Z:\Biology-Regular\Biology UBD Units\Ecology\Human Impact & Conservation.doc 1
UNIT COVER PAGE
School District: Bremen Dist. 228 Department: Science Course: Biology
Unit Title: Ecology Grade Levels: 9-10
Topic Areas: Human Impact & Conservation
Time Frame: 2 weeks Date Created: 2/18/2008 Date Modified:
Unit Designer(s): Kris Cardinal, Peg Macabobby, Jane Molek, Chad Robson
Link to National/State Standards 12.11.31
12.11.32
12.11.33
12.11.34
12.11.35
12.11.36
Understand the causes of ecosystem disruptions: changes in climate, human activity, introduction of a
nonnative species, changes in population size, sudden natural disasters.
Know that fluctuations in population size are determined by the relative rates of birth, immigration,
emigration and death.
Know that concentrations of nonbiodegradable (e.g., pesticides) increase as we go up in a particular
food chain (i.e., that the further we go in the direction of consumers whose food is tainted with
pesticide, the more concentrated the levels of the pesticide). Understand that this process is called
biological magnification.
Understand how agricultural run-off and pollution entering groundwater and surface water can affect
drinking water and local wildlife.
Understand that a vital part of an ecosystem is the stability of its producers and decomposers.
Understand the effects upon the population of a species caused by various ecological factors,
particularly (a) the presence of another species with competitive feeding habits, (b) the presence (or
absence) of and number of predators, (c) the abundance or scarcity of food sources.
Summary of Unit Human impact on environment focusing on day to day activities. Photosynthesis and respiration will be
used as a transition to cells.
Resources You Tube – Impact of H2O
Medicine Man
Ishmael
Carbon footprint website
Dirty Jobs – sewer
Great Lakes website – poo-pot maker
Key Words
Composting
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Pollution
Invasive
Biome
Monoculture
Variation
Aerobic
Anaerobic
Bacterial/prokaryote
Deforestation
Mitochondria
Chloroplast
Light/dark rxn
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STAGE 1: IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that
all human activity (at the microscopic and macroscopic level) has an impact on the environment.
Essential Questions
What are common misconceptions about human impact on the environment (food choices,
recycling…)?
So what? Why does it matter?
How might knowing that humans have a large environmental footprint help us to change our
behavior/attitude toward the environment?
How would this look from a corporate/political/environmentalist point of view?
How might animals feel about human disregard for their habitat?
How are my views about the environment shaped by my role as a consumer?
Knowledge and Skills
Students will know
Kreb’s cycle & citric acid cycle (Honors only)
water treatment
forest preserve population
human introduced species – ex. wolf, goby
invasive species
economic impact (global warming)
“going green” (recycle)
habitat destruction (effect on populations)
pollution biomagnifications
challenges to conservation
monoculture vs. variation
Students will be able to
understand that all human initiatives are not beneficial to the environment.
recognize the impact of pollutants (water treatment, pesticides, recycling…) on the environment.
identify the different regions of the world and their habitats that are affected by human activity.
communicate the economic impact vs. the environmental impact of human activity.
compare and contrast the viability of a monoculture (i.e., cornfield) vs. a species with variation.
Students will be familiar with
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STAGE 2: DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE
What evidence will show that students understand?
Required Assessments (brief description)
Develop a 4-week eco-friendly lifestyle plan (Application).
Other Assessments (brief description)
Composting lab
Photosynthesis/resp. graphs
Eagle lab (w/rice)
Biomagnification demo
Bacteria lab – staining
- metrics review – estimating size
- population estimate
- exponent/sci notation review
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PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION
What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will equip students
to develop and demonstrate the desired understandings?
Learning Activities
W
How will you ensure that all students know where they are headed in the unit, why they are
headed there, and how they will be evaluated?
Discussion of how the size of your ecological footprint affects the environment. Why do
we care? How do we change it?
Introduce performance tasks.
H
How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit?
Show “Dirty Jobs” episode (poo-pot maker).
E
What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit?
How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
List all activities you have done since you have done since you have woken up this
morning. What impact have you made on the environment?
Research and discuss issues concerning human impact on the environment (articles).
R
How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing,
revising, and refining their work?
Reflect on your footprint.
Performance assessment.
E
How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and
understanding throughout the unit?
Self-evaluation of product.
Will you continue? How has your actions/attitudes changed?
T
How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and
effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit?
Allow choice of performance tasks.
Provide opportunity to work alone/groups.
Appeal to various learning styles (visual, writing, orally).
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O
How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and
achievement of ALL students?
