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TEACHER RESOURCE NETWORK/TEACHER CHANNEL®

Ecosystems: Lessons for 7th Grade Students

Presented by: Eugenio Gant, M.Ed.

I. Time Required: 3-4 weeks

II. Overview:

An ecosystem is a collection of living things and the environment in which they live. Ecosystems are formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. Ecosystems may be large or small. This module allows students to investigate the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments. Lessons will provide students with hands-on experiences that strategically transition them into increased mastery of scientific content. In addition, this unit will help students identify how the parts of an ecosystem interact, explain reasons why changes in environmental conditions affect the survival of both individuals and entire species, describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes/aquatic communities and draw conclusions about the relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial to one another. The lessons presented in this unit are aimed at providing supplemental activities to the resources (textbook, science kits, etc.) that are currently available in your classroom to teach this topic. By the end of this unit students should be able to synthesize information from multiple sources, for the purpose of deriving a conclusion about the dependence of organisms on one another within an ecosystem.

III. GPS Standards addressed in the module:

Focus Standards:S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine).

Supporting Standards:S7CS1 Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.

a. Understand the importance of—and keep—honest, clear, and accurate records in science. b. Understand that hypotheses can be valuable, even if they turn out not to be completely accurate

S7CS45 Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and technological matters.

a. Observe and explain how parts can be related to other parts in a system such as predator/prey relationships in a community/ecosystem. b. Understand that different models (such as physical replicas, pictures, and analogies) can be used to represent the same thing.

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IV. Enduring Understandings:

Students will understand: The survival of organisms in an ecosystem is influenced by living and nonliving factors. Different climates create different ecosystems and different ecosystems support different

organisms with different adaption's. There are different habitats in every ecosystem. An ecosystem is made of living and nonliving parts in an environment that interact with one

another. Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other for survival.

V. Essential Questions:1. Why should the health and well-being of other organisms be important to me? 2. Why are there fewer animals than plants? 3. Why are there so many different kinds of organisms? 4. How are we related?

VI. Concepts:The student will know how to…

Identify the parts of an ecosystem (environment, populations, communities, etc.). Differentiate between Earth's major biomes (i.e. forest, grassland, tundra, desert, and mountains)

and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine). Formulate and explain the reasons that different organisms live in specific ecosystems. Distinguish between the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. Differentiate between the animals, plants, fungi, protist and bacteria that live in an ecosystem. Draw conclusions about the factors that affect ecosystems (living things, nonliving things, climate

changes, etc.)The student will be able to…

Synthesize information from multiple sources for the purpose of deriving a conclusion. Explain what will happen to an organism if their ecosystem is changed. Explain how humans affect ecosystems (such as littering, pollution, habitat restoration, etc.). Classify relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial. Understand the importance of biodiversity to an ecosystem. Create a model that shows how an ecosystem works (culminating activity).

VII. Language:1. Abiotic: Non-living – examples of abiotic factors include soil, water, temperature, bedrock, etc.2. Adaptations: characteristics that help an organism survive in a particular ecosystem – ex. thorns, camouflage.3. Bacteria: simplest one of the five kingdoms of life, single celled organisms, decomposers, do not have membrane-

bound nuclei, ex: streptococcus, E. coli.4. Biotic: the living parts of an ecosystem– ex. producers, consumers, decomposers5. Carbon Dioxide: CO2, a basic nutrient, required by plants for photosynthesis, also a product of decomposition.6. Carnivores: animals that eat only other animals.7. Chloroplasts: cell organelle that is the site of photosynthesis, contains the pigment chlorophyll; not found in

animal cells.8. Community: all the populations of organisms living together in an environment.9. Conifers: one of the five major plant groups, male cones produce pollen that is spread by air, female cones

produce seeds (plant embryo, food supply, protective covering) – ex. firs, pines, sequoia.10. Consumers: animals, must eat other organisms to survive.

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11. Decomposers: do not eat: they secrete enzymes on to dead material to break it down and then absorb nutrients directly; when decomposers are finished, all that is left is the most basic nutrients (water, carbon dioxide, minerals) – ex. bacteria, fungi.

