unit: aquatic communities water, water,...

Unit: Aquatic Communities Water, Water, Everywhere!

Standards (Content and Characteristics):

Focus Standard:

S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine).

Supporting Standards:

S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

a. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environments.

b. Explain in a food web that sunlight is the source of energy and that this energy moves from organism to organism.

c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.

d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.

S7CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:

a. Reading in All Curriculum Areas • Read a minimum of 25 grade-level appropriate books per year from a variety of

subject disciplines and participate in discussions related to curricular learning in all areas

• Read both informational and fictional texts in a variety of genres and modes of discourse

Enduring Understanding:

The earth is vast and has a great variety of different land types, organisms, climates, and aquatic types.

The ocean is only a percentage of the world’s water. There are also freshwater communities and estuaries.

Location and climate play are huge role in the type of organisms that live in aquatic environments.

Different factors influence if an organism can live in a certain habitat: temperature, light, food source, space, ect.

Some organisms can survive in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Essential Questions:

What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities?

How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise?

How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water?

How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different? Pre-Assessment: Use What I Know About Aquatic Communities-KWL, Attachment A. For this pre-assessment activity, chart paper and pencils are need. Students work in small groups followed by a class discussion.

After students are in groups (no larger than four), hand out the KWL chart.

Students are to complete the K and W sections of the chart with only the help of their group members—no text books. The L section will be completed in conclusion to the unit.

After 8 minutes, discuss their charts as a class. Take them up to be placed on the wall for display.

Teacher will look over the completed portion of the chart to assess the students’ knowledge.

o Clarify ideas and correct any misconceptions

LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES Lesson Planning Form

Name: Rutledge Class: 7th

grade Life Science

GPS: S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.


Unit/Chapter/Lesson: Unit 2: Aquatic Communities Date(s): Day 1, 50 minutes

Learning – Focus Time

Essential Question(s):

(with key questions if necessary)


Activating Thinking Strategies: (ex: kwl, word maps, wordsplash,

etc…)

15 minutes K-W-L (Attachment A) Students will divide into groups of 3 or 4 and complete the K and L sections of the chart. Teacher will facilitate a class discussion of chart, clarify ideas, and correct misconceptions.

Acceleration Strategies: (focus on content maps and key

vocabulary)

Fresh water:

No salt

Rivers, lakes, ponds, streams

Large variety of plants and animals

Most spread out biome across the world

Marine:

Salt water, oceans

Four zones: (Intertidal, Neritic, Oceanic,

Benthic)

Reference Finding Nemo

Estuary:

Where fresh water combines with salt water

Ex: Mississippi River dumping into the Gulf of

Mexico

Brackish water

river mouths, bays, lagoons and salt marshes

Teaching Strategies: (graphic organizers)

10 minutes Tree Map of aquatic communities with characteristic

listed below each

Prompts: (distributed practice and

distributed summarizing)

15 minutes Prezi or PowerPoint presentation

Summarizing Strategies: (ex. Ticket Out the Door, 3-2-1,

etc…Answer the essential

question)

10 minutes Discuss the Essential Question.

Assignment and/or Assessment: No Homework

Re-Teaching Focus and Strategy: (if necessary)

SED Modifications: Some students will be given a partially completed tree

map to help guide them with filling it in.

LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES

Lesson Planning Form


grade Life Science


e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine). S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one

another and their environments. a. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from

one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environments.


S7CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by: a. Reading in All Curriculum Areas

• Read a minimum of 25 grade-level appropriate books per year from a variety of subject disciplines and participate in discussions related to curricular learning in all areas

• Read both informational and fictional texts in a variety of genres and modes of discourse





How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? Location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water?


etc…)

5 minutes The Do Now for the day is for students to clear their desks and prepare for “story time”. If able, move desks out of the way and create a circle with the chairs.


vocabulary)

Words and concepts from the book to discuss:

tide

prey/predator

life cyles

salt marsh

estuary

creek ocean Be sure to draw attention to the types of plants and vegetation.


Chart comparing students’ perceptions of the ocean

and marsh



5 minutes

25 minutes

7 minutes

5 minutes

Teacher will create a chart on the board to compare

the ocean and the marsh. The object is to have

students list all the things they like/dislike/know about

the ocean and the marsh.

Read And The Tide Comes In… aloud to students.

Throughout the story, discuss content as it comes up.

Cannon’s Point Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK1PdYmkiAc

Introduce Cannon’s Point and the assignment for

during the field trip.



question)

8 minutes Review Chart comparing Ocean and Marsh

Get responses from the students:

“Were their perceptions of the ocean like the

girl in the story?”

