Introduction to Ecology

Transcription

1 Unit 9 Overview SAMPLE Unit of Study: Biology Introduction to Ecology Overview Unit Description In this unit, students are introduced to the study of ecology and examine the importance of the roles played by various organisms within specific ecosystems and the overall environment. Students begin by examining various ways in which populations of organisms interact with their environment, including evaluating the importance of niches in maintaining ecosystem health and the role of biotic and abiotic factors in maintaining the health of organisms. Students then further develop their understanding of the complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems by examining the various cycles of matter that occur in ecosystems and how each contributes to overall environmental health. Students then turn their attention to the more specific interactions that occur between organisms in ecosystems. They compare and contrast the five major types of interactions that occur between organisms and examine how symbiotic relationships can create dependency among species. Students also analyze the processes of matter and energy flow within ecosystems, focusing on how these factors move between organisms and how these relationships demonstrate the laws of conservation of matter and conservation of energy. They then turn their attention to positive and negative interactions between organisms and their environment, including analyzing how factors such as birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration affect population size. In addition, students describe the limiting factors that affect a population in a given environment and differentiate between densitydependent and density-independent factors. Students complete their study of ecology by focusing on natural and artificial factors that impact the health of organisms in an ecosystem. Students examine and explain the stages of succession in an ecosystem and identify additional factors that may disturb ecosystem stability, including evaluating positive and negative impacts humans have on the environment. Students finish this unit by describing various ways communities are attempting to restore and protect ecosystems and providing examples of emerging efforts designed to successfully address environmental issues. COPYRIGHT by Edgenuity. All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in a database or any retrieval system, without the prior written

2 Unit 9 Overview Big Ideas Matter and energy are constantly being cycled between organisms and the environment. Matter and energy are never lost in ecosystems but are transferred between organisms or to the environment in different ways. There are many different types of relationships seen between organisms in ecosystems. Some of these relationships benefit both organisms, while others are only of benefit to one of the organisms involved. The size of different organism populations found in an ecosystem can be impacted by various density-dependent and density-independent factors, such as birth rate, death rate, disease, food/water supply, and emigration/immigration. Changes that occur to the biotic and abiotic factors found in ecosystems affect overall ecosystem stability and can lead to environmental succession. Humans cause both beneficial and detrimental changes to the environment. Essential Questions How do abiotic factors affect organisms living in an environment? How do organisms in an environment impact each other? How do matter and energy cycle within ecosystems? What roles do organisms play in cycling matter and energy? How do biotic factors affect the population size in an ecosystem? How do abiotic factors affect population size? How do natural and human-caused environmental changes affect organisms and ecosystems? Key Standards The following focus standards are intended to guide teachers to be purposeful and strategic in both what to include and what to exclude when teaching this unit. Although each unit emphasizes certain standards, students are exposed to a number of key ideas in each unit, and as with every rich classroom learning experience, these standards are revisited throughout the course to ensure that students master the concepts with an ever-increasing level of rigor. Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem. HS-LS2-1. HS-LS2-2. HS-LS2-4. COPYRIGHT by Edgenuity. All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in a database or any retrieval system, without the prior written

3 Unit 9 Overview Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. HS-LS2-5. HS-LS2-6. HS-LS2-7. Recommended Structures The Unit Outline included in this document provides a framework for weekly instruction, practice, and assessment. Each week of instruction includes digital lessons that students will complete independently, as well as opportunities for whole-group and small-group teacher-led instruction. The Unit Outline will use the following icons. Preparation for Weekly Instruction Modifications for Special Populations Learning Goals Supporting English Learners Edgenuity Digital Lessons Work for Early Finishers Additional Instructional Support Science & Engineering Practices Cross-Cutting Concepts Common Misconceptions & Reteaching Strategies Social Emotional Learning Connections Real-World Connections COPYRIGHT by Edgenuity. All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in a database or any retrieval system, without the prior written

