SCIENCE
UNIT 2: SUSTAINABILITY
Unit Topic and Length:

This unit uses the topic of changes in ecosystems as a means to teach
students how to analyze and write a scientific argument. This 8 - 10 week unit
contains a series of interim assessments that build in complexity, culminating
with a scientific argumentative essay.
Big Ideas/ Enduring
Essential Questions
Understandings
 What are ecosystems?
 Maintaining balance in a
 How do humans and other populations are
changing ecosystem.
affected by environmental changes?
 Using local ecosystems to
 Why ecosystems are important?
conduct a scientific
 How biodiversity impact ecosystems?
investigation.
 How energy flows and is transferred in an
 Supporting a claim with
ecosystem?
substantial evidence from
 How do human activities contribute to the
text and from field work
preservation of biodiversity?
investigation that helps in
 Why is biodiversity important?
understanding
 How do human activities affect biodiversity in
sustainability.
an ecosystem?
 How do we maintain balance in an ecosystem?
New York State Science Standards:
S1.3 - Represent, present, and defend their proposed explanations of everyday
observations so that they can be understood and assessed by others
S2.3a - Use appropriate safety procedures
S2.3b - Conduct a scientific investigation
S2.3c - Collect quantitative and qualitative data
S 7.2 – Describe the effects of environmental changes in humans and other
populations.
7.2a In ecosystems, balance is the result of interactions between community members
and their environment.
7.2b The environment may be altered through the activities of organisms. Alterations
are sometimes abrupt. Some species may replace others over time, resulting in long-term gradual
changes (ecological succession).
Common Core Learning Standards:
 RST.6-8.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and
technical texts.
 RST.6-8.4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domainspecific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical
context relevant to grades 6–8 texts and topics
 WHST.6-8.1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
o
Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence
logically.
o
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence
that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
o
Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships
among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
o
o
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.
Content:
Sustainability/Ecosystems
 Ecosystems
 Energy Flow
 Food Webs and Food
Chains
 Ecological Succession
 Acid-Base Solutions
 Environmental Issues
affecting ecosystems
Informational Text Reading
 Vocabulary cards
 Use of graphic organizers
Scientific Argumentative
Writing
 Use of the DSET Tool to
write explanations.
 Follow protocols to write
laboratory reports.
 Note taking strategies
during lesson oral
discourse.
Oral Discourse
 Discussion guided through
questioning
 Peer discussion
Skills:
Science Related/ Performance
 Interpreting/disseminating information from
charts/graphs, food webs and food chains
 Measuring pH of solutions
 Conducting Random Sampling of organisms
in an ecosystem
 Hypothesize about the effect of pH levels of
water in the plant population of the local
ecosystem.
 Drawing conclusions supported by data from
investigation
Informational Text Reading
 Choosing relevant information from
scientific reliable sources.
 Gain understanding in key terms
essential to acquire knowledge
 Read and decode informational text
Scientific Writing
 Cite evidence from text and from
observations and measurements taken
on investigation project that supports
the claim.
 Introduce a claim that clearly argues
about the topic and stands out and over
counterclaims.
 Develop the topic of sustainability with
relevant, well chosen ideas, facts and
accurate observations.
Vocabulary/ Key Terms:
Ecosystem, biomes, biodiversity, habitat, climate, ecological succession, producer,
consumer, decomposer, trophic levels, energy pyramid, energy transfer, food web, food
chains, acid, bases, acid precipitation, greenhouse effect, carbon monoxide, erosion,
hazardous wastes,
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Authentic Performance Task(s):
Students will work in small groups to write
a scientific argument in which a claim must
be made stating why is important to
maintain appropriate the acidic condition of
water for the plant population at Inwood
Hill Park.
Students will work in small groups to
investigate :
a. Researching a variety of texts about
ecosystems, pollution, wetlands,
erosion, energy flow and transfer, and
history of the Inwood Hill Park to
understand the changes in the water
of the tidal marsh at Inwood Hill Park.
b. Collecting samples of water to observe
microorganisms living in this wetland.
c. Test samples of water measuring its
acidity.
d. Observe and gather information on
the plant biodiversity around the
marsh performing random sampling.
e. Predict the outcomes of conserving the
acidity of water in the marsh at
appropriate levels and how this would
benefit the plant population in the
park.
f. Write a scientific argument essay in
which the claim of this investigation is
supported by evidence from text and
observations in the park.
Alignment to NYS Common Core Standards
for Literacy:
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 8
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of science
and technical texts.
Writing Standards
Grade 8
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific
content.
- Introduce claim about a topic or issue,
acknowledge and distinguish the claim form
alternate or opposing claims, and organize the
reasons and evidence logically.
- Support claim with logical reasoning and
relevant, accurate data and evidence that
demonstrate an understanding of the topic or
text, using credible sources.
- Use words, phrases and clauses to create
cohesion and clarify the relationships among
claim, counterclaims, reasons and evidence.
- Provide a concluding statement or section
that follows and supports the argument
presented.
Diagnostic and Pre/Post Assessments:
Pre-assessment: Answer to the essential question and content related quiz
Formative Assessments: (* =Items that will be displayed on bulletin board)
1. Claim Statement *
2. Evidence * -Data collection from field work investigation in the park
3. Evidence * – gathering relevant information from reliable sources and text of
different complexities
4. Reasoning * – analysis of data, information and establishing relationships to support
the claim
5. Statement of a counterclaim * – assertion of reasons why the Inwood tidal marsh
negatively impacts humans and other populations.
6. Reading conferences – comprehension and use of content specific vocabulary and
citation of evidence to support the claim.
Summative Assessments:





Drafts of essay * (ungraded and with feedback)
final written essay
quizzes (graded)
interim assessments (claim, evidence, reasoning and counterclaim)
unit test
TEACHING PLAN
Teaching and Learning Activities:
1. Use the essential questions to answer the pre-assessment.
2. Introduce unit vocabulary strategies to learn words.
3. Use guiding questions to guide lessons.
4. Guide students how to do a fieldwork at Inwood Hill Park.
6. Guide students in doing an authentic task by steps in the classroom using the
C.E.R. format
7. Class debate on wetlands preservation
8. Use essential question as a post assessment.
Resources Needed:
8th Grade NY Science ( Glencoe) Chapters 8 and 9
New York Biology
Internet Websites:
1. http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/marsh.cfm
2. http://flandrumhill.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/why-salt-marshes-arebeneficial
3. www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/ecology-of-wetland
4. www.oldhouseweb.com/gardening/backyard-wetlands-mini-marshes-canprovide-benefits-of-natural-wetlands.shtml
5. www.nycparks.org/parks/inwoodhillpark/highilghts/12864
6. http://wikimapia.org/3768934/Salt-Marsh-in-Inwood-Hill-Park
7. www.washington-heights.us/history/archives/inwood_hill_park_20.html
UNIT 3: Sustainability
Essential Question: How do we sustain life?
WEEKLY CALENDAR
Week
Guiding Questions
Assessments
Topics/Lessons
Key Vocabulary
(diagnostic, formative, summative,
interim)
1
1.What are ecosystems?

L.E. Book Chapter 4
pages 76-84


Standards
Assessed:
NYS
S 2.2, 2.3, 7.2
Week
Guiding Questions
2-3
How energy flows and is
transferred in an
ecosystem?
L.E. Book Chapter 4
pages 86-89
Topics/Lessons




1. Individual response to
essential question (pre)
2. Unit Pre-Test
3. Responses to question on
"Temperature and
Precipitation Graphs" and
"Graphing Climate
Information"
Common Core Standards
Reading Standard, Grade 8: 1
Writing Standard, Grade 8: 1
Assessments
What is an
ecosystem
How does an
ecosystem respond
to change
two key factors of
climate that
determine a biome
Energy flow in
ecosystems
Food Webs/Food
Chains
Trophic levels
Loss of Energy
(diagnostic, formative, summative,
interim)
1. Individual response to
essential question (pre)
2. Practice Quiz (formative,
ungraded)
3. Lab Repot on "Random
Sampling"
Ecosystem
Succession
Biodiversity
Habitat
Climate
biome
Key Vocabulary
Producer
Consumer
Decomposer
Trophic level
Energy pyramid
Energy transfer
Food Web
Food Chains
Week
4 -5
Guiding Questions
Topics/Lessons
How energy flows and is
transferred in an
ecosystem?



L.E. Book Chapter 4
pages 86-89
Standards
Assessed:
NYS
S 2.2, 2.3, 7.2
Week
Guiding Questions

Energy flow in
ecosystems
Water Cycle
Acid/Base
Solutions
Ecological
Succession
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative, summative,
interim)
1. Individual response to
essential question (pre)
2. Practice Quiz (formative,
ungraded)
3. Formative Assessment Task
#1 - Claim Statement
Key Vocabulary
Energy transfer
Food Web
Food Chains
Succession
Common Core Standards
Reading Standard, Grade 8: 1
Writing Standard, Grade 8: 1
Topics/Lessons
Assessments
Key Vocabulary
(diagnostic, formative, summative, interim)
6-7
Standards
Assessed:
How do human
activities affect the
biodiversity in an
ecosystem?
NYS
S 2.2, 2.3, 7.2





Keeping the
environment
healthy
Air pollution
Water pollution
Soil pollution
Random
Sampling
1. Drafts of written report
(formative)
2. Quiz (graded)
3. Practice Quizzes (ungraded)
4. Evidence from texts
4. Report of
Evidence/Measurements/Random
Sampling of Plants from Inwood
Hill Park
Common Core Standards
Reading Standard, Grade 8: 1
Writing Standard, Grade 8: 1
Acid precipitation
Greenhouse effect
Acid
Base
Carbon monoxide
Erosion
Hazardous wastes
Week
Guiding Questions
Assessments
Topics/Lessons
(diagnostic, formative, summative, interim)
8
Standards
Assessed:
How the pH of water
affects the plant
population in an aquatic
ecosystem?
NYS
S 2.2, 2.3, 7.2

pH of solutions

Acid/Base solutions

Plant adaptations

Choosing relevant
information from
texts
1. Drafts of written report
(formative)
2. Draft of essay (ungraded)
Common Core Standards
Reading Standard, Grade 8: 1
Writing Standard, Grade 8: 1
Key Vocabulary