Develop and use a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. Emphasize that matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes as these organisms live and die. Examples could include simple food chains from ecosystems such as deserts or oceans or diagrams of decomposers returning matter to the environment. Complex interactions in a food web will be taught in Grades 6 through 8.

Design a solution to a human problem by mimicking the structure and function of plants and/or animals and how they use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs. Define the problem by asking questions and gathering information, convey designs through sketches, drawings, or physical models, and compare and test designs. Examples could include a human wearing a jacket to mimic the fur of an animal or a webbed foot to design a better swimming fin.

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about birds in Utah.
Observation of colors, bird calls, sizes, flight, feather types and unique behaviors.

A Rube Goldberg machine, named after American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, is a machine intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and overly complicated way.

1. Identify a simple task for your machine to achieve.
2. Sketch the basics of your machine before building it.
3. Gather the supplies you need to make the machine. Challenge yourself to find at least three recyclable materials. See a suggested list of materials below.

Develop and use a model that mimics the function of an animal dispersing seeds or pollinating plants. Examples could include plants that have seeds with hooks or barbs that attach themselves to animal fur, feathers, or human clothing, or dispersal through the wind, or consumption of fruit and the disposal of the pits or seeds.