STAGE ONE—DESIRED RESULTS
Established Goals (Content Standards) – Standard 3
B3 - Students recognize and analyze the consequences of the interdependence of organisms on environmental resources and the interdependence of organisms in ecosystems (Michigan Department of Education – High School Content Expectations/Biology, 2006)
B3.2-B3.3 - Students understand that the chemical elements that make up molecules of living things pass through food webs and are combined and recombined in different ways. During each exchange energy changes form or is dissipated to the environment as heat. Thus, matter and energy is conserved through each change. (Michigan Department of Education – High School Content Expectations/Biology, 2006)
B3.4-B3.5 - Students will understand that the population of living things increase and decrease in size as they interact with other populations and the environment. The rate of this change is dependent on birth and death rates. (Michigan Department of Education – High School Content Expectations/Biology, 2006)
Understandings Students will understand that…
Energy is stored in the organic matter of an ecosystem.
Energy is neither created nor destroyed during energy transfers in ecosystems, rather it is stored as organic matter or dissipated as heat.
The energy transfers that make up a food web are not simple one-to-one relationships but instead a complex web of interrelationships.
Removing an organism from a food web can have dramatic effects on the flow of energy through an ecosystem.
Trophic levels describe the population of producers, consumers and decomposers as well as the flow and dissipation of energy from energy transfers in a food web.
Essential Question – How is energy conserved in an ecosystem?
Other matter, such as nitrogen or carbon, flow through ecosystems much in the way that energy does.
Essential Question – How is matter conserved in an ecosystem?
Natural disasters may cause drastic changes in ecosystems but recovery through succession is typical.
Diversity in species increases the chance that at least some species will survive in cataclysmic environmental changes.
Human impact on the environment has consequences.
Environmental and populations changes in one organism can have an effect on the population size of other organisms.
Essential Question – How do ecosystems respond to positive and negative inputs?
Essential Question – How are species interdependent and interrelated?
Organisms employ different reproductive strategies and that these have advantages and disadvantages.
Population dynamics is a function of the physical and chemical environment.
How the carrying capacity of an environment regulates population growth or decline.
Essential Question – How do populations respond to positive and negative inputs?
Essential Question – How does the environment regulate population size and ecosystem stability?
Common misconceptions – energy is created in the sun, energy lost during transfer is destroyed, matter is “used up” or destroyed instead of changing forms, as a measure of biomass large consumers outweigh producers, ecosystems do not have the ability to self-regulate, negative human impact on the environment is limited to carbon dioxide emissions and pollution, the loss of species has no dramatic effect on our lives, the removal of a predator from an ecosystem will have no effect on prey species populations, the earth has no carrying capacity
Essential Questions (including explanation and rationale for each one)
How is energy and matter conserved in an ecosystem? While this question is posed in a topical manner, it has far-reaching applications. The same premise, the Law of Conservation of Energy and the Law of Conservation of Matter, are used throughout the high school science curriculum as a core idea for many of the systems we study. In addition, this question can be demonstrated through real-world applications and hands-on experiences allowing multiple learning styles to better transfer this concept. Understanding these laws allow students to make sense of many surprising outcomes in science-based inquiry because of the many misconceptions when dealing with the concept of conservation. While it would seem to be a simple question, upon reflection it has basis in all four of the connotations that Wiggins and McTighe use to qualify an essential question (2005).
How do ecosystems respond to positive and negative inputs? This question is a core concept in ecology that is still heavily contested and argued about even among the world’s leading ecologists. While some of the responses by ecosystems are simple, others involve a complex domino effect that is far reaching and begs for exploration. This variety of complexity allows for multiple learning styles and abilities to be actively involved in discovery and discussion. In addition, the current relationship between human interaction and the state of the world ecological health is at the forefront of political and economic discussions. Thus this question will continue to be a hotbed of social discourse during our student’s lives.
