MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ECOLOGY Authored by: Jennifer Freeman Reviewed by: Mr. Tom Paterson K12 Supervisor of Science and Technology Approval Date: September 10, 2013 Members of the Board of Education: Lisa Ellis, President Patrick Rowe, Vice‐President Kevin Blair Thomas Haralampoudis Linda Gilbert James Novotny David Arthur Shade Grahling Superintendent: Dr. Michael Rossi Madison Public Schools 359 Woodland Road, Madison, NJ 07940 www.madisonpublicschools.org 1
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OVERVIEW This inquiry‐based one‐semester course is designed to introduce students to ecology; the study of interactions among organisms and their environments. Topics will include population ecology, evolution, species interactions, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and human ecology. Laboratory and field‐based exercises will allow students to experience key concepts first‐hand. II.
RATIONALE This course is a great option for students with an interest in biology who chose not to take AP Biology. Many universities now have distinct an ecology and evolution departments, and this course will provide an introduction to a field that high school students may not be aware of. Students will gain a greater understanding of the importance of plants and animals both in their local neighborhoods and at national and global scales. They will learn how their habits may affect these organisms, and about the direct benefits of healthy ecosystems to society. III.
STUDENT OUTCOMES New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards 5.1 Science Practices: All students will understand that science is both a body of knowledge and an evidence‐
based, model‐building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and revises knowledge. The four Science Practices strands encompass the knowledge and reasoning skills that students must acquire to be proficient in science. 5.3 Life Science: All students will understand that life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. 5.4 Earth Systems Science: All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems, and is a part of the all‐encompassing system of the universe. Common Core State Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects (Grades 11‐12) Reading Students will: 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. 2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms. 3. Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text. 4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain‐specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11–12 texts and topics. 2
5. Analyze how the text structures information or ideas into categories or hierarchies, demonstrating understanding of the information or ideas. 6. Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, identifying important issues that remain unresolved. 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. 8. Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. 9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible. 10. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 11–12 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Writing Students will: 1. Write arguments focused on discipline‐specific content. a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline‐appropriate form and in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented. 2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. a. Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with well‐chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. c. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.] d. Use precise language and domain‐specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic and convey a style appropriate to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). 3. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 4. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. 3
5. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing 6.
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products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline‐specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Course Outcomes The student will:  diagram a system (i.e. ecosystem, water and biogeochemical cycles)  organize components of systems into a concept map  make inferences from observations and from collected data that a system is composed of interactive parts (ecosystems, and soil composition)  predict the outcome of removing a component from a system (food webs, carbon‐oxygen cycle)  classify according to some method or system (i.e. macroinvertebrate classification)  collect and record data  construct models  formulate hypotheses  judge reasonableness of estimates, measurements, and results  predict future events or conditions  question conditions in a testable way  use computer applications to simulate experimentation, information gathering, data representation, and communication of experimental findings  read tables and graphs to represent and interpret data  select and use tools appropriate for a task  use a variety of tools to make accurate measurements (microscopic measurement)  seek and report information IV.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS AND CONTENT Climate  What basic forces determine the circulation of the Earth’s atmosphere?  How does solar intensity differ at different latitudes affect temperature at the Earth’s surface?  What is the role of solar energy and the Coriolis effect in global water flow patterns?  How are climate patterns manifested at the scale of individual organisms? Aquatic Environments  How do the physical properties of water influence aquatic environments?  How do gradients of light, temperature, and oxygen affect the distribution of aquatic life?  What constraints are associated with freshwater and saltwater environments? Terrestrial Environments  What are the unique constraints to life in terrestrial environments? 4
