Learning Objectives

• Students will make observations of an outdoor setting and a corn field (either directly or through media) and generate a list of living and nonliving things in that ecosystem.
• Students will analyze the relationships of the living and nonliving parts in an ecosystem.
• Students, through discussion, will draw conclusions about what an ecosystem is.
• Students will use reliable digital resources to gather and record information on an organism.
• Students will understand the difference between a food chain and a food web.
• Students will understand and show through a diorama what is found in a corn field ecosystem.

Standards Aligned

• 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
• 5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
• 5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.

Materials

• “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Science Journals
• World Wide Web Discussion Questions (S1)
• Pencils
• Setting: Corn field or access to an outdoor area such as a field, woodland or stream area, school grounds or field trip to nature area
• Corn Field Organism Cards (access in PDF T12-15)
• Paper Chain Activity Sheet (access in PDF T11)
• Organism Worksheet (S2)
• Corn to Cars Cards (T19-20)
• Corn to Cars Worksheet (S3)
• Large index cards
• Colored pencils
• Student tablets or computers
• Binder clips or paper clips
• Roll of yarn
• Tape
• Shoebox or pizza box for each student
• Construction paper
• Air dry clay if available
• Materials that can be used to construct the ecosystems such as items brought by students from home

Lesson 1

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to propose answers to the question, “Why do we need farmers to grow corn?” and provide evidence that many everyday products are made from corn.

Standards Aligned

• 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
• SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Materials

• “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Lesson 1 Google Slides
• “Growth Stages of Corn: Critical Growth Stages” video
• Science journal
• Markers for labeling
• Corn seeds
• Soil
• Planting containers
• Measuring spoon

Assessments

• Observe student discussions to determine prior knowledge and understanding.
• Formative assessment: Written student predictions in their science journal.

Key Points

• Plant form and function are intricately linked.
• Farmers and scientists monitor a plant’s form and function and make adjustments to how to care for the plant in order to reach the desired outcomes.

Teacher Guide

Opening

• Open up slides for lesson 1.
• Display Google Slide one. Prompt students to observe the images and have students discuss what they think the function is for that part of the plant.

Introduction to New Materials

• Advance to slide two and explain that the phrases on the screen are functions or jobs that correspond to each image. Give students time to think, then lead another discussion asking if their observations were correct. Which function do you think belongs to which image and why? Encourage them to use aspects of the plant structure to support their claim.
• Explain that in this investigation students will explore the form and function of corn plants and work to answer the questions “How does form affect function in corn?” and “Why is it important for a farmer to monitor the plant’s form and function?
• Watch “Growth Stages of Corn: Critical Growth Stages” video to learn why it is important for farmers to monitor their plant’s form and function.

Guided Practice

• Plant corn seeds: Distribute materials to students.
  • Before students plant their corn, the teacher will set up the controlled plant. The teacher will set up the control plant in front of the class. This allows the teacher to model what variables will stay the same and will model how students will plant their corn.
  • Use a push pin to make 4 drainage holes in the bottom of the container if needed. Fill the container ¾ full with potting soil. Place three dent corn seeds 1 inch deep down from the soil’s surface. Water container until soil is damp, approx. 2 tablespoons. Monitor dampness daily; water as needed (approx 2 tablespoons a day). Place the container in an area of the school that gets the most sunlight.
  • Explain that the control plant is as close to what a corn plant would receive in a farm field with ideal conditions. When students determine what alterations they will make to their plants, have students refer back to the control plant to make sure that only the variable they are testing has changed. Remind them that they will compare their plants to the control plant during the growing process.
  • Have students label the containers with their name. Each student or student group should plant at least three seeds. Three seeds will be planted just in case a seed does not grow.
  • Note: Emergence of the plant above the soil will take approximately 5-7 days.

Introduce the investigation:

• Tell students that they will explore the connection between form and function by growing multiple corn plants and making alterations. Over time they will look for similarities and differences in the plants.
• Science journal: Have students write the answers to these prediction questions:
  • What will happen to a plant if an alternation is made? Example, what if leaves were cut off of a plant?
  • How will a plant adapt if an alternation is made? Will it adapt or just die?
• Three alterations will be tested.
  • Team Removing Leaves: Students will remove the leaves from the plant.
  • Team Bending Plant: Students will bend plant in multiple places.
  • Team Removing Roots: Students will cut the roots away from the plant.
• At this time, have your class pick which team they would like to work on. Students will document what team they are on in their science journal.
• Document their thinking:
  • Prompt students to select how they will alter their plant and complete the prediction questions in their science journals.
  • Add a label to each seed container indicating the alteration that will be made and the students name.
• Care for growing plant:
  • Have students water the soil as appropriate with the measuring spoon over the next 3 weeks to keep soil damp.
  • Lesson 2 gives more detail on how to observe and collect data over the 3 week growing period.
• Science journal: Set up the journal for data entry for the next three weeks starting now and while you are teaching lesson 2.
  • Experiment:
  • Team name:
  • Date:
  • Day ____ of the experiment
  • Observations: (explain what you observe about your plant, also include if you made an alternation to your plant)
  • Measurement: (how tall is your plant to the nearest ¼ inch)
  • Draw a picture of what you observe:
    • *Teacher can choose to do one data entry per page or draw a line under the date entry to start a new one.

Closing

• Lead students in a discussion of their predictions and observations throughout the 3 weeks.
  • How do you predict the changes you will make to your corn plant will affect its growth? Why do you think that?

Extension

Using the “We Grow Corn” book and Google Slides, read through the information for the class.

• Pages 2-3: Meet the McCauley Family
• Pages 4-5: Farm machinery used
• Pages 6-7: Planting corn
• Pages 8-11: Growing corn
• Pages 12-15: Harvesting corn
• Pages 16-23: What is corn used for?

Discuss as a class:

• “What surprised you about growing corn?”
• “The corn that we planted today was dent corn. Dent corn is used mainly for making ethanol and feed for animals. Why do you think it is important that a corn plant has the correct form and function?”
  • Answers can be related to:
    • Improving the plant so that it will grow more corn
    • If the plant is damaged its form and function may allow the plant to adjust in order to survive. Refer to page 8 of “We Grow Corn” book to explain that hail on corn. If the corn is still young, it should still be able to survive and produce a crop.
• “Did you know that a corn plant is actually grass?”
• Using the Mystery of Corn Reader #2:
  • This reader talks about how corn has transformed from a grass into a crop that produces large ears of corn. This transformation took over thousands of years.
  • Question: Why would this transformation be important for farmers and YOU now?
  • Note: This reader is great for substitutes and to keep the learning going while the plant is growing.

Lesson 2

Learning Objectives

• Students will understand the difference between a food chain and a food web.
• Students will use reliable digital resources to gather and record information on an organism.

Standards Aligned

• 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
• 5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.

Materials

• Science Journals
• Pencils
• Corn Field Organism Cards (T12-15)
• Paper Chain Activity Sheet (access in PDF T11)
• Organism Worksheet (access in PDF S2)
• Large index cards
• Colored pencils
• Student tablets or computers
• Binder clips or paper clips
• Roll of yarn
• Tape

Assessments

•  Formative Assessments
  • Are students able to make the correct connections to complete the food chain activity?
  • Are students able to make multiple connections to build a food web?
• Summative assessments consist of science notebook entries:
  • Are students able to explain the difference between food chains and food webs?

Key Points

• Students will understand what a food chain and a food web is and how they are similar and different.
• Students will be able to do research about an animal found in a corn field and then using their knowledge, see how that living thing fits into the food web.

Teacher Guide

• Day 1
  Activate prior learning
• Ask questions such as:
  • “What is an ecosystem?”
  • “What does an ecosystem need to survive?”
  • “How do the parts of the ecosystem depend upon each other for survival?”
  • “How do the parts relate to the whole ecosystem?”
• The teacher will lead students into learning what a food chain is. A food chain is defined as a simple diagram showing how energy passes from one living thing to another. Think about it as “who eats whom” in nature.
• Students will be handed the paper chain worksheet. Students will be asked to cut out each strip. The
  strips will be stapled together to make a paper chain. The paper chain needs to go in order to make a
  food chain.
  • Instruct the students to start with the sun. What comes after the sun? Why?
• Introducing a new ecosystem: an agricultural cornfield.
  • “Today we’re going to think about a specific ecosystem: a corn field.” Ask students to observe and think about what belongs in a corn field ecosystem as they watch one or more videos OR visit a corn field near you to gain direct observations.
    • These videos can be pushed out for students to view on their own.
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmBgE9eBIHY
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Miyjun0uD4g
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-gS4gESLHk
• Students will write down their observations and thoughts in their student journals.
  • The teacher will lead the class through a brainstorming activity on a whiteboard or chart paper. The teacher will write down all the things they observed in their videos. Brainstorming can also go beyond the videos into what students know about what animals and organisms live in corn fields.
  • The teacher will introduce what a food web is. A food web is defined as a model showing how multiple, overlapping food chains in an ecosystem are connected, displaying what eats what to transfer energy.
  • The teacher will explain that at the beginning of every food chain and web it starts with the sun. Ask the following questions: (This is when teachers can talk about photosynthesis and refresh the knowledge students should already have).
    • “Why is the sun important to plants?”
    • “Why is the sun important to animals?”
    • “Why would the sun need to be at the top of our food web?”