How are species interdependent and interrelated? This is an example of a more topical essential question. It relates specifically to the question above but asks students to narrow their thinking to the biotic factors of an ecosystem. In this way, it flows directly and easily from one of the other essential questions. However, this question is meant as “a bridge to findings…that learners do not yet grasp of see as valuable” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, pg. 109). Again, students will continually experience this question throughout their lives as it is integrated into the political and social commentary of conservationism and governmental programs such as the Endangered Species Act. Finally, this question can be expanded as a basis for interdependence and interrelationships in other are of inquiry such as mathematical modeling and social discourse.
How do populations respond to positive and negative inputs? Again, this topical essential question is closely related to our essential question concerning ecosystems. However, this question gives us the opportunity more narrowly look at cause and effect relationships that are not as complex. The ability to understand and utilize cause and effect as a basis for inquiry and discussion is an essential skill for multiple curricular studies and as populations deal with only one organism they are easily modeled using simple mathematics or hands-on manipulative devices. This would allow transfer for a multitude of learning styles and diverse student abilities and for the application of this type of inquiry in multiple concept areas. Finally, we can extend this concept to discuss the response of our own population to current inputs from the environment, social, economic, political and theological pressures.
How does the environment regulate population size and ecosystem stability? This essential question is a core idea in the study of ecological systems. This system is not completely understood and is evidenced by the current debate over global warming is a hot button for political and social discussions. Because there are varying viewpoints the students are able to apply their own personal experiences without repercussion and the transfer of core ideas concerning this question can be facilitated through their own prior knowledge. The exploration of this question can be assisted through visual and mathematical means, including graphs and charts. This would allow for multiple learning styles and variety in the tools used for discussion.
Knowledge
Students will know…
Key terms – organic matter, consumer, producer, decomposer, organism, population, community, trophic levels, nitrogen cycle, carbon cycle, carbon, nitrogen, succession, biodiversity, ecosystem, ecosystem equilibrium, greenhouse effect, global warming, reproductive capacity, population, population dynamics, abiotic factors, carrying capacity, exponential growth
The laws governing the conservation of matter and energy.
The trophic level system of ecology.
Types of producers, consumers and decomposers and types of interactions between organisms.
Types of human impact on the environment. Variables influencing environmental change.
Types of natural succession.
Types of reproductive strategies.
Creating an exponential growth curve.
Types of common population graphs.
Students will be able to…
Describe the flow of energy through an organism or food web including the energy lost to the dissipation of heat.
Describe the flow of energy and biomass depicted in a trophic level pyramid.
Describe the flow of carbon and nitrogen through an ecosystem using visual and written means.
Create a cause and effect written response to an ecological change or problem posed in a written citation.
Create a cause and effect written response to an ecological change or problem posed in a visual representation.
Describe how biodiversity strengthens the viability of ecosystems even in response to cataclysmic events.
Determine the possible consequences of human impact on environmental conditions.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of varied reproductive strategies.
Interpret a population graph and determine the possible cause and effect relationships shown in graphical data.
STAGE TWO—ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Performance Task(s)
Energy and Matter Mapping – Students will create a visual map of the matter and energy as it flows through and conserved in an ecosystem. For each energy transfer or matter conversion, the students will include a written description of how conservation occurs for example sighting whether energy is lost in the form heat during the conversion of sugar into ATP.
Constructive Response Questions – Students receive a written or visual prompt and must answer a series of complex and insightful questions. For every question, an explanation of their proposed answer must be included. This allows for the variety of viable answers to ecological questions and requires the student to support their argument with the core principles introduced during classroom reading and discussion. Several of these were taken from former ACT, SAT, MME and PSAT tests to better prepare them for standardized written response questions and multiple choice. These will be used extensively throughout the unit because they can be applied to all of the essential questions and require the students to apply multiple concepts in the same task.
Wolf Population lab – Students will model a wolf population and use mathematical principles and random event generation to analyze the effect of human interaction, infant mortality, disease, habitat destruction and food shortages on population size and viability.
