Biodiversity: Variety of organisms in an ecosystem or biome.
Students will understand the relationship between living organisms and their environment. Different environments support different living organisms that are adapted to that region of Earth. Organisms are living systems that maintain a steady state with that environment and whose balance may be disrupted by internal and external stimuli. External stimuli include human activity or the environment. Successful organisms can reestablish a balance through different processes such as a feedback mechanism. Ecological succession can be seen on a broad or small scale.”
Students learn that all organisms obtain energy, get rid of wastes, grow, and reproduce. During both sexual and asexual reproduction, traits are passed on to the next generation. These traits are contained in genetic material that is found on genes within a chromosome from the parent. Changes in traits sometimes occur in a population over many generations. One of the ways a change can occur is through the process of natural selection. Students extend their understanding of structures in living systems from a previous focus on external structures to an understanding of internal structures and functions within living things.”
Prior to this unit, in elementary grades, students studied major types of ecosystems and how adaptations helped organisms survive in their environment. During this lesson, students will study different environments and the biodiversity within each environment. A biome is a climatically and geographically defined area of similar communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms. Additionally, students will describe how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem.
Students learn that all organisms obtain energy, get rid of wastes, grow, and reproduce. During both sexual and asexual reproduction, traits are passed on to the next generation. These traits are contained in genetic material that is found on genes within a chromosome from the parent. Changes in traits sometimes occur in a population over many generations. One of the ways a change can occur is through the process of natural selection. Students extend their understanding of structures in living systems from a previous focus on external structures to an understanding of internal structures and functions within living things.”
Prior to this unit, in elementary grades, students studied major types of ecosystems and how adaptations helped organisms survive in their environment. During this lesson, students will study different environments and the biodiversity within each environment. A biome is a climatically and geographically defined area of similar communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms. Additionally, students will describe how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem.
LESSONS FOR THE UNIT
Week 1:
Monday: Day 1
Objective: Students will work in groups of 2 or 3 to peer edit their researched vocabulary terms. Lesson: Warm-up: What does it mean to be diverse (different)? Do you feel like it is better to be diverse or to be the same?(4 sentences) Lesson: Students will peer edit their vocabulary terms. |
Tuesday: Day 2
Lesson: Warm-up: What is the relationship between studying vocabulary and your science grade? (3 sentences) Lesson: Students will work in groups to make deeper connections to vocabulary. Students will match vocabulary cards create illustrations that represent vocabulary terms. |
Wednesday: Day 3
Objective: Students will complete a guided reading activity. Lesson: Warm-up: Describe how biodiversity affects an ecosystem? Lesson: Students will complete a guided reading activity. |
Thursday: Day 4
Lesson: Warm-up: What are some biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem? Lesson: Students will take notes on the American Prairie. |
Friday:
Day 5
Lesson: Warm-up: How do you think communities are affected over time? (4 sentences) Lesson: Students will finish taking notes on the American Prairie. Review vocabulary by applying them to components of the American Prairie ecosystem and complete a concept map. |
Week 2:
Monday. Warm-up: What are some biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem?
Lesson: Students will work in small groups to take notes on the American Prairie. |
Tuesday. Warm-up: How do you think communities are affected over time? (4 sentences)
Lesson: Students will begin a group biome research project for a major grade. |
Wednesday.
Warm-up: Please pick up the necessary materials to create your flip book. Lesson: Students will create flip books for note taking; students will present biome project. |
Thursday.
Warm-up: Please pick up the necessary materials to create your flip book. Lesson: Students will create flip books for note taking; students will present biome project. |
Friday.
Warm-up: What is your favorite biome and why do you feel that way?
Lesson: Students will create flip books for note taking; students will present biome project. |
Ecological Succession:
What Is Primary & Secondary Succession? By Dennie Ho
Primary and secondary succession are the two types of ecological succession, or natural progression of biological and plant life from one condition to another. Conceptually, primary succession is the “starting from scratch” mode of natural progression, a pioneering of plant life. Secondary succession is the progression of life that follows this pioneering and involves the domination of the smaller initial species by those species better adapted to the evolving conditions.
What Is Ecological Succession? By Eric Dontigney
Cause Ecosystems are not static. They are dynamic environmental systems that are subject to alteration. For any given species, be it plant or animal, there are environmental conditions that will allow that species to thrive. If those conditions remain static, those species would continue to thrive. Ironically, the presence of those very species--not to mention other natural forces and human intervention--can all serve to alter the environmental conditions such that those species can no longer thrive, but other species can thrive.
Primary and secondary succession are the two types of ecological succession, or natural progression of biological and plant life from one condition to another. Conceptually, primary succession is the “starting from scratch” mode of natural progression, a pioneering of plant life. Secondary succession is the progression of life that follows this pioneering and involves the domination of the smaller initial species by those species better adapted to the evolving conditions.
What Is Ecological Succession? By Eric Dontigney
Cause Ecosystems are not static. They are dynamic environmental systems that are subject to alteration. For any given species, be it plant or animal, there are environmental conditions that will allow that species to thrive. If those conditions remain static, those species would continue to thrive. Ironically, the presence of those very species--not to mention other natural forces and human intervention--can all serve to alter the environmental conditions such that those species can no longer thrive, but other species can thrive.
VIDEOS!
http://videos.emule.com/play/food-chains-%28cWh-XKhh8xo
COOL LINKS TO LEARN MORE!
Websites on Biomes:
http://www.mbgnet.net/
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webunits/biomes/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/
http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/index1.html
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm
http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html
http://animal.discovery.com/guides/mammals/habitat/map.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biome
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/ gloss5/biome/
Texas Regions Information: (Click on one of the seven regions for plant, animal, topography, information, etc. specific for Texas):
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/about_texas/regions/
Biodiversity:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/gallery/earth_climate/biodiversity/
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity
http://www.mbgnet.net/
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webunits/biomes/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/
http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/index1.html
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm
http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html
http://animal.discovery.com/guides/mammals/habitat/map.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biome
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/ gloss5/biome/
Texas Regions Information: (Click on one of the seven regions for plant, animal, topography, information, etc. specific for Texas):
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/about_texas/regions/
Biodiversity:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/gallery/earth_climate/biodiversity/
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity