Evolution and Ecology
Environmental Science Unit Plan
Suggested Academic Level: 11-12th grade or 100-level college course
Anticipated Time Required: 10 class periods, including chapter test
Previous Unit: Matter and Energy
Next Unit: Land Ecosystems
Vocabulary: Ecology, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere, habitat, critical factor,
optimal range, zone of physiologic stress, zone of intolerance, adaptations, evolution, natural selection,
speciation, artificial selection, biodiversity, logistic growth, exponential growth, environmental resistance,
overshoot, dieback, competition, symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism.
Objectives:
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8.
Differentiate between each of the different levels of ecological organization.
Relate an organism’s habitat with its range of tolerance and adaptations.
Describe how the process of natural selection can result in speciation.
Provide examples of ecological pressures that will cause natural selection to occur.
Explain the purpose of the scientific naming system.
Contrast logistic with exponential growth.
Explain the environmental factors that discourage exponential growth.
Compare each of the different types of relationships, including symbiosis.
Lesson Title
Description
Time
Resources
Discuss the “Four Pests
Campaign” in China and the
resulting famine.
Introduction
Range of Tolerance
Natural Selection
Define the different levels of
organization in ecology.
Explain that this unit is only
covering biotic factors.
Have students complete the
range of tolerance
worksheet. Discuss the
results.
Outline the theory of natural
selection.
Explain how ecological
pressures must be present for
natural selection to occur.
25 minutes
20 minutes
Powerpoint Lecture
Range of Tolerance
Worksheet
45 Minutes
Discuss the PBS Evolution:
Why Sex video clips as
Environmental Science Teaching Resources
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examples of natural
selection.
Lesson Title
Description
Time
Define logistic and
exponential growth,
including environmental
resistance factors.
Logistic and Exponential
Growth
Complete the Turkey
Trouble activity in class.
Resources
Turkey Trouble activity.
60 minutes
Reindeer of St. Matthew
journal writing
assignment.
Assign the Reindeer of St.
Matthew journal writing
prompt.
Define predation,
interspecific competition,
intraspecific competition,
mutualism, parasitism, and
commensalism.
Symbiosis
Review
Students practice identifying
relationships with the
examples provided.
Show the BBC Blue Planet
Episode “Coral Seas”.
Students identify and
describe the relationships
shown.
Students complete unit study
guide in preparation for
exam.
75 minutes
BBC Blue Planet Coral Seas Video
Worksheet
30 minutes
Student Study Guide
Optional Activities:
BBC Life in the Undergrowth “Intimate
Relations” video and worksheet.
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Deer Dilemma Class Debate
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Project Wild
Environmental Science Teaching Resources
Documentary gives lots of examples of symbiotic
relationships insects have with other animals and
plants.
Students conduct a town meeting debate
attempting to come up with a solution to a deer
overpopulation problem.
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