Unit Title: Space Systems Grade Level: 9-12 Timeframe: 15 days Essential Questions What evidence supports the Big Bang Theory? What is the Sun s life span? How does the Sun produce energy? How are elements produced? Standards/Cumulative Progress Indicators (Taught and Assessed): Next Generation Science Standards ESS1.A : The Universe and Its Stars The star called the sun is changing and will burn out over a lifespan of approximately 10 billion y ears. (HS- ESS1-1) The study of stars light spectra and brightness is used to identify compositional elements of stars, their movements, and their distances from Earth. (HS- ESS1-2) (HS- ESS1-3) The Big Bang theory is supported by observations of distant galaxies receding from our own, of the measured composition of stars and non- stellar gases, and of the maps of spectra of the primordial radiation (cosmic microwave background) that still fills the universe. (HSESS1-2) Other than the hydrogen and helium formed at the time of the Big Bang, nuclear fusion within stars produces all atomic nuclei lighter than and including iron, and the process releases electromagnetic energy. Heavier elements are produced when certain massive stars achieve a supernova stage and explode. (HS- ESS1-2) (HS- ESS1-3) 21 st Century Skills Standard and Progress Indicators: 9.1.12.A.1 - Apply critical thinking and problem- solving strategies during structured learning experiences. 9.1.12.B.1 - Present resources and data in a format that effectively communicates the meaning of the data and its implications for solving problems, using multiple perspectives.
9.1.12.B.2 - Create and respond to a feedback loop when problem solving. Pre- Assessment: Unit Essential Questions Instructional Plan Reflection http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html SLO Student Strategies Formative Assessment Construct an Argumentative Writing Graphic Organizers explanation of the Big Research Based Bang theory based Learning on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe. HS- ESS1-2 Activities and Resources Students will write/type an argumentative essay citing evidence supporting the Big Bang Theory. http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/astro/cosmos /bb_evid http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/10 703130/Proof- of- the- Big- Bang.html http://www.universetoday.com/106498/what- is- the- evidence- for- the- big- bang/ http://www.big- bang- theory.com/ https://www.brainpop.com/science/space/bigbang/ EarthComm www.youtube.com Reflection http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html
Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun s core to release energy in the form of radiation. HS- ESS1-1 Research Based Learning Cooperative Learning Creating Models Peer Assessment Think- Pair- Share Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Students will conduct research on the Sun s lifespan and how it produces energy. They will draw the stages of the sun s life span and provide written sentences explaining what is going on at each stage. They will then draw the role of nuclear fusion in the sun s core to release energy in the form of radiation. They will also explain what is happening in complete sentences. Students will then present their models to the class for peer review and peer assessment based upon a rubric. http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?numb er=389 http://www.universetoday.com/18847/life- of- the- sun/ http://io9.com/how- we- discovered- the- life- cycles- of- stars- on- cosmos- 1568758799 http://www.universetoday.com/75803/how- does- the- sun- produce- energy/ http://www.artinaid.com/2013/04/how- does- the- sun- generate- energy/ http://planetfacts.org/how- does- the- sun- produce- energy/ https://www.brainpop.com/science/space/sun/ https://www.brainpop.com/science/space/lifecycleof stars/ EarthComm www.youtube.com http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html
Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements. HS- ESS1-3 Research Based Learning Cooperative Learning Graphic Organizers Peer Assessment Think- Pair- Share Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Students will choose between writing an essay, doing a PowerPoint Presentation, or making a video answering the following question: How do stars make elements? http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?numb er=345 EarthComm www.youtube.com http://aether.lbl.gov/www/tour/elements/stellar/ste llar_a.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/make- an- element.html http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html Summative Performance Assessment Students write a script for a radio series on the possible effects that objects in space can have on Earth. They will have the option of making their own podcast or digital recording. http://electronicportfolios.com/reflect ion.html Summative Written Assessments Unit 1 Essential Questions http://electronicportfolios.com/reflect ion.html
Unit Title: History of Earth Grade Level: 9-12 Timeframe: 15 days Essential Questions What stages did the Earth go through in its formation? What is the evidence that the Earth went through these stages? What constructive forces and destructive mechanisms have shaped the Earth s features? What is the correlation between the geological evolution of the Earth, the biological evolution of the Earth, and the climactic evolution of the Earth? Standards/Cumulative Progress Indicators (Taught and Assessed): Next Generation Science Standards Continental rocks, which can be older than 4 billion years, are generally much older than the rocks of the ocean floor, which are less than 200 million years old. (HS- ESS1-5) Although active geologic processes, such as plate tectonics and erosion, have destroyed or altered most of the very early rock record on Earth, other objects in the solar system, such as lunar rocks, asteroids, and meteorites, have changed little over billions of years. Studying these objects can provide information about Earth s formation and early history. (HS- ESS1-6) Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen. (HS- ESS2-6) (HS- ESS2-7) Changes in the atmosphere due The many dynamic and delicate feedbacks between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co- evolution of Earth s surface and the life that exists on it. (HS- ESS2-7) 21 st Century Skills Standard and Progress Indicators: 9.1.12.A.1 - Apply critical thinking and problem- solving strategies during structured learning experiences. 9.1.12.B.1 - Present resources and data in a format that effectively communicates the meaning of the data and its implications for solving problems, using multiple perspectives. 9.1.12.B.2 - Create and respond to a feedback loop when problem solving.
