Wild Signals Slides
3rd Grade Science Quest
WILD SIGNALS!
How Animals Use Light, Sound, and Teamwork in Ecosystems
An Ecosystem is a home for plants and animals.
Let's Start!
Topic 1: Light in the Deep Sea Ecosystem Look, Speak, & Learn
Ecosystem: Deep Sea
ANIMAL MAKING LIGHT
Survival Tool: Bioluminescence
Talk with a Partner
Use these helpful sentence frames:
1. What is the glowing object doing?
"I see a glowing light. It helps the animal _________."
2. How does light help in a dark ecosystem?
"In dark water, animals use light to _________."
How does light keep animals alive when there is no sun? Slide 2 of 9
Revealed: Light Helps Animals Survive! Topic: Light
Living Lanterns in the Ecosystem
Some animals make their own light. This is called bioluminescence (bio-lumi-nes-cence).
An anglerfish lives in the dark deep-sea ecosystem. It uses a glowing light to attract prey (food).
Fireflies use flashing light signals on warm nights to talk to other fireflies in their forest ecosystem.
Easy Word Check
Survive
To stay alive and safe in an ecosystem.
Ecosystem
The habitat where plants and animals live together.
Let's switch our focus from light to sound! Slide 3 of 9
Topic 2: Sound and Air Vibrations! Look, Speak, & Learn
Ecosystem: Forest & Cave
SOUND VIBRATIONS
Vibrations = Back-and-forth wiggles of air
Talk with a Partner
Use these helpful sentence frames:
1. How is sound made?
"Sound is made when things shake back and forth. We call this a _________."
2. How does sound travel to our ears?
"Sound travels through the air as invisible sound _________."
How do animals make and hear these rapid air vibrations? Slide 4 of 9
Revealed: Science of Sound & Echoes! Topic: Sound Science
Vibrations and Soundwaves
Sound is not magic. It is made of physical vibrations (shaking wiggles of air). When an animal makes a noise, it pushes the air and creates a traveling sound wave.
Echolocation (echo-lo-ca-tion) happens when a bat's high-speed sound waves travel through the air, hit a flying bug, and bounce back as an echo.
By listening to how long the echo takes to bounce back, the bat calculates exactly where the bug is in its dark ecosystem!
Sound Science check
Vibration
A very fast back-and-forth shake that produces sound.
Sound Wave
Invisible wiggles of vibrating air that move from a source to your ears.
Now let's see how animals work together in ecosystems! Slide 5 of 9
Topic 3: Teamwork keeps the Ecosystem Healthy Look, Speak, & Learn
Ecosystem: Shared Habitat
HELPING EACH OTHER
Survival Tool: Division of Labor
Talk with a Partner
Use these helpful sentence frames:
1. How do animals work as a team?
"Animals work as a team by _________."
2. Why is teamwork good in an ecosystem?
"Teamwork helps them find _________ and stay _________."
How does cooperation make a group of animals strong? Slide 6 of 9
Revealed: Teams Survive Better! Topic: Cooperation
Animals Working Together
In any ecosystem, living things must connect. Working together as a team is called cooperation.
Leafcutter Ants divide their tasks. Some ants cut and carry heavy green leaves. Other ants guard the trail, and smaller ants farm the fungus food inside the warm nest.
Wolves hunt in organized packs. By coordinating, they can catch larger prey and defend their young in the cold forest ecosystem.
Easy Word Check
Cooperation
Animals working as helper teams to get a big job done.
Specialized
Having one specific helper job on a big team.
Let's play a review game together as an explorer team! Slide 7 of 9
REVIEW: Show What You Know! Whole-Class Game
Q1
What is sound made of?
Speak with your team. Select the best answer!
Option A: Tiny glowing chemicals in water
Option B: Fast back-and-forth wiggles called vibrations
Option C: Big rocks rolling down mountains
Q2
True or False?
Think about how animals survive in ecosystems.
"An anglerfish uses a bright glowing light to lure small fish so it can hunt and eat them."
TRUE
FALSE
Get ready for your workbook quest! Slide 8 of 9
Your Quest
Grab Your Field Workbooks!
Now we will open our print workbooks. We will read a simple story about light, sound, and ecosystems, fill in missing words, answer questions, and present our mystery object to a teammate!
TASK 1
Read the Story
Read about the anglerfish, bats, and soundwaves.
TASK 2
Fill the Blanks
Find the correct science terms like vibrations.
TASK 3
Describe & Draw
Present your mystery item to a partner.
Open your workbook to page 1
Go Explorer Teams!
Wild Signals Workbook
Sensory Science Field Journal ID: ECO-WS-01
WILD SIGNALS WORKBOOK
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Simple Science Story — Talking in the Wild
An ecosystem is a home where plants and animals live together. To survive and stay safe, wild animals send and receive signals. They use light, sound, and teamwork.
1. Signal with Light: Deep in the dark ocean, there is no sun. Animals must make their own light to survive. This is called bioluminescence. The deep-sea anglerfish uses a glowing light on its head as a lure. Small fish swim near the light, and the anglerfish catches them!
2. Signal with Sound: Sound is made of rapid shaking wiggles called vibrations. When an animal calls out, these vibrations travel through the air as sound waves. Bats fly at night and send out sound waves. These waves hit a flying bug and bounce back to the bat's ears as an echo. This is called echolocation.
