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Ecological Systems

Lesson Plan

Ecological Systems

Objectives

In this lesson, students will be introduced to various biomes and their characteristic biotic and abiotic factors. Biomes consist of various ecosystems that function as interdependent units. Students will:

  • identify the biotic and abiotic characteristics of various biomes.
  • construct food webs to illustrate energy relationships within a biome.

Essential Questions

Vocabulary

  • Biome: A large geographical area with certain plant and animal groups, which are adapted to that particular environment. The biome depends on the climate and geography of a region. Biomes are many similar ecosystems grouped together.
  • Ecosystem: A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment.
  • Food Chain: A group of organisms in a community in which each member feeds on the member below it in the chain.
  • Freshwater: A biome that includes all of the fresh water on Earth; divided into lentic (standing water) and lotic (flowing water) ecosystems.
  • Grassland: A biome with large, rolling hills of grasses, flowers, and herbs, but not many trees. Also known as a prairie, steppe, pampas. or veldt.
  • Lines of Latitude: Curves of constant latitude parallel to the Equator that show the angle that sunlight strikes the Earth; latitude is related to the climate of a region.
  • Marine: A biome that includes all of the saltwater ecosystems on Earth.
  • Savanna: A biome that has rolling grasslands scattered with shrubs and a few trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and a desert biome. Not enough rain falls on a savanna to support forests. Savannas are also known as tropical grasslands.
  • Taiga (Boreal Forest): A biome that has evergreen forests with coniferous trees, very cold winters, and summers mild enough for the ground to thaw.
  • Tundra: A biome that has permanently frozen ground and trees can’t grow there. The bare and sometimes rocky ground can only support low growing plants like mosses, heaths, and lichen.
  • Temperate Deciduous Forest: A biome that has forests that are highly seasonal with warm summers and cold winters. The trees in this region have leaves that change color and drop in the fall.
  • Tropical Forest: Biome that can be either a rainy or dry forest that circles the Earth with millions of varieties of plants and animals.

Duration

90 minutes/2 class periods

Prerequisite Skills

Prerequisite Skills haven't been entered into the lesson plan.

Materials

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Related Materials & Resources

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Formative Assessment

  • View
    • Observe the construction of biome models for accuracy. Assist and provide resources where needed.
    • Collect and assess Biome Data Charts and food webs for accuracy and identify any misconceptions.

Suggested Instructional Supports

  • View
    Active Engagement, Modeling
    W: In this lesson, students explore the biotic and abiotic factors of biomes.
    H: Students apply their background knowledge as they do hands-on activities in cooperative learning groups. Students will compare the characteristics of biomes and analyze food web relationships within them.
    E: Using biome information cards, students will have the opportunity to identify and discuss the characteristics and plant and animal life of biomes.
    R: During small-group and class discussions students can reflect, rethink, and revise their thinking and response to one warm-up activity.
    E: Students evaluate their work and progress through formative assessments and group discussions.
    T: This lesson provides students with a variety of opportunities to work at their instructional level with guided practice, and built-in scaffolding through cooperative learning groups. Students will use a variety of media (i.e., poster board, animal crackers, crayons, paint) to show knowledge about biomes.
    O: This lesson is student-centered, with students working in cooperative groups to conduct research on various biomes.

Instructional Procedures

  • View

    In order to be successful in this lesson, students need to understand how food chains and food webs are used to show feeding relationships in ecosystems. They should be familiar with ecological concepts such as producer, consumer, and ecosystem.

    In this lesson, groups of students will construct a Biome Data Chart. Prepare the following materials ahead of time for each group: Biome Data Chart Instructions (S-7-7-1_Biome Data Chart Instructions.doc), Biome Data Chart (S-7-7-1_Biome Data Chart and KEY.doc), Biome Information Cards (S-7-7-1_Biome Cards.doc), a picture of each biome (S-7-7-1_Biome Pictures.doc), animal crackers, and a poster board.

    Tell students the objectives for the lesson. Let students know that they will be divided into cooperative learning groups to investigate biomes, biome characteristics, and plant and animal life that typically flourish there. Divide students into groups of four. Distribute the following to each group: a set of Biome Information Cards, Biome Data Chart Instructions, paper, animal crackers, color pencils and or markers, and a poster board.

    Explain: “A biome is a large area with fauna (animal life), flora (such as plants), and microorganisms (that act as decomposers). It is a large geographical area with certain plant and animal groups, which are adapted to that particular environment. The biome depends on the climate and geography of a region. Each of the biomes contains life that has adapted to the environmental characteristics that are typical for that area. For example, in the desert biome one type of plant adapted to that area is the cactus. What kinds of animals are adapted to the desert biome?” Students should provide reasonable responses such as coyote, snake, and lizard.

    Let students know that there are various land and aquatic biomes. Ask them to name some of the biomes that are familiar to them and make this list on the board. After you have established their background knowledge on the types of biomes, let them know that they will explore various biomes: tropical rainforest, tundra, grassland, marine, taiga, desert, tundra, freshwater, temperate forest. Explain to students that they will work on the Biome Data Chart with their cooperative learning groups. Let them know that you will be available to answer questions and be of assistance. Have pictures available for student groups that have difficulty constructing visuals of the biomes.

    Give each group the Biome Data Chart Instructions (S-7-7-1_Biome Data Chart Instructions.doc) and read through the steps of the activity with them. Students will put the following information on the Biome Data Chart: name of biome, characteristics of the biome, illustration, and any other interesting facts the group may want to include.

    Give each group an illustration of a food web for a biome (S-7-7-1_Biome Food Webs.docx). Have the groups analyze the food webs and identify one or more specific food chains within the webs. Then, have groups share their answers.

    Extension:

    • Students who may be going beyond the standards can choose a biome and write a paragraph to describe how the biome would be affected by a natural or human-made disaster.
    • Students who might need an opportunity for additional learning can design a three-minute skit featuring a biome. Students will act out the food webs, ecosystems, and biomes.

Related Instructional Videos

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DRAFT 05/12/2011
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