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Content Area: Science
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Unit: Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits
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Grade Level: 3
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Stage 1 - Desired Results
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Transfer
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Students will be able to independently use their learning to...
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*Students will be able to independently use their learning to analyze what makes an organism thrive.
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Meaning
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Established Goals:
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3-LS1-1. Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
3-LS3-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
3-LS3-2. Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
3-LS4-2. Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
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Enduring Understandings:Essential Questions:
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Students will understand that...Students will keep considering...
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*Students will understand that organisms vary in their traits.
*Students will understand that plants from the past are similar and different from current plants.
*Students will understand that animals from the past are similar and different from current animals.
*Students will understand that environments from the past are similar and diferent from current environments.
*Students will understand how organisms are affected when their environment changes.
*Students will understand that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all havin in common birth, growth, reproduction and death.		Driving Question:
*Why do animals look the way to do?

Sub Questions:
*How do organisms vary in their traits?
*How are plants, animals and environments of the past similar or different from current animals, plants and environments?
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Acquisition
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Students will know...Students will be able to...
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Core Disciplinary Ideas
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
Reproduction is essential to the continued existence of every kind of organism. Plants and animals have unique and diverse life cycles. (3-LS1-1)
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
Many characteristics of organisms are inherited from their parents. (3-LS3-1)
Other characteristics result from individuals’ interactions with the environment, which can range from diet to learning. Many characteristics involve both inheritance and environment. (3-LS3-2)
LS3.B: Variation of Traits
Different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information. (3-LS3- 1)
The environment also affects the traits that an organism develops. (3-LS3-2)
LS4.B: Natural Selection
Sometimes the differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. (3-LS4-2)

Cross-Cutting Concepts
Patterns
Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort and classify natural phenomena. (3-LS3-1)
Patterns of change can be used to make predictions. (3-LS1-1)
Cause and Effect
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. (3-LS3-2),(3-LS4-2)
Science and Engineering Practices
Developing and Using Models
Modeling in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to building and revising simple models and using models to represent events and design solutions.
Develop models to describe phenomena. (3-LS1-1)
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Analyzing data in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to introducing quantitative approaches to collecting data and conducting multiple trials of qualitative observations. When possible and feasible, digital tools should be used.
Analyze and interpret data to make sense of phenomena using logical reasoning. (3-LS3-1)
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems.
Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to support an explanation. (3-LS3-2)
Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to construct an explanation. (3-LS4-2)

Connections to Nature of Science
Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence
Science findings are based on recognizing patterns. (3-LS1-1)
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