Day 2
Introduce the research activity:

• Tell students they will be researching one organism of the corn field ecosystem.
• The teacher will model this activity: First, the teacher will be displaying the organism worksheet on the board for all students to see. The teacher will explain that their organism is corn.
• The teacher will lead the class through the worksheet. Students can brainstorm what information should be included. The teacher can also model how to look up information online.
• NOTE: There will be a sun card. Please do NOT hand this one out. The teacher will save this card and it will be added to the top of the food web that is being made.

Student independent practice:(Hand out the organism worksheet)

• Have students select an organism, trying to avoid duplications. (Idea: students can pick an organism from a bag. Use the organisms cards attached to the lesson).
  • If needed, students can work in pairs.
• Instruct students to use internet resources to learn about their organism:
  • Features-physical appearance, behavior, season differences
  • Location or range in which it lives
  • Habitat in which it lives (water, soil, woodland, open prairie, plowed field)
  • Food sources
  • How it reproduces and how many offspring
• Review safe internet practices
  • Give students 30-45 minutes to conduct research and complete cards.
  • Appropriate child-friendly websites for research include:
    • Plants and Animals: http://www.kidtopia.info
    • Plants and Animals: http://easyscienceforkids.com/
    • Diverse species: http://www.biokids.umich.edu
    • Insects and other pests: http://pestworldforkids.org/
    • Soil organisms:http://www.blm.gov/nstc/soil/Kids/index.html

Day 3
After students have filled out the worksheet, the teacher will give each student a notecard. On the front of the notecard the student will draw a picture of their organism. On the back the students will write one sentence about each of the categories that are listed on their worksheet.

Create an ecosystem food web. This will take up a bulk of your lesson.
*When attaching the notecards, just attach at the top (loosely) so you can still flip them over.

• On a big piece of butcher paper, at the top, add a picture of the sun. Then add the picture of corn under the sun.The teacher will connect a line or string from the sun to the corn. The teacher will explain why these two are connected.
• The teacher will start to ask students who have a smaller organism and then work their way up to larger
  organisms.
• Students will come up one at a time stating their organism and the features they wrote on their card. These cards will be taped below the corn in an sporadic way. Students will make a line from their organism to the corn. Stating each time, “my mouse gets energy from corn by eating it, the corn got its energy from the sun.” etc.
• After all the small organisms have been added then go to the larger organisms. Students will then connect more lines. Example: “My hawk will eat the mouse, (draw a line) then mouse ate from the corn, (draw a line) and the corn got its energy from the sun (draw a line).
• After all the organism cards have been added to the butcher paper the teacher will talk about how as a class we made a huge ecosystem food web. The teacher can then have students observe the food web and see if there are any missing links that were not seen before.

Closing

The teacher will wrap up all three days of lessons going over the following:

• Asking students what a food chain is.
• Asking students what a food web is.
• Asking students how a food web and food chain are different from each other.

The teacher will end the lesson by restating what organisms can be seen in a corn field, using the food web as a guide.

Lesson 3

Learning Objective

• Students will build and construct their own corn ecosystem.
• Students will be able to verbally explain how everything in their diorama works together to make this  ecosystem work

Standards Aligned

• -5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers,  and the environment.
• -5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere,  and/or atmosphere interact.
• -5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion,  and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.

Materials

• Shoebox or pizza box for each student
• Construction paper
• Air dry clay, if you have it
• Students can bring in materials from home as well
• Materials that can be used to construct the ecosystem

Assessments

• Formative Assessments
  • Are the students able to show their knowledge of an ecosystem of a corn field through their diorama?
• Summative assessments:
  • Did the student include the following in their diorama?
    • The sun
    • Corn plants
    • 3-5 small organisms or animals
    • 3-5 larger organisms or animals

Key Points

• What is found in a corn field ecosystem?
• Is the ecosystem they created showing their full understanding of the ecosystem?

Teacher Guide

Opening

“We have learned all about food chains, food webs and corn field ecosystems. For our hands-on activity today  and tomorrow you will be constructing your own corn field ecosystem. Using everything we have learned from our discussions, videos we have watched and notes we have taken you will be able to use all of this to create your very own ecosystem.”

