4FN6 – Science – Interdependence of Living Things

How do FreeNode lessons work?

FreeNodes are instructor-led schooling lessons with a unique approach, granting you the freedom to independently teach using a personalized lesson plan. This autonomy enables you to tailor your lessons to suit students’ individual needs, learning styles, and interests.

To use a FreeNode, read the provided class outline & follow the formatting provided for each class. Make sure to touch on the Theocratic Connection in each class. Follow the outline closely so it is aligned with our main at-home curriculum.

How Do I Use the FreeNode?

Read this lesson plan before class to familiarize yourself with the ideas and concepts you’ll be teaching the students. You may print this page out if you need to use it as a reference point during live classes.

This lesson is a guide, but feel free to expand on the content or decrease/increase what you teach depending on the learning levels of the students in your class or the amount of time you have to cover the material.

Can I show videos in FN classes?

Yes, feel free to include additional material to supplement the class lesson material. Videos, Physical Objects, Games, Activities, etc. are okay to share in live classes.

Videos should have no advertisements or logos and should be viewed by you before showing them to the students to ensure no offensive or questionable content is included.

The video should make up only 1-3 minutes of the live class and should not take the place of instructor-led instruction. Videos should be supplementary only.

How do bookmarks work?

Bookmarks help you keep track of lessons you’re going to teach in future live classes. The bookmarks you see are for all your bookmarked lessons across all grades.

You can bookmark a lesson by visiting the lesson you want to bookmark and clicking the “bookmark” button in the bookmark section.

You can remove a single bookmark by visiting a lesson you’ve bookmarked and clicking the “bookmark” button again to unbookmark it.

You can clear all of your bookmarks by clicking the “clear all bookmarks” button. Be careful, this will erase all of your bookmarks.

Class Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Students will define “interdependence” as living organisms relying on each other for survival.
Students will identify and explain three examples of interdependence within different ecosystems.

Materials:

Whiteboard/Chalkboard and markers/chalk
Visual aids (pictures or diagrams of various ecosystems)

Introduction (5 minutes):

Define “interdependence” as living things depending on each other to survive.
Explain how interdependence contributes to ecological balance.
Ask students to provide examples based on the definition.

Theocratic Connections:

Encourage students to explore Bible verses that highlight how Jehovah cares for all living things. For instance, Matthew 6:26 says, “Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”

This verse can initiate discussions on how Jehovah’s care extends to all creatures and often through the interdependent relationships he created us all to have. We as human beings, also have the job to be caretakers of His creation. Discuss actions that promote ecological balance and demonstrate responsible stewardship of the environment.

Activity – Interdependence Examples (10 minutes):

Examine 3 different ecosystems: forest, pond, and grassland.
Discuss relationships between living organisms in each ecosystem, focusing on three specific examples of interdependence.

Forest: Birds feed on insects, controlling their population, while insects pollinate plants, providing food for other animals. Rodents store nuts and seeds, helping them survive and disperse seeds to grow new plants.
Pond: Algae provide food for water fleas and mosquito larvae, which become food for tadpoles and fish. The entire ecosystem depends on algae.
Grassland: Burrowing animals create shelter for ground-nesting birds. Birds keep burrows clean, creating a safer environment for burrowing animals.

Activity – Interdependence Web (10 minutes):

Instruct each student to create an “Interdependence Web” on a large sheet of paper, using the three specific examples (rabbits and grass, bees and flowers, birds and fruits) to show how living organisms depend on each other in a given ecosystem.
Students present their webs and explain the relationships they’ve identified.

Conclusion (4 minutes):

Have students explain why interdependence is essential for the earth and all living creatures.
Review what students have learned about interdependence.

Assessment:

Informally assess student participation during class discussions and activities.
Observe students’ understanding of the examples of interdependence during the activity.