Understanding By Design Unit Template
A1 8TH EGB
Interactions and ecosystems
Title of Unit
Grade Level
Science
20 hours
Subject
Time Frame
MSc. Pedro Alvarado Andino, Ingrid Urgiles, Verónica García y Daniel Moreira
Developed By
Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results
Broad Areas of Learning
How are the BAL incorporated into this unit?
They can express their knowledge about the relationship between humans and the environment, how the flow of energy and material occurs with the
ecosystem, the impact of the environment and they can take decisions and actions about the maintenance of the environment for the well-being of all.
Also, they can express their ideas and different points of view about the conservation of the environment. All this material expressed in simple present
Cross curricular Competencies
How will this unit promote the CCC?
1.a. Language Acquisition and Development
1.a.1 Understand and apply knowledge of the role of individual learning styles in the process of learning English.
1.a.2 Use new vocabulary related with ecosystems and interactions
1.b. Demonstrate global and cultural understanding
1.b.1 Acquire scientific knowledge related with the environment and the planet
1.b.2 Develop new skills related with scientific topics
Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)
1. Investigate and describe relationships between humans and their environments, and identify related issues and scientific questions.
2. Trace and interpret the flow of energy and materials within an ecosystem.
3. Monitor a local environment, and assess the impacts of environment, and assess the impacts of environmental factors on the growth, health and
reproduction of organisms in that environment.
4. Describe the relationships among knowledge, decisions and actions in maintaining life-supporting environments.
Enduring Understandings
What understandings about the big ideas are desired? (what you want
students to understand & be able to use several years from now)
What misunderstandings are predictable?
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content? (openended questions that stimulate thought and inquiry linked to the content
of the enduring understanding)
Students will understand that…
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How do ecosystems maintain balance by natural processes?
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How does human activities affect ecosystems and the
environment?
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What monitoring and research methods can we use to observe
changes in the ecosystem?
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What can human make personal and public decisions to further
help preserve and enhance the environment?
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That ecosystems remained balanced by natural processes;
however, this maintained balanced is affected by human
actions.
Human actions may have positive and negative effects on
the environment.
Using a variety of monitoring and researching skills can solve environmental
issues and help make responsible decisions.
Specific Outcomes:
Skills
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Students will …
Students will …
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Describe examples of interactions and interdependency within
an ecosystem
Identify examples of human impacts on ecosystems, and
investigate and analyze the link between these impacts and the
human wants and needs that give rise to them
Analyze personal and public decisions that involve
consideration of environmental impacts, and identify needs for
scientific knowledge that can inform these decisions
Analyze an ecosystem to identify biotic and abiotic
components, and describe interactions among these
components
Analyze ecosystems to identify procedures, consumers and
decomposers; and describe how energy is supplied to and flows
through a food web by:
o Describing and giving examples of energy and nutrient
storage in plants and animals
o Describing how matter is recycled in an ecosystem through
interaction among plants, animals, fungi, bacteria and other
microorganisms
o Interpreting food webs, and predicting the effects of changes
to any part of a web
Describe the process of cycling carbon and water through an
ecosystem
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Identify questions to investigate arising from practical
problems and issues
State a prediction and a hypothesis based on background
information or an observed pattern of events
Select appropriate methods and tools for collecting data and
information
Research relevant information to a given problem or issue
Select and integrate information from various print and
electronic sources or from several parts of the same source
Identify strengths and weaknesses of different methods of
collecting and displaying data
Compile and display data, by hand or computer, in a variety
of formats, including diagrams, flow charts, tables, bar graphs
and line graphs
Communicate questions, ideas, intentions plan, and results,
using lists, notes in point form, sentences, data tables, graphs,
drawings, oral language and other means
Evaluate individual and group processes used in planning,
problem solving, decision making and completing a task
Defend a given position on an issue, based on their findings.
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Identify mechanisms by which pollutants enter and move
through the environment, and can become concentrated in some
organisms
(3.1) Investigate a variety of habitats, and describe and interpret
distribution patterns of living things found in those habitats
(3.2) Investigate and interpret evidence of interaction and
change
(4.1) Identify and intended and unintended consequences of
human activities with local and global environments
(4.4) Analyze a local environmental issues or problem based on
evidence from a variety of sources, and identify possible actions
and consequences
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task
Performance tasks will be demonstrated through participation in classes, development of a physical project on the ecosystem and the negative environmental impact
produced by the human being at present.
Inside the science lab, I will give each student a cotton sheath, a petri dish with its respective lid and a Bunsen burner to light when placing the cotton inside the preti box,
and this box will go on top of the lighter, this is how the pollution produced by carbon dioxide, the consumption of tobacco, cars that produce smoke and the need to have
trees that purify the environment will be explained.
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
G – Goal
What should students accomplish by
completing this task?
Students will be asked to do a final performance task project regarding current environmental issue and the humans effect on
the issue (for example, declining bee population, “plastic” island, climate change, etc.)
R – Role
What role (perspective) will your students
be taking?
They will take an active role in the development of their project, following the parameters of the rubrics to be qualified, and
at the same time take conscience of the negative environmental impact that produces some actions of the human being in
the environment.
Who is the relevant audience?
The students
A – Audience
S – Situation
The context or challenge provided to the
student.
P – Product, Performance
What product/performance will the student
create?
The students will also be asked to complete two lab assignments for summative assessment during the unit as well. These
lab assignments will both simulate decomposer and environmental issues and ways to monitor environmental changes.
The product is to finish the project in the laboratory and make a report with the results obtained from it
Assessment
Learning
Outcomes
S – Standards & Criteria for Success
Create the rubric for the Performance Task
Title
Type
(Formative/
Summative)
Weighting
(1.2) Describe examples of
interactions and
interdependency within an
ecosystems
(1.3) Identify examples of
human impacts on
PreAssessmen
t Carousel
Activity
Teacher
Checklist
Student
Checklist
Homework
Exit Slips
Research
Assignmen
t
Lab
Assignmen
t #1
Lab
Assignmen
t #2
F
F
F/Selfassess
F/S
F
F
S
S
S/
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5%
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15%
15%
10
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Quiz
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ecosystems, and investigate
and analyze the link between
these impacts and the human
wants and needs that give rise
to them
(1.4) Analyze personal and
public decisions that involve
consideration of environmental
impacts, and identify needs
for scientific knowledge that
can inform these decisions
(2.1) Analyze an ecosystem to
identify biotic and abiotic
components, and describe
interactions among these
components
(2.2) Analyze ecosystems to
identify
procedures,
consumers and decomposers;
and describe how energy is
supplied to and flows through
a food web by: (2.2.1, 2.2.2,
2.23)
(2.3) Describe the process of
cycling carbon and water
through an ecosystem
(2.4) Identify mechanisms by
which pollutants enter and
move
through
the
environment, and can become
concentrated
in
some
organisms
(3.1) Investigate a variety of
habitats, and describe and
interpret distribution patterns
of living things found in those
habitats
(3.2) Investigate and interpret
evidence of interaction and
change
(4.1) Identify and intended and
unintended consequences of
human activities with local and
global environments
(4.4)
Analyze
a
local
environmental
issues
or
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problem based on evidence
from a variety of sources, and
identify possible actions and
consequences
Identify
questions
to
investigate
arising
from
practical problems and issues
State a prediction and a
hypothesis
based
on
background information or an
observed pattern of events
Select appropriate methods
and tools for collecting data
and information
Research relevant information
to a given problem or issue
Select
and
integrate
information from various print
and electronic sources or from
several parts of the same
source
Identify
strengths
and
weaknesses
of
different
methods of collecting and
displaying data
Communicate questions, ideas,
intentions plans, and results,
using lists, notes in point form,
sentences, data tables, graphs,
drawings, oral language and
other means
Defend a given position on an
issue, based on their findings.
Communicate questions, ideas,
intentions plans, and results,
using lists, notes in point form,
sentences, data tables, graphs,
drawings, oral language and
other means
Other Evidence
Through what other evidence (work samples, observations, quizzes, tests,
journals or other means) will students demonstrate achievement of the desired
results? Formative and summative assessments used throughout the unit to
arrive at the outcomes.
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Student Self-Assessment
How will students reflect upon or self-assess their learning?
Two quizzes and one concept test will be given for summative assessment. One quiz will
be distributed before the concept test and the other before the performance task.
Homework checks will also be worth summative marks to ensure that students are
keeping up with their work and also understanding the material. Homework will not be
marked in participation rather than having the right answer, it will be collected for
formative assessment.
Students will be given a checklist of important vocabulary terms and concepts
for students to view what they understand and need further clarification on.
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
● achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
● equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained? Have the learners been
part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to be addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance learning?
Students will have to use some materials provided to perform a small experiment in the laboratory and determine the chemical reactions that are reflected in the project and
therefore the environmental result of it.
This project will be based on a theme that they can choose from a predesigned list at their choice
According to the criterion and rubric exposed for the job I will ensure that the students continue the project without any problem, the interest and goal to be achieved is that
students learn about the ecosystem and the real consequences of environmental pollution
The students were part of the previous planning since in previous classes they were exposed to some topics to choose to develop the project and they chose this topic.