12. Ecosystem: everything living and non-living in an area.13. Environment: all of the living and nonliving things that affect an organism.14. Ferns and Horsetails: one of the five major plant groups, reproduce using spores.15. Flowering Plants: most highly-developed plant group; flowers use color, scent, nectar, etc. to attract animals that

help pollination; fruit attracts animals that help spread seeds.16. Food Chain: shows a linear progression of “who eats whom,” the flow of nutrients and energy through an

ecosystem; arrows point from what is eaten to the eater (ex. carrot => bunny).17. Food Web: similar to a food chain, but more complex; branches show all of the nutritional relationships for an

entire ecosystem; can demonstrate the balance of an ecosystem.18. Fungi: one of the five kingdoms of life, decomposers, microscope reveals fibers and sporangia (round masses of

developing spores) ex. – mushrooms, molds, yeast.19. Habitat Restoration: Returning a natural environment to its original condition.20. Herbivores: animals that eat only plants.21. Mosses: most primitive of the five major plant groups; no, or poorly developed, roots, leaves; grow very low to

ground; require moist habitat; reproduce using spores (single cells that develop in to new organism).22. Native Organisms: evolved as part of the local ecosystem.23. Nucleus: cell organelle, “brain” of cell, controls cell activity, contains genetic information.24. Omnivores: animals that eat both plants and other animals, ex. humans, raccoons, ants.25. Photosynthesis: process that plants use to produce their own food (sugar), occurs in the chloroplasts – CO2 +

H2O _sunlight_> sugar + O2.26. Plant: producer, makes its own “food” via photosynthesis.27. Population: all the individuals of the same kind living in the same environment.28. Predator: animals that hunt, kill and eat other animals, ex. Alligator.29. Prey: animals that are hunted and killed for food, ex. Mice.30. Producers: plants, make their own “food” via photosynthesis.31. Protists: one of the five kingdoms of life, very diverse, live in moist or aquatic habitats, usually single-celled,

contain membrane-bound nuclei, ex. amoeba, algae.32. Scavengers: animals that eat dead organisms: ex. vultures, millipedes, flies.

VIII. Evidence of LearningBy the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate the following competency:

Culminating Activity: Ecosystem diagram or model showing how an ecosystem works.Goal:

Create a diagram or model that shows an ecosystem that you learned about and how the organisms within the ecosystem are dependent on one another.

Write a written report about the chosen ecosystem, which will describe the parts of your ecosystem, how organisms in your ecosystem interact and any other information that you learned about during your research.

Role(s):

You have been selected by the President to conduct research on one of Earth's major biomes (i.e. forest, grassland, tundra, desert, and mountains) or aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine). Your task will be to select an ecosystem to create a diagram of, research the native plants and animals that live there, how they interact with each other and create your model and write your report.

Audience: students

Scenario: Choose the ecosystem you are going to make a diagram or model of. Some examples are ocean, rocky

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shore, indigenous forest, grassland / prairie and pond. You will investigate the plants and animals of the ecosystem, their interactions and what they need to survive. You will then create your model (a three dimensional scenic representation of the ecosystem) Creativity is encouraged! To create the model project a shoe box or other small box to represent the ecosystem may be used. Your scene should include at least four animals that live in your ecosystem. You may draw the animals, use plastic animals to represent the wildlife or mold them from clay. Materials such as magazines (for photos), silk or plastic plants, Popsicle sticks, toothpicks, glue, construction paper, and other craft items may also be used. A variety of resource materials are available for research including books, encyclopedias, and Internet sites. You are to follow the guidelines below in order to create your ecosystem and the written report.

Guidelines for the ecosystem project are as follows: a. The recreation of the selected ecosystem must include native plants, at least four

animals that live in the ecosystem and their environmental elements.b. Original pictures or small models of the common animals to the ecosystem should

be used. c. Information presented must be valid. d. Place the type of ecosystem on the model and label the animals.e. Write a five-paragraph essay about your model. The first paragraph should be about

the ecosystem, the other three paragraphs will be about the native plants/animals, their interactions and what they need to survive and the last paragraph should include any additional information that you learned about your ecosystem while conducting your research.

