TEACHING SCIENCE IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
MODULE 4 SUMMARY
Lesson 6: The Ecosystem
A. Components of Ecosystem and Species Interaction
ECOSYSTEM is a region with a specific and recognizable landscape form, such
as a forest, grassland, desert, wetland, or coastal area.
ABIOTIC COMPONENTS
Abiotic components are the non-living components of an ecosystem, affecting the
life of organisms. • Abiotic components can be harmful to the ecosystem • Abiotic
components are: Temperature, light, water, soil, rocks, sulphur, nitrogen,
phosphorous, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, humic substances.
SPECIES INTERACTION
PREDATION- SPECIES A BENEFITS BY EATING SPECIES B.
COMPETITION- SPECIES A BENEFITS BY LIMITING THE SOURCES OF
SPECIES B.
MUTUALISM- SPECIES A AND B HELP EACH OTHER.
PARASITISM- SPECIES A BENEFITS BY HARMING SPECIES B.
COMMENSALISM- SPECIES A BENEFITS WHILE SPECIES B IS NOT
HELPED NOR HARMED.
BIOTIC COMPONENTS
- Includes things like microscopic bacteria that inhabit the air water and soil
algae that inhabit both fresh and salt water, terrestrial plans such as grasses
and herbs, long-lived forest trees.
BIOTIC COMPONENTS
AUTOTROPHS- called producers
HETEROTROPHS- called consumers
Two types of Consumers
Herbivores- referred as a first order consumers or primary, as they feed directly on
plants
Carnivores- referredas animals that feed or prey upon other animals.
B. Flow Of Energy And Cycle Of Nutrients
The flow of energy and the cycle of nutrients.
- Are both important processes that help define the structure of an ecosystem
and maintain ecological balance.
Ex: In the food chain of animals. There’s a plant, deer, wolf, and decomposers. The
deer will eat the plants and then the wolf will going to eat the deer, so the energy
that the deer had will be passed to the wolf. The wolf’s leftover will be
decomposed to the soil and the soil absorbed it and turned it into nutrients.
There are three main groups of organisms that are important in transferring energy
and nutrients:
1. Producers
•Plants like sunflowers and mango trees create their own food using sunlight,
water, and air through photosynthesis.
•They are the starting point of energy flow, providing food for other organisms.
2. Consumers
Consumers rely on other organisms for energy since they cannot make their own
food.
•Herbivores – These animals eat only plants.
For example: A carabao eats grass to gain energy.
•Carnivores – These animals eat only other animals.
•Omnivores – These animals eat both plants and animals. Example, bears, birds,
dogs, raccoons, foxes, certain insects, and even human.
3. Decomposers
Organisms like fungi and bacteria break down dead plants and animals.
This process returns nutrients to the soil, supporting plant growth and completing
the energy cycle.
This recycling maintains ecosystem balance and supports life processes on Earth.
Examples of nutrient cycles include the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle,
and Hydrologic/ water cycle.
C. Types of Ecosystem
Forest Ecosystems are vital habitats dominated by trees, providing biodiversity,
climate regulation, and resources. They include:
Tropical Rainforests: High biodiversity, e.g., the Amazon.
Boreal Forests: Cold climates, coniferous trees, e.g., Canada.
Deciduous Forests: Seasonal leaf shedding, e.g., Eastern U.S.
Tundra Ecosystems are cold and dry, with limited life. Types include Arctic
tundra (polar bears) and Alpine tundra (Rocky Mountains).
Deserts Ecosystem have low rainfall; types include hot (Sahara) and cold (Gobi).
Freshwater Ecosystems (rivers, lakes) support diverse species.
Ocean Ecosystems encompass coral reefs, open ocean, and mangroves.
Grasslands Ecosystem feature grasses with types like temperate and savannas.
Alpine Ecosystems exist in high mountains like the Himalayas.
Conservation of these ecosystems is crucial due to threats like climate change.
ASSESSMENT IN SCIENCE
Lesson 1: Assessing Science Process Skills
Assessing science process skills means the evaluation of students’ thinking and
reasoning skills in solving problems and conducting experiments. This helps them
understand their learning progress and identify areas for improvement. Planning
assessment includes deciding what to evaluate, why it is important, how to use
results and who will benefit from the information. Teachers design tasks to give
students the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills in the real world.
Various strategies such as observations, self-assessment, group work, interviews
and demonstrations can be used to effectively measure these skills.
The 12 key science skills are essential for understanding and exploring the world.
Observing involves using senses to notice details, while Classifying means
grouping items based on similarities. Communicating focuses on describing ideas
clearly using words or symbols, and Measuring uses tools to determine size or
quantity. Inferring involves making educated guesses, while Predicting is about
forecasting future outcomes based on evidence. Formulating Hypotheses is
guessing based on prior knowledge, and Defining Operationally explains how to
measure something. Interpreting Data helps understand results, Experimenting
tests ideas, Constructing Models builds representations to simplify concepts, and
Identifying and Controlling Variables ensures fair testing by managing factors that
can change. These skills encourage critical thinking, exploration, and sharing of
knowledge.
Lesson 2: Assessing Science Inquiry Skills
Inquiry involves the different ways we study our social world and propose
explanations based on our observations. Inquiry also refers to the activities
students engage in as they develop their own knowledge through investigation.
Involves student interaction. Leads to knowledge that is developed through
experiences. Involves prior knowledge and information that is used to construct
new social studies knowledge.
Inquiry skills: Five main areas
-Data gathering skills- in gathering data inquiry skills is really needed, in terms of
communicating.
-Data oraganizing- if they are effective in organizing the data will be meaningful.
- Data processing skills- it is where the steps happen on how you gather data.
- Communicating skills- is what defines us, as beings.
- Reflecting skills- this is where you realize your mistakes and your improvements.
- Observation- lead to statements of fact.
- Inferences- are based on observations but extend beyond what is observed by the
senses.
- Hypothesis- describes the relationship between two or more variables
-Teaching Inquiry Skills
Key Principles for Inquiry Learning
Foster a student mindset focused on reserving judgment, being open-minded,
respecting others and the environment, persevering through challenges, and
considering conflicting evidence.
-Integrative Thinking Skills
Critical Thinking: Use sound reasoning to justify beliefs.
Problem Solving & Decision-Making: Blend investigation and creativity to find
solutions.
-Strategies for Teaching Thinking
1. Questioning: Promote curiosity and critical questioning.
2. Structuring Interactions: Facilitate meaningful interactions with peers and the
environment.
3. Modeling: Demonstrate skills for students to imitate.
-Teaching Inquiry Skill Lessons
Focus on specific skills with hands-on experiences.
Encourage meaningful application and extensive practice in diverse contexts.
Gradual Release Strategy (I Do, We Do, You Do):
1. Modeling (I Do): Teacher demonstrates the skill.
2. Scaffolding (We Do): Guided practice with feedback.
3. Independent Practice (You Do): Students apply the skill independently.
-Planning an Inquiry Lesson
1. Define the key skill and objectives.
2. Sequence activities logically.
3. Develop assessments and prepare materials.
4. Choose appropriate groupings for tasks.
-Hierarchy of Inquiry Skills
Early Grades: Focus on basic skills (observation, classification, communication,
measurement).
Middle School: Develop independent use of foundational skills and introduce
higher-order inquiry skills.
Steps for Teaching Inquiry Skills
1. Connect new skills to prior knowledge.
2. Model the skill explicitly
3. Break down the skill into smaller steps.
4. Provide extensive practice to ensure mastery.
Lesson 3: Assessing Attitude and Content and Putting It All Together
ASSESSMENT OF ATTITUDE
—An attitude assessment is a method used or a way to measure a person’s beliefs,
feelings, and predispositions, which can influence their behavior.
ATTITUDE
—Attitude is a view or opinion on person or object or event which can be negative
or positive or neutral. It can be scaled in to dimensions.
1.)Bi-Polar—From negative to positive or positive to negative
2.)Uni-Polar—Away from neutral towards negative or towards positive.
TYPES OF ATTITUDE SCALE
► Likert scale
► Semantic differential scale
The Likert Scale is a psychological tool used to assess people’s attitudes, values,
and feelings on a specific issue. It features clearly stated, neutral statements to
avoid bias and uses a bipolar method, mixing positive and negative statements. The
scale originally had five categories, but has since expanded to include four, six, or
seven categories.
Characteristics of Likert Scale
Psychological measurement tool
The psychological measurement tool evaluates people’s attitudes, values, and
feelings about a specific issue.
Illustrative In Nature
Each statement in the scale is clearly and visually presented.
Neutral Statements
The scale includes neutral statements, avoiding any bias from the evaluator.
Bipolar Scaling Method
The bipolar scaling method uses a mix of positive and negative statements.
Measurement of specific number of scaling categories:
The scale was originally developed with five categories, but later expanded to
include four, six, and seven categories.
Semantic Differential Scale
► Semantic differential scale is a type of rating scale designed to measure the
connotative meaning of objects, events and concepts. The connotations are used to
derive the attitude of the objects, events and concepts.
Advantages of semantic differential scale
•A convenient method to assess beliefs, attitudes and values in quantitative form.
•Easy to administer.
•Provides reasonable, valid and reliable quantitative data.
•Disadvantages of semantic differential scale
•Difficult to select the relevant concepts that are appropriate for any given
investigation.
•Time consuming, if anyone is not able to find the appropriate adjective pairs.
Group Members:
Lyka Kate Albarico
Princess keith Canillas
Ashialee Barellano
Roxanne Burtanog
Marlyn Cañedo
Freachel May Cabanban
Risa Cap-atan
Francis Jay Fernandez
