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 

Lesson

Duration

Supporting Target

Resources

Pre

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

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

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

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

I can recognize that producers use the energy from sunlight to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water through a processes called photosynthesis and that this food can be used immediately, stored for later use, or used by other organisms.

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

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.

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.

Ecology Pre Assessment

KEY Ecology Pre-Assessment

9.1

1-2 days

I can describe how organisms (biotic) can interact with their nonliving (abiotic) environment.

I can describe the levels of organization in ecology.

9.1 Lesson - Ecology

9.1 Guided Reading Worksheet

9.1 Abiotic and Biotic Factors Wkst

9.1 Map Your Neighborhood

9.2

1-2 days

I can explain how population changes are affected by births, deaths, migration, limiting factors, and human activity.

9.2 Lesson - Populations

9.2 Sunflower Estimate Activity

9.3

1-2 days

I can describe how competition, predation, and symbiosis affects various populations.

9.3 Lesson - Communities

9.3 Guided Reading Worksheet

9.3 Symbiotic Relationships

9.4

1-2 days

I can discuss how biotic and abiotic factors affect ecosystems and how organisms are adapted to live in the habitat.

9.4 Lesson - Ecosystems

9.4 Ecosystem Poster

9.5

1-2 days

I can describe the differences between terrestrial and aquatic biomes.

I can describe the features of the biosphere and list specific systems.

9.5 Lesson - Biomes and the Biosphere

9.5 Biome in a Bottle

9.6

1-2 days

I can explain from where all the energy in an ecosystem comes.

I can identify organisms based on how they obtain energy.

I can explain the flow of energy through an ecosystem using an energy pyramid and food web.

9.6 Lesson Flow of Energy

9.6 Food Web and Energy Flow

9.6 Snake River Food Web Project

Unit 9 Review

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

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

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

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

I can recognize that producers use the energy from sunlight to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water through a processes called photosynthesis and that this food can be used immediately, stored for later use, or used by other organisms.

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

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.

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.

Unit 9 Ecology Review

Unit 9 Summative Assessment

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

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

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

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

I can recognize that producers use the energy from sunlight to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water through a processes called photosynthesis and that this food can be used immediately, stored for later use, or used by other organisms.

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

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.

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.

Ecology Summative Environmental Issues Debate

Ecology Summative Issues Debate Grading Rubric

Ecology Post Assessment

KEY Ecology Post Assessment