Ecology and Ecosystems Day-By-Day Walkthrough
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Ecology and Ecosystems Unit
Day 1:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science – What if humans disappeared?
A great video by ASAP Science that looks at what would happen to our entire infrastructure if humans left earth. I use this video to start my unit on ecology which focuses on the sustainability of ecosystems.
– I followed my discussion with a quick introduction on my Ecology Unit. Click here to have a look at what I’ll be covering.
– I love the story – The Lorax by Dr. Suess. Following my introduction to ecology, I got my kids to research when The Lorax was written (1971). I told them how its story was so far ahead of its time. When it was published there was no discussion of Global Warming and very few people concerned themselves with the environment like they do today. I show my students The Lorax movie which can be found here which they would use to complete their Lorax Assignment. Most of the work is done following the movie, but they can fill in some information while the video was playing. The video can be found BY CLICKING HERE.
– This isn’t a huge assignment, but it gets them thinking.
– We then completed Lesson 1 – Spheres of the Earth
Homework: Students have their Lorax Assignment due in 3 days and their Senses Lab due in 4 days.
Day 2:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science – The Science Of Laziness
So many kids label themselves as “lazy” but do they know what lazy is? What causes it? A great video by ASAP Science that looks the science behind laziness.
– Started the day by watching (and filling in the worksheet for) Bill Nye – Atmosphere
– Today we completed Lesson 2 – Ecosystems
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science – Lesson 2 – Ecosystems
– Starting in 2 days, we will begin our Ecobottle Inquiry Lab. This lab allows your students to create and carry out a hands-on, engaging experiment on how humans affect our environment. It utilizes the steps in the scientific method to scaffold learning and allow your students to come to a conclusion based on findings that are tangible and really complements what we’ve done so far this year. I reminded them that they need to bring in their empty water bottles so we can get started soon.
Homework: Students have their Lorax Assignment due in 2 days and their Senses Lab due in 3 days
Day 3:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I wanted to show my kids the Magnus Effect. Nothing in-depth at all, just some cool science that explains why flying objects curve when they are spin. First we watch – The Physics of the “Impossible” Free Kick then a really good video which shows the effects on a large scale – The Magnus Effect Example.
– I collected The Lorax Assignment
– In keeping with our lesson yesterday on Lesson 2 – Ecosystems, I took my students out for a walk to our nearby park to collect data on Biotic and Abiotic factors they could find. As well, they were asked to document human influence. The worksheet they were asked to fill in can be foud here – Ecology Walk Worksheet
Homework: Students have their Senses Lab due next day.
Day 4:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – How do ants take care of their farms?
– Class started by introducing their Ecobottle Lab which will run through the rest of the unit. This ecosystems lab allows your students to create and carry out a hands-on, engaging experiment on how humans affect our environment. It utilizes the steps in the scientific method to scaffold learning and allow your students to come to a conclusion based on findings that are tangible.
– We then covered the rest of day 1 for Lesson 3 – Energy Flow in Ecosystems
– For the last few minutes of class, I let them get started on their homework which was to create a Venn diagram comparing Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration.
Homework: Venn diagram comparing Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. This will be due in 3 days.
Day 5:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – How Big Is The Ocean?
**Note: For the Ecobottle Lab, each day following the video, students water their plants**
– We then covered most of Lesson 3 – Energy Flow in Ecosystem
– We then watched and completed a worksheet for: Bill Nye Food Web
Homework: Venn diagram comparing Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. This will be due in 2 days.
Day 6:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – What Causes Pins and Needles?
– I loved today’s lesson because I had my students complete an in-class, inquiry task on Food Webs. You can download the activity by clicking –> Food Web activity. They had 50 minutes in class to complete it and had to submit it prior to the end of the period. I really like this activity because it brings some real-world application to our Ecology Unit.
Homework: Venn diagram comparing Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. This will be due in next day.
Day 7:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – The 6 Craziest Mass Extinctions
– Started by taking up the Food Web activity as a class.
– We then finished Lesson 3 – Energy Flow in Ecosystem
– Lastly, we started Lesson 4 – Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems, but only got through a few slides.
Homework: Venn diagram comparing Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. This will be due next day.
Day 8:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – The 5 Myths About Sugar.
– First up, I collected the Venn Diagram Assignment
– We continued with Lesson 4 – Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems, getting through the remainder of the Water Cycle. I then introduced our Water Cycle assignment which can be Found Here.
Homework: Students were to complete the Water Cycle assignment and return it next day.
Day 9:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – Can Earbuds Lead to Hearing Loss?
– We started with a peer evaluation of the Water Cycle Diagram I gave last day.
– We finished Lesson 4 – Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems, getting through the remainder of the Cycles. I then introduced our Carbon Cycle Diagram assignment which we will work on next day.
Homework: No homework tonight.
Day 10:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – Does My Voice Really Sound Like That? I know when I hear a recording of my voice, it sounds like an entirely different person. The students can appreciate this because it happens to them also.
– We started by adding our “human factor” to our Ecobottle Lab.
– The remainder of the class was dedicated to starting our Carbon Cycle Diagram assignment which will be due in 4 days.
Homework: Carbon Cycle Diagram assignment due in 3 days.
Day 11:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – Why Do Paper Cuts Hurt So Much?
– Today we covered Lesson 5 – Population Influences Within Ecosystems
– For the latter half of the class, I gave out my Deer Population Case Study which looks at how populations fluctuate due environmental factors such as number of predators, food availability, etc.
Homework:
– Deer Population Case Study assignment due in 2 days.
– Carbon Cycle Diagram assignment due in 2 days.
Day 12:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – Why Do Zebras Have Stripes?
– The day started by having the students add their human factor to their Ecobottle Lab.
– Today we covered Lesson 7 Biomass and Fossil Fuels
Homework:
– Ecology Unit Test in 3 Days
Day 13:
Class starter – A minds-on fun science video to get them focused and thinking science. Today I showed my kids – Talent vs. Training and how genetics as well as effort, contributes to someone’s ability level.
– Today we covered two lessons:
Lesson 8 – The Importance of Biodiversity
and
Homework:
– Ecology Unit Test in 2 Days
Day 14:
– With all the lessons complete, today is for review and the way I review is by doing my Ecology Task Card game. This Ecology Task Card resource is very unique. I use it as a clue gathering, puzzle solving, highly active and engaging review activity. What I love to do is have the kids go through the activity for the first half or two-thirds of our review period then spend the remainder of the time reviewing the questions as a class on the overhead projector.
Homework:
– Study for the Ecology Unit Test
Day 15:
Ecology Unit Test Day. The test can be found within my Ecology Unit.