Product: Model that shows the native plant and animal life within the selected ecosystem. Written report (five paragraphs) and oral report, which requires students to share what they have

learned about their chosen ecosystem. Standard:

1. Check for accuracy of the information in the model and written/verbal report.2. Ecosystem Model Rubric (See next page)3. The diorama and written report should include the following information:

Location the ecosystem that they have chosen. What animals are native to that ecosystem (at least four) Status of the animal(s) (good, threatened, endangered, etc.) Description of the type of environment What, if anything, threatens the ecosystem (for example, pollution, littering, land

development, etc.)?

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Student Name: __________________________________________

Ecosystem RubricCATEGORY 5 4 3 2

Comprehension Student is able to accurately identify one ecosystem by explaining types of native animals, trees, plants, and the ecosystems location.

Student is able to accurately identify most of their ecosystem by explaining types of native animals, trees, plants, and the ecosystems location.

Student is able to accurately identify a few attributes of their ecosystem by explaining some types of native animals, trees, plants, and/or the ecosystems location.

Student is unable to accurately identify ecosystem by explaining types of native animals, trees, plants, and the ecosystems location.

Content (Written Report)

Shows a full understanding of the living things that live in their ecosystem.

Shows a good understanding of the living things that live in their ecosystem.

Shows little understanding of the living things that live in their ecosystem.

Does not seem to understand the living things that live in each their ecosystem.

Model Student has four native animals and a model that shows considerable work/creativity.

Student has two to three native animals and a model that shows some work/creativity.

Student has one animal and a model that little work/creativity.

Student doesn't use native animals and no work/creativity.

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Ecosystem Lesson Plans

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Lesson 1: I Need You and You Need Me

Standard(s): S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

Essential Question(s): 1. Why are there so many different kinds of organisms?

2. Why should the health and well-being of other organisms be important to me?

Materials: The Best Book of Polar Animals by Christiane Gunzi (if available), Earth Biomes Pictures,

Overview: Students will explore animal adaptions

Engage: Show the cover of the selection The Best Book of Polar Animals. Activate prior knowledge by asking students what animals would have the adaption's to survive life in an arctic ecosystem? Tell students that ecosystems vary depending on the climate. The world is made of many different climates, so there are many ecosystems. Read The Best Book of Polar Animals by Christiane Gunzi (available at your school or local library) or any other book that discusses animals from a particular ecosystem. The book introduces the different animals that live in the icy wastelands of the Arctic and Antarctic and follows them as they find food and look after their young. Inform students that different plants and animals make their homes in different kinds of ecosystems

Explore: Display pictures of Earth’s major biomes (i.e. forest, grassland, tundra, desert, and mountains) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine). A great website for pictures and information is: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.phpAn ecosystem is a unit of interdependent organisms which share the same habitat. Tell students the tundra, grassland, forest, desert, and rain forest all types of ecosystems. Guide a discussion with students on what adaption's they think animals in each ecosystem would need in order to survive in their environments. This is a wonderful time to discuss what adaptations an animal may have to make him better equipped for survival in that environment. You may choose to start the discussion by referring back to the story and the adaption's needed for those animals to survive.

Explain: Explain the following to students: Organisms can only survive in places where their needs are met. In any environment, some animals will survive well, some less well and some not at all. Plants and animals that do well in the tundra ecosystem have adaption's that help them survive. Ecosystems will fail if they do not remain in balance.  No community can carry more organisms than its food, water, and shelter can accommodate.  Food and territory are often balanced by natural phenomena such as fire, disease, and the number of predators.  Each organism has its own niche, or role, to play. A niche is like an animal's job. It includes the food an organism eats and how it gets its food.

