Unit Plan 12 (Grade 3 Science): Group Behaviors & Survival
Explore how animal groups improve survival as students analyze herds, flocks, packs, and schools, gather evidence, and construct clear CER arguments about group behaviors.
Focus: Construct arguments that some animals form groups to increase chances of survival, protection, and success.
Grade Level: 3
Subject Area: Science (Life Science • Argument from Evidence)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students explore how animal group behaviors (herds, flocks, schools, packs, colonies) can help individuals survive. Through short readings, videos, and simple data sets, they examine examples like fish schooling, wolves hunting in packs, and meerkats taking turns on lookout. Students learn to use evidence from observations and texts to build a clear argument that some animals form groups to help members survive.
Essential Questions
- How can living in a group help animals survive better than living alone?
- What are some patterns in how group-living animals behave (e.g., warning calls, hunting, protection)?
- How do scientists use observations, data, and texts to support claims about animal behavior?
- How can I write or present a scientific argument that uses evidence and reasoning?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify and describe examples of animals that live in groups (herds, packs, flocks, schools, colonies).
- Explain at least two ways group behaviors (e.g., huddling, surrounding young, hunting together) help animals survive, find food, or stay safe.
- Gather evidence from at least one text, one image/video, and/or a simple data set about group behavior.
- Construct a brief written or oral argument that claims “This group behavior helps animals survive” and supports it with specific evidence.
- Use scientific language (survive, predator, prey, protection, group behavior, evidence) when discussing and writing about animal groups.
Standards Alignment — 3rd Grade (NGSS-Aligned)
- 3-LS2-1 — Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.
- Example: Use evidence about fish schools, bird flocks, or herds of mammals to argue that being in a group helps them find food, avoid predators, or protect young.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name animals that live in groups (herds, flocks, packs, schools, colonies).
- I can describe how being in a group helps animals survive, get food, or stay safe.
- I can use evidence (details from pictures, videos, or readings) to back up my ideas.
- I can write or tell a clear claim about group behavior and support it with at least two pieces of evidence.
- I can use science words like predator, prey, survive, group behavior, and protection correctly.