WOODLAND HILLS HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLAN
SAS and Understanding by Design Template
Name: Mr. Dan Schuller Date: 2/11 – 2/15/13
Edline was updated this week: Y
Length of Lesson: 8days Content Area: AP Env. Science – Unit 8
My Class website was updated this week: Y
STAGE I – DESIRED RESULTS
LESSON TOPIC:

Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, and Matter
Cycling
UNDERSTANDING GOALS (CONCEPTS):
Students will understand:

The nature of Ecology

The Earth’s life-support systems

Ecosystem concepts and components

Food webs and Energy flow in ecosystems

Primary productivity of ecosystems

Matter cycling in ecosystems

How ecologists learn about ecosystems

Ecosystem services and sustainability
VOCABULARY:
Ecology; organism; cell; eukaryotic; prokaryotic; species; asexual
reproduction; sexual reproduction; taxonomists; population; genetic
diversity; community; ecosystem; biosphere; atmosphere; troposphere;
stratosphere; hydrosphere; lithosphere; natural greenhouse effect;
biomes; climate; aquatic life zones; ecotone; abiotic; biotic; range of
tolerance; law of tolerance; tolerance limits; limiting factors; limiting
factor principle; dissolved oxygen content; salinity; metabolism;
producers; photosynthesis; chemosynthesis; consumers; herbivores;
carnivores; omnivores; scavengers detritivores; decomposers; aerobic
respiration; anaerobic respiration; biological diversity; genetic diversity;
species diversity; ecological diversity; functional diversity; food chain;
trophic level; food web; biomass; pyramid of energy; pyramid of
biomass; pyramid of numbers; GPP; NPP; nutrient; biogeochemical
cycles; hydrologic cycle; atmospheric cycle; sedimentary cycle; water
cycle; evaporation; transpiration; condensation; precipitation;
infiltration; percolation; runoff; absolute humidity; relative humidity;
condensation nuclei; dew point; aquifer; water table; carbon cycle;
nitrogen cycle; nitrogen fixation; nitrification; assimilation;
ammonification; denitrification; acid deposition; phosphorus cycle;
sulfur cycle; field research; remote sensing; geographic information
systems; laboratory research; systems analysis; ecosystem services
BIG IDEAS:
(Content standards, assessment anchors, eligible content) objectives,
and skill focus)
MODULE B—Continuity and Unity of Life
ASSESSMENT ANCHOR BIO.B.4 Ecology
PA Standards – 4.6: Ecosystems and their Interactions; 4.8: Humans and
their Environment
SAI 1: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

What is ecology?

What basic processes keep us and other organisms alive?

What are the major components of an ecosystem?

What happens to energy in an ecosystem?

What happens to matter in an ecosystem?

How do scientist study ecosystems?

What are ecosystem services and how do they affect the
sustainability of the earth’s life-support systems?
STUDENT OBJECTIVES (COMPETENCIES/OUTCOMES):
Students will be able to:







Explain the concepts of ecology
Analyze the productivity of an ecosysterm
Synthesize a food web
Compare and contrast the components and productivity of ecosystems
Diagram the major matter cycles: water; carbon; nitrogen; phosphorus; sulfur
Use real field research to synthesis and analyze graphs
Interpret and draw conclusions from field data.
STAGE II – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
PERFORMANCE TASKS:
 Study Packet: Key vocabulary/Case Studies/ Guest
Essays/Review Questions/Critical Thinking.
 Hubbard Brooks Field Research Activities
 Silver Springs Activity
 Primary Productivity and its effect on Dissolved Oxygen Lab
 Fairchild Challenge.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS:
 Classroom discussion
 Graphic organizers-visual representation
 Open ended questioning
OTHER EVIDENCE:
 AP Exam Practice: Multiple Choice.
 AP Exam Practice: Free Response.
 Current events
 Class participation
 Unit Exam
STAGE III: LEARNING PLAN
INSTRUCTIONAL
PROCEDURES:
 Power Point Notes/Class
discussion
 Lab investigations
 Assignments (Class &
MATERIALS AND
RESOURCES:
 Computer
 Computer projector
 Textbooks
 Folders
INTERVENTIONS:
 Redirection during class.
 1-to-1 assistance.
 Moving seat to a more
productive location.
 After class/school tutoring.
ASSIGNMENTS:
 Chapter Study Packet
 Lab write ups/reports
 Lab investigation
handouts.
 Case Studies
Home)
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
USED:
 Note taking
 Partnering
 Concept sketches
 Case Studies
SCAFFOLDING USED:
 Chunking
 Visual support
 Teacher Prompting
MINI LESSON:
 Silver Springs
 Hubbard Brooks Activities
 Primary Productivity Lab
 Fairchild Challenge.
DAY
MINI LESSONS


PROCEDURES /
TECHNIQUES
To reach objectives
Homework:
Lab

CONTENT AREA
READING:
 Chapter text
 Outside Reading
Monday
NUMBER/DATE 106
2/11
Ecosystems
TOPIC
OBJECTIVE(S) By the
end of the lesson each
student will be able to:

Handouts
Lab Materials
DAY


Tuesday
107
2/12
Ecosystems

Corrections on
assignment/exam.
Extension to complete
assignment.
Conference with other
staff. (Counselors or
administrators)
Conference with parent.
DAY
Wednesday
108
2/13
Ecosystems


DAY
AP Exam Practice:
Multiple Choice.
AP Exam Practice: Free
Response.
Current events.
Thursday
DAY
Friday
109
2/14
Ecosystems
110
2/15
Ecosystems
Practice the multiple
choice part of the AP
Exam.
Describe energy flow
in an ecosystem.
Describe typical
pyramids of numbers,
biomass, and energy.
Multiple Choice
Monday.
Introduce example
from Silver Springs,
Florida.
Work on displaying
data and analyzing
data.
Check Chapter 4 Study
Packets.
Fairchild Challenge
Option 5: Due March
11th.
Display and
analyze data from
an ecological
pyramid.
Describe the steps of the
water cycle, the
importance of the water
cycle and human
impacts on the water
cycle.
Determine the gross
primary productivity
of a plot of grass.
Describe the steps of
the carbon cycle, the
importance of the
carbon cycle and
human impacts on
the carbon cycle.
Work on Silver
Springs pyramid.
Due Weds.
Power Point notes on
the Water Cycle.
Work on Inv. 15.
Power Point notes
on the Carbon Cycle.
Fairchild Challenge
Option 5: Due
March 11th.
Chapter 4 Study Packet
pgs. 5-7 Due on Friday.
Chapter 4 Study
Packet pgs. 5-7 Due
on Friday.
Chapter 4 Study
Packet pgs. 5-7 Due
on Friday.
B – No lab
A – work on Part 1
of PP Lab.
B – No lab
A – work on Part 1 of
PP Lab.
B – No lab
Review Study Packet.
Check Study
Packets
Redo Steps 1-3 and
increase the data
collection.
Collect the Silver
Springs Activity.