Tell students that their assignment will be to select any ecosystem that was discussed today. They then need to take on the role of one animal that lives in the ecosystem. The student will write an essay about the day in the life of their particular animal (essay length should be determined by the teacher). Their essay should focus on the interaction of their animal with other animals and

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plants in that ecosystem. Allow students to write their first drafts and complete the assignment for homework in order to be able to

Evaluate: Teacher should read student essays and assign a grade to students. Extend: Read What is a Biome? By Bobbie Kalman

Lesson 2: Just Outside Our Window

Standard(s): S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

Essential Question(s): 1. Why should the health and well being of other organisms be important to me?

Materials: animal sounds (see websites below), student worksheet, clipboard for each student (if available)

Overview: Students will learn how organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.

Engage: Tell students that they are going to hear some sounds from nature and need to listen carefully to try and identify as many animals as they can. Play animal sounds from nature. Free animal sounds can be downloaded from the following sites:http://www.ilovewavs.com/Effects/Animals/Animals.htmhttp://www.animal-sounds.org/

After playing the sounds, have students identify which animals were making the sounds that the students heard. Facilitate a brainstorming session on how organisms in an ecosystem are interdependent on their environment and each other. Ask the students why should the health and well being of other organisms be important to us.

Explore: Inform students that they are going to take a nature walk outside of the classroom. Encourage students to try to use some of their senses in their observations: sight, smell, feel and hearing. Take students outside to observe the school ecosystem. While outside, students need to keep records of their observations by recording what they observe on their recording sheets (see worksheet). Tell students to pay attention to how they think the animals that they observe work together. Students also need to pay attention to the sounds that they hear during the nature walk and infer what animal may have made those sounds. Encourage students to point out things to classmates as they see them on the nature walk.

Explain: Once you return from the nature walk create a list on the board of all the animals that were spotted. List characteristics of these animals. Ask students the following questions about what they observed.

1. Have they seen these animals in their natural habitat?2. How do these animals co-exist?3. Are there prey/predator relationships?4. What makes these animals special?5. What is liked or disliked about the animals?

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6. Did you hear any animal sounds during your nature walk? What animal may have made those sounds?

Explain to students that living (animals, plants, fungi, etc.) and nonliving (soil, air, water, climate) things interact on a regular basis within an ecosystem.

Elaborate: Place students into groups. Provide each student with a copy of the ecosystem article found at http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/esa.html#primer or an article of your choice. Tell students that they will read their article as a team and become the expert on it. They will then need to work as a group to illustrate one concept from the article that they just learned about. Provide the groups with adequate time to read their article and then conduct illustrate the main concepts from the article. Each group should then report their concept to the class using their illustration. This activity will help the students in developing understandings of the concepts and ideas that are broader and more in-depth.

Evaluate:

1. Participation: The teacher will monitor students as he/she walks around the classroom to check for understanding.

2. Oral Report: The teacher will assess each student’s participation within the group’s oral presentation.

3. Posters: Teacher will assess each group’s poster for accuracy of information presented.

Extend: o Have students collect a leaf from home (or during the nature walk) and create a leaf

rubbing. This leaf rubbing can be set aside and used later as a background for a writing or science activity.

o Read students the book I See a Kookaburra!: Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World by Steve Jenkins

o Students could complete a nature walk in their backyard or neighborhood (for homework) and document the animals that are observed.

o Read You Look Ridiculous Said the Rhinoceros to the Hippopotamus by Bernard Waber.

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Student Name: ____________________________

Nature Walk Recording LogDirections: Take a guided walk outside to explore your schools ecosystem. Record your observations below.

Organism ObservedHow does this organism contribute to its

ecosystem?

Organism Observed How does this organism contribute to its

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ecosystem?

Identify some living and non-living things that were observed during your nature walk?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

How are the organisms that you observed interdependent on their environment and each other?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 3: Mini-Ecosystem

Standard(s):S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

Essential Question(s): 1. Why are there fewer animals than plants?2. Why should the health and well being of other organisms be important to me?

Materials: 2 litter bottle (one per group), gravel, potting soil, grass seeds or bean seeds, insects (ants, worms, caterpillars, ladybugs and/or snails.

Overview: Students will build a mini ecosystem and study the interaction of the organisms for two weeks.