4 Week 1 Organisms and Matter in the Environment Unit 9: Introduction to Ecology Learning Goals This week, students will examine biotic and abiotic factors that impact the interactions that occur between organisms and the environment, including the role of biogeochemical cycles in maintaining populations. Identify biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems. (HS-LS2-1) Describe positive and negative interactions between organisms and the environment. (HS-LS2-6) Compare and contrast the biogeochemical cycles that occur in ecosystems. (HS-LS2-4, HS-LS2-5) Explain the importance of biogeochemical cycles to organisms and ecosystems. (HS-LS2-2, HS-LS2-6) Edgenuity Digital Lessons Populations and the Environment The Cycles of Matter Week at a Glance Day 1 Build background knowledge and introduce the unit. Begin by having students brainstorm about the different aspects that they believe are part of ecology (i.e. start with discussion questions like What is ecology? How do we study ecology? etc. and have students brainstorm from there). After students have finished brainstorming, explain how ecology involves the study of organisms and how they interact with their environment, and introduce the levels of organization found in ecology. Then show the students a brief video overview discussing the components of ecosystems and biomes of the world (such as the one shown here: Separate students into small groups and give each group a poster board and markers. Assign each group one of the biomes of the world (desert, rainforest, savanna, etc.). Have students work together to conduct research and create an informational poster about the biome that includes information such as average temperature, average precipitation, types of plants and animals that live there, where it is located, etc. The groups can then briefly present these posters to the class. After the

5 presentation, explain that this unit will cover the various aspects of ecology and how we impact the ecology around us. Day 2 Day 3 Students will work independently on the digital lesson: Populations and the Environment. Monitor students who are struggling and provide individual attention as needed. Begin the class with the following discussion question: Which abiotic factors are the most important in an ecosystem? Why? Encourage students to compare and contrast the various abiotic factors found in most ecosystems and evaluate the costs and benefits of each factor to the organisms in an ecosystem. Students should also apply critical thinking skills to evaluate the claims of others during the discussion. Then have students work on finishing Populations and the Environment and moving to the next lesson: Cycles of Matter. Monitor students who are struggling and provide individual attention as needed. Science and Engineering Practices / Cross-Cutting Concepts Within the lessons Populations and the Environment and Cycles of Matter, students will develop conceptual knowledge regarding various biotic and abiotic factors that affect the stability of ecosystems, such as food and water supply, available space, predator-prey interactions, etc. Explain to students that various interactions happen in ecosystems at different scales, such as between individual organisms or even between different ecosystems, and that all interactions that happen contribute to maintaining stability or affecting change in the overall ecosystem. As an extension activity, students could develop models of the various interactions that may happen between organisms, between organisms and their ecosystem, or between ecosystems. Day 4 Use data to identify students who did not pass the quiz from Populations and the Environment. These students will be Group A. Students who passed the quiz will be Group B. During the first part of the class period, pull Group A together for re-teaching while Group B students work on the Cycles of Matter project. For the remaining time, work with students individually or in small groups as needed.

6 Common Misconceptions & Reteaching Strategies Many students may have difficulty understanding the variety of ways organisms interact with biotic and abiotic factors in their environment, as well as how the niches of individual organisms are different. One common misconception students may have about the ways in which organisms interact with biotic and abiotic factors is that there is no competition for natural resources by plants, only by animals. In actuality, plants compete for resources in the same ways that animals do. Plants compete with other plants and living organisms for resources like sunlight, water, nutrients, and living space. Another misconception students may have is that minor changes to biotic and abiotic factors within an environment will not have an impact on the organisms living in that environment. It is important to highlight for students that any changes that occur within an ecosystem, no matter how small, will have effects on the biotic and abiotic factors within that ecosystem, even if those effects are not immediately evident. Finally, it is very common for students to misinterpret or misuse the term niche when referring to its use in ecology. It is important to highlight for students that in scientific terminology, each organism has a unique role in and unique needs that are met by the ecosystem in which they live, and these constitute the organism s niche. As such, since every organism in an ecosystem plays a unique role, they all have unique impacts on the ecosystem. If an organism is lost within an ecosystem, other species cannot fill the niche that the original organism had, because they are unable to affect the ecosystem in the same ways. Science and Engineering Practices Within the project for the lesson Cycles of Matter, students will be examining the roles of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the transfers of matter and energy that occur within the carbon cycle. Prior to beginning the project, review the processes of photosynthesis and respiration with students. Ensure that students are familiar with how these processes occur, what compounds are involved in the chemical reactions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and how these processes use and transfer energy from the environment to organisms.

