Name:  Peter Nelson   

Subject: Biology I (Ecology)

Period: 3rd

Approximate Time: 50 minutes

Objective:

The student will outline a scenario demonstrating ecosystem interdependence (Biology, 7.d).

Materials:

 whiteboard, whiteboard markers, writing utensil, blank paper

Bell Work:

Have them answer questions on the vocabulary from friday with a word bank.

eutrophic : Name the term used to describe lakes rich in vegetation.

neritic: The ocean zone full of many organisms and coral reef

intertidal: Some animals in this ocean zone have adapted by burrowing in the sand and hiding in their shells

estuary: where freshwater mixes with the sea (saltwater).

Aphotic: sunlight is unable to reach this region of the ocean

Set:

Take four minutes to write down a situation in which members of a group were dependent on each other and explain how they were dependent on each other. For example...give a car example..dvd, rims, name embroidered, etc. but no engine! Tell them to try to think of “people” examples. Call on the students and get answers, if you like one of their answers roll with it. Otherwise, use a football example (offensive line decides not to block, it doesn’t matter how good you are). Draw example on the board and explain that just like in the situations mentioned, organisms in the ecosystem depend on each other. (it doesn’t matter how big and strong and fast a mountain lion is, if there is no prey it isn’t eating) Today we will be talking about ecosystem interdependence (ask for a definition of interdependence) and by the end of class you will be able to create your own scenario of ecosystem interdependence. 

Procedure:

1. Following the example of interdependence, run through the levels of ecological organization one more time : organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere.

2. Ask them if a population keeps growing. Why not? Have them come up with ideas. Write examples of limiting factors on the board (birth/death rate, organisms entering and leaving the environment, amount of available resources). Explain that because of limiting factors, populations have a carrying capacity (point when the population begins to level off). Draw a graph to demonstrate this on the board with size on the Y axis and Time on the X axis.

3. However, there can be unrestricted population growth. Ask them what that might look like on a graph. Explain that this can occur if a new species is introduced to the population (no predators, plenty of food). Possibly use The Simpsons as an example with the frogs.

4. However, as we figured out earlier, not all changes in an ecosystem are the result of introducing a new species. Small changes can occur from year to year or from season to season.

5. Ask them to help you draw a food web reflective of a mississippi environment (ask which biome mississippi is in for review). After the food web is complete, tell them that a tree fungus (or something) killed many of the tress during the summer that year. Give them about 6 minutes to come up with as many effects of this as they can.

6. Explain the effects of this change according to the food web. Give a positive example such as increased rain and have the students call out answers to your questions about the possible effects of increased rain.

7. Tell the students that they will be creating their own food web and their own change (positive or negative). Have them write a short paragraph about the effects of their change and make sure they draw their food web on the page as well. (10 minutes or so depending on how much time you have left) When finished, call on the students for their examples.

8. Collect the paragraphs and food webs at the bell.

Closure:

Great job today. To review ask about limiting factors and what limited and unlimited pop. growth would look like in a line graph. Remember that just like cars, teams, and... organisms depend other parts of their ecosystem. Congratulate them on being able create interesting examples of ecosystem interdependency and explain that tomorrow they will be looking at how humans can become involved in ecosystems. If time allows ask them to call out some examples.

Assessment/Evaluation:

Objective: The student will outline a scenario demonstrating ecosystem interdependence (Biology, 7.d).

Informal: The teacher will monitor student progress (M) throughout the class period to ensure that the student will accurately create a scenario demonstrating ecosystem interdependence (C).

Formal: The teacher will assign and collect a scenario (M) demonstrating ecosystem interdependence (C) that will be graded and recorded in the grade book (D)

 Create your own educational wiki!HelpPublic, not yet premium Privacy Policy RSS