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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes

Why some animals live in groups

Ecosystems and food chains

CCSS NGSS.3-LS2-1England: KS2 Y4 Living things and their habitats

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Why some animals live in groups.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Producers, consumers, predators and prey

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Food web cards, Arrows to build chains, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Producers, consumers, predators and prey). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. grass → grasshopper → frog → snake What is the snake in this food chain? (tertiary consumer / primary consumer / secondary consumer / producer) → tertiary consumerPrompt: Start at the plant and count the arrows.
  2. phytoplankton → krill → penguin → leopard seal Which animal is the prey of the penguin? (leopard seal / phytoplankton / krill / penguin) → krillPrompt: A predator hunts and eats other animals; its prey is the animal it eats.
  3. Food chains: which statement is true? (Plants are producers because they make their own food. / Herbivores are predators. / A food chain can start with a lion. / Producers eat consumers.) → Plants are producers because they make their own food.Prompt: Producers make food; consumers eat.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a food web and ask what would happen if one animal disappeared.
  • Share the objective: Why some animals live in groups. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: How does living in a group help here: wolves hunting as a pack?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: they can catch animals much bigger than one wolf
  • Answer: they can catch animals much bigger than one wolf
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. How does living in a group help here: honeybees in a hive? (they share warmth in freezing winds / they can catch animals much bigger than one wolf / one warns the others when a hawk is near / workers share jobs like collecting food and caring for young) → workers share jobs like collecting food and caring for youngPrompt: Think about food, safety, warmth and sharing work.
  2. Why do zebras stay close together in a herd? (Because they cannot walk alone. / To keep the grass warm. / To make it easier for lions to catch them. / Many eyes spot danger, and the stripes confuse lions.) → Many eyes spot danger, and the stripes confuse lions.Prompt: Is it easier for a lion to sneak up on one zebra or on a herd?

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. True or false? All animals live in groups. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Think of the benefits and the costs.
  2. How does living in a group help here: meerkats taking turns as lookouts? (one warns the others when a hawk is near / workers share jobs like collecting food and caring for young / they share warmth in freezing winds / it is hard for a predator to pick out one fish) → one warns the others when a hawk is nearPrompt: Think about food, safety, warmth and sharing work.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Producers, consumers, predators and prey.
  • Use concrete materials: food web cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Why some animals live in groups

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Why do zebras stay close together in a herd?

    • A. Because they cannot walk alone.
    • B. To make it easier for lions to catch them.
    • C. Many eyes spot danger, and the stripes confuse lions.
    • D. To keep the grass warm.

  2. Question 2

    True or false? In a beehive, different bees do different jobs.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    How does living in a group help here: wolves hunting as a pack?

    • A. one warns the others when a hawk is near
    • B. they can catch animals much bigger than one wolf
    • C. they share warmth in freezing winds
    • D. it is hard for a predator to pick out one fish

  4. Question 4

    Geese fly in a V shape and take turns at the front. How does this help?

    • A. It makes them fly slower.
    • B. Birds behind save energy, and sharing the front spreads the hard work.
    • C. It keeps them dry.
    • D. It helps them see the ground.

  5. Question 5

    True or false? Living in a group can help animals stay warm.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    How does living in a group help here: fish swimming in a huge shoal (school)?

    • A. one warns the others when a hawk is near
    • B. they can catch animals much bigger than one wolf
    • C. workers share jobs like collecting food and caring for young
    • D. it is hard for a predator to pick out one fish

  7. Question 7

    What is one downside of living in a big group?

    • A. Predators can never find groups.
    • B. Nobody ever helps anyone.
    • C. Groups are always too cold.
    • D. Food must be shared, and illnesses spread more easily.

  8. Question 8

    How does living in a group help here: honeybees in a hive?

    • A. workers share jobs like collecting food and caring for young
    • B. one warns the others when a hawk is near
    • C. they share warmth in freezing winds
    • D. adults protect the calves from lions

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Answer key: Why some animals live in groups

  1. 1. C. Many eyes spot danger, and the stripes confuse lions.

  2. 2. A. True

  3. 3. B. they can catch animals much bigger than one wolf

  4. 4. B. Birds behind save energy, and sharing the front spreads the hard work.

  5. 5. A. True

  6. 6. D. it is hard for a predator to pick out one fish

  7. 7. D. Food must be shared, and illnesses spread more easily.

  8. 8. A. workers share jobs like collecting food and caring for young