7 Cross-Cutting Concept Within the project for the lesson Cycles of Matter, students will analyze and model the relationships between organisms and the environment that occur within the carbon cycle. Prior to beginning the project, review with students the concept of conservation of matter. Explain to students that matter is only transferred between organisms or from organisms to the environment (i.e., matter can be transferred at different scales), but matter is never lost. Day 5 Some students will need this day to finish the week s required digital lessons and/or activities. Other students will be finished with the required digital lessons. Refer to the work for early finishers for those that have completed the required lessons. Modifications for Special Populations Supporting English Learners Low Proficiency High Proficiency Front-load needed vocabulary before students begin the lesson on Day 2. Vocabulary needs will vary with each student population, but consider including biotic, abiotic, habitat, niche, predator, prey, omnivore, scavenger, adaptation. Create a T-chart with students with the titles biotic and abiotic. Take students on a walk throughout the school and around the school grounds to identify biotic and abiotic factors in their direct environment. Lead a discussion regarding how these factors affect the ecosystem and the different members of the ecosystem. Work for Early Finishers Have students watch the following video from the National Geographic Crittercam: Fish Thieves Take Rare Seals Prey ( and analyze the interactions between the monk seal and the octopus/eel/triggerfish, as well as the monk seal and the sharks. Have students discuss the benefits and disadvantages of using modern technology to observe animal behaviors and interactions from afar.

8 Science & Engineering Practices Use mathematical and/or computational representations of phenomena or design solutions to support explanations. (HS-LS2-1) Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to support and revise explanations. (HS-LS2-2) Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to support claims. (HS-LS2-4) Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system. (HS-LS2-5) Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merits of arguments. (HS-LS2-6) Cross-Cutting Concepts The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs. (HS-LS2-1) Using the concept of orders of magnitude allows one to understand how a model at one scale relates to a model at another scale. (HS-LS2-2) Energy cannot be created or destroyed it only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between systems. (HS-LS2-4) Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions including energy, matter, and information flows within and between systems at different scales. (HS-LS2-5) Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable. (HS-LS2-6) Real-World Connections Social Emotional Learning Connections Discuss the impact of human activities on cycles of matter and ecosystems. Point out examples such as the dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay or the development of algal blooms along the shores of the Great Lakes and the West coast of the United States. Have students brainstorm how these events may be affected by the cycles of matter and human activities, as well as possible solutions to address them. Individually, students will relate the lesson content to his/her personal lives by creating an artistic or written representation of his/her ecosystem. Students will include the populations, biotic factors, abiotic factors, predators, prey and niches within their personal ecosystem. After each student presents their work, display the ecosystems throughout the room during the duration of the unit.

9 Week 2 Organisms and Energy in the Environment Unit 9: Introduction to Ecology Learning Goals This week, students will continue examining the factors that affect interactions between organisms and the environment, focusing on the relationships that occur between individual organisms and how these relationships impact the movement of energy in ecosystems. Identify the five types of relationships that occur between organisms. (HS-LS2-8) Differentiate between the three main types of symbiotic relationships. (HS-LS2-8) Describe the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in ecosystems. (HS-LS2-4, HS-LS2-6) Illustrate how energy flows through trophic levels in food chains and food webs. (HS-LS2-1, HS-LS2-4) Edgenuity Digital Lessons Relationships Among Organisms Energy Flow in Ecosystems Week at a Glance Day 1 Day 2 Use data to identify students who did not pass the quiz from The Cycles of Matter. These students will be Group A. Students who passed the quiz will be Group B. During the first part of the class period, pull Group A together for re-teaching while Group B students work on the lesson Relationships Among Organisms. For the remaining time, work with students individually or in small groups as needed. Begin the class with the following discussion question: For each of the scenarios described below, identify what type of symbiotic relationship is represented and explain how you know. Barnacles are a type of crustacean that attaches to the bodies of large organisms like whales. Barnacles use their feather-like feet to catch food such as plankton while the whale is moving.