Hook students with “Dirty Jobs” video clip (or alternative). What have you done today discussion? What is your footprint? How does your footprint affect the natural balance of the world (influence other
organisms)? Natural Balance
- invasive - pollution - deforestation
Research issues on human impact on the environment and discuss. Complete performance task.
Natural recycling/decomposition. Cellular respiration/photosynthesis to cells.
Topics 1. Habitat destruction and formation of preserved areas/endangered species.
“Global warming”
Human activity Natural disaster
2. Invasive species 3. Pollution
Land Water Air
4. Respiration/photosynthesis
Anaerobic vs. aerobic respiration Populations affect rates of respiration
Anaerobic – bacteria (sewers) – single cell prokaryotes Single cells to multi cellular organisms (get into organelles)
*Honors bio students should have an understanding of Kreb’s Cycle & Citric Acid Cycle.
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Essential Questions at Topic Level
Use the six facets of understanding to generate possible essential questions for the topic of
your three-circle audit (curricular priorities).
Explanation
Interpretation Application
Empathy
Self-Knowledge
Perspective
(Topic Area)
What are common
misconceptions
about human
impact on the
environment (food
choices,
recycling…)?
How might knowing that humans
have a large environmental
footprint help us to change our
behavior/attitude toward the
environment?
So what? Why
does it matter?
How might animals
feel about human
disregard for their
habitat?
How are my views about the
environment shaped by my role
as a consumer?
How would this
look from a
corporate/political
/environmentalist
point of view?
Human Impact &
Conversation
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Student Performance Task
Unit: Human Impact & Conservation Course: Biology
Task: Biology Time Frame: ½ period – once a week (culminating project)
Overarching Understanding:
Students will understand that data can be analyzed to support, contradict, or alter existing
concepts or ideas.
Enduring Understanding:
Students will understand that all human activity (at the microscope and macroscopic level)
has an impact on the environment.
Essential Question:
How might knowing that humans have a large environmental footprint help us to change our
behavior/attitude toward the environment?
Vignette:
Now that you’ve determined, your carbon footprint from the last unit, it’s time to make
some lifestyle changes. Your task is to develop a 4-week plan for you and your family that is more
environmentally friendly. The goal of this plan is to reduce your carbon footprint. This plan must
have at least five (5) lifestyle changes and discuss the following factors: (1) costs involved with
these changes; (2) overall environmental impact; and (3) economic impact (savings).
Standard:
You will be graded on the following scale:
The 4-week plan should highlight the following components:
- indicate 5 or more lifestyle changes
- cost involved with these changes
- overall environmental impact
- economic impact (savings)
In addition the timeline should be:
- computer generated
- creative and neat
- scientifically valid and feasible
- include pictures
- analysis comparing your new footprint to the scrapbook footprint
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Performance Task Blueprint
Unit: Human Impact &
Conversation Type: Application
Topic Area: Time Frame: ½ period – once a week
(culminating project)
Goal
The task is to develop a 4-week plan how you would live your life more
“environmentally friendly.”
Role
You are yourself.
Audience
You need to convince your family to make (implement) these changes.
Situation
Your challenge is to decrease your environmental footprint.
Product or
Performance
Create a time-line for a 4-week period incorporating the following
components:
5+ changes
Cost involved/with these changes
Overall environmental impact
Economic impact (savings)
Standards
Your time-line needs to be computer generated, creative, neat,
scientifically valid, feasible, explanation of your plan, pictures, analysis
comparing your new footprint to the footprint in your scrapbook from
the last unit.
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Environmental Factors and Photosynthesis Name: ________________________________
Graph One
1. What two factors are being compared?
2. Which has the longer wavelength: red or blue light?
3. Which color cellophane should NOT be used to cover a plant? Why? (Use the
information on the graph to answer this question.)
Graph Two (a)
4. What two factors are being compared?
5. Write an explanation of what the graph is telling us.
Graph Two (b)
6. What are the optimum temperatures for photosynthesis? (Give a 2 to 3 degree range.)
7. Explain why there is a decrease in the rate of photosynthesis above 30°C.
Graph Three (a)
8. Increasing levels of oxygen has what effect on the photosynthesis?
9. True or False. Atmospheric levels of oxygen (20%) promotes the highest rate of
photosynthesis.
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Graph Three (b)
10. Which two factors in combination give the highest rates of photosynthesis?
11. Overall, how do high temperatures compared to low temperatures affect the rate of
photosynthesis?
12. Overall, how to high concentration of carbon dioxide compared to low concentration of
carbon dioxide affect the rate of photosynthesis?
13. Why are all four lines the same at the beginning of the graph?
14. Why do all four lines level off?
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GRAPH ONE
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GR
AP
H T
WO
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GR
AP
H T
HR
EE
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