Biogeochemistry Bonanza. Kelly VanAllen Pine Grove School Orcutt Union School District

Transcription

1 Biogeochemistry Bonanza Kelly VanAllen Pine Grove School Orcutt Union School District 1

2 Unit Information Grade Level: 4-7 Subject: Science Description: Biochemists have to understand both the living world and the chemical world. By creating an Aquatic/Terrestrial Ecosystem, students will better understand the interdependence amongst biogeochemical cycles including the carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and water cycle. Plants, animals, single-celled organisms all use the same basic chemical compounds to live their lives. Biochemistry is about the smallest parts of those organisms, the molecules. It's also about the cycles that happen to create those biological compounds. When students complete the Biochemistry Bonanza project, they will have a better understanding of that interdependency and the cycles involved. Educational Value/Content Standards: This project s educational value is that it addresses the California State Standards in Life Science for 4 th, 5 th and 7 th grades, including: All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow. Plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains. Producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem. Decomposers, including many fungi, insects, and microorganisms, recycle matter from dead plants and animals. Many multicellular organisms have specialized structures to support the transport of materials. Students know how sugar, water, and minerals are transported in a vascular plant. Students know plants use carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and energy from sunlight to build molecules of sugar and release oxygen. Students know plant and animal cells break down sugar to obtain energy, a process resulting in carbon dioxide (CO ) and water (respiration). The anatomy and physiology of plants and animals illustrate the complementary nature of structure and function. 2

3 Lesson Plans: 1. Lesson Title: What is an Ecosystem? Context of the lesson within the project: This lesson is the first, in a series of three lessons, designed to help students understand what an ecosystem is and how aquatic and terrestrial systems differ. Standards Addressed: All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow. Plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains. Producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem. Decomposers, including many fungi, insects, and microorganisms, recycle matter from dead plants and animals. Essential Questions/Issues: What is an ecosystem? Why are ecosystems important? How can human activity change an ecosystem? Objective(s): The student will be able to define ecosystem and classify parts as living and nonliving. To understand that healthy functioning ecosystems maintain life in balance on Earth, and human activities can create stresses that alter normal ecosystem functions, and impair life support functions. Assessment: Students will give an example of two ecosystems and correctly list biotic and abiotic organisms within the system. Students will explain how humans create stresses that change an ecosystem and explain what change may occur. Materials and Resources Needed: A. Ecosystem Graphic Organizer for assessment. B. Slides/images of ecosystems. C. Cornell Notes page. D. Ecosystem Diagrams Lesson Activity Steps: What is an Ecosystem? Into: Show students slides/images of a variety of ecosystems (desert, mountains, ponds ). Discuss and list on the board what students see within those images (list everything they see living and non-living). 3

4 Come up with a definition of ecosystem, with the class, based on what they listed. Give them the correct definition and have them write down on Cornell Notes: What is an ecosystem? Ecosystems are sets of living organisms (plants, animals and microorganisms) all interacting among themselves and with the environment in which they live (soil, climate, water and light). They vary in size. They can be as small as a puddle or as large as the Earth itself. Any group of living and nonliving things interacting with each other can be considered as an ecosystem. There are two types of ecosystems: Aquatic ecosystem: An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. Terrestrial Ecosystem: A terrestrial ecosystem is an ecosystem found only on a landform. Four primary terrestrial ecosystems exist: tundra, taiga, temperate deciduous forest, and grassland. Through: Continue to add to Cornell Notes with the question: What are the living parts of an ecosystem? Producers: Plants have chlorophyll and can produce their own energy in the form of carbohydrates (simple sugars) through photosynthesis. Consumers: Animals must consume something else, either plants or other animals, to get their energy. Decomposers: Many insects, microscopic animals, fungi, and bacteria get their energy by decomposing dead organic matter enriching the soil with nutrients. How does energy play a part in an ecosystem? Energy comes from the sun in the form of sunlight. Plants can take the sunlight and turn it into food in the form of glucose. When animals produce waste and eventually die, other, mostly microscopic, organisms may use the energy in the waste and dead bodies. This matter is reduced by decomposers and returned to the soil, where it may be used again by plants. Energy is lost as it flows through an ecosystem. For example, not all the sun-light energy a plant receives is converted to chemical energy (i.e., carbohydrates). 4

