Mangroves are a critical part of ecosystems in many Pacific island communities. PCEP has created a unit – a set of 5 connected lessons – on mangroves for students in grades 3-5. These lessons integrate hands-on experiences and PCEP resources to help students understand the importance of mangroves on our islands.

Lessons align with FSM National DOE science standards and offer focused language features for both English and vernacular languages.

Full Grades 3-5 Unit Plan

Lesson 1: My Mangroves

1 class session, 45-60 minutes

Why are mangroves important? What do humans and other living things get from mangrove ecosystems? What kinds of things can harm mangrove ecosystems?

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • Explain importance of mangroves to themselves and their families
  • Explain how certain things and actions can harm mangrove ecosystem
  • Share new learning on mangrove ecosystem with others

Students will create a poster of a favorite mangrove area with responses to questions about how we benefit from the mangroves and how people may be harming the mangroves.

Lesson Plan – All grades

Lesson Plan – Grade 3

Lesson Plan – Grade 4

Lesson Plan – Grade 5

Reading – Insack Lasr: Insack Fin Acn Kosrae (Our Mangroves: Mangroves of Kosrae) Interviews

Lesson 2: Mangroves on the Island

Two class sessions, 90 minutes total

How do mangrove swamps connect to other environments / ecosystems on an island?

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • State where mangroves can be found
  • Describe the relationship between a mangrove environment/ecosystem and other environments/ecosystems on the island, using a common feature such as water

Students will create an illustration with labels showing mangrove in relation to other environments on an island.

Lesson Plan – All grades

Lesson Plan – Grade 3

Lesson Plan – Grade 4

Lesson Plan – Grade 5

Reading – Our High Island Home

Lesson 3: Mangroves in Our Community

3-5 class sessions (2-4 hours total); plus a one-day field trip to a mangrove swamp

What are the physical characteristics of mangroves? What types of mangrove trees are most commonly found in local mangrove swamps? What plants and animals are most commonly found in mangrove swamps? How are the plants and animals connected with each other?

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • Make observations of mangrove trees (grade 3), common plants and animals (grade 4), physical features of ecosystem (grade 5)
  • Use line transect as a method to collect data
  • Describe observations and data collection

Students will create a report based on observations and collected data of mangrove swamp.

Lesson Plan – All grades

Lesson Plan – Grade 3

Lesson Plan – Grade 4

Lesson Plan – Grade 5

Fact Sheet – Line Transect

Fact Sheet – What do Mangrove Trees Look Like?

Fact Sheet – Different Types of Mangrove Trees

Fact Sheet – Some Animals in the Mangrove Swamp

Observation Template

Lesson 4: Healthy Mangroves

2 class sessions, 90 minutes total

What does a healthy mangrove environment/ecosystem look like? What can harm a healthy mangrove environment/ecosystem?

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • Name characteristics and components of a healthy mangrove
  • Describe examples of things and human actions that can harm a healthy mangrove
  • State cause and effect of harms done to a healthy mangrove

Students will create and perform a song.

Lesson Plan – All grades

Lesson Plan – Grade 3

Lesson Plan – Grade 4

Lesson Plan – Grade 5

Reading – Mangrove Scenarios

Reading – Sea Level Rise, Extreme Weather, and Mangroves

Cause and Effect: Organizational Patterns in English and Flow Charts

Lesson 5: Grade-Level End Task

4-5 class sessions (3-4 hours total)

How can we share the importance of healthy mangroves with the community?

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • Describe characteristics and components of a healthy mangrove
  • Agree on the characteristics and components of a healthy mangrove to be included on the mural
  • Work collectively to create a mural illustrating a healthy mangrove

Students will create a completed mural of a healthy mangrove.

Lesson Plan – All grades

Lesson Plan – Grade 3

Lesson Plan – Grade 4

Lesson Plan – Grade 5

Science Fair Presentation Outline (Grade 4)

Personification Chart: Living Things from a Mangrove (Grade 5)