10 Answer: This is an example of commensalism, because the barnacle benefits from its association with the larger organism, while the larger organism is neither benefitted nor harmed. Mistletoe is a plant that is commonly associated with Christmas festivities. This plant obtains water and nutrients from host trees, sometimes causing the tree to weaken or even die. Answer: This is an example of parasitism, because the mistletoe benefits from its association with the host tree, and the host tree is harmed. Oxpeckers are a unique kind of bird found on certain animals such as rhinos or zebras. These birds obtain food by eating ticks or other parasites that may infest the skin of the larger animal. Answer: This is an example of mutualism, because both the oxpecker and the larger organism benefit from the relationship. Encourage students to brainstorm additional examples of symbiotic relationships seen in the real world and evaluate the claims of others during the discussion. For the remainder of the time, students will work independently on finishing the digital lesson: Relationships Among Organisms. If students have completed this lesson already, guide them to the work for early finishers. Work with individual students as needed. Cross-Cutting Concepts Within the lesson Relationships Among Organisms, students will examine the impact of symbiotic relationships on organisms, as well as the impact of invasive organisms on the environment. Prior to beginning the lesson, review the concepts of cause and effect with students. Ensure that students understand that, just because an organism has a symbiotic relationship with another organism, that does not mean that the symbiotic relationship will be the cause of different illnesses, interactions with the environment, etc. that an organism has (i.e., if an organism has a parasite and dies, that does not mean that the parasite caused the organism to die). Also ensure that students understand that, in some cases, the symbiotic relationship between two organisms actually aids in maintaining stability in an organism (such as with humans and intestinal bacteria).

11 Day 3 Students will work independently on the digital lesson: Energy Flow in Ecosystems. Monitor students who are struggling and provide individual attention as needed. Science and Engineering Practices Within the lesson Energy Flow in Ecosystems, students will examine the transfer of energy that occurs between trophic levels in a food chain/food web, and how the percentage of energy available at each trophic level changes. Prior to beginning the lesson, review with students the methods for calculating percentages of a whole value. Cross-Cutting Concepts Within the lesson Energy Flow in Ecosystems, students will analyze and model the relationships between organisms and the environment that occur between trophic levels and within energy pyramids. Prior to beginning the lesson, review with students the concept of conservation of energy. Explain to students that energy is only transferred between organisms or from organisms to the environment (i.e., energy can be transferred at different scales), but energy is never lost. Day 4 Use data to identify students who struggled with the following learning objectives: Describe the five major types of interactions between organisms. Examine how symbiotic relationships can create dependency among species. Group students in pairs or triads such that each grouping has at least one student who did not struggle with these objectives and at least one student who did. Have students work in groups to create posters, worksheets, or other activities that could teach younger students the differences between the five types of interactions between organisms, including distinguishing between mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Common Misconceptions & Reteaching Strategies Many students may confuse the interactions between different organisms and the types of symbiotic relationships that they represent. One major misconception students may have about symbiotic

12 relationships is that some interactions between organisms may fall into more than one category of symbiosis. Students often may confuse mutualistic relationships for commensalistic relationships and vice versa. Encourage students to carefully analyze what is actually occurring within the organismal relationship - is one of the organisms being harmed? Are both organisms helped? Is only one organism being helped? Careful analysis will help students to be able to better differentiate between mutualistic, commensalistic, and parasitic relationships. Many videos (such as the example here: are available online to provide students with a more interactive visualization of the applications of symbiotic relationships in nature. Another misconception students may have about symbiotic relationships is that they only impact the organisms that are directly involved in the relationship. Highlight for students that symbiotic relationships between organisms can have effects on other relationships that occur within the ecosystem, such as predator-prey relationships. Day 5 Begin the lesson with the following discussion question: Why can t there be an infinite number of organisms in a food chain or food web? Encourage students to analyze how energy is transferred between organisms and how the amount of energy available changes between levels of a food chain. During the discussion, complete the following demonstration to help students better visualize the energy transfer that occurs between trophic levels that limits the number of organisms in a food chain. Demonstration Obtain a one-liter container of a soda such as cola, root beer, etc. Select four volunteers from the class to aid in the demonstration. Explain that in the demonstration, the teacher will represent the sun and each student will represent one of the trophic levels in a typical food chain (i.e., the first student will be a producer, the

13 second a primary consumer, the third a secondary consumer, and the fourth a tertiary consumer or a decomposer). Each student will receive an amount of the soda equal to 1/10th of the previous individual to represent the change in energy that occurs between trophic levels (so, the teacher represents 100% of the energy from the sun since they have the full liter of soda, the first student will receive 1/10 of that energy as a producer, so 100 ml of soda, the second student will receive 1/10 of the energy of the producer, so 10 ml of soda, and so on). Use the demonstration to clarify for the students that the energy that is not transferred between organisms still exists, but it is transferred to the environment rather than to organisms. Students will then use the remainder of the day to finish any remaining work on the week s digital lessons and/or activities. Refer to the work for early finishers for those that have completed the required lessons. Modifications for Special Populations Supporting English Learners Low Proficiency High Proficiency Front-load needed vocabulary before students begin the lesson on Day 2. Vocabulary needs will vary with each student population, but consider including: Predation, competition, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, producers, consumers, and decomposers. Have students illustrate the five major types of interactions with a descriptive caption. Additionally, have students create a cartoon illustrating the three steps in the energy flow (producers, consumers, and decomposers) with descriptive captions. Work for Early Finishers Have students complete the scenario and questions for the interactive food web simulation located here: Students will need a copy of the data table that is found here: (Note: Students will only need the data table for Lesson 2.) Students should complete both steps if time allows.) Science & Engineering Practices Use mathematical and/or computational representations of phenomena or design solutions to support explanations. (HS-LS2-1) Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to support claims. (HS-LS2-4)

