This 3-page recap closes a 5th grade ecosystems lesson with six short questions across NGSS 5-PS3-1, 5-LS1-1, and 5-LS2-1. Students trace a favorite lunch back to the sun, fix a false sentence about plants and soil, and explain what mushrooms do in a meadow scene. One question asks them to tell a 3rd grader how matter cycles while energy flows one way. The last two prompts ask what surprised them and what they still wonder.
5-PS3-1
“Use models to describe that energy in animals' food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.”
Question 1, which traces the energy in a lunch back to the sun, and question 4 on energy that flows one way.
5-LS1-1
“Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.”
Question 2, where students correct the sentence so plants get their materials from air and water.
5-LS2-1
“Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.”
Question 3 on the mushrooms in the meadow and question 4 on matter that cycles through the ecosystem.
Question 1 traces a favorite lunch back to its energy source. Question 2 asks students to cross out and rewrite the claim that plants get their materials mostly from the soil.
Students name the role of the mushrooms in the meadow scene, then explain to an imagined 3rd grader how matter cycles and energy flows one way.
Two reflection prompts: one thing that surprised them and one lingering question about food webs, energy, or plants.
Before the unit test
Set it as the last task before the test. Question 2 shows at once who still thinks plants eat soil.
Planning the next lesson
Collect the lingering questions from question 6 and pick two or three to open the next lesson. The key suggests using them this way.
Peer teaching
Pair students and have each read their question 4 answer aloud, with the partner playing the 3rd grader.
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