CP Biology Lesson plans Ecology One
Day 1
Monday August 25
Out this day- vertical team
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, organism, biotic, abiotic, logistic and exponential curves, carrying
capacity, zero population growth
Activating Strategy:
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Baseline Writing assessment
Students will write a complete essay on food chains and food webs. This essay will serve as baseline data for the literacy goal.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Homework:
Day 2
Tuesday, August 26th
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, organism
Activating Strategy:
Activity 1:Video: Planet Earth 3 minutes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thuViaxRd_w&feature=related
This is an inspirational video about living things in the environment.
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: Organization of you in your environment
Using Manipulatives. In pairs, students will place the labels: you, Conklin’s class, 9 th grade, Brookwood students, Snellville
residents, and Georgia residents on a circle diagram to show organization into groups from smallest to largest. Students will then
be asked to place the labels: organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome and biosphere on the same diagram to assess
prior knowledge.
Activity 2: Literacy
Read pages 396-397 about the levels of organization of the biosphere. Move the manipulatives on the circle diagram as needed.
Activity 3: Power point presentation
The teacher will present notes on the levels of organization in the biosphere using a power point presentation
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
The teacher will introduce a poster of the levels of organization of the biosphere that will be referred to throughout the ecology
unit. She will use it to summarize the levels of organization of the biosphere.
Ticket out the door- Levels of the Biosphere
Homework:
Day 3
Wednesday, August 27th
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, organism, logistic and exponential curves, carrying capacity, densitydependent limiting factors, density-independent limiting factors
Activating Strategy:
Activity : Levels of Organization Review
Students will complete the levels of organization handout. The teacher will review the answers with the students.
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: Levels of the Biosphere
Students will construct a foldable on the 6 levels of organization of the biosphere. Students will glue a picture to represent each
level to one side and write a definition of each level on the other side of the flaps in the foldable.
Activity 3. Notes on populations
The teacher will place an arrow on the Levels of organization poster on populations. Students will complete the notes on
population growth curves and limiting factors. The teacher will present the information using the Ecology One power point.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Summarize types of growth curves.
Homework:
Day 4
Thursday, August 28
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
population, organism, logistic and exponential curves, carrying capacity, density-dependent limiting factors, density-independent
limiting factors
Activating Strategy:
Activity : Before Class
Have this website to spark interest in populations. http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 2: CPS Quiz
The students will take a quiz using the student response system on Levels of Organization in the Biosphere. Students who prefer to
write their answers on paper may do so.
Activity 4: Rabbit and Fruit fly graphing
Students will graph and answer questions on two populations. The fruit fly population exhibits logistic growth and the rabbit
population exhibits exponential growth. They will answer questions about each of the graphs to demonstrate an understanding of
population growth curves.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Day 5
Friday, August 29
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
population, organism, logistic and exponential curves, carrying capacity, density-dependent limiting factors, density-independent
limiting factors
Activating Strategy:
Activity 1: Introduction to Lily Pad Lab
The teacher will present a brief power point explaining the problem with Lily Pad growth in Thailand waterways.
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity : Lily Pad Lab
The students will simulate exponential growth of lily pads in a pond.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
The teacher will review the results of the lab using a power point demonstrating how lily pads can grow at an exponential rate.
Ticket out the door: Population growth curves
Homework: Finish ticket out the door for homework if time does not allow in class or if students need extended time. Study for
quiz on population curves and limiting factors.
Day 6
Tuesday, September 2
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
population, organism, logistic and exponential curves, carrying capacity, density-dependent limiting factors, density-independent
limiting factors
Activating Strategy:
Activity1: Graph Identification Think-Pair share
The students will be instructed to identify the population growth curves on the board and compare and contrast their
characteristics. The teacher will review the Ticket Out the Door
Activity 2: Identifying limiting factors handout
The teacher will review density-dependent and density-independent living factors. Students will practice identifying densitydependent limiting factors and density-independent limiting factors
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: CPS Quiz Population growth curves and limiting factors
Students will take a quiz on population growth curves and limiting factors using the student response system. Students who prefer
to write their answers on paper may do so. The system will give immediate feedback on each question so the students and teacher
can assess areas of weakness.
Activity 2: Notes Predator-Prey relationships, Immigration/Emigration, Types of competition
Students will complete guided notes on the topics above
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Students will be given 10 descriptions of different types of competition. They will identify them as intraspecific or interspecific
competition.
Homework: Finish types of competition for homework if necessary
Day 7
Wednesday September 3
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
Community, density-dependent limiting factors, density-independent limiting factors, predator, prey, immigration, emigration,
interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, population
Activating Strategy:
Activity: Interspecific/Intraspecific Competition RACE strategy.