14 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merits of arguments. (HS-LS2-6) Evaluate the evidence behind currently accepted explanations to determine the merits of arguments. (HS-LS2-8) Cross-Cutting Concepts The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs. (HS-LS2-1) Energy cannot be created or destroyed it only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between systems. (HS-LS2-4) Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable. (HS-LS2-6) Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects. (HS-LS2-8) Real-World Connections Social Emotional Learning Connections Discuss the impact of exotic and/or invasive species on the relationships between organisms in ecosystems. Point out examples such as Burmese pythons and African clawed frogs and the impacts they have had on native animal populations in Florida and California. Have students brainstorm strategies to make humans more aware of the impacts of these organisms and why it is important to avoid releasing exotic animals or invasive species into native ecosystems. Individually, students will reflect on the relationships in their lives related to the five major types of interactions between organisms (predation, competition, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism). Students will write down examples of relationships that fit one or more of these interactions and determine if that interaction is healthy, unhealthy, or neutral for their personal growth. This activity should be done independently or on a one on one basis with the teacher as to monitor any significant concerns in each individual student s personal life.

15 Week 3 Factors Affecting Populations and Adaptation Unit 9: Introduction to Ecology Learning Goals This week, students examine factors that affect the size and growth of populations in environments, including differentiating between types of limiting factors seen in ecosystems. Students also will compare and contrast the processes of primary and secondary succession that occur when ecosystems are impacted by environmental changes. Describe the effects of density-dependent and density-independent factors on populations. (HS-LS2-1) Explain how various natural events affect population size. (HS-LS2-1, HS-LS2-2) Differentiate between primary and secondary succession in ecosystems. (HS-LS2-6, HS-LS4-5) Describe how changes to the overall biodiversity impact populations of organisms in ecosystems. (HS-LS4-5) Edgenuity Digital Lessons Population Size and Structure Succession and Extinction Week at a Glance Day 1 Use data to identify students who did not pass the quiz from Energy Flow in Ecosystems. These students will be Group A. Students who passed the quiz will be Group B. During the first part of the class period, pull Group A together for re-teaching while Group B students work on the lesson Population Size and Structure. For the remaining time, work with students individually or in small groups as needed. Common Misconceptions & Reteaching Strategies Many students may have difficulty understanding how matter and energy are transferred between organisms within different trophic levels, as well as interpreting the information provided in energy

16 pyramids. One common misconception students may have about trophic levels is that organisms that consume the same food sources must be on the same trophic level. Highlight for students that, while there is only one level for producers in an energy pyramid, there are multiple levels for consumers. For example, both owls and snakes will feed on small animals like mice and squirrels. However, owls may also feed on snakes, so these organisms are not part of the same trophic level, even though they do have some of the same food sources. Another misconception that students may have is that organisms that are at different trophic levels always have predator-prey relationships. Highlight for students that there are multiple relationships where organisms that are in different trophic levels either do not have predator-prey relationships, or may in fact have symbiotic relationships, such as with the shark and remora fish. Yet another misconception students may have is that food chains end with a large predator. Clarify for students that food chains do not ever end, but rather act more as a mechanism for matter cycling and energy transfer. Within food chains, large predators become a nutrient source for decomposers and producers after they die. Finally, students may have misconceptions regarding the accumulation and/or loss of energy that takes place at the different trophic levels. It is important for students to understand that, while the amount of energy available at each trophic level does decrease, the energy itself is not lost but transferred to the environment to be used in other ways. Day 2 Begin the lesson with the following discussion question: As the effects of climate change and urbanization have begun to have a greater impact on organisms throughout the world, humans have begun to relocate various animal species from areas experiencing the negative impacts of these phenomena to new areas in order to improve survival rates and prevent animal endangerment or extinction. Would this scenario be an example of emigration or immigration? How do you know? Encourage students to analyze how both emigration and immigration relate to the movement of populations from one region to another and how they are related to each other. Students work on finishing Population

