Biology Program Goals and Objectives
Grade Level 4

About the Biology Program
All students will participate in the Barrier Island Ecology Course at the same time. Small groups of approximately twelve students together with a Sound to Sea instructor each start in a different habitat area and begin a rotation. This component introduces students to the five habitats (beach/ocean, maritime forest, freshwater pond, salt marsh, and sound/estuary), geological history, basic ecological concepts and general habitat study skills that are reinforced throughout the entire program. Sound to Sea instructors encourage exploration and present various ecological concepts (such as habitats, cycles, communities, populations, species, food webs, decomposition, etc.) as students discover concrete evidence that relates to that concept. As the groups explore each habitat, students observe the differences and make comparisons. The Habitat Study skills include: observation, measurement, data collection, and analysis and assessment of habitat conditions with respect to soil, air, water, wind, temperature, and human impact; and observation, identification, classification, mapping and representative sampling of species present within the habitat.

Main Curriculum Area: Science
Other Curriculum Areas: Social Studies, English, Math
Grade Level: 4

Primary Goals and Objectives:
These objectives will be covered during all Biology Program classes. Some objectives are more specific to one habitat than another, so if your schedule does not allow you to take all offered classes, or if there are particular objectives that you want to make sure we cover, please let us know what your specific needs are.

Science Competency
Goal 1		 The learner will build an understandingof animal growth and adaptation.

Objectives
1.01 Relate structural characteristics and behavior of a variety of animals to the environment in which they are typically found.

1.02 Determine animal behaviors and body structures that have specific growth andsurvival functions in a particular habitat.

1.03 Evaluate living and nonliving things that affect animal life:

  • Other animals.
  • Plants.
  • Climate.
  • Water.
  • Air.
  • Location.
Geography
Social Studies Competency
Goal 3		 The learner will locate major physical features and suggest the influence of location on life in North Carolina.

Objectives
3.1 Describe the absolute and relative location of the state and places within the state.

3.2 Locate in absolute and relative terms major landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources in North Carolina.

3.3 Suggest some influences that location has on life in North Carolina.

Social Studies Competency
Goal 4		 The learner will assess the significance of physical and cultural characteristics of regions within North Carolina andthe regions of which North Carolina is a part.

Objectives
4.2Describe the major physical and cultural characteristics of regions within North Carolina.

Social Stuides Competency
Goal 5		 The learner will evaluate ways the people of North Carolina use, modify and adapt to the physical environment.


Objectives
5.2Describe how North Carolinians now use, modify, or adapt to their physical environment.

5.3 Analyze causes and consequences of the misuse of the physical environment and propose alternatives.
English Competency
Goal 1		 The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.

Objectives
1.01 Use word identification strategies appropriately and automatically when encountering unknown words (graphophonic, syntactic, semantic).

1.02 Infer word meanings from taught roots, prefixes, and suffixes to decode words in text to assist comprehension.

1.03 Identify key words and discover their meanings and relationships through a variety of strategies.

1.04 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:

  • knowledge of homophones, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms.
  • discussions.
English Competency
Goal 2		 The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.


Objectives
2.07 Determine usefulness of information and ideas consistent with purpose.

2.09 Listen actively by:

  • asking questions.
  • paraphrasing what was said.
  • interpreting speaker's verbal and non-verbal messages.
  • interpreting speaker's purposes and/or intent.
English Competency
Goal 4		 The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.

Objectives
4.02 Use oral and written language to:
  • present information and ideas in a clear, concise manner.
  • discuss.
  • interview.
  • solve problems.
  • make decisions.
Number Sense, Numeration, and Numerical Operations
Math Competency
Goal 1		 The learner will read, write, model, and compute with rational numbers.

Objectives
1.02 Use estimation techniques in determining solutions to problems.

Spatial Sense, Measurement, and Geometry
Math Competency
Goal 2		 The learner will demonstrate an understanding and use of the properties and relationships in geometry, and standard units of metric and customary measurement.


Objectives
2.07 Estimate and measure length, capacity and mass using these additional units: inches, miles, centimeters, and kilometers; milliliters, cups, and pints; kilograms and tons.

Data, Probability, and Statistics
Math Competency
Goal 4		 The learner will demonstrate an understanding and use of graphing, probability, and data analysis.


Objectives
4.03 Collect, organize, and display data from surveys, research, and classroom experiments, including data collected over time. Include data from other disciplines such as science, physical education, social studies, and the media.

4.04 Interpret information orally and in writing from charts, tables, tallies, and graphs.

Other Goals and Objectives:
These objectives may be covered during Biology Program classes. If there are goals listed here that you specifically want covered, or goals not listed that you would like to try to touch on, please let us know.

Main Curriculum Area: Science

Economics
Social Studies Competency
Goal 9		 The learner will evaluate how North Carolinians use economic resources to satisfy their wants and needs.

Objectives
9.1 Explain the relationship between unlimited wants and limited resources.

9.2 Analyze the choices and opportunity cost involved in economic decisions.

9.3 Categorize the state's resources as natural, human, or capital.

9.4 Assess the use being made of natural resources in North Carolina.