Students will read an article on types of competition. The teacher will share pre reading strategies and model how to break down
questions and provide evidence for answers. They will answer 4 challenging multiple choice questions. Then the teacher will lead
the students through each question. Students will check with their neighbor and hold up a card for the answer they choose. The
teacher will then guide them through the choices asking for evidence.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Homework:
Day 8
Thursday September 4
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
Community, density-dependent limiting factors, density-independent limiting factors, predator, prey, immigration, emigration,
interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, population
Activating Strategy:
Activity: Computer simulation. Predator-Prey relationships
The teacher will introduce a graphing activity on predator prey relationships using a computer simulation. The simulation shows
how the lynx and snowshoe hare populations are related and affect each other over time.
http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/studyworks/predators8a.html
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: The lynx and the hare graphing activity
Students will create a double line graph for the lynx and snowshoe hare populations over 20 generations. They will interpret the
data on the graph and learn how predator and prey populations cycle over time.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
None
Homework: Complete questions to the activity if necessary.
Day 9
Friday September 5
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary:
Symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, community, niche, habitat
Activating Strategy:
Activity: Find your buddy
Students will be given cards of different animals that have relationships. Students will circulate the room to find their match. The
teacher will use the powerpoint on symbiosis to review the matches with the students.
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: Notes symbiosis and habitat vs niche
The teacher will present a brief lecture on symbiotic relationships and habitat vs niche
ecosystems and biotic and abiotic factors.
Activity 2: Symbiotic Relationships Video Clips (choose on ppt based on time)- showed marine one
Video clip- Reginald the red wolf- niche vs habitat
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Activity: Symbiotic Relationships Identification Activity
Students will practice identifying types of relationships.
Homework: Study notes on symbiosis, types of competition, biotic and abiotic factors
Did not use- Activity: Frayer diagrams
Students will practice identifying biotic and abiotic factors by constructing Frayer models on biotic and abiotic factors
Day 10
Monday September 8
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
Key Vocabulary: ecosystem, biotic, abiotic
Activating Strategy:
Activity 1: Surviving in a niche Simulation
Students will complete the simulation from Chapter 14 Simulations of the text book on the screen.
Activity 2 : Review symbiotic relationships from the previous day Announce quiz
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 2: Notes Food Chains, Food Webs and trophic levels
The teacher will present notes on members of food chains, food webs and trophic levels. Students will learn how organisms fit into
different trophic levels.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Activity: Video Clip: The students will watch a brief video that summarizes the concepts that describe food webs and food chains.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWh-XKhh8xo (5 minutes)
Students will complete a Ticket out the door for food chains, webs, and pyramids based on the video clip
Homework: Study for quiz on symbiosis, types of competition, and biotic and abiotic factors for quiz
Day 11
Tuesday September 9
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
How does energy flow through an ecosystem (food chains, energy pyramids, biomass pyramids)?
Key Vocabulary:
Community, predator, prey, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, population, biotic, abiotic, symbiosis, mutualism,
commensalism, parasitism, food chain, food web, producer, consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer,
heterotroph, autotroph, trophic levels, pyramid of biomass, pyramid of energy, pyramid of numbers
Activating Strategy:
Activity: Tossed Terms Review biotic/abiotic factors, interspecific and intraspecfic competition, population growth curves and
symbiotic relationships – Students will toss the cube and compare and contrast the terms on each side of the cube.
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: CPS Quiz
Students will take a quiz using the CPS system on Biotic/abiotic factors, Interspecific/Intraspecific competition, and symbiotic
relationships.
Activity 2 :Food Web Activity
Students will construct a food web on the table using cards provided by the teacher and use chalk to draw arrows on the table in
the direction of energy flow. Students will copy their food web on paper, label it and answer questions about organisms in the food
web
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
The teacher will use a ppt to review the members of the food web from the activity.
Homework: None
Day 12
Wednesday September 10
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
How does energy flow through an ecosystem (food chains, energy pyramids, biomass pyramids)?
Key Vocabulary:
Community, predator, prey, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, population, biotic, abiotic, symbiosis, mutualism,
commensalism, parasitism, food chain, food web, producer, consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer,
heterotroph, autotroph, trophic levels, pyramid of biomass, pyramid of energy, pyramid of numbers
Activating Strategy:
Activity 1: Video Clip: Students will watch a brief video clip to focus students on food webs and food chains. (4 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWvtRf4TAO4
Activity: Odd one out-The teacher will display 3 sets of four terms on the board. The students will silently select a term and
decide on a reason why it is different from the rest. When instructed, the students will be told to write the word on a white board
simultaneously with their group members. They will then discuss their choices. The teacher will call on groups to present their
reasoning to the class.
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity: Concept puzzle- Students will be given 16 terms and instructed to collaborate on a paragraph using all the words. They
can use their white boards for planning. They will be instructed to have a strong topic sentence and all terms used need to be
underlined. Students will write their paragraph on butcher paper. Students will then take a “gallery walk” to view the work of other
groups. They will use a rubric to evaluate each other’s work.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Homework: None
Day 13
Thursday September 11
Essential Question(s):
How does energy flow through an ecosystem (food chains, energy pyramids, biomass pyramids)?
Key Vocabulary:
predator, prey, food chain, food web, producer, consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer, heterotroph,
autotroph, trophic levels, pyramid of biomass, pyramid of energy, pyramid of numbers
Activating Strategy:
Activity 1: Parts of the Ecosystem Computer Simulation
Using the computer simulation, students will identify parts of the ecosystem and types of relationships. (Ecosystem.exe in file)
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity: Pyramid activity
Students will construct a 3-dimensional model of different types of pyramids including pyramid of biomass, pyramid of numbers,
pyramid of energy, and label the trophic levels.
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Homework: None
Day 13
Friday September 12
Essential Question(s):
How does energy flow through an ecosystem (food chains, energy pyramids, biomass pyramids)?
How are major nutrients (C, H, O, N, P) cycled and illustrate the conservation of matter
Key Vocabulary:
Community, predator, prey, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, population, biotic, abiotic, symbiosis, mutualism,
commensalism, parasitism, food chain, food web, producer, consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer,
heterotroph, autotroph, trophic levels, pyramid of biomass, pyramid of energy, pyramid of numbers, Water cycle, precipitation,
condensation, transpiration, groundwater, seepage, runoff, carbon cycle, respiration, photosynthesis, decomposition. Nitrogen
fixation
Activating Strategy:
Activity 1: Members of a food web
The teacher will put a food web on the projector. The students will identify the producers and primary, secondary, and tertiary
consumers on the web.
. Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: CPS Quiz
Using the CPS system, the students will take a quiz on Food chains, food webs, and trophic levels
Activity 2: Notes on cycles
The teacher will present a lesson on cycles using a power point presentation.
Activity: Water and Carbon cycles simulations
The teacher will show students the two simulations
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Students will complete a handout summarizing the major components of each cycle.
Homework: Complete handout for homework
Day 14
Monday September 15
Essential Question(s):
How are major nutrients (C, H, O, N, P) cycled and illustrate the conservation of matter?
Key Vocabulary:
predator, prey, food chain, food web, producer, consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer, heterotroph,
autotroph, trophic levels, pyramid of biomass, pyramid of energy, pyramid of numbers, Water cycle, precipitation, condensation,
transpiration, groundwater, seepage, runoff, carbon cycle, respiration, photosynthesis, decomposition. Nitrogen fixation
Activating strategy
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity: Text dependent reading
Students will read an article on cycles on the computer. For each paragraph they will identify the main idea in the paragraph and
write a one or two word summary of the paragraph. The article will be written is the first column of the screen and students will
type their responses in the second column. When they are through with the article they will place their responses in the dropbox for
evaluation.
Complete cycles worksheet if necessary
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Homework: Study for test, Essay portion day one
Day 15
Tuesday September 16
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
How does energy flow through an ecosystem (food chains, energy pyramids, biomass pyramids)?
How are major nutrients (C, H, O, N, P) cycled and illustrate the conservation of matter?
Key Vocabulary:
biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, organism, biotic, abiotic
predator, prey, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, food chain,
food web, producer, consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer, heterotroph, autotroph, trophic levels,
pyramid of biomass, pyramid of energy, pyramid of numbers, niche, habitat, density-dependent limiting factors, densityindependent limiting factors, immigration, emigration, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, water cycle,
precipitation, condensation, transpiration, groundwater, seepage, runoff, carbon cycle, respiration, photosynthesis, decomposition.
Nitrogen fixation
Activation Strategy
Activity: 1 I have…I need
Students will each be given a card with a term and a description of another term. Students will read their “I need” portion. The
student with the term in the “I need” section will respond with the term. That student will then read his or her “I need” portion.
This will continue until all the cards have been read.
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: Essay portion of Ecology One test
Students will complete the test on Ecology One
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Homework: Study for test part two
Day 16
Wednesday September 17
Essential Question(s):
How are organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes related?
How does energy flow through an ecosystem (food chains, energy pyramids, biomass pyramids)?
How are major nutrients (C, H, O, N, P) cycled and illustrate the conservation of matter?
Key Vocabulary:
biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, organism, biotic, abiotic
predator, prey, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, food chain,
food web, producer, consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer, heterotroph, autotroph, trophic levels,
pyramid of biomass, pyramid of energy, pyramid of numbers, niche, habitat, density-dependent limiting factors, densityindependent limiting factors, immigration, emigration, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, water cycle,
precipitation, condensation, transpiration, groundwater, seepage, runoff, carbon cycle, respiration, photosynthesis, decomposition.
Nitrogen fixation
Knowledge Acquisition / Lesson:
Activity 1: UNIT test
Students will complete the test on Ecology One multiple choice section in the computer lab
Closing / Summarizing Strategy:
Homework: None