Students can use any notes they have taken in their journals, can use the interactive food web that was made in lesson 2 and can use any of the information that was learned in the videos and classroom discussions.

Activity 

Providing students each with their own shoebox (or other type of boxes; copy paper lid, cereal boxes that are cut apart and made into a box, etc). Students will be using construction paper, pipe cleaners, air dry clay, and other materials they have brought in from home to create their own ecosystem diorama.

What has to be in the diorama: (encourage students to use the food web that was created with the class)

• The sun
• Corn plants
• 3-5 small organisms or animals
• 3-5 larger organisms or animals

Encourage students to make this diorama as realistic as possible.

Closing 

When students are done creating their dioramas give them time to share and show off their hard work to  the whole class. Students can get up and explain their ecosystem, what they included and how all of these  organisms work together to make it a successful ecosystem.

Extension Activity
Systems Thinking
A Systems Model of Thinking explores the idea of seeing the interconnectedness between concepts, objects, and more. This guide is to provide educators more knowledge and experience considering a systems thinking model and resources to use with students. Note that this extension aligns really well with the Cross Cutting Concepts of Systems and Models. PBS Learning Media: Teaching About Systems- This is a great self guided STEM based PD on System’s Thinking
for adults.
https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/syslit14-sci-sys-ilpdsystems/teaching-about-systems/

Materials

• “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Google Slides
• Pencil
• Corn to Cars Cards (T16-17)
• Corn to Cars Worksheet (S3)

Teacher Guide
Have students read the “We Grow Corn” book for additional background information about how corn is grown and its uses. Note that the book is about dent corn, not sweet corn. Dent corn is the most common corn grown in the United States. Additional resources are available at wegrowcorn.com to push content out electronically.

Use the slides to guide the activity.

1. Intro slide
2. Definition of Systems Model Thinking
3. Examples of three different systems concepts

• Simple- Tire example
  • It is a fairly easy model to understand. There is a tire, wheel, and lugnuts working together to make something move. Typically we can understand that this is a rolling motion.
• Complicated- Car example
  • More pieces are working together which adds to the complication. An engine has more parts that do specific jobs, the tires are attached to axles which gives additional rotation to the wheels, there are more motors and electrical systems, etc. There is more complication to understanding all these components but it is doable and they work in mostly predictable patterns.
• Complex- Highway example
  • A highway is a very complex system. There are rules and expectations that apply to the highway that do not in other spaces. There are always changing elements. If someone cuts into your lane, you are forced to make adjustments like getting over, slowing down, speeding up, crashing, etc. While you learn many of the rules to this system model, there are many components.

4. Designed vs. Natural Systems

• Discuss with students the difference between designed and natural systems.

5. Examples of Natural systems

• Have a class discussion with students sharing their responses to the prompt and examples on the slide.

6. Is corn a designed or natural system?

• You could probably argue for both. The life cycle of corn could be considered a designed system. Wild corn growing alone, like a wildflower, isn’t a thing. It takes human interaction/design to plant, care for, and harvest the corn. However, since corn is grown outside you might be thinking it is more of a natural system. The process of the plant sprouting roots, growing silks, and producing tassels and cobs are natural systems aided by humans adding fungicides, fertilizers, etc.

7. Give students time to discuss their ideas.
8. Ethanol Production as a systems model

• Give students the opportunity to compare and contrast dry mill production to wet mill production.
• Some will note one has pictures and the other does not, the colors, etc. Validate those responses and continue to discuss until they are noting more of the textual evidence.

9. Let’s Model

• This can be done: whole group, small group (probably best), or individually (you will just need to print the appropriate amount of card sets). It is important to note that there can be many ways to build the systems that could be correct. The most important part is students having discussions about their thinking. Majority of the models should start with the Sun (the energy source for this system)
• Cards provided for this challenge include:
• Sun, Ethanol, Ethanol Plant, Distillers Grains, Farmer, Soil, Corn, Gas Station, Car, Cattle, Poultry, Swine, Fertilizer, Milling, Corn Oil

10. Show the 16 cards that students will be sorting
11. Let’s Discuss

• This can be a great time to come back together as a class and share.. You can have students work on these in their groups and then share, or do all the questions as a class.
• If time allows, it could be great to allow students to create some of their own cards to implement into the system.

12. Credits Slide

• Check out more of a resources at kansascornstem.com

Teacher Resources
Visit www.kansascornstem.com for videos and resources to assist with this lab.

Science and Agriculture Careers
To learn more about agriculture careers, visit agexplorer.ffa.org/.