Ecosystems
 

The fourth grade ecosystem unit helps students develop the idea that plants, animals, and fungi form a system of interdependent parts, with each part dependent on the other. Through the use of our campus the girls were able to experience ecosystems in nature. A model ecosystem was built in the classroom and was used for close observation. The girls studied food chains in a variety of ecosystems through games and observation and came to appreciate the interdependence of organisms on one another. They learned that organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem as producers, consumers or decomposers. The students studied the effect of human interaction on ecosystems and learned the importance of maintaining balance in an ecosystem.