5th Grade Food Chain Project

2017-2018

The purpose of this unit was for students to connect their understanding of the food chain to their own lives, to understand how to write a program that will share an animation of their food chain, to understand what a conductor is, and how they can create their own input device that will run their program.

2018-2019

This project had a slightly different twist. They needed to create a food chain that showed what would happen if a virus was to affect their food chain.

**Kick Off**

I was inspired by this SOS Strategies lesson and decided to put my own twist on it. I had the students write everything that they know about the "Food Chain" in their image that they chose.
When they were done I did a "Speed Dating" lesson. The students made two straight lines. They would talk to the person in front of them about what was on their food. When they were done talking the other person would share what they wrote. When the music came on they would rotate. We rotated about 5 times. After they went to their seats and wrote down any new words or concepts that they had heard from their peers. This activity helped me understand what the students already knew about the Food Chain before beginning the project.

Research

Students wrote what food they were interested in doing on an index card. They were matched with a partner who had the same food or a similar food choice.

They went on google and had to research the food chain of the food that they chose. It was a basic food chain that they had to understand. We talked about all the different ways you could take notes. They were able to choose a way that worked for them, but they knew that they either had to hand them to me or share them with me.

After the research was done, I explained to the students what they will be doing with their research. Then I sent home a letter to parents.

You may be surprised that we did the Makey Makey before starting the programming. I felt it was important that they know how it works to help them with the take home part of this project.

The first lesson we did with the Makey Makey was to talk about what it is and how it works.

We used an Amazing Toy Energy Stick to understand what a complete circuit is.

We did a conductor/insulator scavengerhunt with the Makey Makey.

I shared examples of past students take home projects.

Programming

The students were given a review lesson on how to use the broadcast block on Scratch.

Next, the students received a lesson on how to create a storyboard. We kicked off that lesson with this video. After we discussed the video and used Answergarden to share out what they saw. They received sticky notes or index cards to create their storyboard. They need to show me the storyboard before they are able to begin coding. Extra Resource on the Pixar site.

Once, their storyboard is given the OK. They are able to go onto Scratch and program their Food Chain collaboratively with their partner.

Micro:Bit Extension

The students were given a Micro:Bit to program. We spent one class learning the basics of how a Micro:Bit works. The second class they programmed the Micro:Bit to say the name of their food, a picture of it, and their name. The students felt comfortable using the Micro:Bit because of their knowledge of Scratch. The hardest part was dragging the file from the download file to the Micro:Bit.

Presentation

The students set up their project in the gym and the younger grade levels and their parents got to experience what they have created.

Reflection

It is important that we reflect when we can.

The students discussed different problems that they had and how they went about solving it. During the reflection time the students listened to the different problems that came up to learn a new skill they could have used or to solve a problem that they had.

At the end of the project we reflected on the process. We talked about what worked and what didn't and why. I listened to what they said and plan on revising the lessons for next year based on their feedback.

2018-2019 Extension

An environmental group has hired your team to research the food chain of animals in a specific region of the world. You've been asked to create a comprehensive food chain simulation for the area by identifying different species of organisms and showing how they are interconnected. The environmental group needs you to identify each organism as being a producer, consumer, or decomposer.

In addition, the group just received a report that said their is a mysterious virus that has hit your country. It is attacking one of your living organisms in your food chain. You need to identify what animal is being affected and create an animation that show how this virus is affecting your food chain.

In your final presentation they would like you to create an interactive simulation that shows what would happen. The presentation will have to show the links between the species, and explain how environmental threats may affect the natural food web in the area.

Homework:

You may do a diorama, posterboard, or 3d model of your food chain.

Your display must show all of the organisms in your food chain in the order of how energy flows through the food chain.

You need to label all of the different parts of the food chain.

Energy
Producer
Consumer
Decomposer
Scavenger
Carnivore
Herbivore

Programming Criteria:

All animations are required to have one conditional block or broadcast block.
All animations must have at least one of these blocks to use in their animation: broadcast block, boolean expression, a second conditional block, variables.
All animations should use a Makey Makey ext and run their whole program off of one event. (Exceptions may be made if asked ahead of time.)
All animations must have a title that says their country and the word food chain.
All animations must identify their sources in their notes and write instructions if there are any.
All animations must show what would happen if a virus was to attack one of the organisms.

Content Criteria:

I can show how energy flows or moves through a food web or food chain.
I can identify the roles, or jobs of sunlight, producers, consumers, and decomposers, in a community.
I can predict how changes in the environment would affect a community of living things.
I am an active and supportive member of my team.

Science A to Z has some great one page info sheets on food chains from different environments.