Created byBrittany Kneebone
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Nature Reserve Designer: A Multiplication and Division Project
Grade 4Math20 days
In this project, 4th-grade students take on the role of nature reserve designers, integrating math and science to create a sustainable environment for diverse animal populations. They use multiplication and division to calculate habitat areas and manage animal populations, ensuring the reserve meets the needs of its inhabitants. Students also explore animal adaptations and sensory perception to design habitats that cater to species-specific needs, promoting a deep understanding of ecological balance. The project culminates in a detailed reserve blueprint, population plan, ecosystem illustration, and sensory adaptation showcase.Nature Reserve DesignMultiplicationDivisionAnimal HabitatsEcosystemsArea CalculationSensory Adaptations
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Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we design a sustainable nature reserve that balances the needs of diverse animal populations and their habitats, using mathematical calculations to ensure their survival and understanding their unique adaptations?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How can we use multiplication to calculate the area needed for different habitats within the nature reserve?
- How does the size and type of habitat affect the number of animals it can support?
- How can we use division to determine how many animals can live in a specific area of the reserve?
- How do different animal species depend on their habitat and each other for survival?
- What internal and external structures do animals and plants have that help them survive in a nature reserve?
- How do animals use their senses to gather information, and how does this affect their behavior in the nature reserve?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Apply multiplication to calculate the area of different habitats within the nature reserve.
- Apply division to calculate and manage animal populations within specific habitats.
- Explain how the size and type of habitat affects the number of animals it can support.
- Describe the interdependence of different animal species and their habitats for survival.
- Identify and explain the internal and external structures that plants and animals have to support their survival in a nature reserve.
- Explain how animals use their senses to gather information and how this affects their behavior in the nature reserve.
Common Core Standards
4.NBT.5
Primary
Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models.Reason: This standard directly addresses the mathematical skills needed to calculate the area of habitats within the nature reserve.
4.NBT.6
Primary
Find whole-number quotients and remainders with up to four-digit dividends and one-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models.Reason: This standard directly relates to dividing the reserve into sections and calculating the number of animals that can live in each section.
Next Generation Science Standards
4.LS.1-1
Primary
Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.Reason: Addresses the animal and plant structures and their functions that enables the student to design a sustainable nature reserve.
4.LS.1-2
Primary
Use a model to describe that animals receive different information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways.Reason: Addresses how animals use their senses and respond to the reserve which enables the student to design a sustainable nature reserve.
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsThe Philanthropist's Dilemma
Students receive a letter from a fictional philanthropist who wants to donate land for a nature reserve, but the land is oddly shaped and has unique resource constraints. They must create scaled models and area calculations to determine the optimal layout for diverse ecosystems, competing for the 'Philanthropist's Choice' award based on ecological impact and mathematical accuracy.Nature Reserve CSI: Photo Analysis
Students are presented with a series of aerial photographs of existing nature reserves, each with different strengths and weaknesses in terms of habitat diversity, animal populations, and visitor management. They must analyze the images, calculate key area ratios, and identify design principles to inform their own nature reserve plans, fostering critical thinking and mathematical application.Stakeholder Showdown: Design Debate
The class is divided into teams representing different stakeholders (developers, conservationists, local government) tasked with presenting their vision for a plot of land. Students must use mathematical evidence to support their proposals, balancing economic interests with ecological needs, culminating in a mock town hall meeting where they debate the best course of action.The Endangered Habitat Challenge
A local environmental group presents students with an urgent problem: a nearby plot of land is being considered for development, but it's also a critical habitat for local species. Students must analyze survey data and propose a nature reserve design to protect the wildlife while accommodating limited human access, sparking debate and requiring careful calculations.📚
Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Activity 1
Habitat Area Calculations
Students will start by designing a blueprint of their nature reserve, assigning specific areas for different habitats (forest, grassland, wetland). They will then calculate the area of each habitat using multiplication.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Sketch a rough layout of the nature reserve, dividing it into different habitat sections (forest, grassland, wetland, etc.).
2. Assign dimensions (length and width) to each habitat section in feet. Ensure the dimensions are reasonable for a nature reserve (e.g., avoid sections that are unrealistically large or small).
3. Calculate the area of each habitat section by multiplying its length and width (Area = Length x Width). Show your work.
4. Label each habitat section on the blueprint with its calculated area. Add a key or legend to explain what each section represents.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed blueprint of the nature reserve with calculated areas for each habitat type.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers 4.NBT.5 (Multiplication) and Learning Goal: Apply multiplication to calculate the area of different habitats within the nature reserve.Activity 2
Animal Population Planner
Students will research the carrying capacity (number of animals a habitat can support) for different animals in each habitat. Using division, they will determine the number of animals that can be supported in each habitat section.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Choose three different animal species that would naturally live in the designed habitats (e.g., deer in the forest, prairie dogs in the grassland, ducks in the wetland).
