Unit Overview

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems
Authentic Literacy and Language (ALL) for Science

Recommended for Grade 5

This complete and integrated 15-day teaching unit on how matter and energy are cycled in natural environments follows the Authentic Literacy and Language (ALL) for Science curriculum framework that promotes science sense-making and language sense-making through three aligned components:

Where does matter go when it seems to “disappear”? The phenomenon of natural decomposition is used in this 15 -day unit to explore the science behind the transfer of energy and cycling of matter between consumers and the environment. Children will apply what they learn about how nature processes its’ leftovers to create models for different ways of diverting food waste so that the organic matter and its stored energy can be used by other living things.
Please refer to the “Before the Unit Begins” document to prepare for the unit.

Before the Unit Begins

BEFORE THE UNIT BEGINS  

Welcome to Matter and Energy in Ecosystems. In this unit, children become experts on the process of decomposition: how matter is cycled and energy is transferred as the properties of organisms change.  Using a soil ecosystem as a model, learners will explore how matter and energy are cycled in natural environments. Then apply what they have learned to design a solution for food waste in their school. 

Throughout this unit, learners will be organized into inquiry circles and science investigation teams that reflect the roles of practicing scientists. By taking on the roles of scientists as they engage in text-based and hands-on investigations, and by learning to read, write, speak, and listen like scientists, children develop deeper science learning and science-specific disciplinary literacies.

• Mini Lesson
  • Each day, the teacher will lead a mini-lesson on a science-specific disciplinary literacy strategy before the children work in their inquiry
  • The mini-lessons are taught as whole-class lessons in which the teacher models and explains a literacy strategy relevant for use with informational texts or media during inquiry circles.
  • Mini-lessons are designed to help learners become more strategic in their reading through intentional
• Science Inquiry Circles
  • Throughout this unit, children will participate in inquiry circles—small teams that will work together to investigate one of four methods that schools across the U.S. are using to reduce cafeteria food

  1. composting food scraps
  2. feeding food scraps to worms (vermicomposting)
  3. feeding food scraps to pigs
  4. sharing or donating leftover food.

  • The “Food Waste Resources” spreadsheet lists the informational texts and media the teams use in this text inquiry.
  • Inquiry circle teams will be created on Day 1. See the Unit Overview Guide for more information.
• Guided Science Investigation
  • Guided science investigations are teacher-facilitated science explorations, with children working in collaborative teams.
  • The focus throughout this unit will be on the process of decomposition: how matter is cycled and energy is transferred as the properties of organisms change.
  • Using a soil ecosystem as a model, learners will study how matter and energy are cycled in natural environments. Then they will apply new knowledge to finding better solutions for reducing food waste.