5 Some of it is wasted. Likewise, when mammals digest food they convert some of it to heat, which is lost to the air around the animal. Beyond: After giving students notes regarding ecosystems, take them outside to observe their school grounds (the school garden area, which is a perfect, if available). Have students draw/color a small area on the graphic organizer provided including plants and animals. As a class, write down the producers, consumers and decomposers they see. Discuss what may happen if you were to take away all of the soil. Students should come to the conclusion that without soil, the plants wouldn t be able to grow. What if you removed the plants? Go through different scenarios with the students to help them understand how human interaction may affect the ecosystem. Have students take home two copies of the Ecosystem Graphic Organizer. Have them draw two different ecosystems and complete the abiotic/biotic, human interaction/effect and definition sections. Have students label any producers, consumers and decomposers. Allow them to use resources have them list the resources used. Special needs of students are considered in this lesson: Allow students with special needs or ELL students to work with a partner. Type in the Cornell Notes page for them to copy and paste notes to the appropriate place. 5

6 Lesson Attachments: A. Ecosystem Graphic Organizer for assessment. Name _ Illustration: Biotic and Abiotic: Definition: Ecosystem Human interaction/effect: 6

7 B. Slides/images of ecosystem. 7

8 8 C. Cornell Notes page. Cornell Notes: Ecosystems "#$%&'$()*+','%)-. "#$%$/)%#)0&1&(23$/%'+4$()*+','%) )')()/2,30$,$3$/%&($( )*+','%)-.

9 D. Ecosystem Diagrams 9

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11 2. Lesson Title: Biogeochemical Cycles Context of the lesson within the project: This is the second lesson, in a series of three, designed to help students understand the biogeochemical cycles within an ecosystem. Standards Addressed: Many multicellular organisms have specialized structures to support the transport of materials. Students know how sugar, water, and minerals are transported in a vascular plant. Students know plants use carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and energy from sunlight to build molecules of sugar and release oxygen. Students know plant and animal cells break down sugar to obtain energy, a process resulting in carbon dioxide (CO ) and water (respiration). Essential Questions/Issues: What are biogeochemical cycles? How does the Carbon Cycle work? How does the Oxygen Cycle work? How does the Nitrogen Cycle work? How does the Phosphorous Cycle work? Objective(s): Students will be able to name the appropriate cycle and tell how the pathways of that cycle function. Students will understand the different biotic and abiotic compartments of Earth. Assessment: Students will choose a cycle (Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen or Phosphorous) and create a poster, no bigger than 18x24, with correct labeling, pictures or graphics and tell which sphere it moves through. They will be scored their ability to label the steps correctly, having appropriate graphics, their description of the steps, the attractiveness of the poster and their mechanics. (see resources for rubric) Materials and Resources Needed: Resource for interactive cycles. A. Carbon Cycle Rubric Use this as a guide for all cycles. B. Carbon Cycle GO C. Nitrogen Cycle GO D. Oxygen Cycle GO E. Phosphorous Cycle GO Lesson Activity Steps: Into: (This lesson should take 4 class periods one period for each cycle discussed) 11

12 Show the students the Carbon Cycle in motion Have your computer set up to follow this link: Students should have a blank Carbon Cycle graphic organizer to fill in after the class discusses the above link. Discuss the Carbon Cycle and allow students time to fill in their organizers. Give them the definition of biogeochemical cycle (a pathway by which a chemical element or molecule moves through biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (geosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere) compartments of Earth) have them put in the notebook. The word biogeochemical tells us that biological, geological and chemical factors are involved in this cycle. A cycle is a series of changes which comes back to a starting point and that can be repeated. Through: Have the class play the Carbon Cycle game at the following link: Continue on to the Nitrogen link: Have students write down the stages of Assimilation, Ammonification, Nitrification and Denitrification and what takes place in these stages: Assimilation: The absorption and incorporation of nitrogen into plants and animal compounds. Ammonification: This is the production of ammonia by bacteria during the decay of nitrogen decaying urea (within urine). Nitrification: This is the production of nitrates from ammonia. Denitrification: This is the conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas. Fill in the graphic organizer. The Oxygen Cycle: Have students draw and label the Oxygen Cycle with the following link as a guide: The Phosphorous Cycle: The phosphorous cycle runs through every sphere except the atmosphere. It cycles through the geosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. The element is required by some organisms to build cells. The phosphorous cycle includes: Phosphorous enters the soil by water and when rocks erode, get broken down, dissolving the phosphorous from the rock, allowing for it to settle into the water. Some organisms excrete their phosphorous in their waste, where it may enter the soil or water. The phosphorous cycle occurs when plants absorb phosphorous through their roots and incorporate the phosphorous to build tissues. Animals absorb phosphorous when they eat plants, and when animals die their phosphorous returns to the soil through decomposition. 12

13 Students should write down these steps on their graphic organizers. Beyond: Now that students have an understanding of the four cycles (Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Phosphorous), allow them to choose one and create a poster. Students must show an understanding of the cycle they chose through graphics, labeling and using the proper steps within the cycle. Posters may be down in partners or in groups for better understanding at the younger levels or with special needs students. Lesson Attachments: 13