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Science Unit:
Habitats (Sable Island)
By: Melanie Bartlett, Kelsey MacLeod, Sarah Watts, and Alisha McCorriston
We decided to do our science unit on Sable Island for a grade 4 class with 25
students. Our unit comprises of 5 lessons, which include differentiation and
modifications to accommodate two students in the class who have learning disabilities:
Jack has dysgraphia and Laura has dyslexia. These lessons are rich in nature integrating
other subjects such as art, dramatic elements, language arts, social studies, and
environmental science. All lessons are universal design in nature to appeal to all learning
styles: visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learners.
Each lesson is approximately 1 hour long, however, it may take more time to
complete all activities. For example, perhaps the first lesson may take two 1 hour classes
for students to complete the science discovery centre activities. Perhaps a whole class
will need to be dedicated to creating the criteria for the summative project. In addition,
the fourth lesson of the unit has a four-week goal activity which will require additional
class time for students to complete. Finally, two classes at the end of the unit will be
reserved for students to work on their summative project with a partner and two more
classes after that will be dedicated to the students presentations of their summative
project.
We believe that student success and motivation is higher when students have
ownership and responsibility of their learning. This is why students have several options
to choose from for their final summative project and why they are co-constructing the
rubric for the success criteria for their presentation of their project.
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Sable Island Bulletin Board
Miss MacLeod
Lesson: 1
Grade: 4
Length of time: 1 hour
NGSS Standards
4-LS1-1
Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that
function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
Lesson objective(s): I learned a few facts about Sable Island. I explored by doing
various activities to learn about what Sable Island is, where it is, and who lives there.
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Prior knowledge: None
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Materials:
1) Bulletin board
2) Paper airplane
3) Paper boat
4) Instructions to make a paper airplane
5) Instructions to make paper boat
6) Sable Island Quiz
7) Playdough
8) Crosswords
9) Activity sheets
10) Laptop for video
11) Smartboard for smartboard activity
12) Balloons
13) Plastic horses
14) 5 Toms and Kellys for the 5 people on Sable Island
15) Sand
16) Matching horse activity
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17) An Owl True Adventure Book: Wild Horses of Sable Island by Zoe Lucas book
activity
19) Sable Island the Wandering Sandbar by Wendy Kitts book activity
18) Free as the Wind by Jamie Bastedo and Susan Tooke book activity
20) Race the Wild Wind by Sandra Markle book activity
21) Making waves
22) Toy horses
23) Animal pictures
24) Land pictures
25) Helicopter
26) Bowl of water to make waves
27) Map of Sable Island
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Teacher preparation: Have centres set up previous to class time.
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Teacher and Student Procedures
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Lesson
Component
Teachers Procedures
Students Procedures
Students listen to
teachers question.
Think-Pair-Share
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Exploration
(20)
Create:
2) Make paper airplanes (to arrive to sable
island)
3) Make a paper boat to leave sable island
4) Playdough- make your own creature
Activities:
5) Matching Horse Activity
6) Sable Island Quiz
7) Crosswords
8) Activity sheets
9) How many balloons were found on Sable
Island?
Touch:
10) Plastic horses
11) 5 Toms and Kellys for the 5 people on
Sable Island
12) Sand
13) Toy horses
14) Helicopter
15) Make waves
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Explanation Teacher poses the following questions to
(10)
students about why each item is in the
discovery center and what it has to do with
Sable Island
Students respond
following teachers
directions using the
Pose, Pause, Pounce,
and Bounce question
strategy.
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Elaboration
(10)
Listen to teachers
explanation of
summative assignment
for the end of the unit.
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Students will brainstorm
to co-construct a rubric
for the final project on a
4-point scale with 4-5
criteria categories.
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Guide students in co-constructing a rubric.
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In groups of 4, students
will write their ideas
down on chart paper.
Teacher will assemble information and create Then, each group will
a rubric. Then distribute them so each student share their ideas to the
class.
has a copy.