2. Research the carrying capacity of each habitat type for each animal species (i.e., how many of each animal can live in a certain area of that habitat). Document your sources.
3. Using the habitat areas calculated in Activity 1, divide the area of each habitat by the carrying capacity factor to determine the maximum number of each animal species that can be supported in that habitat. (Number of Animals = Habitat Area / Carrying Capacity)
4. Create a chart showing the habitat, animal species, carrying capacity, and calculated animal population for each habitat section. Explain your calculations.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA chart showing the calculated animal populations for each habitat, with justification based on carrying capacity and area.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers 4.NBT.6 (Division) and Learning Goal: Apply division to calculate and manage animal populations within specific habitats.Activity 3
Ecosystem Connection Illustrator
Students will create a food web illustrating the relationships between the animals and plants in their nature reserve. They will explain how the size and type of habitat impacts these relationships.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Draw a diagram representing the different habitats in your nature reserve (forest, grassland, wetland, etc.).
2. Identify at least three plant species and three animal species that live in each habitat.
3. Draw arrows connecting the species to show the flow of energy (e.g., grass -> prairie dog -> hawk).
4. Write a paragraph explaining how the size of each habitat affects the number of species it can support and how different species depend on each other for survival. Explain how specific internal and external structures help animals and plants to survive.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA food web diagram illustrating the connections between species and a written explanation of how habitat size and type influence these relationships.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers 4.LS.1-1 and Learning Goal: Describe the interdependence of different animal species and their habitats for survival. Also covers Explain how the size and type of habitat affects the number of animals it can support.Activity 4
Sensory Survival Showcase
Students will research how different animals use their senses to gather information in their environment. They will then create a presentation explaining how an animal's senses help it survive and adapt in the nature reserve.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Select two animal species from your nature reserve design.
2. Research how each animal uses its senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) to find food, avoid predators, and communicate with other animals.
3. Create a presentation that includes visuals (drawings, diagrams, or images) and written explanations of how each animal's senses contribute to its survival and behavior in the nature reserve.
4. Present your findings to the class, explaining the sensory adaptations of each animal and how these adaptations help them thrive in their habitat.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA presentation (e.g., slideshow, poster) detailing how animals use their senses to survive in the nature reserve, including specific examples of behaviors.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers 4.LS.1-2 and Learning Goal: Explain how animals use their senses to gather information and how this affects their behavior in the nature reserve.🏆
Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioHabitat Area Calculations Rubric
Category 1
Habitat Area and Design
Focuses on the accuracy of habitat area calculations and the clarity/detail of the blueprint design.Criterion 1
Area Calculation Accuracy
Accuracy of area calculations for each habitat section, including correct units and clear presentation of work.
Exemplary
4 PointsCalculations are accurate and clearly presented for all habitat sections, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of multiplication. Units are consistently used and correct.
Proficient
3 PointsCalculations are mostly accurate and presented clearly for most habitat sections. Minor errors may be present. Units are generally used correctly.
Developing
2 PointsCalculations contain significant errors or are not clearly presented for several habitat sections. Units may be missing or incorrect.
Beginning
1 PointsCalculations are largely inaccurate or missing. There is little to no clear presentation of work. Units are absent or consistently incorrect.
Criterion 2
Blueprint Clarity and Detail
Clarity and detail of the blueprint, including labeled habitat sections and a clear legend explaining each section.
Exemplary
4 PointsBlueprint is exceptionally detailed and clearly labeled, with a comprehensive legend that leaves no room for ambiguity. Demonstrates innovative design and spatial reasoning.
Proficient
3 PointsBlueprint is detailed and clearly labeled, with a legend that adequately explains each section. Demonstrates effective design and spatial reasoning.
Developing
2 PointsBlueprint lacks some detail or clarity in labeling. The legend may be incomplete or difficult to understand.
Beginning
1 PointsBlueprint is poorly detailed, lacks clear labels, and has an inadequate or missing legend.
Reflection Prompts
End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learningQuestion 1
How did the mathematical calculations (multiplication and division) influence your design decisions in creating the nature reserve? Give specific examples.
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Question 2
What was the most challenging aspect of balancing the needs of different animal species and their habitats in your nature reserve design? How did you address this challenge?
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Question 3
How did your understanding of animal senses and adaptations change the way you designed the habitats in your nature reserve?
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Question 4
If you could redesign your nature reserve, what is one thing you would change or improve based on what you learned during this project?
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Question 5
To what extent do you agree with the claim: 'Designing a nature reserve requires a strong understanding of both mathematical principles and ecological concepts'?
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