Lesson
Title/Focus
Subject/Grade
Level
Niche, Interdependence, and Symbiosis
Date
December 3rd, 2015
Science, Grade 9
Time
Duration
60 Minutes
Unit
A – Biological Diversity
Teacher
Ms. Julia Adolf
OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES
General
Learning
Outcomes:
9A-1. Investigate and interpret diversity among species and within species, and describe how
diversity contributes to species survival
Specific
Learning
Outcomes:
9A-1.2 identify examples of niches, and describe the role of variation in enabling closely related
living things to survive in the same ecosystem (e.g., investigate different bird species found in a
local park ecosystem, and infer how each is adapted to life within that ecosystem)
9A-1.3 investigate and interpret dependencies among species that link the survival of one species
to the survival of others − identify examples of symbiotic relationships (e.g., organisms that
benefit other organisms by providing habitat, food, means of fertilization, or a source of oxygen) −
classify symbiotic relationships as mutualism, commensalism, parasitism
9A- 1.4 identify the role of variation in species survival under changing environmental conditions
(e.g., resistance to disease, ability to survive in severe environments)
Prior Knowledge




Adaptions organisms have for their environments
o Structural and behavioural adaptations
Understanding of biological diversity
o Community and population
Variations – species and ecosystems – within and among: speciation
o Sexual dimorphisms
Characteristics of all living things
ASSESSMENTS
Observations:
Verbal Questioning and Communication
Products/Performances:
Baseball Card Organism Activities
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
 Alberta Program of Studies
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
 Computer, projector

PROCEDURE
Prior to lesson
Print handouts
Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
Introduction
Niche – Habitat and Lifestyle
Generalist and Specialist
Baseball Card Generalist and Specialist Activity
Competition
5.
Learning Activity #1
Teacher Notes:
Learning Activity #2
Teacher Notes:
Interdependence
Body
Niche – Habitat and Lifestyle
Time
5 Minutes
An organisms niche includes:
 Where it lives
 What it does
 Its role in its ecosystem (effect on other populations and the
environment)
What is your niche?
 Where you live, what school you attend, jobs you work at, the
food you consume, the temperature you feel comfortable in,
any influences you have on the community
An organisms niche can change:
 The environment it lives in
 The other organisms it interrelates with
Generalists and Specialists
10 Minutes
Broad Niche – Generalist
● Lives in a variety of climates/ecosystems
o Can spread over large areas
● Eats a variety of food sources
● Able to adapt to changes in the ecosystem
● Does not complete well with a specialist for a food source
o Examples – deer, coyote, raven
o In Canada – less diversity but large populations
Narrow Niche – Specialist
● Has adaptations that make it very efficient at existing in a
specific climate/ecosystem
● Only eats a specific food source
● Cannot adapt to change
● Organisms occupying a narrow niche are called specialists.
o Examples – Panda, Koalas, Cactus
What can specialists do for an ecosystem?
● allows many different species to live in the same ecosystem
● it also serves to limit the growth of a single species
● the tropics have a high biodiversity but the populations are low
(temperature and food supplies are stable)
Learning Activity #3
Teacher Notes:
Learning Activity #4
Baseball Card Generalist and Specialist Activity
10 Minutes
Write the flow chart on the board*
To students: working with the people around you, figure out whether
your baseball card organism is a generalist or a specialist and write it on
the flow chart on the board
Competition
10 Minutes
Teacher Notes:
o
Between different species and between members of the same
species
o
Occurs when two or more species need the same resource(s)
o
o
o Food, habitat, water shelter, mates, sunlight
The organism with the best adaptations will win the
competition and get to reproduce
Species looking for same resources may behaviourally adapt to
avoid competition!
To Students: which of our baseball organisms would be in competition
with each other? Do any work together?
Learning Activity #5
Teacher Notes:
20 Minutes
Interdependence
Types of Interdependence
• Food chains and food webs
• Predator prey relationships (not symbiotic)
• Symbiosis
Predator prey:
•
Predators are very important to maintain a healthy balance for
a population.
•
•
Predators prevent the prey population from becoming too big.
If the prey population becomes too big, it would run out of its
food supply resulting in its individuals suffering from starvation.
Predators also remove old, sick, or weak individuals of a
population leaving the strong and healthy members to
reproduce.
•
•
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q36_8s5z6S8
Symbiosis (sym = together; bios = life)
•
Dependence between species
•
Close interactions between members of different species for an
extended period of time; one species’ survival depends directly
on the health and survival of another species.
•
Types of symbiotic relationships:
•
Commensalism
•
Mutualism
•
Parasitism
•
https://youtu.be/zSmL2F1t81Q
Commensalism - A relationship in which one organism benefits and the
other is not harmed nor helped.
Mutualism - A relationship in which both organisms benefit.

Watch http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video
/clownfish_amonganemones
Parasitism - A relationship in which one organism benefits and the other
is harmed.

Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMG-LWyNcAs

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery-health/40843monsters-inside-me-malaria-video.htm
To students: looking at your baseball organism, what type(s) of
symbiosis do they deal with in their environment?
On the Sci 9 website, under the assignment tab, you can find examples
of symbiosis in the assignment called Symbiosis.
Learning Activity #6
Teacher Notes:
Sponge Activity
Have students continue working through their baseball card organism
project.
Wrapping Up
Closure: