Human Activities & Ecosystems Resources for 5th Grade Science

This ecosystems unit is designed to engage 5th grade students in understanding healthy ecosystems and the impact of human activities on the environment. The lesson includes presentations, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments, all fully editable and aligned with the 2021 TEKS 5.12C standard. It features multimodal, differentiated content for student-led learning, with minimal prep required.

Students explore ecosystems through a student-led, nine-station lab, where they investigate both positive human impacts (like conservation) and negative impacts (such as pollution). Stations include activities like hands-on demos, reading passages in English and Spanish, research tasks, and videos, with output tasks to assess student understanding. An optional "Challenge It!" station offers extension activities for early finishers.

The lesson also includes editable PowerPoints, interactive notebook templates in multiple formats, and note-taking tools for explanation and elaboration. Students can extend their learning through choice projects and are evaluated with STAAR-aligned assessment questions and review worksheets, perfect for both in-class and virtual learning.

This modular, student-led station lab aligns with the 2021 TEKS 5.12C standard on human impacts on ecosystems, keeping 5th graders engaged while promoting independent learning. In this lesson, students explore how human activities can positively or negatively affect ecosystems.

The lab features nine differentiated stations that guide students through a variety of activities. These include multimodal stations like Explore It! where students apply new concepts, Watch It! where they watch videos on human impacts, Read It! with short passages (in both English and Spanish), and Research It! where they connect facts and visuals to their learning. 

For assessment, students complete hands-on tasks at Organize It!, draw models at Illustrate It!, write responses at Write It!, and demonstrate understanding with task cards at Assess It!. A bonus station provides extra challenges for advanced students with games and mini projects.

This station lab is designed for both in-class and virtual learning, offering a flexible and engaging experience with minimal prep for teachers.

The Human Activities & Ecosystems Student Choice Projects align with the 2021 TEKS life science standard 5.12C. This resource offers five project options, plus a “design your own” choice, allowing 5th graders to pick a format that suits their learning style. A grading rubric for teacher, peer, or self-assessment is included and can be adjusted to meet grading preferences. These flexible, multimodal projects let students creatively demonstrate their understanding of life science concepts. 

The project page includes nine student choice options, a teacher directions page with support and suggestions, and editable rubrics assessing vocabulary, concepts, clarity, and accuracy. There are two versions of the project page: one with modified options for students needing additional support and another with more challenging tasks for advanced learners. Many projects can be completed with standard classroom supplies like paper, markers, and scissors, or digitally.