Pre- Assessment: Unit Essential Questions Instructional Plan Reflection http://electronicportfolios.com /reflection.html SLO Student Strategies Formative Assessment Apply scientific Media Analysis Graphic Organizer reasoning and evidence Gallery Walk Think- Pair- Share from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth s formation and early history. HS- ESS1-6 Activities and Resources Students will watch the documentary, How the Earth Was Made. They will create a timeline of major events in Earth s history and document the evidence provided in the video that each major event occurred. How the Earth was Made Documentary http://www.history.com/shows/how- the- earth- was- made/videos/how- the- earth- was- made- birth- of- the- earth EarthComm www.youtube.com http://selene.cet.edu/default.aspx?page=recruiter Reflection http://electronicportfolios.com /reflection.html Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Cooperative Learning Project Based Learning Problem Based Learning Inquiry Based Learning Peer Assessment Think- Pair- Share Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Students will construct a map showing the position of continents 250 million years ago by reversing the direction of plate motion. EarthComm pages G105- G117. https://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/plat etectonics/ www.youtube.com http://electronicportfolios.com /reflection.html HS- ESS1-5
Develop a model to illustrate how Earth s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean- floor features. HS- ESS2-1 [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how the appearance of land features (such as mountains, valleys, and plateaus) and sea- floor features (such as trenches, ridges, and seamounts) are a result of both constructive forces (such as volcanism, tectonic uplift, and orogeny) and destructive mechanisms (such as weathering, mass wasting, and coastal erosion).] Cooperative Learning Creating Models Public Speaking Peer Assessment Think- Pair- Share Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Students will draw the different ways that shifting plates change the shape of the Earth and Sea. Next to each drawing, they will explain in complete sentences and then later share with the class. Students will also create a graphic organizer with three columns. The first column will say features and the following will be listed: mountains; valleys; plateaus; trenches; ridges; and seamounts. The second column will say constructive forces that shape their appearance and how they shape their appearance. The third column will state destructive mechanisms and how they shape their appearance. Students will then choose one feature and write a 4-5- sentence paragraph explaining how they are shaped by constructive and destructive forces. http://science.jrank.org/kids/pages/82/land- FORMATION.html http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/earths- changing- surface/the- forces- that- change- the- face- of- earth https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome- instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=utf- 8#q=constructive+forces+that+shape+plateaus https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome- instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=utf- 8#q=constructive+forces+that+shape+trenches http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/seafloor_spreading https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome- instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=utf- 8#q=constructive+forces+that+shape+seafloor+ridges http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/hawaii.html https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome- instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=utf- 8#q=constructive+forces+that+shape+seamounts http://www.scienceclarified.com/landforms/ocean- Basins- to- Volcanoes/Volcano.html http://www.geoscience.wisc.edu/~chuck/classes/mtn_and_plates/mass_ wasting.html http://www.scienceclarified.com/landforms/ocean- Basins- to- Volcanoes/Plateau.html http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/metzger3.html http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/natural_disasters/masswastproc.htm http://education- portal.com/academy/lesson/mass- wasting- definition- types- causes- processes.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/coasts/coastal_pro cesses_rev3.shtml www.brainpop.com www.youtube.com EarthComm http://electronicportfolios.com /reflection.html
Construct an argument based on evidence about the simultaneous coevolution of Earth's systems and life on Earth. Cooperative Learning Interpreting Data Public Speaking Argumentative Writing Timeline #1 Timeline #2 Students will create a timeline of the evolution on Earth. Students will create a timeline of the evolution of the planet Earth including climate, temperature, continental positions, etc.. They will then compare the data, write a short data of their conclusion using the evidence and present their conclusions to the class. http://electronicportfolios.com /reflection.html HS- ESS2-7 Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species. HS- LS4-5 http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/history_of_the_earth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/timeline_of_evolutionar y_history_of_life http://exploringorigins.org/timeline.html http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/iie2imp ortantevents_text.shtml http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17453- timeline- the- evolution- of- life.html?full=true http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/geologi ctime.html http://paleobiology.si.edu/geotime/main/ http://earthsci.org/fossils/youngp/periods/periods.ht ml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/geological_history_of_ea rth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/history_of_the_earth https://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/earthsc102notes/102 PTEarthHist.htm http://www.scotese.com/earth.htm http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/earth/tectoni cs.html http://www.scotese.com/climate.htm http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs/hansen_15/ http://knowledge.allianz.com/environment/climate_c hange/?624/climate- timeline- a- short- history- of- the- earths- climate http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday /climate_change_earth_history.cfm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/paleoclimatology
