Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Exploring the Factors that Contribute to Name: Erick Valdez
Ecosystems
Content Area: Biology Grade Level: 9-10

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

Next Generation Science Standards:
HS-LS2-1 Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems
at different scales.
HS-LS2-2 Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and
populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-LS2-3 Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic
conditions.
HS-LS2-4 Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.
HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

Big Ideas
Species have a carrying capacity that is determined by many factors, some which include ecosystem resources.
Species can be directly or indirectly affected by another species inside of their ecosystem.
Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only be transferred or transformed.
Human activity can have a huge impact on our ecosystems.

Unit Goals
Students will be able to investigate questions that deal with species interactions, and be able to formulate an appropriate response.
Students will be able to describe the impact humans have on different ecosystems and propose a solution to reduce human impact on these
ecosystems.

Unit Summary:
In this unit, you will be exploring ecosystems and the many factors that contribute to an ecosystem. Initially you will describe how factors of an
ecosystem can affect the carrying capacity of organisms. Following this, you will explore how species interact with both the abiotic and biotic
environment, and how they all influence each other. You are also going to learn how matter and energy is transferred through an ecosystem and
its trophic levels starting at the primary level with photosynthesis. As you develop an understanding of ecosystems, you will be able to evaluate a
possible solution that could reduce the impact of human activities within our ecosystems.
Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level: Formative: Summative:
Pair-Share Discussion Questions on the lecture Quizzes to gauge student understanding as Concept map of the whole lesson of
of the day. the lesson progresses ecosystems to bridge and connect all ideas
Quizlet as a study tool to help students learned.
prepare for quizzes Group presentation on the effect human
Webercises to help students learn how to find impact has on different biomes and
answers online ecosystems.

Lesson 1 (Teacher Lecture)

Student Learning Acceptable Evidence Lesson Activities:
Objective: (Assessments): Students will listen and follow along with a lecture while taking their guided notes. The
Students will understand Students will follow guided notes will involve information that can be found within the lecture slides, but also
the basics of what along with a lecture and information that needs to be critically thought out. Students will be given time throughout
constitutes an fill out guided notes. the lecture to peer discuss questions with one another and help each other fill out their
ecosystem and what Students will also guided notes. The lecture will also provide questions that are not included in the guided
factors play a role in critically think and notes, but will help students with the review questions at the end of the guided notes. The
creating an ecosystem. answer questions review questions are going to also be discussed in groups and after 15 minutes of
regarding ecosystems. discussion, we will come back as a class and go over the questions together. Using this
class discussion, they will be able to fix the answers to their questions and use the
questions to study for their quizzes or exams.

Lesson 2 (Webercise/ iPad Lesson)

Student Learning Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
Objective: Students will use By using a device that can connect onto the internet, students will access different
Students will build ideas provided websites to fill websites that contain information about the components of an ecosystem and the
and ask questions about out a webercise in which interactions between organisms in an ecosystem. In groups of two or three, students will
how an ecosystem they will study the answer the provided questions on the webercise assignment by using the provided
functions. components of an websites. The group will discuss the information that they had read about and help each
ecosystem and the other understand ecosystems. After the activity, a teacher lead discussion will be
interactions between administered in which students get to ask for clarification on any aspect of ecosystems,
factors of an ecosystem. but also get to discuss their answers with the rest of the class. Students will be informed
that the information that is obtained through this activity may be useful for a future
assignment.
Lesson 3 (Graphic Organizer)
Student Learning Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
Objective: Students will create a By using all the information that has been provided to them through the ecosystem
Students will be able to concept map in which all lesson, and any information that they have read about, students must create a concept
connect all the main topics of the lesson map in which all topics are connected to one another. Students will use a program called
information that they must be included. All Mindomo to map their understanding of ecosystems. Students may work together for the
have learned through the topics must be assignment, but each student must turn in their own concept map. The concept map will
ecosystem lesson. connected to one way or contain topics such as species interactions, carrying capacity, photosynthesis and cellular
another. Students must respiration, trophic interactions, and human impacts on ecosystems to name a few. To
provide examples, gauge the understanding of the students, all information must be connected to at least
definitions, and pictures one block that is not within its same main topic. Students will be given the opportunity to
to show their discuss their concept maps with one another and describe why they connected certain
understanding of ideas together. The students will then be informed that the concept map that they create
ecosystems. may be used on future quizzes or exams.

Unit Resources:
Teacher Lecture:
http://ecosystemswithmrvaldez.weebly.com/teacher-lecture.html

Webercise:
http://eschooltoday.com/ecosystems/what-is-an-ecosystem.html
http://eschooltoday.com/ecosystems/levels-of-organisation-in-an-ecosystem.html
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Abiotic_vs_Biotic
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/ecol_com/ecol_com.html
http://www.eartheclipse.com/ecosystem/trophic-levels-and-energy-flow-food-chain.html

Graphic Organizer:
https://www.mindomo.com
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/ecology/intro-to-ecosystems/a/food-chains-food-webs
http://worldpopulationhistory.org/carrying-capacity/
http://eschooltoday.com/ecosystems/the-carbon-cycle.html
Useful Websites:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtNdTKZkV_GiIYXpV9w4WxbX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot_KmOTYfRA
https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?ResourceID=639&method=cResource.dspDetail
https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/ecosystems/ebfm/ecosystem-modeling
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_03/BL_03.html
http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/studyworks/predators8a.html
https://www.reading.ac.uk/virtualexperiments/ves/preloader-photosynthesis-full.html
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_04/BL_04.html