Predator/Prey Lab – Students will model four different prey species and four different predator species in multiple environments. This modeling will include the use of mathematical principles and graphing while the analysis will focus on the interaction among species, their environment and the adaptations for each predator and prey species.
Population Graphing and Analysis – Students will be given human population graphs and asked to analyze population fluctuations due to historical events. Students will then create population graphs from available data and use them to analyze and predict the cause and effect relationship with positive and negative environmental impacts. Several of these examples have been built from ACT, SAT, MME and PSAT exam questions using the analysis of graphs as their basis.
Human Environmental Impact Survey – Students will do a self-survey, identifying the possible positive and negative impacts they have on the environment and how the environment reacts to these inputs. The students will then broaden their survey to include local, state, national and global human impact events. The students will create a final written response to the information gathered during the survey. This written response will ask them to apply all ecological principles presented during the unit, ask them to add personal commentary on the current state of human impact and give at least one specific example of an action to improve human/environmental relations.
Key Criteria
Energy and Matter Mapping – The maps will be compared a master and grade according to the number of correct map connections. The map connection explanations will be graded using a holistic rubric dependent on the student’s application of the Laws of Conservation.
Constructive Response Questions – Several of these tasks will be informal using a holistic rubric to assess the students understanding of ecological principles and their ability to support their argument. Several of these tasks will be formal using an analytical rubric assessing their proper use of new vocabulary, the organization of their argument, the application of ecological principles and the quality of support given to their argument. These analytical rubrics have been created with assistance from the English department.
Wolf Population lab – The data and graphing will be assessed on the accuracy and precision of the mathematical techniques and application. The analysis section will be graded using a holistic rubric for each question. These rubrics were created based using the facet related criteria devised by Wiggins and McTighe (2005). Each of the questions applies to one of the facets identified by Wiggins and McTighe and that facet is incorporated and explained in the question.
Predator/Prey Lab – The data and graphing will be assessed on the accuracy and precision of the mathematical techniques and application. The analysis section will be graded using a holistic rubric based on the application of ecological principles and the strength of support using data from the lab.
Population Graphing and Analysis – The data and graphing will be assessed on the accuracy and precision of the mathematical techniques and application. The analysis section will be graded using a holistic rubric based on the application of ecological principles and the strength of support using data from the graphs.
Human Environmental Impact Survey – The initial survey will be assessed based on introspection and completion. The final survey will be assessed using the final written response. An analytical rubric will be used assessing their proper use of new vocabulary, the organization of their argument, the application of ecological principles, the quality of support given to their argument and the quality and creativity of their proposed improvement to human/environmental relations. These analytical rubrics have been created with assistance from the English department.
Other Evidence
Conversation Card – During several of the tasks listed above, I will travel from student-to-student and interview each using a list of premade questions. Their performance on these questions will be kept and logged on a 5x8 card for each student.
Self-Assessment of Essential Question – At the conclusion of each classroom discussion, the students will give one concrete example from the discussion of how we addressed the Essential Question of the day (posted on the board).
Section Quizzes – These summative assessments will include questions related to new vocabulary as well as other knowledge-based questions. In addition, a series of understanding based questions, both multiple choice and written response, will assess the integration of new information and their application to the Essential Questions for the subunit.
Unit Exam - These summative assessments will include questions related to new vocabulary as well as other knowledge-based questions. In addition, a series of understanding based questions, both multiple choice and written response, will assess the integration of new information and their application to the Essential Questions for the unit.
STAGE THREE—LEARNING PLAN
Lesson
WHERETO
High School Science Unit on Ecology
DAY ONE
1. Review Calendar
2. Food Web Activity – Students choose an organism in an ecosystem. They assemble a food web (prior knowledge) in the room using yarn and the given written material on their organisms “diet”. Once assembled, we discuss how removing an organism from the environment might affect the other organisms. Finally, we remove one organism by cutting the yarn that attaches them to the food web. The result is that this severs many of the connections and the food web, built by the yarn, collapses. We relate the result to our first essential question, “How are species interdependent and interrelated?”
