KatieLittigBiology


 * Lesson Topic and Description:** Ecology

**__Focus on Concepts__**
1. Interconnections between organisms and environment 2. Organization/ Classification of living things 3. Flow of Energy 4. Cylces within Nature

**__Provision for Acceleration and Compression of Content__**
Illustrate a Food Web- students will not be given direction on "how to research" or what sites to choose. Students will be expected to know how to find the information they need. This research is done in one day.


 * Might want to make sure they have a list of "guidelines" on how to assess whether or not it is a reliable, credible source. Even my Bio kids LOVE wikipedia and ask.com, etc and so forth. The more we drill it into their brains the better!!! :)

‍‍‍ **__Enrichment__**
‍‍‍Big Idea #4- Illustrate a Food Web- research a biome and design a food web that shows relationships and biotic/abiotic factors Organize

**__More Advanced Reading and Vocabulary__**
oikos- greek word meaning house omni-, carni-, herbi-

Mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, symbiosis

‍‍ **__Use of Primary Sources, Artifacts, and Real World Objects__**
‍‍Dissection of Owl pellets- Construct a food web based upon pellet prey analysis. //Based on your observationss HYPOTHESIZE what the owl diet typically consists of.//

**__Interdisciplinary Connections__**
Big Idea #3- Math- Calculate the amount of energy that moves from the bottom of an energy pyrimad to the top. //APPLY the 10% rule to the following pyrimad and calculate the energy available in each level.//

‍‍ **__Includes In-Depth and Critical Analysis__**
‍‍‍Big Idea #4 ‍- Translate the diagram of a cycle in nature (water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle). Each arrow must be translated into a sentance that describes what is happening. Students then have to summarize the cycle for their partner. //SUMMARIZE each step in each cycle//. Big Idea # 2- Classifying Producers and Consumers. Students will be provided with photographs of a wide variety of organisms. Each group will work together to organize the organisms into two piles. Students will have to justify how they decided which organisms were placed in each group. Then discuss PRODUCERS and CONSUMERS. List characteristics of each. Students then seperate the consumers into four groups. Students will have to justify how they decided which organisms were placed in each group. Then discuss HERBIVORE, CARNIVORE, OMNIVORE, and DECOMPOSERS. //JUSTIFY why your group classified the organisms into the groups//.
 * You could also do a lab with food coloring that would help explain why you don't get much above 3rd level consumers. (it could also help tie in the concept of dilutions) You have 90 ml water, 10 ml food coloring. Then you take 10 ml from that tube and add to 90 ml of water. then 10 ml of that on down the line. Food coloring represents energy available and by the time you get to the 4th trophic level the water should be very dilute.

‍‍ **__Fosters Creative Expression__**
‍‍Illustrate a Food Web- students will decide how to design, layout and express the relationships they find within a biome

=__Assessments:__= 1.Illustrate a Food Web- VISUAL ASSESSMENT- poster/flow chart 2. Translating Illustrations of Ecological Cycles- CHOICE: Student will select an ecological cycle to research. To present their findings students may select one of the following: a. Teach a lesson to the class about that cycle b. Create a video animation c. Design a picture book d. Write a news story

Lesson Plan Topic: Ecology (include appropriate citations and copyright permissions if not original work)
 * Author: Katie Littig, Biology**

**Student Learning Outcomes or Objectives:** (as a result of this lesson, what will the students will be able to KUD? must include how outcomes relate to overall unit objectives, standards, and Big Ideas/ concepts) 1. Students will know the differences between producers (autotrophs) and consumers (heterotrophs) 2. Students will be able to classify a consumer as herbivore, carnivore, omnimove, decomposer or scavenger. 3. Students will be able to calculate the amount of energy available in a trophic level. 4. Students will be able to summarize each of the ecological cycles found within an ecosystem.
 * Annotation: In this unit students will investigate the relationships within an ecosytem. Students will be able to classify living organisms based on how they acqure energy and then will be able to trace how that energy travels between trophic levels. Lastly, students will recognize that energy and matter move in cycles within an ecosystem.**

(likely some or all will be above grade, may be from more than one subject, includes skills)
 * Standards:**

(gives time in days and minutes per day) 7-10 days (include numbers of items needed, all technology needed, titles and authors of any materials needed)
 * Total Duration:**
 * Materials and Equipment Needed:**

**Lesson and Learning Activities:**
 * **Steps including time for each:** (logical progression, clear teaching instructions with good detail; how students are working; type of learning)
 * Day 1: Classifying Producers and Consumers (activity). Students will be divided into small groups provided with photographs of a wide variety of animals. Each group will sort its organisms into producers and consumers. Students will then sort the pile of consumers into herbivores, carnivores, herbivores, detritivores, decomposers. As a class we will discuss the similarites/characteristics of each.
 * Day 2: Students will investigate how organisms GET their energy and how it travels through an ecosystem. Students will calculate the amount of energy that travels through and energy pyramid.
 * Day 3-5: Illustrate a Food Web- students will research a biome and illustrate a food web for that biome.
 * Day 6-7: Dissection of an Owl Pellet- students will apply knowledge of types of consumers, energy transfer and food webs to a lab. Students will use the contents of the pellet to determine type of carnivore, they will use a key to owl prey to determine type of food eaten, construct a food chain that represents the contents of the pellet, and construct a graph to show their results.
 * Day 8- Discussion of biogeochemial cycles and identify chemical cycles in an ecosystem.
 * Day 9-10: Students will reserach a chemical cycle and choose one for four options to present their findings. Students can present their results by acting as "Teacher" and presenting a mini-lesson to the class, they can create a 2 minute animated video, they can draw a picture books that illustrates at least 10 steps/pathways of the cycle, or they can write a newstory about the cycle.


 * **Lesson attachments or weblinks:** (for particular steps with guidance for what, who and how to use it)
 * **Differentiation within High Ability Group:** (for students who have already mastered material or who can work at a higher level than other high ability students )

**Assessment:** (measures identified Student Learning Outcomes; clear directions for students; evidence of higher level thinking is included; written materials attached; scoring system attached including any rubric, checklist, etc. )