Name: Lisa Brown Minor

Title of Unit: The Cycle of Life: Ecosystems!

Grade Level: Fourth

Subjects: Life Science, Math and Language Arts

Performance Task – GRASPS

• Goals- Students will investigate and determine why the vegetable gardens at the local state park and surrounding neighborhoods are being destroyed by deer and rabbits. Students will come up with a solution for this problem.
• Role – Students will be Jr. State Park Rangers. They will help the state park Ranger Sara Findalot to find out why the surrounding neighborhood gardens, small shrubs and trees are being eaten to the point they are dying. The student will find a solution to this problem.
• Audience – Residents of Stone Mountain and the surrounding neighborhoods.
• Situation – Ranger Sara Findalot has been a state park ranger for over 20 years. About ten years ago, a rabies epidemic was of great concern to the residents of Stone Mountain and the surrounding neighborhoods. The residents met with the state park commission and demanded that all of the red fox population be removed from the park. The residents felt strongly that the red fox was one of the main carriers of rabies at that time. Subsequently, the residents have noticed an increase in the deer and rabbit population. It is up to Ranger Findalot and the Jr. Rangers to find out what is eating the state park and neighborhood garden, small bushes and shrubs.
• Product/Performance – The Jr. Rangers will need to research and draw the food chains of deer, rabbits and the red fox. They will also need to draw the food web for the deer, rabbits and red fox. After the Jr. Rangers have reviewed the food web for each animal, they will need to make a hypothesis as to why the gardens are being eaten and what factors made this ecosystem unbalanced. The Jr. Rangers will also discuss what needs to happen to bring the ecosystem back into balance. The Jr. Rangers will then present their findings with Ranger Findalot. Upon her approval, they will write a letter to the residents advising them of what is eating their gardens, small bushes and shrubs and why. The letter will also include what needs to happen to bring the ecosystem into balance.
• Standard Criteria for Success – see rubric

The Cycle of Life Rubric Student Name:______________________ Grade:____________ Date: ______________________________ CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Accuracy of food chain	All animals drawn in each food chain are accurate.	Most of the animals drawn in each food chain are accurate.	Some of the animals drawn in each food chain are accurate	Few of the animals drawn in each food chain are accurate
Accuracy of food web	All animals drawn in each food web are accurate.	Most of the animals drawn in each food web are accurate.	Some of the animals drawn in each food web are accurate.	Few of the animals drawn in each food web are accurate.
Letter presentation	All parts of the letter are presented. (Ex. Date, address, salutation, body and closing.)	Most parts of the letter are presented. (Ex. Date, address, salutation, body and closing.)	Some parts of the letter are presented. (Ex. Date, address, salutation, body and closing.	Few parts of the letter are presented. (Ex. Date, address, salutation, body and closing.
Use of Class Time	Used time well during each class period. Focused on getting the project done. Never distracted others.	Used time well during each class period. Usually focused on getting the project done. Never distracted others.	Used some of the time well during each class period. Some focus on getting the project done but occasionally distracted others.	Did not use class time to focus on the project or often distracted others.
GRASPS findings and knowledge gained by student.	Student can accurately explain all details related to the cause of the ecosystem in Stone Mountain becoming unbalanced and the solution.	Student can accurately explain most of the details related to the cause of the ecosystem in Stone Mountain becoming unbalanced and the solution.	Student can accurately explain some of the details related to the cause of the ecosystem in Stone Mountain becoming unbalanced and the solution.	Student appears to have insufficient knowledge and understanding of the problem with the ecosystem in Stone Mountain becoming unbalanced and the solution.

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