Engage: Tell students that organisms share resources and compete for food. All plants and animals need food, air, water, living space, shelter and sunlight to grow. The environment where an organism lives provides it with what they need to survive. If an environment does not meet the needs of an organism, the organism will die. Living things depend on one another and their environment for survival. It is the interactions between living and nonliving things that help maintain balance in ecosystems. Balanced ecosystems are always undergoing changes. Organisms are constantly being born, living, dying and decomposing. Ecosystems are healthy when their parts are balanced.

Explore: Inform students that today they are going to work in groups to build an ecosystem in an bottle. Write the following directions on the board for students to follow. Note: Teacher needs to prepare the bottled ahead of time by cutting the top of each soda bottle off just below where it starts tapering to the mouth.

1. Place ¾ inch of gravel into the bottom of the bottle to help with drainage.2. Add four to five inches of potting soil and shake bottle to help the soil settles.3. Plant 3-4 bean seeds in potting soil.4. Sprinkle water over the soil until it is very damped but not soaked.5. Add insects such as earthworms or pill bugs immediately. 6. Place the lid (with cap on) upside down in the bottle.7. Add additional insects once the plants germinate.

Explain: Ecosystems vary in size and the elements that make them up. Each ecosystem is a functioning unit of nature. Everything that lives in an ecosystem is dependent on the other species and elements that are a part of their environment. Different organisms can share the same ecosystem and may either help each other or harm each other. If one part of the ecosystem is damaged or disappeared, it has an impact on everything else.

Elaborate: Have students observe their ecosystem daily for at least two weeks and keep a record of their observations about their ecosystems progress.

Evaluate: 1. Grade student observation logs

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2. Grade lab investigation reports

Extend:1. Have students draw a picture showing a balanced ecosystem.2. Organize a school trip to a natural area near your city or zoo to observe

additional ecosystems.

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Lesson 4: That’s Hurtful

Standard(s):S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

Essential Question(s): 1. Why should the health and well being of other organisms be important to me?

Materials: motor oil, water, feathers, containers, paper towels

Overview: Students will learn how humans affect the balance of ecosystems (such as littering, pollution, habitat restoration, etc.) and understand the interdependence of organisms on the Earth

Engage: Dip one feather into a bowl of water and remove it. Have students describe how it looks. Add oil to the water and ask students to observe what is happening (oil floats on the surface of the water). Ask students what can we infer about oil and water (they don’t mix)? Dip the feather again. Ask students to describe the feathers appearance (oil coats the feather, and weighs it down).

Ask students how they believe oil is transferred? (Crude oil from other countries is transported in large ships called oil tankers). Tell students that crude oil is used to make many useful products such as some medicines, gasoline, and asphalt to pave roads. It’s also used to make household products such as plastics to make toys and paint. Even though crude oil is very useful, when it spills into the environment it can be harmful. Display pictures of an oil tanker that has run aground. Ask students look at the picture and describe what they see.

Explore: Read Oil Spill by Melvin Berger. Display pictures of the birds and coastlines affected by an oil spill. Oil spill pictures of birds can be found at the web address below. (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&q=oil+spill+bird+pictures&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=2px0StyHHJmMtgfMyt2WCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1)

Ask what happened to these birds? (The birds are covered in oil. There feathers became sticky and they can no longer fly. They also may get sick from the oil and may die or become poisoned by the crude oil.)

Place students in groups. Give each group a cup of water, an eyedropper of oil, and some paper towels. Have students submerge the feather into the water and then dry it off. Have students add few drops of oil into the water. Students then need to place the feather back into the water and try to dry the feather off again. The students will not be able to clean the feather, which demonstrates how oil spills affect birds.

Explain: Discuss what resulted after feathers were placed in the oil. In groups, have students discuss how other wildlife can be impacted by oil pollution. Also have groups come up with other ways that humans may affect the balance of an ecosystem. Tell students that humans change the environment to meet their needs. When we change the environment, humans sometimes upset the balance of an ecosystem. When ecosystems change, some organism’s die, others relocate to another area and some adapt to the change and survive. Pollutants introduced in the air and water

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by humans from the products we make and use may be harmful to organisms within that ecosystem as demonstrated in today’s lesson.