3. Interactive reader – Students read a short assignment from the text and an interactive reading section that coincides with the section. The topic of this reading assignment is the organizational levels of ecology and the methods used in the study of ecology. Prior to this assignment, I explain the expectations for all interactive reading assignments. During the text section, students are to focus on new vocabulary. During the interactive reading sections, students are to focus on the larger concepts.
DAY ONE
1. Where and Why
2. Hook and Hold, Organized
3. Equip
DAY TWO
4. Classroom Discussion – The students engage in a classroom discussion based on the activity and the reading assignment. A PowerPoint presentation that integrates several video clips, pictures and graphs guides the discussion.
5. Self-assessment – Students write on a 3x5 card one larger theme they gathered from the reading assignment or activity and relate it to one of our essential questions.
6. Constructive Response Questions – Students receive a list of 12 constructive response questions. They must choose four to complete. A rubric is given and discussed that will help guide their responses and assess their work. This rubric includes visual ways they may use to answer questions.
DAY TWO
4. Hook, Hold, Equip, Tailored, Organized
5. Evaluate, Organized
6. Equip, Organized
DAY THREE
7. Peer Review – Students assemble in groups of two and compare their answers to the constructive response questions. A list of questions for each group facilitates their discussion.
8. Revise and expand – Based on group discussion, students revise and expand on their constructive responses.
9. Constructive Response Questions – Students will choose four additional constructive response questions to answer.
DAY THREE
7. Equip, Evaluate, Organized
8. Rethink , Revise and Review, Evaluate, Tailored
9. Equip, Organized
DAY FOUR
10. Classroom Discussion – We will discuss the answers that students have given to the constructive response questions and give class-wide feedback on the answers given.
11. Self-assessment – Students write on a 3x5 card one larger theme they gathered from the reading assignment or activity and relate it to one of our essential questions.
12. Wolf Lab – Students will model a wolf population using random probability and mathematics. The class compiles the results from the lab and uses this data during the discussion questions.
DAY FOUR
10. Equip, Evaluate
11. Evaluate
12. Hook and Hold, Tailored, Organized
DAY FIVE
13. Wolf Lab – Students hold a classroom discussion of the results of the wolf lab, the answers to their discussion questions and the implications to our essential questions.
14. Summative Assessment – Quiz #1 - A short quiz assesses student understanding of new vocabulary and the application of concepts in real-world contextual questions.
15. Review Calendar
DAY FIVE
13. Evaluate, Organized
14. Evaluate, Organized
15. Where and Why
DAY SIX
16. Interactive Reading Assignment – This assignment focuses on the trophic level system, biotic and abiotic factors, and human impact on environmental factors.
17. Review of Essential Questions – Students review the essential questions and discuss how these questions apply to the topics presented during the first six days of the unit. This review also includes a self-assessment aspect. Students determine which essential questions to address next and they give suggestions on how they would learn those best (metacognition).
DAY SIX
16. Equip
17. Where and Why, Organized, Evaluate, Rethink, Reflect and Revise
DAY SEVEN
18. Classroom Discussion – An interactive PowerPoint presentation complete with video clips, images, graphs and several quick quizzes so students can assess whether they have been gathering all information. A guided note sheet goes along with this presentation/discussion.
19. Self-assessment – Students write on a 3x5 card one larger theme they gathered from the reading assignment or discussion and relate it to one of our essential questions.
20. Constructive Response Questions – The students will choose at least four of the constructive response questions to complete. These questions integrate some of the new concepts from the lesson as well as address some of the previous material as well. The same rubric evaluates the answers given by students.
