Grade: 7

Content Area: Science

Course Name: Life Science

Unit: Ecology

Description of Unit: Students will investigate the living and nonliving components of the natural world and how they impact each other.

Approximate Time Needed: 2-3 weeks 

Learning Targets

Assessments

Instructional Considerations

Instructional Approach

Resources

7.4.2.1.1 I can identify a variety of populations and communities in an ecosystem along with relationships among the populations and communities.

7.4.2.1.2 I can compare and contrast the roles of organisms within the following relationships: predator/prey, parasite/host, and producer/consumer/decomposer.

7.4.2.2.2 I can describe the roles and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in changing energy from one form to another in the food web within an ecosystem.

7.4.2.1.3 I can explain how the number of populations an ecosystem can support depends on the biotic and abiotic resources.

7.4.2.2.3 I can explain that the total amount of matter in an ecosystem remains the same as it is transferred between organisms and their physical environment.

7.4.4.1.2 I can describe ways that human activities can change the populations and communities in an ecosystem.

7.1.3.4.1 I can use maps, satellite images and other data sets to describe patterns and make predictions about natural systems.

Pre-Assessments:

Ecology Pre-Assessment

KEY Ecology Pre-Assessment

Formative Assessments:

9.1 Guided Reading Wkst

9.1 Abiotic and Biotic Factors Wkst

9.1 Map Your Neighborhood

9.2 Guided Reading Wkst

9.2 Sunflower Estimate Activity

9.3 Guided Reading Wkst

9.3 Symbiotic Relationships

9.4 Guided Reading Wkst

9.4 Ecosystem Poster

9.5 Guided Reading Wkst

9.5 Biome in a Bottle

9.6 Guided Reading Wkst

9.6 Food Web and Energy Flow

9.6 Snake River Food Web Project

Unit 9 Ecology Review

Benchmark/Summative Assessment:

Ecology Summative Environmental Issues Debate

Ecology Summative Issues Debate Grading Rubric

Ecology Post Assessment

KEY Ecology Post Assessment

Student Background Knowledge:

• Cells
• Photosynthesis
• Cellular Respiration
• Solar Energy

Essential Questions:

• How are living things connected, both directly and indirectly, within ecosystems?
• How are biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems connected?
• How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere connected on the Earth?
• How does the energy supplied by the sun transfer through all living things?
• How do the populations of predators and prey affect each other?
• How are parasites and hosts related to each other?

Academic Language:

Observation

Analysis

Prediction

Trends

Field Studies

Cause and Effect

Correlation

Cross-Content Integration:

Math - Calculating the amount of energy lost between each level of an energy pyramid

Geography - Using maps and satellite images to evaluate changes within ecosystems over time

Social Sciences - Examining the impact of humans on ecological systems

Web Resources:

Ecology WWW Page

Nat’l Geographic - Ecology

Bill Nye the Science Guy, Biodiversity 

Bill Nye the Science Guy, Climates

Bill Nye the Science Guy, Food Web

The Cost of Cool, part 1 of 3 documentary

The Cost of Cool, part 2 of 3 documentary 

The Cost of Cool, part 3 of 3 documentary

Carbon Footprint Calculator 

Research:

CK-12 Foundation

Technology Resources:

Digital device for Google Earth

Community Resources:

Local natural area (school campus, park, etc.) for various field studies