Elaborate: Ask students to elaborate on what can be done to help wildlife in your area?

Evaluate: Participation: The teacher will monitor students as he/she walks around the classroom to check for understanding.

Extend: Ask the learners to write a story about an imaginary animal that has been affected by an oil spill like the Exxon Valdez.

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Lesson 5: Biodiversity and Why is it Important?(Note: Modified National Geographic Lesson)

Standard(s):S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

Essential Question (s): 1. How are we related?2. Why are there fewer animals than plants?3. Why should the health and well being of other organisms be important to me?

Materials: blank index cards, tape, United States Map,

Overview: This lesson allows students to explore the biodiversity of two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) national marine sanctuaries. Students will work in groups to further explore one of the two ocean treasures, noting the types of wildlife the sanctuary supports, the importance of the ecosystem, and the threats it faces.

Engage: Explain to students that in this lesson, they will be answering the following questions:1. What is biodiversity?2. Why is biodiversity important?3. How does the location of a sanctuary affect its long-term outlook?

As a class, create working definitions for the words ecosystem and biodiversity (the number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region). Brainstorm a list of the organisms found in your local ecosystem and write the list on the board. Discuss with the class the importance of biodiversity. Elicit their opinions on why biodiversity is important and in what ways preserving biodiversity enhances the life of local people. Ask students to think of any ways in which preserving biodiversity locally might have a national or global effect.

Explore: Locate Cordell Bank and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale national marine sanctuaries on the maps. Explain that both sanctuaries were established to protect and support marine ecosystems. Have pairs of students brainstorm a list of characteristics of marine ecosystems. After five minutes, have student pairs share their answers with the class and record the list on the board or on chart paper. Show students the biodiversity video shown at the following website. http://mm.coexploration.org/video/tcoe/vtw06/bbflv/index.html

Explain: Divide the class into research teams of four or five. Assign half of the teams to research Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the other half to research Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Encourage groups to take detailed notes on index cards about the information that is learned during their research. Index cards to describe the oceanographic, meteorological, and physical features of the sanctuary. They should also create a card for each species found in the sanctuary, writing its name on the front and any other pertinent information about it (is it endangered? what threats does it face? is it unique to this area? what is its food source?) on the back. Tell students to focus on the following:

Location of the sanctuary (have them mark it on the map)

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Characteristics of the ecosystem the sanctuary supports (water temperature, physical geography, etc.)

Wildlife present in the sanctuary Importance of the ecosystem in general or any particular species found in the sanctuary Proximity and culture of human settlements near the sanctuary Challenges facing the sanctuary, and whether or not they are human-induced

Research Linkshttp://www.cordellbank.noaa.gov/http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/http://marinelife.noaa.gov/

Elaborate: Have teams present their findings first for one sanctuary then the other. Instruct the students to take notes on the findings of each team. After each team has presented their findings, draw a large Venn diagram on the board. Using one circle to represent Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and one to represent the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, have the students place their cards on the diagram using tape. When all the cards have been placed, lead a class discussion about the results. Ask students:

1. Which aspects of the physical environment are the same in both sanctuaries? Which are different?

2. How many species are found in both sanctuaries?3. Are there more species that are unique to one or the other sanctuary, or can many be found

in both? Why do you think this is?4. Which species can be found in both sanctuaries? Do they use the sanctuaries for different

purposes (breeding, feeding, etc.)? What does this imply about the importance of the sanctuaries?

Explain that Hawaii is the most important breeding ground for North Pacific humpbacks, and people and humpbacks are increasing their shared use of the same marine habitats. Ask students how this shared use might pose a threat to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's ecosystem. Another population of humpback whales, along with blue whales, visits Cordell Bank in the summer to feed on krill. How might changes in the ecosystem at Cordell Bank affect the whale population? Have groups of students explore some of the threats to these ecosystems (tourism, overfishing, destruction of habitat) and report back to the class.

Evaluate: Have students write essays that provide information about one of the two sanctuaries, focusing specifically on the challenges faced by the sanctuary and the outlook for the future health of the ecosystem.