Among the individual needs that must be addressed are the concepts of pollution, environment, interaction of the human being with the environment, etc.
This type of learning happens best in a laboratory with the materials for the experiment
The physical environment can be organized in groups so that students can help each other and can carry out the project with the help of their classmates.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)
Ss will be involved by the use of videos, illustrations and a walk to the historic park so that you can see the different animal and vegetal species existing in the environment
and how they are threatened with extinction as a result of environmental contamination and destruction of the ecosystem. I will ask you if you remember hearing about the
types of environmental pollution and types of ecosystems that exist
Write a list on the blackboard of the characteristics they say while prompting them and offering ideas and comments as needed.
What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the unit? How will you
equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
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Lesson Title
Lesson Activities
CCCs
Resources
(Cross curricular
Competencies)
1
In small groups, have students discuss the natural world – What is in the natural world?
Ss will identify and
List of
Interactions
What are habitats? What other words are about nature? They should make a list of
apply career and
vocabulary
within
vocabulary and an explanation of as many as they can. They should write the words on
life skills.
Sheets of paper
ecosystems:
half sheets of paper, large index cards or large sticky notes with marker
Ss will think
Large index
components of
critically.
cards
a ecosystem
Marker
Sticky notes
2
Biotic and
Take students outside to a local ecosystem.
Ss will demonstrate List of
Abiotic
Have students work with a partner to observe living and non-living things in the
global and cultural
vocabulary
ecosystem.
Marker
3
Biotic Roles
4
Interactions in
an Ecosystem
5
Contributions
to Protecting
the
Environment
Things observed should be classified as living and non-living and recorded on a chart.
Remind the students to use a variety of senses and like with the pasta, more details can
be observed from close up.
Back in the classroom, have students share results with the whole class and make a class
chart of living and nonliving things.
Introduce terms: biotic and abiotic. Have students add these terms to the vocabulary
foldable.
Provide the class with a list of living things and have a discussion about how we could
organize these organisms. Make a list of possible ways. The list generated by the student
should be somewhat diverse (e.g., size, plants/animals/others, nocturnal,
herbivores/carnivores, etc.)
Discuss how there are many ways to classify things. Scientists work to classify organisms
and the way they classify them depends on what they are looking at or for.
Ask the students to sort the organisms by the job they do.
Bring students to an area where they are able to form a large circle.
• Assign each student a role - either a biotic or an abiotic component. (air, water, falcon,
bear, flower…) Make sure you have visible name tags for each student, so that everyone
knows who is what.
• Give a ball of twine to the student that is “Air” and ask: “What relationship can AIR have
with one other component in this circle?” Have that student say that relationship (“Bear
needs air to live.”) and toss the ball of twine to the student that has “Bear” name tag.
• That student (Bear) looks around to find what relationship a bear might have with another
component in the circle. Student says “Bear eats Salmon”, then toss the ball of twine to the
“Salmon” student. Keep going for 10 minutes. You might have to intervene and suggest
possible interaction to ensure all students get included in the exercise.
• After the game, ask students to identify what they have observed.
Students should be using various sources of information to research Ecuadorians and/or
Ecuadorian organizations that are interested in protecting the environment. Students
should be involved in discussion (brainstorm) about issues that are currently being
studied. This could be a springboard activity from the previous learning. However, the
focus is not on the nature or content in question. Rather, students should be working on
their research skill while focussing Ecuadorian contributions to protecting the environment.
understanding
about the subject.
Ss will manage
information about
environmental
issues and its
consequences.
Ss will identify and
solve complex
problems related to
the topic seen in
class.
Sticky notes
Sheets of paper
Ss will demonstrate
good
communication
skills and the ability
to work
cooperatively with
others.
Tags
ball of twine
marker
Sheet of paper
Ss will manage
information about
environmental
issues
Books
Marker
Sheet of paper
Web sites
Markers
List of living
things
Sheets of paper
Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)
Considerations
Comments
Required Areas of Study:
Is there alignment between outcomes, performance
assessment and learning experiences?
Yes
Adaptive Dimension:
Have I made purposeful adjustments to the curriculum
content (not outcomes), instructional practices, and/or
the learning environment to meet the learning needs and
diversities of all my students?
For struggling students:
No
For students who need a challenge:
No
Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and student
centered instructional approaches?
yes
Resource Based Learning:
Do the students have access to various resources on an
ongoing basis?
Yes
FNM/I Content and Perspectives/Gender
Equity/Multicultural Education:
Have I nurtured and promoted diversity while honoring
each child’s identity?
yes