What do plants eat?  Grades 3 and 4

I. State Standards (what is bolded is what I think we hit)

a. Alaska

Grade 3

• SC2 Students develop and understanding of the structure, function, behavior, development, life cycles, and diversity of living organisms.
  • SC2.2 observing and comparing external features of plants and animals that may help them grow, survive, and reproduce
• SC3 Students develop an understanding that all organisms are linked to each other and their physical environments through the transfer and transformation of matter and energy.
  • SC3.2 organizing a simple food chain of familiar plants and animals

Grade 4

• SC2 Students develop and understanding of the structure, function, behavior, development, life cycles, and diversity of living organisms.
  • SC2.1 choosing appropriate tools to examine the basic structural components of living things
  • SC2.2 describing the basic characteristics and requirements of living things [plants]

• SC3 Students develop an understanding that all organisms are linked to each other and their physical environments through the transfer and transformation of matter and energy.

b. California

Grade 3

• Adaptations in physical structure or behavior may improve an organism's chance for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:

• • Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.

Grade 4

• All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow. As a basis for understanding this concept:
  • Students know plants are the primary sources of matter and energy entering most food chains.

II.    National Standards

a.    NRC -K-4 Content Standard C: The characteristics of organisms (page 127 and 128)

• Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals need air, water, and food; plants require air, water, nutrients, and light.  Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met.  The world has many different environments, the distinct environments support the life of different types of organisms.

b.    AAAS (Blue version)
K-2 prior knowledge - 5E1 Plants and animals both need to take in water, and animals need to take in food. In addition, plants need light. 

There is no 3-5 benchmark for this strand.