Total Duration: |
Greater than 120 Minutes |
Materials and Resources: |
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Technology Resources Needed: |
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Background/Preparation: |
This lesson is intended to be a culminating project activity to allow the student to demonstrate what they have learned about the interactions of the components in an ecosystem. As the majority of this lesson will be completed by the student, the teacher needs to make sure students have a firm understanding of the flow of energy in an ecosystem and how the components of an ecosystem work with each other before allowing students to complete this project. Major Concepts:
**It would be helpful to have previously assigned ecosystems to students so that you don't have to do that when you are discussing the directions.
***The Unpacked Standards on the Alabama Insight Tool for this content standard may be helpful to understand the type of model students need to produce. ***The Next Generation Science Standards Evidence Statements may also be helpful to see what the students need to be able to produce. |
I suggest breaking this project down into four, 30-45 minute lessons. After students begin working on their project the teacher should facilitate and guide students in their research and model creation without giving too much information away. Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4 and 5 (Optional: you could have one or two students present their project over the next few days so that you aren't using too much class time.
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Assessment Strategies |
The example rubrics in the attached Ecosystem-Encyclopedia-Research-Project-Directions may be used to assess the following.The student will construct a model of a balanced ecosystem that shows how energy cycles in an ecosystem. The student constructed a model of a balanced ecosystem that shows how energy cycles in an ecosystem. The student used the model to describe the relationships of the components that make up an ecosystem. The students used the balanced ecosystem model to describe an ecosystem change or introduce an invasive species to show how the balance of the model ecosystem will change. The student evaluated causes and effects of unbalanced ecosystems. There should also be a presentation rubric made for this project if you chose that option. |
Acceleration: |
Students who need extension activities could:
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Intervention: |
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View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.
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