Lesson 4

Lesson 4: Cooperation And Competition Among Animals

Learning Objective

Understanding that competition is a form of interaction among living things

Syllabus Correlations

· Theme: Investigating Living Things

· Learning Area: Interaction Among the Animals

· Learning Objective: Understanding that competition is a form of interaction among living things

Learning Outcome:

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

· state that living things interact with one another in the environment;

· state that cooperation is a form of interaction among animals;

· state that competition is a form of interaction among animals.

Concept(s) Introduced:

· animals and plants interact with one another in the environment ;

· cooperation and competition is a form of interaction among living things.

Skills Covered:

· Observing, classifying, making inferences, interpreting data, making conclusions, comparing and contrasting.

Vocabulary/ New Words:

· Alert, competition, cooperation, courtship, dance, detect, different, fittest, gemsbok, peahen, species, survival, weaker.

Value(s) Incorporated:

· Having an interest in and curiosity about the environment.

· Being diligent and persevering.

· Realising that science is a means to understand nature.

· Thinking rationally

Materials Needed:

-

Point(s) to Note:

Cooperation among animals

Competition among animals

Component: Content 4

Play the video clips on animals of different species competing with each other. Explain that competition can occur among animals that are from different species because of food. Ask pupils to list other reasons why animals that are of different species compete with each other. Give details on how they compete with each other in their habitat.

Component: Content 5

Sometimes, animals cooperate and compete not just for food, shelter or a mate. They cooperate and compete for survival. The weaker does not always lose; sometimes they can win when they are greater in number. This is the concept of survival of the fittest. Teacher emphasise that unity is the strength to overcome difficulties.

Component: Extension

Teaching Strategies

Set Induction

Show the video on how fish living in the same habitat interact with each other to fight for food. Explain the interaction among animals - examples of how ants work together and zebras live together. Cats and dogs completing for food is also consider as an interaction among animals. Ask pupils to give other examples of interaction among animals. Component: Introduction

Step 1

Play the video in the content component. Guide pupils to understand animals interact with each other in their habitat. The interaction is in the form of cooperation and competition. Encourage pupils to discuss and give examples of cooperation and competition among animals. Component: Content 1 Give several examples of animals of the same species that cooperate with each other to protect them from enemies. They also cooperate to look for food together. They need to cooperate with each other in order to survive. Ask pupils to give examples of animals that are of the same species cooperating with each other in order to survive. Give details on how they cooperate and help each other in their habitat. Component: Content 2 Play the video clips on animals of different species cooperating with each other. They help each other to detect their enemies and run away from predators. Ask pupils to list other examples of animals that are of different species cooperating with each other. Give details on how they cooperate and help each other in their habitat. Component: Content 3

Step 2

Play the video clips on animals of the same species competing with each other. Explain that competition can occur among animals that are from the same species because of space, to gain control of the territory, compete for food and to win a mate. Ask pupils to list other examples of animals that are of the same species competing with each other. Give details on how they compete with each other in their habitat.

Step 3

There are five questions in this activity; pupils need to fill in the blanks. Pupils are given 20 seconds to answer a question. Component: Activity

Step 4

Step 5

There are five questions in this component covering the learning outcomes. Questions 1 to 3 are objective questions. Q4 is a drag and drop activity. Pupils drag and drop the correct answers for the questions. Q5 consists of true or false questions. Pupils need to identify whether the statements are true or false. Use evaluation sheets that will assess the pupils’ understanding of the lesson. Component: Evaluation

Conclusion

Conclude the lesson by playing this component to further reinforce understanding of the lesson. Guide pupils to state that living things interact with one another in the environment, cooperation is a form of interaction among animals, and competition is a form of interaction among animals. Help pupils to understand these three concepts. Component: Summary