“Look at some of the responses on the board.

Based on what we just read in the book, are

they right/wrong? How”

Assignment and/or Assessment: Review tree map of Aquatic Communities

Review tree map of Terrestrial Biomes, focusing on the

maritime forest


SED Modifications: Students with hearing problems can sit closer to the

teacher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK1PdYmkiAc




grade Life Science


e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine). S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one

another and their environments. a. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from

one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environments.


c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.

d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.





How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water? How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different?


etc…)

5 minutes Double Bubble, Attachment B—Students will complete the Double Bubble comparing the land and marsh/ocean. If the student cannot complete it within the time allotted, he/she can fill it out throughout the tour.


vocabulary)


Double Bubble, Attachment B



40 minutes Students will go on a tour of Cannon’s Point beginning in the forest and ending at the marsh. Throughout the tour, students will be prompted questions to relate the tour to the standards.

How are the organisms interacting with each other? Type of relationship?

How can changes in the environment (rather by people or nature) affect the community?

How is energy transferred from one organism to the other?

What are the characteristic of the land/marsh/ocean? Which biome is it?

Discuss the differences in the land environment and water environment.

Discuss how human interaction can change the environment.



question)

25 minutes Double Bubble – Compare land and water environments

Blank Sheet of paper, Attachment C– draw a food web using an organism seen at Cannon’s Point, in the story, or native to the ocean or marsh.

Answer the three discussion questions on Wrapping It Up, Attachment D

Assignment and/or Assessment: Three handouts will be taken up before departure and graded as a quiz grade.


SED Modifications: Students will complete a partially completed Double

Bubble, draw the food web, and answer one out of the

three discussion questions or work with a partner to

answer them all.




grade Life Science







What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities? How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water? How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different?


etc…)

5 minutes WordSplash – have students create a list of words that relate to the unit (aquatic communities). It can also include terms from the terrestrial biomes unit as well if it relates to Cannon’s Point. The goal, is to have lists of around 30 terms/concepts.


vocabulary)


10 minutes Review tree maps for both terrestrial and aquatic

biomes



35 minutes Travel Brochures - pretend you are a travel agent for a

specific biome. Your boss tells you to create a

brochure to attract travelers to your biome.

In your brochure, you must include:

Name of your Biome

General climate

Types of plants and animals and their

relationships with each other

One “Made-up” Attraction

Location



question)

5 minutes Revisit lists made during Do Now. Randomly call out

words from the students’ papers and define them as a

class.

Answer Essential Questions

Assignment and/or Assessment:


SED Modifications: Aim for a list of 15-20 words for Do Now

LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES Lesson Planning Form


grade Life Science







What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities? How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water? How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities

alike? Different?


etc…)

15 minutes Do Now: Find your brochure and complete it. Prepare to present it.


vocabulary)




30 minutes Present Biome Brochures (To keep students engaged in

their peers’ presentation, students will have to write

down one thing they liked about each classmate’s

brochure/biome)



question)

10 minutes Answer Essential Questions

K-W-L Charts, complete the L portion

Assignment and/or Assessment: Biome Brochure will serve as 50% of Unit test grade

---See attached rubric


SED Modifications: Students will have extra time to prepare for

presentation.

Attachment A What I Know About Aquatic Communities – Pre-Assessment

Names:___________________________________ Date:_________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Directions:

For each topic listed in the left column of the table below, list everything you already know in the column labeled K.

For each topic listed in the left column of the table below, list everything you want to know (are unsure of or need clarified) in the column marked W.

The L column will be used at the conclusion of this lesson. At the conclusion of the lesson, you will list everything you have learned in the L column.

TOPIC K W L

Fresh Water

Marine (Ocean)

Estuaries

Cannon’s Point – St.

Simon’s Island

Attachment C Food Wed

Directions: Create a Food Web using at least one organism seen at Cannon’s Point.

Attachment D Discussion Questions


How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? Location wise?

How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different?

Rubric for Travel Brochures

Name: Biome:

Category Description Excellent 4

Good 3

Average 2

Needs Work

1

Climate Climate is accurately

described for the biome. It includes

temperature and amount of rain

fall.

Plants At least three accurate

examples of plants (with

relationships) are given.

Animals At least three accurate

examples of animals (with

relationships) are given.

Location Location is accurate and fits

the biome. Example:

Savanna in the tropics, not near the North Pole.

“Made up” Attraction (Creativity)

Attraction is creative and

shows thought.

Presentation Presentation flowed. Eye contact was made. Loud,

clear speaking voice. Steady

speed.

unit: aquatic communities water, water,...

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