Lesson Plan: Ecosystem (11th Grade)

Duration of Lesson: 3 days

Standards:

B3.2C- Draw the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Predict changes in the food web
when one or more organisms are removed.
9-12.CC.3. - Collaborate in content-related projects that integrate a variety of media ( e.g.,
print, audio, video, graphic, simulations, and models.)

Goals & Objectives

Students will be able to analyze how energy moves through out an ecosystem.
Students will be able to interpret a food web, and be able to follow energy as it moves
through an ecosystem.
Students will be able to collaborate, and work with a partner to research a certain topic and
great a technology project to present to the class.

Materials Needed

Class Computer
Library
Projector
Microsoft Office
Internet

Content

Process

Anticipatory Set- I will begin by telling students how the entire world is an ecosystem, and
that we our class in particular will be studying one intently. The ecosystem that my class will
be studying is temperate deciduous forests. This will allow students to relate the subject of
ecosystems to their everyday life.
Input/ Modeling- This will include a PowerPoint that will cover how energy moves from the
sun, to autotrophs, to heterotrophs, and how this creates a giant food web in both large and
small ecosystems. I will also include a brief, deeper, overview of our local eco-systems such
as a temperate forests.
First I will assign each pair of students an animal or plant that exist in a temperate deciduous
forest that each student will be assigned to study. This can include animals such deers,
insects, pine trees, etc. Once students have picked their organisms they will research this
organism to find out its eating habits, evolutionary traits, living areas, and other areas. The
students will use several different sources to study their organisms such as books and
movies from libraries, and online sources available on the computer.

After students research their organism every pair of students will prepare a PowerPoint
slide that sums up everything they learned about their organisms, along with a short paper
that they will turn into me. Students will sign up for a time to use the class computer to
make their PowerPoint slide, and all slides will be made into one long PowerPoint that the
students will present on day 3.
While students present their PowerPoint slides as a class we will construct a food web that
includes all the animals they researched, and how all the animals are connected in the
ecosystem.

Product/ AssessmentBoth the students paper, PowerPoint, and in class participation will all be considered in giving a
final grade. Rubric below.

Student Name:
CATEGORY
Clarity and
Neatness

________________________________________
4
PowerPoint is easy
to read and all
elements are so
clearly written,
labeled, or drawn
that another
student could
create the
presentation if
necessary.
Used time well
during each class
period (as shown
by observation by
teacher) with no
adult reminders.

3
PowerPoint is easy
to read and most
elements are
clearly written,
labeled, or drawn.

2
PowerPoint is hard
to read with rough
drawings and
labels.

1
PowerPoint is hard
to read and one
cannot tell what
goes where.

Used time well

during most class
periods (as shown
by observation by
teacher) with no
adult reminders.

Used time poorly

(as shown by
observation by
teacher) in spite of
several adult
reminders to do so.

Cooperation

Worked
cooperatively with
partner all the time
with no need for
adult intervention.

Spelling &
Grammar

No spelling or
grammatical
mistakes on a
PowerPoint with
lots of text.

Worked
cooperatively with
partner most of
time but had a few
problems that the
team resolved
themselves.
No spelling or
grammatical
mistakes on a
PowerPoint with
little text.

Used time well (as

shown by
observation by
teacher and
documentation),
but required adult
reminders on one
or more occasions
to do so.
Worked
cooperatively with
partner most of
the time, but had
one problem that
required adult
intervention.
One spelling or
grammatical error
on the PowerPoint.

Required Elements

PowerPoint
included all
required elements
as well as one
additional
element.

Use of Time

PowerPoint
included all
required elements.
-Eating Habits Niche -Predators Locations in
Michigan Population
Numbers

Worked
cooperatively with
partners some of
the time, but had
several problems
that required adult
intervention.
Several spelling
and/or
grammatical errors
on the PowerPoint.

Slide/Paper miss
Missed most of the
one of the required required elements
elements.
was missing from
the PowerPoint.