Science and Technology/Engineering

24 Grade 6

Lauren Weiss and Margaret Krone

Structure and Function

The integration of Earth and space, life, and physical sciences with technology/engineering gives grade 6 students relevant and engaging opportunities with natural phenomena and design problems that highlight the relationship of structure and function in the world around them. Students relate structure and function through analyzing the macro- and microscopic world, such as Earth features and processes, the role of cells and anatomy in supporting living organisms, and properties of materials and waves. Students use models and provide evidence to make claims and explanations about structure-function relationships in different STE domains.[1] [2]

 

6.MS-LS: Life Science

LS1. From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

  • 6.MS-LS1-3. Construct an argument supported by evidence that the body systems interact to carry out essential functions of life.
Falcon Curriculum Core Categories

Anatomy and Life Cycle

Falcon Curriculum Essential Question

How do falcons’ body systems interact to carry out essential functions of life?

Materials
For Instructors For Students
  • About Falcons: Basic Information
  • About Falcons: Life Cycle
  • About Falcons: Prey and Hunting
  • About Falcons: Other Behaviors
  • About Falcons: Flight
  • Falcon Curriculum: Basic Info videos
  • Falcon Curriculum: Life Cycle videos
  • Falcon Curriculum: Prey and Hunting videos
  • Falcon Curriculum: Behaviors video
  • Falcon Curriculum: Flight videos
  • Owl Pellet Dissection Guide[3]
  • Falcon parts worksheet (In progress)
  • Owl pellets for dissection (readily available online)
  • Gloves
  • Goggles
  • Facemasks (optional)
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Paper plates/trays
  • Dissection tools/tweezers/wooden sticks
  • Water spay bottle (see guide)
  • Cornell Owl Pellet Bone Identification Chart[4]
  • Paper
  • Pencils
Sample Plan

Have students read the associated sections and watch the associated videos.

Talk about the different parts and systems of a falcon that enable it to carry out essential functions of life (digestion to get energy, respiratory/circulatory to fly fast, etc.). Have students identify the different parts on the worksheet.

Talk about digestion and casting pellets. Have students dissect pellets and document their findings. It is important to remind them that the material they will likely find inside the pellets is fragile, and so they ought to take care when doing the experiment.

  1. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (2022). SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY / ENGINEERING Grades Pre-Kindergarten to 12 Massachusetts Curriculum Framework. https://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html ↵
  2. Falcon Curriculum Common Core Standards mapping by Margaret Krone. Falcon Curriculum Lesson Plans by Lauren Weiss. © 2022 CC BY 4.0 ↵
  3. Oregon Owl Pellets, 2019. https://www.oregonowlpellets.com/lesson-guide/ ↵
  4. Cornell Lab K-12 Education. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/bone-identification/ ↵

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Grade 6 by Lauren Weiss and Margaret Krone is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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