Summative Performance Assessment Students will write the script and create a documentary of the Earth s Evolution. http://electronicportfolios.com /reflection.html Summative Written Assessments Unit 2 Essential Questions http://electronicportfolios.com /reflection.html
Unit Title: Earth s Systems Grade Level: 9-12 Timeframe: 15 days Essential Questions What are the effects of global warming? What causes the cycling of matter by thermal convection? How are ocean salinity variations tied to ocean density and circulation? Next Generation Science Standards Standards/Cumulative Progress Indicators (Taught and Assessed): Earth s systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes. (HSESS2-1),(HS- ESS2-2) The abundance of liquid water on Earth s surface and its unique combination of physical and chemical properties are central to the planet s dynamics. These properties include water s exceptional capacity to absorb, store, and release large amounts of energy transmit sunlight, expand upon freezing, dissolve and transport materials, and lower the viscosities and melting points of rocks. (HS- ESS2-5) Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen. (HS- ESS2-6),(HS- ESS2-7) Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate. (HS- ESS2-6),(HS- ESS2-4) Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human- generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere. (secondary to HSESS3-6) Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts. (HS- ESS3-5) Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. (HS- ESS3-6)
21 st Century Skills Standard and Progress Indicators: 9.1.12.A.1 - Apply critical thinking and problem- solving strategies during structured learning experiences. 9.1.12.B.1 - Present resources and data in a format that effectively communicates the meaning of the data and its implications for solving problems, using multiple perspectives. 9.1.12.B.2 - Create and respond to a feedback loop when problem solving.
Pre- Assessment: Unit Essential Questions Instructional Plan Reflection http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html SLO Student Strategies Formative Assessment Activities and Resources Reflection
Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems. HS- ESS2-2 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. HS- ESS3-1 Argumentative Writing Critical Reading Graphic Organizers Students will write an argumentative essay on one of the following two topics: climate feedbacks, such as how an increase in greenhouse gases causes a rise in global temperatures that melts glacial ice, which reduces the amount of sunlight reflected from Earth s surface, increasing surface temperatures and further reducing the amount of ice; or how the loss of ground vegetation causes an increase in water runoff and soil erosion; how dammed rivers increase groundwater recharge, decrease sediment transport, and increase coastal erosion; or how the loss of wetlands causes a decrease in local humidity that further reduces the wetland extent. http://www.epa.gov/climate/climatechange/science/indi cators/ghg/index.html http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/basics/today/green house-gases.html http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ http://www.columbia.edu/~vjd1/greenhouse.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/greenhouse_effect http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/qthinice.asp http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/ geophysics/question473.htm http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/13/science/earth/coll apse-of-parts-of-west-antarctica-ice-sheet-has-begunscientists-say.html?_r=0 http://www.soilerosion.net/ http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/soil-erosion-anddegradation http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/12-053.htm http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/soil-erosion/ http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/erosion/erosion.htm http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture /impacts/soil_erosion/ http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/envfacts/facts/erosion.ht m http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html
Develop a model based on evidence of Earth s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection. HS- ESS2-3 Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes. HS- ESS2-5 Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. Drawing Conclusions from Computer Simulated Models Cooperative Learning Inquiry Based Learning Inquiry Based Learning Project Based Learning Problem Based Learning Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Peer Assessment Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Peer Assessment WebQuest Phet Virtual Lab on Plate Tectonics http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/plate- tectonics https://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem /platetectonics/ www.youtube.com EarthComm G85-104 Salty Motion http://esseacourses.strategies.org/vizapp.php?ac tion=detail&vizappid=9 https://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem /water/ www.youtube.com https://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem /carboncycle/ http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html HS- ESS2-6 Summative Performance Assessment Students develop a game about volcanoes and earthquakes. http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html