17 Size and Structure and moving on to Succession and Extinction for the remainder of the class period. Monitor students who are struggling and provide individual attention as needed. Science and Engineering Practices / Cross-Cutting Concepts Within the lesson Population Size and Structure, students will examine how factors such as birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration affect the size of populations and overall carrying capacity of an ecosystem. Prior to beginning the lesson, review with students the concepts of density and distribution. After the lesson, discuss with students the connections between population size and population growth, such as what it would mean to the population size if a population is growing at a rate of zero or a has a negative rate of growth. Day 3 Students will work independently on finishing the digital lesson Succession and Extinction. Monitor students who are struggling and provide individual attention as needed. Science and Engineering Practices / Cross-Cutting Concepts Within the lesson Succession and Extinction, students examine the various factors that contribute to the processes of succession that occur within ecosystems and the extinction of different organisms, including the impacts of seasonal variations and climate change. As an extension activity, students could work in groups to evaluate various claims regarding the impact of climate change on different populations in ecosystems such as the tundra, rainforest, or wetlands. Students could present their views either individually in a written analysis that includes supporting evidence, or collaboratively with other students in a classroom debate. Day 4 Use data to identify students who struggled with the following learning objectives: Differentiate between density-dependent and density-independent factors. Explain how birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration affect population size.

18 Group students in pairs or triads such that each grouping has at least one student who did not struggle with these objectives and at least one student who did. Have students work in groups to create posters, worksheets, or other activities that could teach younger students the differences between density-dependent and densityindependent factors, as well as how the reproduction, death, and movement of organism populations affects the overall size of a population in an ecosystem. Common Misconceptions & Reteaching Strategies Many students may confuse density-dependent limiting factors with density-independent limiting factors, as well as have misconceptions regarding what types of factors can be limiting. One common misconception students may have is that density-dependent factors are only biotic, while densityindependent factors are only abiotic. Clarify for students that there are density-dependent limiting factors, such as availability of water or space, that are not biotic. Also clarify that density-independent limiting factors, such as the use of pesticides or habitat destruction, are directly caused by biotic factors (humans). Another misconception students may have about limiting factors is that all resources found within an environment act as limiting factors except the most abundant resource. Clarify for students that even though some resources within an environment are available in greater abundance, there are multiple instances in ecosystems where the removal of one factor, regardless of its abundance, can prevent specific events from occurring. A good example of this is photosynthesis - plants require sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and nutrients from the soil in order to complete the processes involved in photosynthesis. Even if a plant has an abundance of three of these factors, without the fourth, the process cannot occur. Many videos (such as the example here: are available online to provide students with a more interactive visualization of the relationship between limiting factors and populations.

19 Day 5 Some students will need this day to finish the week s required digital lessons. Other students will be finished with the required digital lessons. Refer to the work for early finishers for those that have completed the required lessons. Modifications for Special Populations Supporting English Learners Low Proficiency High Proficiency Front-load needed vocabulary before students begin the lesson on Day 2. Vocabulary needs will vary with each student population, but consider including: extinction, succession, stability, disturb, immigration, emigration, population, dependent and independent. Have students complete a flow chart of energy in an ecosystem using pictorial representation of various vocabulary words. Work for Early Finishers Allow early finishers to read a brief article discussing the long-term impacts of Hurricane Katrina on the ecosystems of the Gulf Coast: Have the students write a short summary discussing how Hurricane Katrina affected the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Gulf Coast, including both positive and negative impacts on the organisms of the region and steps that scientists are taking to aid in the recovery of the ecosystem.

