Biology Program Goals and Objectives
Grade Level 5

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
Grade Level: 5

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 understanding of the interdependence of plants and animals.

Objectives
1.01 Assess a variety of ecosystems(communities of organisms and their interaction with the environment).

1.02 Determine the function of organisms within the population of the ecosystem: producers, consumers, and decomposers.

1.03 Evaluate the variety of organisms an ecosystem can support.

1.04 Relate the role of light, range of temperatures, and soil composition to an ecosystem's capacity to support life.

1.05 Evaluate the major source of energy for ecosystems (sunlight) and how it is passed from organism to organism in food webs.

1.06 Assess the interaction of organisms within an ecosystem.

Science Competency
Goal 3		 The learner will build an understanding of landforms.

Objectives
3.01 Summarize changes to the earth caused by erosion, weathering, and mass wasting.

Geography
Social Studies Competency
Goal 5		 The learner will evaluate ways the people of the Western Hemisphere use, modify and adapt to the physical environment.

Objectives
5.1 Explain how people of the Western Hemisphere adapt and have adapted to the physical environment.

5.2Describe how the people of the United States, Canada, and Latin America use and modify their physical environments.

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 Expand and refine vocabulary through knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, roots, derivatives, and etymologies(word origins) to assist comprehension.

English Competency
Goal 2		 The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.

Objectives
2.09 Listen actively and critically by:
  • asking questions.
  • delving deeper into the topic.
  • elaborating on the information and ideas presented.
  • evaluating information and ideas.
  • making inferences and drawing conclusions.
  • making judgments.
English Competency
Goal 4		 The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.

Objectives
4.01 Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, expression, and personal style demonstrating an awareness of volume, pace, audience, and purpose.

4.02 Use oral and written language to:

  • formulate hypotheses.
  • evaluate information and ideas.
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

Science Competency
Goal 2		 The learner will build an understanding of forms and sources of energy.

Objectives
2.02 Assess the needs, benefits, distribution, pollution, and cost associated withsociety's use of energy.

Science Competency
Goal 4		 The learner will build an understanding of weather and climate.

Objectives
4.01 Analyze the water cycle:
  • Evaporation.
  • Condensation.
  • Precipitation.
  • Ground water.

4.02 Analyze the formation of clouds and their relation to weather systems.

4.03 Relate global atmospheric movement patterns to local weather.

4.04 Compile weather data to establish climate trends.

4.05 Evaluate oceans' effect on weather and climate.