Evaluation
(10)
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Make Your Own Island
Miss Bartlett
Lesson: 2
Topic: Sable Island
Grade: 3
Length of time: 1 hour
302-2 describe how various animals are able to meet their basic needs in their habitat
New Brunswick Social Studies Curriculum:
3.1.1 Locate their province in the Atlantic region, Canada, North America, and the world
3.1.2 Describe the major physical features, climates, and vegetation of their province and
the Atlantic region
New Brunswick Visual Art Curriculum:
Responding to Art: Describe art works using appropriate vocabulary. Recognize that a
response to art involves feelings, understandings and knowledge, e.g., medium, subject
matter, and composition
Prior knowledge: In the first lesson, which introduced them to the animals of Sable
Island, they already have previous knowledge and therefore can make these predictions
of what is needed for these different populations to survive in either environment, and
reflect upon them. Students will also be able to refer to the information provided in the
first lesson on Sable Island.
Differentiation strategies incorporated into this lesson:
Some children may need extra help in drawing, or may experience dysgraphia or
dyslexia. Give verbal explanation of instructions along with a visual example. Have
students contribute to their best ability. Students may meet with you and discuss what
they would include on their island, and have them provide their explanations verbally.
Materials:
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Paper
Markers
Chart Paper
Pencils
Teacher preparation:
Have handout ready
Chart paper for each group & markers ready
Have an example to demonstrate an environment on smart board to give students
a comparison for their charts.
Have an example of an island to show students the expectations, and examples of
things they can include on their own island.
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Teacher and Student Procedures:
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Lesson
Component
Teachers Procedures
Students Procedures
Exploration
Explanation
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Elaboration
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Evaluation
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** This Lesson Plan will be covered in the span of 2 days, if not more depending on the
length of discussions, and review on habitats at the beginning of each class. Make your
own island lesson would take place on the second day.
Checklist:
Island Considers:
Name:
Food
Shelter
Source of energy
Other habitants
References:
Yes
Somewhat
No
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New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2002).
Atlantic Canada science curriculum: Grade 4. Retrieved from http://www.gnb.ca/
0000/publications/curric/grade4science.pdf/
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Appendix
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Sable Island Centres
Miss Watts
Lesson: 3
Topic: Sable Island and the Environment
Grade: 4
Length of time: 1 hour
Lesson objective(s): To understand the history of Sable Island in a creative way through
different centers focusing in on the important facts on the island.
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Prior knowledge: An introduction on Sable Island.
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Differentiation strategies incorporated into this lesson: The different centers will
include the history of the island, learning about the horses, and other interesting facts.
The centers will be hands on.
Materials: Information books on Sable Island, clay, paper, crayons, and videos on Sable
Island
Teacher preparation: Make sure to prepare each center before hand so the students
know what is going on in each station so there is no confusion.
Assessment: At each center there is a form of assessment so the students have something
to focus on and work towards. It will either consist of a worksheet or making something
out of the clay.
Differentiation strategies incorporated into this lesson: Some children may need extra
help in drawing, or may experience dysgraphia or dyslexia. Give verbal explanation of
instructions along with a visual example.
Centers: 1. About the horses- read the specific book on horses on the island and draw a
horse that is on Sable Island or make with clay.
2. Watch a short video on Sable Island and answer quiz.
3. Make a poster on Sable Island
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4. Create your own habitat- what do you need to survive, how do you get there,
are there animals that live there, can visitors visit etc.
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Teachers Procedures
Students Procedures
Engagement
(5-10 min)
Explanation
(5-10 min)
Exploration
(10 min a
station)
Elaboration
(5 min)
Evaluation
(5 min)
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If I had 1 Million Dollars
Miss Macleod
Lesson 4
Topic: Sable Island and the Environment
Grade: 4
Length of time: 1 hour
Lesson objective(s):
I understand how I impact habitats and the environment on a daily bases and the positive
or negative impact I will have on the environment and habitats in the future. I also
understand what I can do to help conserve natural resources and care for living things and
their habitats.
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Prior knowledge: Exposure to the concept of habitats
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Materials:
Large sheets of white paper
blue construction paper
markers
pencils
laptop
Smartboard or projector
internet
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Teacher preparation: Have all supplies organized into piles so it is easy to distribute.
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Assessment:
Formatively assess students during lesson through:
1. Questions: Think-Pair-Share
2. Pose, Pause, Pounce, Bounce (students listening, contributing, and relating their
ideas to others)
3. Observations: Take notes on post-its to provide specific feedback for students
regarding their contribution, participation, discussion, and teamwork skills.
4. Checklist: completion and effort in answering questions and journal reflections
each week for the goal. (see checklist at the end of this lesson)
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Teacher and Student Procedures
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Lesson
Component
Teachers Procedures
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2. Where does this energy come from?
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Students
Procedures
Listen to teachers
questions.
Discuss and
practice active
listening.
Respond to the
questions in a
Think-Pair-Share
discussion format.
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Exploration
(20-25
minutes)
Listen to teachers
instructions
1) Choose a partner
2) One person
collects the markers
and the other gets
the large white
piece of chart paper.
3) Read and follow
directions on the
activity sheet they
receive.
When all teams are finished:
4) Working with
5) Have each pair join another pair to make a
their partner, draw
group of 4. Activity 1 pairs join a pair that
their habitat or
completed activity number 2.
dream home
6) Distribute blue construction paper (representing When all students
a river, ocean, or lake) for each group to put
are finished
between their habitat and their dream home.
5) Listen to
teachers
7) How will the energy and materials used in the instructions. Join
dream home impact the animals habitat?
another pair that
completed a
8) Circulate around class. Put concrete objects on different activity to
each groups chart paper to represent any
make a group of 4.
consumer waste items (such as plastic bottles) and 6) Put blue
pollution or harmful products (brown paper or
construction paper
play dough to represent oil) that may come from
between their two
the dream home which will float down the river
chart paper
and negatively impact the animal habitat.
drawings.
7) Listen to the
question and
discuss it as a
group. Circle, label,
or list sources of
pollution and
consumer waste
from dream home
that will impact the
habitat.
8) Share with the
class
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Explanation Formatively assess using Pose, Pause, Pounce,
(5-10
Bounce. Think of which students to ask prior to
minutes)
posing questions.
Students respond
following teachers
directions using the
Pose, Pause,
Pounce, Bounce
question strategy.
Students do not
raise their hands.
Pose: Listen to
questions
Pause: think of
answers
Pounce: Answer
question if called on
Bounce: Build on/
give opinion based
off of previous
students answer
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Elaboration
(10 min)
20 min for
Enrichment
Enrichment:
For students who are done Exploration activity
early.
1) Watch video: 0-11 minutes
2) Reflect by answering these guiding questions
about Sable Island.
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Discuss the
question in same
groups of 4.
(Garbage and
drilling for energy
should come up in
discussion)
Participate in
enrichment if
finished
Exploration activity
early.
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Evaluation
(10 minutes
and then
continued in
later class or
assigned as
homework)
Students brainstorm
ideas for 2 minutes
in groups.
Students can
respond to this
questions in a
variety of ways:
1)Written in journal
2) Typed up
In either paragraph
or point form
1) Create two slides
on a PowerPoint
with text
2) Create two slides
with pictures on a
PowerPoint with
Enrichment: How do we know if it is a good goal? keywords to explain
Have students research SMART goals and explain answers.
it to a partner, small group, or to the class.
3) Draw pictures in
journal and use
keywords to explain
answers.
Outside of class (perhaps inside as well) Over 4
weeks follow these steps you created. Write in
your journal how you did each week at achieving
your goal.
Was it too big of a goal? Was it too small of a
goal?
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Reflect in journal at
the end of each
week on progress of
achieving the goal.
Refer to checklist
before submitting
the mini project to
ensure they
completed each
part.
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Activity 1
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You and your partner are given 1 million dollars to build your dream home on an island.
Using the chart paper, draw your dream home and anything else you wish to build to
keep you entertained and make your friends want to come visit you. Remember to draw
what way you will get energy to sustain the needs of your home and island.
