Unit 1 — Relationships in Habitats
Description
Students develop understanding of plant and animal relationships in different habitats. They conduct investigations to determine what plants need to grow, comparing the roles of sunlight and water. Students explore how plants depend on animals for seed dispersal and pollination through model development and observation of habitat diversity. Using engineering design, students ask questions to define problems related to habitat interactions and design solutions that mimic animal functions in plant reproduction.
Essential Questions
- Why do we see different living things in different habitats?
- What do plants need to grow?
- How do animals help plants reproduce?
Learning Objectives
- Make observations of plants and animals to compare diversity of life in different habitats
- Plan and conduct investigations to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow
- Develop simple models that mimic animal functions in seed dispersal or pollination
- Ask questions and gather information to define simple problems solvable through engineering design
Supplemental Resources
- Sticky notes for organizing observations and data
- Markers for creating habitat models and illustrations
- Chart paper for displaying habitat comparisons and life cycle webs
- Lined journals for recording plant growth observations
- Construction paper for creating three-dimensional habitat models
Life Sciences
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Students participate in shared research and writing projects using trade books and digital resources to support science learning across all units. They ask and answer questions about key details in informational texts, describe connections between scientific ideas and concepts, recall and gather information from provided sources to answer questions, write opinion pieces with evidence to support claims, create audio recordings and add visual displays to clarify ideas, and recount key ideas from texts read aloud or presented through media. These literacy practices are explicitly referenced in connection with standards 2-PS1-1 through 2-PS1-4, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-2, 2-ESS2-3, K-2-ETS1-1, K-2-ETS1-2, and K-2-ETS1-3.
Students apply mathematical practices and content standards throughout the science units. They reason abstractly and quantitatively, model with mathematics, and use appropriate tools strategically when collecting and analyzing data from investigations. Students draw picture graphs and bar graphs with single-unit scale to represent data sets with up to four categories, read and write numbers to 1000 using base-ten numerals and expanded form, and use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve word problems involving lengths. These mathematical connections are explicitly referenced in relation to standards 2-PS1-1, 2-PS1-2, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-2, K-2-ETS1-1, and K-2-ETS1-3.
Formative Assessments
- Observations of plant and animal diversity in different habitats recorded in science journals
- Data collection from plant growth investigations testing one variable at a time
- Sketches or drawings showing diversity of living things in various habitats
- Design sketches illustrating how model shapes help mimic animal functions
Summative Assessment
Students draw and label a restored habitat that was once destroyed by fire, demonstrating understanding of relationships between plants, animals, and habitat characteristics.
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a teacher-led discussion or recorded audio explanation of habitat relationships instead of drawing and labeling. Visual supports such as pre-labeled diagrams, word banks, or photograph cards of plants and animals may be provided to help students identify and describe habitat roles.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
During investigations and observations, provide graphic organizers with labeled diagram frames to help students record what they notice about plants, animals, and habitats without relying solely on written output. Allow students to demonstrate understanding through oral explanations, dictated responses, or annotated drawings rather than written journal entries alone. When exploring concepts such as what plants need to grow or how animals help with seed dispersal, use physical models and manipulatives alongside simplified visual directions broken into small steps. For the summative habitat drawing task, consider allowing students to use a pre-structured template with sentence frames to support labeling.
Section 504
Ensure students have access to a low-distraction workspace during plant growth investigations and observation activities that require sustained focus and data recording. Provide extended time for completing habitat sketches and design drawings, and offer printed direction cards so students can reference task steps independently throughout the unit.
ELL / MLL
Introduce and preview key vocabulary—such as habitat, pollination, seed dispersal, sunlight, and investigation—with picture support and real or model objects before lessons begin, and keep a visual word wall accessible throughout the unit. Provide simplified oral directions paired with visual demonstrations when students are setting up plant investigations or building models, and allow students to label drawings in their home language alongside English. Connecting habitat examples to environments students may recognize from their own backgrounds can help build meaningful context for new content.
At Risk (RTI)
Begin with concrete, hands-on experiences—such as directly observing plants or sorting pictures of habitats—to activate prior knowledge and provide accessible entry points before introducing more abstract relationships like pollination or engineering design. Reduce the number of variables or recording steps during investigations so students can focus on understanding one key concept at a time, and offer partially completed graphic organizers or diagram outlines to scaffold science journal entries and habitat drawings. Frequent brief check-ins during investigations can help catch misconceptions early and keep students connected to the learning goals.
Gifted & Talented
Encourage students to go beyond observing a single habitat by independently comparing relationships across multiple habitat types, forming and investigating their own questions about how changes in one part of a habitat might affect other living things. When developing models that mimic animal functions in seed dispersal or pollination, challenge students to consider the engineering trade-offs in their design and revise based on testing results, applying iterative thinking. The summative habitat task can be extended by asking students to explain not only what belongs in a restored habitat but why each organism is necessary, incorporating cause-and-effect reasoning about ecosystem interdependence.