Unit Title: Weather and Climate Grade Level: 9-12 Timeframe: 15 days Essential Questions What causes weather? What causes climate change? Based on climate change data, what will the future climate of the Earth be like? Next Generation Science Standards Standards/Cumulative Progress Indicators (Taught and Assessed): Cyclical changes in the shape of Earth s orbit around the sun, together with changes in the tilt of the planet s axis of rotation, both occurring over hundreds of thousands of years, have altered the intensity and distribution of sunlight falling on the earth. These phenomena cause a cycle of ice ages and other gradual climate changes. (secondary to HS- ESS2-4) The geological record shows that changes to global and regional climate can be caused by interactions among changes in the sun s energy output or Earth s orbit, tectonic events, ocean circulation, volcanic activity, glaciers, vegetation, and human activities. These changes can occur on a variety of time scales from sudden (e.g., volcanic ash clouds) to intermediate (ice ages) to very long- term tectonic cycles. (HS- ESS2-4) The abundance of liquid water on Earth s surface and its unique combination of physical and chemical properties are central to the planet s dynamics. These properties include water s exceptional capacity to absorb, store, and release large amounts of energy, transmit sunlight, expand upon freezing, dissolve and transport materials, and lower the viscosities and melting points of rocks. (HS- ESS2-5) The foundation for Earth s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy s re- radiation into space. (HS- ESS2-2),(HS- ESS2-4) Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate. (HS- ESS2-6),(HS- ESS2-4) 21 st Century Skills Standard and Progress Indicators: 9.1.12.A.1 - Apply critical thinking and problem- solving strategies during structured learning experiences. 9.1.12.B.1 - Present resources and data in a format that effectively communicates the meaning of the data and its implications for solving problems, using multiple perspectives. 9.1.12.B.2 - Create and respond to a feedback loop when problem solving.
Pre- Assessment: Unit Essential Questions Instructional Plan Reflection http://electronicportfolios.c om/reflection.html SLO Student Strategies Formative Assessment Activities and Resources Reflection Argumentative Writing Graphic Organizer Students will write an essay based on the learning objective. First, they will read and outline the three articles below and complete the graphic organizers. Then, they will use that information to write an argumentative essay. Construct scientific arguments using data to support claims that spatial and temporal patterns in weather and climate found around the Earth are created by complex global, regional, and local interactions involving sunlight, and all of the Earth's spheres. http://www.weatherquestions.com/what_caus es_weather.htm http://www.explorit.org/science/weather.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/weather https://www.brainpop.com/science/weather/ weather/ www.youtube.com http://electronicportfolios.c om/reflection.html Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth s systems result in changes in climate. HS- ESS2-4 Drawing Conclusions from Computer Simulated Models Cooperative Learning Inquiry Based Learning Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Peer Assessment Phet Virtual Lab on Greenhouse Effect http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/green house https://www.brainpop.com/science/ourfragilee nvironment/globalwarming/ https://www.brainpop.com/science/ourfragilee nvironment/humansandtheenvironment/ https://www.brainpop.com/technology/energy technology/fossilfuels/ www.youtube.com http://electronicportfolios.c om/reflection.html
Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence- based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems. HS- ESS3-5 Critical Thinking Public Speaking Cooperative Learning Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Peer Assessment Think- Pair- Share Students will read the data below and create a presentation interpreting the data and using it to make predictions for the future of Earth based on the current rate of global climate change. http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ http://data.worldbank.org/topic/climate- change http://data.worldbank.org/climate- change http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/indicators/ https://www.climate.gov/ http://electronicportfolios.c om/reflection.html Summative Performance Assessment Students create a Website for a non- profit educational group on winds, oceans, weather, and climate. http://electronicportfolios.c om/reflection.html
Unit Title: Human Sustainability Grade Level: 9-12 Timeframe: 15 days Essential Questions How can waste be decreased and recycling be increased? Standards/Cumulative Progress Indicators (Taught and Assessed): Next Generation Science Standards Resource availability has guided the development of human society. (HS- ESS3-1) All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors. (HS- ESS3-2) Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations. (HS- ESS3-1) Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations. (HS- ESS3-1) The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. (HS- ESS3-3) Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. (HS- ESS3-4) Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts. (HS- ESS3-5) Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. (HS- ESS3-6)
21 st Century Skills Standard and Progress Indicators: 9.1.12.A.1 - Apply critical thinking and problem- solving strategies during structured learning experiences. 9.1.12.B.1 - Present resources and data in a format that effectively communicates the meaning of the data and its implications for solving problems, using multiple perspectives. 9.1.12.B.2 - Create and respond to a feedback loop when problem solving.