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What are the four components of soil, and how is each important? What ecosystem services are performed by soil organisms? Evolution  How does natural selection lead to adaptation?  Which processes affect patterns of genetic variation?  How have plants adapted to variations in the availability of water, light, and nutrients?  How are animal adaptations influenced by nutritional demands?  What trade‐offs are involved in reproductive effort? Population Ecology  How do age structure and sex ratio influence the growth of populations?  How do intrinsic rate of increase and carrying capacity produce the J‐shaped and S‐shaped population growth curves?  Which factors influence population growth other than population density? Species Interactions  Distinguish between the major types of interactions between organisms.  How does competition for resources influence patterns of exclusion and coexistence?  Explain how predators and prey influence each other.  How do parasites affect their hosts? Community Ecology  How is community structure described and classified?  What is a keystone species?  What is ecological succession? Ecosystems and Energy  How are the laws of thermodynamics related to photosynthesis and cellular respiration?  What are the major influences on patterns of primary production?  How does energy flow through a food web? Biogeochemical Cycles  What factors influence rates of decomposition?  What are the major pools and fluxes in the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen cycles?  How is human influence altering global biogeochemical cycles? Biomes  What two climate factors are the most important in determining an area’s characteristic biome?  What are the primary differences between freshwater and marine ecosystems?  How have large‐scale patterns of biological diversity changed over time? Human Ecology  What are the problems associated with chemicals that exhibit bioaccumulation and biomagnification?  How do humans cause species endangerment and extinction?  What are some important ecosystem services provided by biological diversity?  Why are conservation biology and restoration ecology important?  What are some strategies to protect biological diversity?  What are some potential effects of global climate change?  How can we diminish and adapt to global climate change?  What steps must we take to stay within Earth’s carrying capacity? 5
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STRATEGIES 
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Students will participate in lab explorations to discover, verify, apply, and extend concepts from biological sciences. Students will participate in field‐based investigations during which they will pose hypotheses, develop methods and sampling protocols, and collect, analyze, and interpret original data. Students will develop models which represent their understanding of the connections among Earth’s biotic and abiotic systems. VI.
EVALUATION Student assessment is accomplished on a regular basis using a variety of measures including:  Class work  Tests  Evaluation of Homework  Classroom Presentations  Lab Reports  Field Study  Quizzes  Individual Experiment/Research Project
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REQUIRED RESOURCES Textbook: Smith and Smith, Elements of Ecology Supplemental Resource: Stiling, Ecology VIII.
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE Climate (2 Cycles)  Solar Radiation  Temperature  Atmospheric Circulation  Ocean Circulation  Water Cycle  Microclimates Aquatic Environments (1 Cycle)  Properties of Water  Thermoclines  Salinity Terrestrial Environments (1 Cycle)  Light Attenuation  Formation of Soil  Soil Characteristics  Soil Types 6
Soil Horizons Evolution (3 Cycles)  Adaptation and Natural Selection  Genetic Variation  Environmental Variation  Plant Adaptations  Animal Adaptations  Life History Patterns Population Ecology (1 Cycle)  Age Structure  Factors that produce changes in population size  Biotic potential (intrinsic rate of increase)  Differences between J‐shaped and S‐shaped growth curves  Carrying Capacity  Density‐dependent and density‐independent factors that affect population size  Characteristics common to many endangered species Species Interactions (2 Cycles)  Interspecific Competition  Predation  Symbiosis Community Ecology (2 Cycles)  Biodiversity  Keystone Species  Food Webs  Primary and Secondary Succession Ecosystems and Energy (1 Cycle)  Laws of Thermodynamics  Trophic Levels  Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration Biogeochemical Cycles (1 Cycle)  Decomposition and nutrient cycling  Carbon  Nitrogen  Phosphorus  Sulfur  Oxygen  Human effect on biogeochemical cycles Biomes (2 Cycles)  Terrestrial  Aquatic  Coastal and Wetland  Human effects on each type of biome Human Ecology (4 Cycles) 
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Sustainability Loss of Biodiversity Threatened, endangered, and extinct species Human causes of species endangerment and extinction How invasive species endanger native species Conservation biology and wildlife management Potential effects of global warming, including rising sea level, changes in precipitation patterns, effects on organisms, effects on human health, and effects on agriculture Ways to alleviate and adapt to global warming 8