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Ecology

10/23/2019

 
​​I start off this unit explaining that energy flows through the biosphere/earth.  Then I review with students the major biomes on earth.  I explain that earth's biome changes in altitude mirror those in latitude.  I review both terrestrial and aquatic biomes.
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​Vocabulary is a big part of this unit.  I review important terms, especially habitat and niche.

Since ecology is about energy movement, I discuss the movement of energy on earth and how the sun is earth's main source of energy.  We review food chains, food webs, and various ecological pyramids.

Later, I review the additional terms: autotroph, heterotroph, and different types of consumers.
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​Most students are familiar with the water cycle.  For most, their knowledge base is expanded once I review other bio-geo-chemical cycles:  carbon dioxide/oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus.  I remind students that energy moves in a straight line while nutrients cycle through the biosphere.

Next I tell students that ecosystems are affected by biotic factors (like different species, predators, etc.) abiotic factors (like temperature, soil types, etc.), community interactions, and ecological succession.  I talk about living and non-living factors that effect ecosystems, as well as ecological succession.
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With the discussion about the characteristics of a populations, I talk about geographic distribution, growth rate, and density.  As resources become less available, ecosystems reach carrying capacity for a particular species. Exponential growth for a species becomes logistic growth.  These concepts are reinforced with LABS. 

I also use LAB activities to teach about population growth.  I explain that population growth is limited by density dependent factors like food availability, availability of mates, etc. and density independent factors like weather, seasonal cycles, etc.
​I spend some time talking about biodiversity and how the biosphere has been transformed by humans.  I review some negative effects humans have had on the biosphere, as well as positive impacts and sustainable use by humans.  ​
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The major factor in negative human effects is population.  I show students some comparisons of human population in developed and lesser developed nations.

​The culminating activity for this unit is the state lab Relationships and Biodiversity.  


The Presentation and Student Notes files are available here. 
An excellent tool for teaching ecology topics is to lead an entire class reading of There's a Hair in My Dirt: A Worm's Story (1999) by Gary Larson:
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You can also download a crude powerpoint that I made of the book below. I display it in my classroom as we read the book together. I recommend purchasing a class set so students can participate easily with the reading.
You can also find assignments that go with the Larson book in Ecology Teaching Resources.
book-theresahairinmydirt.pptx
File Size: 156874 kb
File Type: pptx
Download File

    AuthoR: 

    New York State Teacher of Biology/Living Environment

    ​All regular education and most special education students are required to take the New York State Living Environment Regents.  This is the material I have delivered to all ability levels of students to prepare them for that test.  

    My instruction of this course evolved. Although I continually "tweaked" things from year to year and class to class, I found that the most orderly delivery was to use PowerPoint slides to act as my "plan book". From these, I communicated instructional objectives, vocabulary, lab activities, and other learning activities to students.

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