Pre- Assessment: Unit Essential Questions Instructional Plan Reflection http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html SLO Student Strategies Formative Assessment Activities and Resources Reflection
Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost- benefit ratios. HS- ESS3-2 Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. Cooperative Learning Project Based Learning Performance Based Assessment Problem Based Learning Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Peer Assessment Think- Pair- Share NSA Recycling for a Cleaner World Challenge http://www.thestemnet.com/resource/create- resource- 14 https://www.brainpop.com/technology/scienceandindustr y/recycling/ www.youtube.com https://www.brainpop.com/science/ourfragileenvironment /naturalresources/ https://www.brainpop.com/science/ourfragileenvironment /populationgrowth/ EarthComm http://electronicportfolios.com/refle ction.html HS- ESS3-3 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. HS- ESS3-4 Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. HS- ESS3-6 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. HS- LS2-7
Summative Performance Assessment Students produce a report about the impact of an increase in the population of the community on the consumption and supply of natural resources. http://electronicportfolios.co m/reflection.html
Unit Title: Ecosystem Dynamics Grade Level: 9-12 Timeframe: 15 days Essential Questions What affects biodiversity in ecosystems? What causes the cycling of matter and flow of energy in ecosystems? What are the effects of a changing ecosystem? What is the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species chances to survive and reproduce? Standards/Cumulative Progress Indicators (Taught and Assessed): Next Generation Science Standards Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the numbers of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, competition, and disease. Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem. (HS- LS2-1), (HSLS2-2) Photosynthesis and cellular respiration (including anaerobic processes) provide most of the energy for life processes. (HS- LS2-3) Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed at the lower level is transferred upward, to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level. Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded. The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved. (HS- LS2-4) Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes. (HS- LS2-5) A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability. (HS- LS2-2),(HS- LS2-6) Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species. (HS- LS2-7)
Group behavior has evolved because membership can increase the chances of survival for individuals and their genetic relatives. (HSLS2-8) Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction). (secondary to HSLS2-7) Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value. (secondary to HS- LS2-7) The main way that solar energy is captured and stored on Earth is through the complex chemical process known as photosynthesis. (secondary to HS- LS2-5) 21 st Century Skills Standard and Progress Indicators: 9.1.12.A.1 - Apply critical thinking and problem- solving strategies during structured learning experiences. 9.1.12.B.1 - Present resources and data in a format that effectively communicates the meaning of the data and its implications for solving problems, using multiple perspectives. 9.1.12.B.2 - Create and respond to a feedback loop when problem solving.
Pre- Assessment: Unit Essential Questions Instructional Plan Reflection http://electronicportfolios.com/re flection.html SLO Student Strategies Formative Assessment Activities and Resources Reflection
Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. HS- LS2-1 Project Based Learning Cooperative Learning Inquiry Based Learning Individualized Teacher Feedback Based on Rubric Peer Assessment Think- Pair- Share Teacher Created Summative Project Students will do research and choose resources. Teachers may provide a series of resources for students to choose from. http://electronicportfolios.com/re flection.html Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. HS- LS2-2 Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem. HS- LS2-4 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. HS- LS2-6 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. HS- LS2-7 Evaluate the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species chances to survive and reproduce. HS- LS2-8
Summative Performance Assessment Teacher Created Summative Project http://electronicportfolios.com/re flection.html