DAY SEVEN
18. Hook and Hold, Equip, Tailored
19. Evaluate
20. Equip, Organized
DAY EIGHT
21. Peer Review – Students review the answers to others constructive response questions and give written feedback using the peer review form. The students have used this form for other writing samples so they have gotten quite good at using it correctly. It also includes a metacognition section where the students discuss what and how they learned something new by reading the answers given by the other students.
22. Revise and Expand – Students use the feedback sheets from their peers to reflect and revise their work.
23. Foldable – Students build a learning tool that integrates several key elements of ecology. The specific topics are the levels of organization of ecology, the methods of ecological study, the trophic level pyramid, biotic and abiotic factors. The foldable is completed using written and visual expression to compile the information concerning these key elements into a study aid.
DAY EIGHT
21.Rethink, Revise, Reflect, Evaluate, Tailored
22. Rethink, Revise, Reflect, Evaluate, Organized
23. Tailored, Equip, Hold
DAY NINE
24. Predator-Prey Lab – Students model the relationship between predator and prey population size with the influence of environmental conditions and habitat dynamics. This lab includes the use of Excel as a medium for graphical analysis of data and the compilation and manipulation of data.
DAY NINE
24. Hold, Organized, Tailored, Equip
DAY TEN
25. Classroom Discussion – Students discuss how the essential questions, “How are species interdependent and interrelated?” and “How do populations respond to positive and negative inputs?” relate to the lab results.
26. Summative Assessment – Quiz #2 - A short quiz assesses student understanding of new vocabulary and the application of concepts in real-world contextual questions.
27. Review Calendar
28. Human Environmental Impact Survey – Students will complete a long-term survey of their personal impact on the environment. Students record a daily log of the ways they affect their environment.
DAY TEN
25. Where, Why, Organized
26. Evaluate, Organized
27. Where and Why
28. Organized, Hold
DAY ELEVEN
29. Interactive Reading Assignment – This reading assignment focuses on symbiotic relationships.
30. Review of Essential Questions – Through classroom discussion, students will restate and review the essential questions.
DAY ELEVEN
29. Equip
30.Where and Why
DAY TWELVE
31. Classroom Discussion - An interactive PowerPoint presentation complete with video clips, images, graphs and several quick quizzes so students can assess whether they have been gathering all information. A guided note sheet goes along with this presentation/discussion. Two essential questions are the focus. “How are species interdependent and interrelated?” “How do populations respond to positive and negative inputs?”
32. Self-assessment – Students write on a 3x5 card one larger theme they gathered from the reading assignment or activity and relate it to one of our essential questions.
DAY TWELVE
31.Hook, Hold, Tailored, Organized
32. Evaluate
DAY THIRTEEN
33. Symbiosis Activity – 15 sets of cards represent 30 pairs of symbiotic organisms. The students find their symbiotic partner and present this relationship to the class. They assemble in groups and play a game similar to “Go Fish” however they must describe the relationship between the pairs of organisms that they assemble.
DAY THIRTEEN
33. Hook, Hold, Organized, Tailored
DAY FOURTEEN
34. Foldable – Students create a learning tool for the five symbiotic relationships. This tool includes definitions, descriptions, a real-world example and a glossary of terms.
DAY FOURTEEN
34. Tailored, Equip, Organized
DAY FIFTEEN
35. Summative Assessment – Quiz #3 - A short quiz assesses student understanding of new vocabulary and the application of concepts in real-world contextual questions.
36. Review Calendar
37. Human Environmental Impact Survey – Students expand their survey creating a list of the ways humans affect the environment. This activity includes creating a chart of the causes and affects of environmental change based on their personal survey and the human species impact they identified.
DAY FIFTEEN
35. Evaluate
36. Where and Why
37. Organized, Hold
DAY SIXTEEN
38. Interactive Reading Assignment – This assignment focuses on succession and population dynamics.
39. Review of Essential Questions – This discussion focuses on the essential questions that we have not discussed.
DAY SIXTEEN
38. Equip
39. Where, Why, Reflect
DAY SEVENTEEN
40. Classroom Discussion - An interactive PowerPoint presentation complete with video clips, images, graphs and several quick quizzes so students can assess whether they have been gathering all information. A guided note sheet goes along with this presentation/discussion.