Activity 2
You and your partner will create an animal habitat. Include any animals you wish (within
reason), and you may create new animals. Just remember that these animals must be able
to survive in this habitat. For example, a polar bear could not survive in a desert or
tropical habitat.
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Checklist
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Chec
k
Student
Name
Task
Brainstorm in groups and respond to opening question: What
are some things you can do each day to help conserve the
environment?
Response to above question in either written, picture, drawing,
or PowerPoint form.
Choose one goal
Divided goal into 4 gradual stages
Reflection about stage 1 goal after week 1.
Reflection about stage 2 goal after week 2.
Reflection about stage 3 goal after week 3.
Reflection about stage 4 goal after week 4.
Final Reflection of overall results: was the goal too big or
small?
Final Reflection of overall results: What would you do
differently next time?
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The Need to Protect its Environment and Animals
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Miss McCorriston
Date: Lesson #5
Topic: Sable Island Habitat and Animal Loss
Grade: 4
Length of time: 1 hour
This lesson could easily extend into another science class. The time is set for 1
hour, but if there is the possibility for many science classes during the week, it
would turn into two separate lessons.
Curriculum Outcomes:
NB Curriculum Outcomes -
Science:
Students will be expected to
- Predict how the removal of a plant or animal population affects the rest of the community (301-1)
relate habitat loss to the endangerment or extinction of plants and animals (301-2)
NGSS Standards
Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment
changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change (3-LS4-4)
NB Curriculum Outcomes
Language Arts:
GCO: Students will be able to create texts collaboratively and independently, using a
variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes
SCO: demonstrate some awareness of purpose and audience
- make choices about form for a specific purpose/audience
Learning Objective:
Students will understand that organisms are interdependent of one another. Students will
learn which organisms are important to whom on Sable Island, and will be able to explain
the effects of their loss.
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Differentiation Strategies:
Students will be working in groups, and have the option to work in pairs when writing
letters. There are kinesthetic elements in this lesson that will support these types of
learners, as well as writing and reading components. All instructions will be placed on the
SMART Board for students to view. Students have the option to work in pairs, and this
will support those students who have dyslexia and dygraphia. These students also have
the option to work on the computers. They can type up their letters on a Word program,
and use the text-to-speech option on the computer if they so wish. They also have the
option to focus more on the drawing itself and write a shorter letter.
Materials:
- Food web stories (see Appendix A)
- Ball of yarn
- Name tags and clips for each group
- SMART Board (see Appendix B)
- Chart paper and markers
- Sable Island The Wandering Sandbar by Wendy Kitts
- Letter templates (see Appendix C)
Teachers Procedures
Students Procedures
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Engagement
(10 minutes)
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Exploration
(15 minutes)
Ask students:
Why are the horses important
to the environment?
Why is it important that we
protect Sable Island?
Teacher will write responses
on SMART Board
Explain to students that the
horses were at risk in 1959.
Share story by reading pages
45 53 in Sable Island The
Wandering Sandbar
Have childrens letters on a
SMART Board file
Students are
responding to why
horses are important
Listening to the story
and asking questions
about what they are
learning
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Explanation
and
Elaboration
(35 minutes)
Students will be
brainstorming animals
they would like to
write about
Students will be
writing letters to Prime
Minister, Stephen
Harper
Students will share
their letters with one
another
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Evaluation
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References
Leveille, Michael. (2012, July 19). 6 misconceptions about biological diversity and
extinction [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://biodiversityyouth.blogspot.ca/
2012/07/6-misconceptions-about-biological.html
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Appendix A
Building the Web
The sun shines on the Earth, giving the plants energy. On Sable Island, sun helps the
Marram Grass grow. This Marram Grass then becomes food for the 200 to 400 horses
that live there. The horse droppings are wonderful for the beetles that live underground.
However, as the years pass by, the horses eventually grow old and die. The birds feast on
the remains that stay on the island.
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Appendix B
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Appendix C
Lets Write to Protect our Animals!
Dear Stephen Harper,
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______________________________
Sincerely,
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Appendix D
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