Polar Biome

none

1-3

To educate students about life in the extremes of our planet. This unit follows one on magnetism, which ties in nicely. Students will be immersed in life in the polar biome and do research into an animal from the polar regions.

1.	a. Intro to Polar biome
2.	b. polar research

Standards compiled from learning activities:

WA- Washington Essential Academic Learning Requirements • Subject : Science "The important thing is to not stop questioning" Albert Einstein Learning in science depends on actively doing science. Active engagement in hands-on, minds-on science learning experiences enables students to make personal sense of the physical world and to solve problems. Toward these ends, the Essential Academic Learning Requirements for science were developed based on the following set of guiding principles. 1. All students should be expected to attain satisfactory achievement and performance on all Essential Academic Learning Requirements. 2. All students should have access to a carefully articulated science program each year in kindergarten through 10th grade with opportunities for continued study in grades 11 and 12. 3. All students should receive quality feedback about their performance and achievement in science on a continuous basis. 4. All students, regardless of gender, cultural or ethnic background, physical or learning disabilities, aspirations, or interest and motivation in science, should have the opportunity to attain scientific literacy. 5. All students should have access to effective and appropriate teaching from well trained teachers who are supported with high quality instructional resources. If all students attain mastery of the Essential Academic Learning Requirements for science, Washington State will be much closer to attaining the national goal of being the first in the world in science achievement and performance. • Standard 1: The student understands and uses scientific concepts and principles. • Area : 1.1 use properties to identify, describe, and categorize substances, materials, and objects, and use characteristics to categorize living things • Key Idea : Life Science - Basis of biological diversity • Benchmark / Grade : Benchmark 1 - TBD  Performance Expectation : distinguish living organisms from nonliving objects, and use characteristics to sort common organisms into plant and animal groups • Area : 1.2 recognize the components, structure, and organization of systems and the interconnections within and among them • Key Idea : Life Science - Systems • Benchmark / Grade : Benchmark 1 - TBD  Performance Expectation : identify the parts of a system, how the parts go together, and how they depend on each other • Key Idea : Life Science - Molecular basis of heredity • Benchmark / Grade : Benchmark 1 - TBD  Performance Expectation : describe the life cycles of plants and animals, and recognize the differences between inherited and acquired characteristics • Area : 1.3 understand how interactions within and among systems cause changes in matter and energy • Key Idea : Life Science - Life processes and the flow of matter and energy • Benchmark / Grade : Benchmark 1 - TBD  Performance Expectation : recognize that living things need constant energy supplied from food or light and that, in ecosystems, substances such as air, water, nutrients, and the chemicals in food are continually recycled • Key Idea : Life Science - Interdependence of life • Benchmark / Grade : Benchmark 1 - TBD  Performance Expectation : describe how an organism’s behavior and ability to survive is influenced by its environment, other life forms, and availability of food and/or other resources • Key Idea : Life Science - Environmental and resource issues • Benchmark / Grade : Benchmark 1 - TBD  Performance Expectation : know humans and other living things depend on the natural environment, and can cause changes in their environment that affect their ability to survive • Standard 2: The student knows and applies the skills and processes of science and technology • Area : 2.1 develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Key Idea : Life Science - Modeling • Benchmark / Grade : Benchmark 1 - TBD  Performance Expectation : model objects, events, or processes by representing them with concrete objects, metaphors, analogies, or other conceptual or physical constructs