41. Self-assessment – Students write on a 3x5 card one larger theme they gathered from the reading assignment or activity and relate it to one of our essential questions.
42. Constructive Response Questions – The student choose four of the twelve constructive response questions given. These questions focus on population dynamics and ecosystem response.
DAY SEVENTEEN
40. Hook, Hold, Organized, Tailored
41. Evaluate, Rethink, Reflect
42. Organized, Tailored
DAY EIGHTEEN
43. Peer Review – Students share and give feedback to the constructive response questions of peers. A peer review sheet facilitates their discussion and feedback.
44. Revise and Expand – Students revise their answers to the constructive response questions based on peer discussion and the peer review sheet feedback.
45. Population Graphing and Analysis Activity – Students complete the pre-lab activity for population dynamics activity. We discuss what questions will be asked at the conclusion of the activity and the method used to complete their study.
DAY EIGHTEEN
43. Organized, Evaluate, Rethink, Reflect
44. Evaluate, Rethink, Revise, Reflect
45. Where and Why
DAY NINETEEN
46. Population Graphing and Analysis Activity – Students review human population graphs and compare the results with modern human historical events that may have caused population fluctuations. Students create a population graph based on a study of lynx and hair population. They are presented with several factors that contribute to the population fluctuations and discuss this cause-affect relationship in a written format.
47. Practice Problems – Students complete four of the twelve practice problems dealing with population dynamics.
DAY NINETEEN
46. Hook, Organized, Tailored
47. Equip
DAY TWENTY
48. Summative Assessment – Quiz #3 - A short quiz assesses student understanding of new vocabulary and the application of concepts in real-world contextual questions.
49. Review Calendar
DAY TWENTY
48. Evaluate
49. Where and Why
DAY TWENTYONE
50. Interactive Reading Assignment – This reading assignment focuses on the Laws of thermodynamics.
51. Review of Essential Questions - This discussion focuses on the essential questions that we have not discussed.
DAY TWENTYONE
50. Equip
51. Where, Why, Reflect
DAY TWENTYTWO
52. Classroom Discussion - An interactive PowerPoint presentation complete with video clips, images, graphs and several quick quizzes so students can assess whether they have been gathering all information. A guided note sheet goes along with this presentation/discussion.
53. Self-assessment – Students write on a 3x5 card one larger theme they gathered from the reading assignment or activity and relate it to one of our essential questions.
DAY TWENTYTWO
52. Hook, Hold, Organized, Tailored
53.Evaluate, Reflect
DAY TWENTYTHREE
54. Energy and Matter Mapping Activity – Students map the energy and matter as it changes form throughout an ecosystem. This models the laws of thermodynamics and dispels the misconception that energy and matter is created or destroyed. The activity culminates with four discussion questions that require students to discuss the changing form of matter or energy and its conservation.
DAY TWENTYTHREE
54. Hook, Hold, Organized, Tailored
DAY TWENTYFOUR
55. Review Session – Students work through a review sheet. This requires them to pull information from the entire unit and apply it to overarching questions presented as small stories of ecological interactions.
56. Peer Assessment Review – Students will gather in groups of two, use a question, and answer sheet to quiz each other on their knowledge and application of the five essential questions from the unit plan.
DAY TWENTYFOUR
55. Evaluate, Rethink, Reflect, Organized
56. Evaluate, Rethink, Reflect, Organized
DAY TWENTYFIVE
57. Final Assessment – This is a summative assessment of the Ecology unit. This includes a series of constructive response questions designed to illicit information that applies to all five of the essential questions.
DAY TWENTYFIVE
57. Evaluate
