
- Reproduction
- Interactions
- Environment
- Stewardship
Transfer Goals
Students will be able to independently use their learning to…
-
Observe leading to curiosity
-
Use observation and reasoning to make explanations
-
Use scientific language to exchange ideas with peers
-
Connect to place and understand their role and responsibility as stewards of the environment
Meaning
Students will understand that…
-
A living organism is made up of many interdependent body systems that interact to sustain life.
-
Different bird species have different beak types in order for them to access different food resources
-
Bald eagles change in appearance as they age
-
Bird species can be identified by certain physical features
-
A bird’s feeding behaviour can be predicted by the type of beak it has
-
Birds spend their time doing a variety of behaviours
-
Some First Nations legends provide explanations as to why birds look the way they do
-
My actions (both positive and negative) impact the organism’s ability to survive.
Students will keep considering…
-
How is form related to function in bird beaks?
-
What adaptations help a bird survive in its environment?
- How do birds spend their time?
- What interactions do you observe –between birds, and between birds and their environment?
- Can birds be identified by a variety of features?
- How do human impact birds and how can negative impacts be mitigated?
- What is a system?
- What does it mean to think using a systems approach?
- How have I experienced ‘Systems’ at ODS? (e.g. how birds interact with each other and their environment)
- How am I connected to ‘Systems’ in my everyday life?
> Click here to learn more about Essential Questions
Acquisition
Students will be skilled at…
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Demonstrate curiosity about a scientific topic or problem (Science 6)
-
Make observations in familiar and unfamiliar contexts
-
Experience and interpret the local environment (Science 6)
-
Identify First Peoples’ perspectives and knowledge as sources of information (Science 6)
-
Express and reflect on personal, shared, others’ experience of place (Science 6)
Students will know…
-
Bird beak shapes are adapted to allow them to exploit different food resources.
-
Bird skeletons are specially adapted for their lifestyle.
-
Bald eagles change appearance (plumage, beak & eye colour…) as they age.
-
Birds can be identified by their plumage, shape and size.
-
Human activities impact birds and their behaviour.
-
First Peoples have legends about how certain birds came to be and how birds interact with other animals.
Which Core Competencies will be integrated into the unit?
Positive Personal & Cultural Identity
- Students will explore human impacts, and how they can reduce negative impacts on birds.
Communication
- Students will use scientific language to exchange ideas with peers.
Critical Thinking
- Students will use observation and reasoning to make explanations about form and function of bird physiology.
First People's Principles of Learning
How does the field study reflect Cheakamus Centre Principles (Place, Community, Inquiry, Personal Connections, and First Peoples’ Perspectives)?
Place: Students will explore and make observations of birds in the forest and along the waterways.
Inquiry: Students will explore different habitats for different species and observe bird activities over time.
FPP: Students will use patience and take time to learn about bird behavior.
Personal Connections: Students will discuss the consequences of human actions on birds and how to mitigate those impacts
The following resources are made available through the British Columbia Ministry of Education. For more information, please visit BC’s New Curriculum.
Big Ideas
The Big Ideas consist of generalizations and principles and the key concepts important in an area of learning. The Big Ideas represent what students will understand at the completion of the curriculum for their grade. They are intended to endure beyond a single grade and contribute to future understanding.
Core Competencies
Communications Competency
The set of abilities that students use to impart and exchange information, experiences and ideas, to explore the world around them, and to understand and effectively engage in the use of digital media
Thinking Competency
The knowledge, skills and processes we associate with intellectual development
Social Competency
The set of abilities that relate to students’ identity in the world, both as individuals and as members of their community and society
Curricular Competencies & Content
Curricular Competencies are the skills, strategies, and processes that students develop over time. They reflect the “Do” in the Know-Do-Understand model of curriculum. The Curricular Competencies are built on the thinking, communicating, and personal and social competencies relevant to disciplines that make up an area of learning.
Additional Resources
First People's Principles of Learning
To read more about First People’s Principles of Learning, please click here.
For classroom resources, please visit the First Nations Education Steering Committee.