Extend:1. Have students research a local conservation area and prepare posters detailing the

area's biodiversity, threats to its health, and importance of preservation.

Source: The original, unmodified lesson can be found at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g68/index.html

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Biodiversity Essay Rubric

3 2 1 NotesDefine

BiodiversityStudent defined

biodiversity thoroughly and

clearly.

Student demonstrated some understanding of the term biodiversity.

Student could describe a biodiverse

environment, but could not define

biodiversity.Provide

examples of biodiversity at a national marine

sanctuary.

Student provided multiple examples of biodiversity at a marine sanctuary.

Student provided at least two examples of

biodiversity at a marine sanctuary.

Student was able to provide one

example of biodiversity at a

sanctuary.

Describe the challenges faced

by a marine sanctuary and the outlook for

the future health of the ecosystem.

Student clearly describes multiple

environmental challenges to a

selected sanctuary and the potential

impact on its ecosystem.

Student describes at least one

environmental challenge and its possible future

impact on a marine sanctuary.

Student describes environmental

issues at a sanctuary, but

does not connect those challenges

to the ecosystem.

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Supplemental Activities#1: Tree Flip Books

1. Read “Our Tree Named Steve” by Alan Zweibel.2. Have students create a flip book by take three sheets of 8 ½ X 11 paper and

folding it layered to make a book (as demonstrated at workshop).3. Label the first flap “My Tree Book” or Insert Name Tree Book4. Label the remaining flaps (1. Products from trees, 2. Animals that live in

trees, 3. Trees do something very important, 4. How tree make food, and 5. How to be a friend to a tree.

5. Have students write about each section of the book and draw pictures related to the story. Students may use information from the story, prior knowledge or conduct research to complete this project.

#2: Ecosystem Bingo1. Give each student a blank bingo card.2. Have students fill in the words from their ecosystem vocabulary sheets.

Each word should only be used once.3. Play bingo (include prizes for winners if possible.)

#3: Ecosystem InvestigationChoose an ecosystem and investigate it as a unique biome.

#4: Ecosystem SurveySurvey student knowledge of the extinction and endangerment of animals.

#5: Ecosystem PowerPointHave student’s research one ecosystem of their choice and create a PowerPoint to present to the classroom.

Helpful Resources

BooksProfessional Development Books for Teachers

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Title Author

The Learning Cycle Marek and Cavello

Bringing Words to Life Isabel L. Beth

Teaching Reading in Social Studies, Science, and Math

Laura Robb

Books for Read Alouds to Students

Title Author

If I Ran the Rainforest Bonnie Worth

One Day in the Tropical Rainforest

Jean George

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life

Penny Chisholm

You Can Save the Planet: 50 Ways to Make a Difference

Jaquie Wines

Oil Spill Melvin Berger

The Tiny Seed Eric Carle

Welcome to the Green House Jane Yolen

What is a Biome? Bobbie Kalman

The Best Nest Laura Datta

This is the Tree Miriam Moss

A House for Hermit Crab Eric Carle

The Salamander Room Anne Mazer

You Look Ridiculous Said the Rhinoceros to the Hippopotamus

Bernard Waber

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Turtle Bay Saviour Pirotta

Our Tree Named Steve Alan Zweibel

Stellaluna Janell Cannon

Internet ResourcesSeveral free PowerPoint presentations on ecosystems/habitats.

http://science.pppst.com/habitats.html

Free Inquiry based science lesson plans for teachers on adaptations and a variety of topics.

www.sciencenetlinks.com

Biomes http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/biome.html

Ecosytem http://www.pbs.org/earthonedge/ecosystems/index.html

Franklin Institute Resources for Living Things

http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/

Building Ecosystem Lesson Plan

http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?id=13621&external=http://www.nyu.edu/projects/mstep/lessons/buildingecosystems.html&original=http://www.proteacher.com/110004.shtml&title=Building%20Ecosystems

Information on Ecosystems, Biomes, and Earth's Major Biomes.

http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/ecosystems.htm

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