3. Teamwork (Cooperation): Many animals live and work in teams. This is called cooperation. For example, leafcutter ants divide their chores. Some cut green leaves, some protect the nest, and some feed baby ants. Wolves also hunt in packs to catch food together. Teamwork keeps them safe.
Part 2: Word Match Game
Write the correct helper word from the box on the blank lines.
Light
Vibrations
Echo
Teamwork
Ecosystem
-
A forest is an where many plants and animals live together.
-
Deep-sea fish make their own glowing because it is very dark.
-
Sound is made when things shake back and forth. These are called .
-
When sound waves hit a wall or branch, they bounce back as an .
Turn the page to take your explorer quiz! Page 1 of 2
Sensory Science Field Journal ID: ECO-WS-02
EXPLORER QUIZ & CHAT
Part 3: Choose the Right Answer
1. Why does an anglerfish glow in dark water?
A To stay warm B To attract small fish for food C To sleep better
2. What is sound made of physically?
A Very fast shaking called vibrations B Tiny drops of water falling down C Sunshine hitting ocean waves
3. Which action is an example of teamwork?
A A single bird sleeping in a tree B A plant growing tall toward the sun C Wolves hunting together in a pack
Wild Signals Teacher Guide
Educator Field Guide ID: ECO-WS-TG
WILD SIGNALS TEACHER GUIDE
ELL/ESOL Accommodated Lesson Blueprint & Script (Grade 3)
60-Minute Pacing & ELL Strategy Blueprint
00-15 Min
Slides 1-3: Intro, Ecosystems & Light
15-30 Min
Slides 4-5: Vibrations & Echolocation
30-45 Min
Slides 6-7: Cooperation & Teamwork
45-60 Min
Workbook Quiz & Active Speaking
Interactive Lesson Script & ELL Scaffolding
PART 1: LIGHT IN THE DEEP SEA (SLIDES 2-3)
ELL Scaffold: Act out "swimming" like a small fish following a glowing lure. Chant "Bioluminescence" in syllables together (bio-lumi-nes-cence).
Teacher Script: "Look at Slide 2. It is completely dark in the deep ocean ecosystem. Use our sentence frames: 'I see a glowing _________ in the deep ocean.' Why is the animal doing this? Turn and talk!"
PART 2: SOUND VIBRATIONS & ECHOES (SLIDES 4-5)
ELL Scaffold: Tell students to touch their throats while humming to feel physical vibrations. Explain: "Vibration is a fast shaking wiggle."
Teacher Script: "Look at Slide 4. Sound is not invisible magic. It is made of shaking wiggles called vibrations. Sound waves travel to our ears. Let's trace how a bat's clicks hit a bug and bounce back as a sound echo."
PART 3: ECOSYSTEM COOPERATION (SLIDES 6-7)
ELL Scaffold: Have students clasp hands together to demonstrate "cooperation" or "teamwork". Point to the leafcutter ants dividing their chores.
Teacher Script: "In any ecosystem, animals must work as a team. This is called cooperation. Look at Slide 6. Leafcutter ants division of labor. Use our sentence frame: 'Animals work as a team by _________.' Explain your idea to a partner."
Turn page for Answer Keys and differentiation notes. Page 1 of 2
Educator Field Guide ID: ECO-WS-AK
ANSWER KEYS & RUBRICS
Workbook and Symbiosis Solutions & Framework
Part 2: Word Match Key
-
- Ecosystem
-
- Light
-
- Vibrations
-
- Echo
Part 3: Quiz Answers
- Question 1: B
- Question 2: A
- Question 3: C
- Question 4: B
Part 4: True or False Keys
Symbiosis Showdown Worksheet
Ecosystem Connections Log ID: ECO-SS-01
SYMBIOSIS SHOWDOWN
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Simple Science Story — Wild Relationships
In an ecosystem, animals connect in different ways. Some connections are helpful, some are neutral (do not help or hurt), and some are harmful. Here are four types of wild relationships:
1. Mutualism (Happy / Happy): In this team, both animals get help. For example, a tiny clownfish lives in a poisonous sea anemone. The clownfish cleans the anemone, and the anemone protects the fish from predators. Both are happy!
2. Commensalism (Happy / Okay): One animal gets help, but the other animal is not helped or hurt. For example, a bird builds a small nest in a large oak tree. The tree keeps the bird safe, but the tree does not care about the nest.
3. Predation (Happy / Hurt): One animal hunts and eats another animal to survive. The hunter is the predator. For example, a fast hawk catches a field mouse. The hawk gets food, but the mouse is caught.
4. Parasitism (Happy / Hurt): One animal lives on or inside another animal and hurts it. The helper seeker is a parasite. For example, a tick drinks blood from a wild dog. The tick gets food, but the dog gets itchy and sick.
Part 2: Check Your Understanding
1. What is Mutualism?
A Both animals get help B One is hurt, one is happy C No animals get helped
2. A bird nests in an oak tree. The tree is not helped or hurt. What relationship is this?
A Predation B Parasitism C Commensalism
3. Why is a tick drinking blood from a dog called Parasitism?
A Because the dog is safe B Because the tick hurts the dog C Because both animals get help
Completed reports go to your science advisor. Page 1 of 1