20 Science & Engineering Practices Use mathematical and/or computational representations of phenomena or design solutions to support explanations. (HS-LS2-1) Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to support and revise explanations. (HS-LS2-2) Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merits of arguments. (HS-LS2-6) Evaluate the evidence behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merits of arguments. (HS-LS4-5) Cross-Cutting Concepts The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs. (HS-LS2-1) Using the concept of orders of magnitude allows one to understand how a model at one scale relates to a model at another scale. (HS-LS2-2) Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable. (HS-LS2-6) Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects. (HS-LS4-5) Real-World Connections Social Emotional Learning Connections Discuss how the processes of succession may differ after natural disasters vs. man-made disasters. Provide examples of events such as the Mount St. Helens eruption, Hurricane Katrina, the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, etc. and have students brainstorm how succession might be impacted in these scenarios (i.e., can succession occur in this situation? What type of succession could occur? How do you know? Are there any disaster scenarios where succession may not be able to occur? etc.) Lead a classroom discussion asking students to share a time when their ecosystem was disrupted in some way (divorce, death of a family member, moving to a new home/city, addition of a family member, illness of a family member, a new job, natural disaster etc.). Ask students how different people in their family coped with the change, how that disturbance affected their day to day lives, and what advice they would give someone going through that same situation. Be aware of any students in your classroom that have experienced trauma as this discussion might be challenging (or a trigger) for them.

21 Week 4 Human Impact on the Environment Unit 9: Introduction to Ecology Learning Goals This week, students will finish their exploration of ecosystems by investigating the positive and negative impacts of human activities on the environment and completing the Unit Review and Unit Test. Explain the relationship between the greenhouse effect and global warming. (HS-LS2-7) Describe positive and negative effects of human activities on ecosystems. (HS-LS2-7) Analyze how humans can reduce negative impacts on ecosystems. (HS-LS2-7, HS-LS4-6, HS-ETS1-1, HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-3, HS-ETS1-4) Edgenuity Digital Lessons Human Impact on the Environment Unit Review Unit Test Week at a Glance Day 1 Day 2 Use data to identify students who did not pass the quiz from Succession and Extinction. These students will be Group A. Students who passed the quiz will be Group B. During the first part of the class period, pull Group A together for re-teaching while Group B students work on Human Impact on the Environment. Begin the class with the following discussion question: What are some ways that advances in technology have changed how humans interact with the environment? Do you think technological advances are more beneficial or detrimental to the environment? Why?

22 Encourage students to analyze the various types of and ways that technology is used by humans to interact with the environment (such as in agriculture, the creation of genetically modified organisms, etc.), as well as how technology can be beneficial and detrimental to humans and the environment. During the discussion, complete the following demonstration to help students better understand how the detrimental effects of some technologies, such as pesticides or pollutants, can accumulate between different organisms within an environment. Demonstration Obtain 9 small cups, 3 medium cups, and 2 large cups. The small cups will represent 9 primary consumers, the medium cups will represent 3 secondary consumers, and one of the large cups will represent a tertiary consumer. Obtain 20 candies that are the same color to represent the general producer population, and 10 candies of a different color from the first set of candies to represent producers that have been affected by a pesticide or pollutant. Place all of the candies into the second large cup to represent the producer population in the example ecosystem. Shake the large cup and simulate one primary consumer eating some of the producers by having a student remove 3 of the candies from the producer population cup at random and placing them into one of the small cups. Repeat this step for the rest of the small cups with other students. Next, simulate the secondary consumers eating the primary consumers. Have another student empty the contents of 2 of the small cups at random into one of the medium cups. Repeat this process for the remaining medium size cups with other students.

23 Finally, simulate the tertiary consumer eating secondary consumers. Have one last student empty the contents of 2 of the medium size cups at random into the large cup. Discuss with the students how the effects of the pesticide or pollutant traveled from the primary consumers all the way through the food chain to the tertiary consumer, and how this provides just one example of why it is important for humans to try to minimize the negative impacts we have on the environment. For the remainder of the time, students will work independently on finishing the project for the Human Impacts on the Environment lesson. If students have completed this project already, guide them to the work for early finishers. Work with individual students as needed. Science and Engineering Practices / Cross-Cutting Concepts Within the project for the lesson Human Impact on the Environment, students evaluate the impacts of human activity on coral reef ecosystems, then develop solutions to mitigate some of the negative impacts. Prior to beginning the project, review with students the steps involved in the engineering design process. Emphasize the importance of considering factors such as safety, overall cost, impacts to society, etc. when developing an effective solution to an engineering problem, as well as the importance of providing scientific evidence to support their proposed solution. Day 3 Have students share their work from the previous day s project with one other group. Invite each group to share positive feedback with the whole class about the other s group s work. Use data fr to identify students who did not pass the quiz from Human Impact on the Environment. These students will be Group A. Students who passed the quiz will be Group B. After project results are shared, pull Group A together for re-teaching while Group B students work on the Unit Review. Common Misconceptions & Reteaching Strategies Many students may have misconceptions regarding the connections between the greenhouse effect and global warming or may think that these two phenomena are identical. Clarify for students that the greenhouse effect refers specifically to how the solar radiation that reaches the Earth moves into and

24 out of our atmosphere, similar to how heat moves in and out of a greenhouse. When solar radiation reaches the Earth and enters the atmosphere, it is trapped close to the Earth s surface by greenhouse gases. This energy then warms the oceans, land and atmosphere. In normal circumstances, heat energy is then re-released back out through the atmosphere into space, maintaining the Earth s temperature within a certain range. Global warming occurs when the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases due to human activity. The increased amounts of greenhouse gases enable the atmosphere to absorb and trap more heat, causing Earth s surface to warm even more than in normal circumstances and preventing heat from escaping the atmosphere. Students can complete a modeling activity to further aid in developing a thorough understanding of the relationship between the greenhouse effect and global warming such as the example found here: Day 4 Have any students that have yet to complete Unit Review activity do so at the start of the class period. Ask the remaining students to participate in the following review activity: Separate the students into several groups and provide each group with a list of various producers, consumers, and decomposers found in a specific ecosystem (i.e., one group will get a list of rainforest organisms, one will get a list of desert organisms, etc.). Students will separate the organisms in their list into specific groups (i.e., they will identify which organisms are producers, which are consumers, and which are decomposers - make sure that the lists of organisms have all of the types mixed together and not already separated). Each student in the group will select four organisms from the list (including appropriate consumers, producers, and decomposers), in order to create a food chain that can model the relationships that occur between various organisms in their ecosystem. Make sure the students all choose different organisms to make up their individual food chains.

25 After all of the students in an individual group have created their food chains, have the students discuss the individual food chains and work together to combine them into an overall food web for the ecosystem. Once each group has created their food web, give each of the groups a written description of an ecological disturbance that the organisms in their ecosystem might encounter (such as seasonal changes, natural disasters, human impacts, etc.) and have the students work together to create a written description of how the ecological disturbance could affect the organisms in the food web. As students complete the Unit Review, have them join this activity. Day 5 Have all students take the Unit Test. Modifications for Special Populations Supporting English Learners Low Proficiency High Proficiency To build background knowledge, have students watch the video Human Impacts on the Environment here: Then have them list the positive and negative effects of humans on the environment. Encourage students to add their own ideas. In groups, have students list all of the natural resources they use in one day. Have students group the resources by renewable and non-renewable resources. Lastly, have students determine what requirements would need to be in place to make the resources sustainable. Work for Early Finishers If students complete the Unit Test before the entire class is done, encourage them to journal or discuss the questions below with other students: Do you think technological advances will help humans significantly reduce our impact on the environment in the long run? Why or why not? Do you think it is more important for humans to view ourselves as separate from nature, or as a part of nature? Why? Which alternative energy source (wind, water, biofuel, etc.) do you think will be most beneficial to humans in the long run? Why?

26 Science & Engineering Practices Design, evaluate, and refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-LS2-7) Create or revise a simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system. (HS-LS4-6) Analyze complex real-world problems by specifying criteria and constraints for successful solutions. (HS-ETS1-1) Design a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-ETS1-2) Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-ETS1-3) Use mathematical models and/or computer simulations to predict the effects of a design solution on systems and/or the interactions between systems. (HS-ETS1-4) Cross-Cutting Concepts Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable. (HS-LS2-7) Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects. (HS-LS4-6) Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions including energy, matter, and information flows within and between systems at different scales. (HS-ETS1-4) Real-World Connections Social Emotional Learning Connections Discuss with students the increasing role renewable resources are playing in providing energy for homes, cars, industrial buildings, etc. Provide examples of both common (solar, wind, hydropower, etc.) and uncommon (biofuel, hydrogen) resources that are being used to create renewable energy. Have students discuss the advantages and disadvantages that the different types of renewable energy have in different applications and brainstorm what additional applications these types of energy could have in the future. Students will write a short paragraph on an activity they enjoy, why they enjoy it, and how the activity depends on natural resources. Then in small groups, students will share their ideas and discuss how their activity would be impacted and how their life would change if the natural resources were eliminated. Lastly, students will discuss sustainable practices and actions steps they can take to ensure the continuation of their activity.