Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Enduring Understandings:
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The existence of life on Earth
depends on interactions among
organisms and between
organisms and their
environment.
Living things are affected by
nonliving and living parts of the
environment.
Organisms may compete with
each other for resources such as
food, water, space, mates, etc.
Humans depend upon healthy
ecosystems just as any other
animal would.
Ecosystems are dynamic, but
mature in predictable ways.
Human population is directly
related to human consumption
and human ecological footprint.
Energy is essential to all living
systems.
Human populations demand
energy that has consequences
upon sequestration.
Human energy consumption is
related to a changing climate
due to rising levels of carbon
dioxide.
Ecology &
Sustainability
Essential Questions:
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How do living and nonliving parts of the Earth
interact and affect the survival of organisms?
 How does energy move through an ecosystem?
 How do different organisms get the energy they
need to survive?
 How do we study life?
 Why is the cycling of matter important to life on
Earth?
 What levels of organization are used to study parts
of the biosphere?
 What are the characteristics of major biomes?
 How do biotic and abiotic factors shape
ecosystems?
 What factors limit a population’s growth?
 How is human population growing?
 How do changes in populations affect ecosystems?
 How do humans impact energy and nutrient
cycles?
 What factors affect global climate?
 What is the ozone made of and what breaks it
down?
 How does climate affect ecosystems?
 How do humans affect climate?
 How do communities interact with one another?
Species? Individuals?
 How are resources divided amongst an ecosystem?
 How do organisms’ interact with one another?
 How do ecosystems change over time?
 How do Populations grow? What impacts this
growth?
 How does human population growth impact
ecosystems?
 How do we manage populations, including
humans?
 How does population affect resource consumption,
and system sustainability?
 What is the value in biodiversity?
 How does changing atmospheric chemistry affect
1 ecology?
Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Ecology &
Sustainability
Critical Skills:
Critical Content:
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Food Web
Nutrient cycles
Habitat
Limiting nutrient
Pyramid
Niche
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism
Biomass
Autotroph
Heterotroph
Interdependence
Phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Species
Abiotic
Biotic
Predator
Prey
Herbivore
Scavenger
Food chain
Ecological Succession
Symbiosis
Competition
Climate
Biome
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Determine an individual’s
ecological footprint
Explain the relationship between
biomes and climate
Define and give examples of
abiotic and biotic factors
Define and describe the
biological levels of hierarchy
Differentiate between an
ecosystem and a biome
Identify niches
Trace energy and nutrient cycles
and anthropogenic inputs from
an open system to a closed
system
Construct a food chain and web
to demonstrate movement of
energy
Interpret an energy pyramid in
terms of entropy to explain the
loss of 90% of usable energy at
each trophic level
Analysis human contribution to
global warming
Evaluate human behavioral
choices as they relate to ecology
and sustainability
Explain why a food web is a
more accurate representation for
feeding relationships than a food
chain.
Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Ecology &
Sustainability
Critical Skills:
Critical Content:
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Carrying Capacity
Population limiting factors
Bio-diversity
Primary producer
Photosynthesis
Chemosynthesis
Consumer
Carnivore
Omnivore
Decomposer
Detritivore
Ecology
Biosphere
Trophic level
Food chain
Energy pyramid
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Demonstrate examples of each
organism and identify its
matching role (vocabulary)
Calculate the amount of energy
available at each level of a food
chain or web.
Construct a nutrient cycle
Analyze a graph reflecting the
competitive exclusion within a
community
Relate cause and effect of
predator- prey dynamics
Describe the different
characteristics of biomes both
aquatic and terrestrial
Graph and explain exponential
population growth
Explain how humans impact
Earth and what is a footprint
Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Big Ideas:
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Ecology is the effect of population growth on the flow of matter, sustainability and
energy through biological ecosystems and the interdependence in nature
An ecosystem is a large group of organisms of different species living together and the
environment (big or small) in which they live (called a habitat). The habitat in which the
organisms live is based upon a two classes of factors: biotic (living) or abiotic (nonliving).
Each ecosystem is capable of only supporting an infinite number of organisms known as
the carrying capacity.
Organisms in ecosystems interact in one of three symbiosis classifications of relationships:
mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Additional important relationships are based
on an organism’s ability to make food or only consume food for energy. The key
energy levels are predator/prey and producer/consumer interactions. Other organisms
utilize energy as scavengers or decomposers
It is the delicate balance between the different tropic levels and ecosystems which
control an organism’s existence. Most of the balance is based upon human impact.
Humans either contribute or take away from ecosystems and in general cause significant
harm such as global warming. Consequently, prevention, education and awareness are
ways to help minimize and reverse negative impact of humans on ecosystems.
Learning Targets
5.2.1
5.2.2
5.2.3
5.3.1
5.3.2
5.3.3
5.4.1
5.4.2
5.4.3
5.4.4
Human populations use resources in the environment in order to
maintain and improve their existence.
The earth does not have infinite resources; increasing human
consumption places severe stress on the natural processes that
renew some resources, and it depletes those resources that cannot
be renewed.
Humans use many natural systems as resources.
Natural ecosystems provide an array of basic processes that affect
humans. Humans are changing many of these basic processes,
and the changes may be detrimental to humans.
Materials from human societies affect both physical and chemical
cycles of the earth.
Many factors influence environmental quality.
Normal adjustments of earth may be hazardous for humans.
Human activities can enhance potential for hazards.
Some hazards, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and severe
weather, are rapid and spectacular, but there are slow and
progressive changes that also result in problems for individuals
and societies.
Natural and human-induced hazards present the need for humans
to assess potential danger and risk.
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Focused
Assessed
Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Performance Tasks and Suggested Learning Experiences
with Ideas for Differentiation (Remediation and Extension)
Connect ecology to agriculture and the human food supply
system.
Have students grow rice and rye seeds and analyze the effect
of abiotic factors on the yield of the biotic factors.
Have students create a crossword puzzle using the vocabulary
words.
Have students orally or in written format communicate how
logistic and exponential growth are related.
Students would write a small paragraph explaining carry
capacity and how we contribute and how we can improve.
Explain why conserving biodiversity is crucial in the
continuance of life
www.BiologyCorner.com; Identify and graph carrying
capacity.
www.worldviewofglobalwarming.com; How humans affect
organisms in separate ecosystems.
www.fundamentalsofecology.com; Identify and explain the
different types of relationships between organisms in an
ecosystem.
Make a compost bin with earthworms in a two littler bottle.
View video clips where predator-prey relationships are
depicted and then write a small passage describing the
processes effect on the food chain and web in terms of
competing for resources.
Conduct population yeast or bacteria growth labs based on
limiting factors.
PBS: Global Warming and Holes in the Ozone interactive
websites for students
Students should reflect from the biochemistry unit and design
a poster using the biogeochemical cycles that demonstrate
human’s role based on factors of population growth and
limiting factors.
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Remediation:
 Complete a
vocabulary word
search and write
definitions for each
word found.
 Complete a
crossword puzzle of
vocabulary terms.
 Student to teacher
only oral
description based
on research
outlining pros and
cons for human
impact on global
warming.
 Students create a
storybook
describing global
warming.
 Allow students to
use and cite fewer
references for
written work.
 Have students
make a T chart to
organize biotic and
abiotic factors
 Skeleton notes
 Chunk/shorten
Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Have students work in small groups to identify a question
related to ecology. Then have students identify the correct
method needed to study the question. Lastly have student’s
role play as scientist to explain their method of studying the
question to the class.
Have students dissect a well-known “nature or wildlife”
poem, song, or passage identifying the abiotic and biotic
factors used in the piece. Students can share with class
Students will build a labeled food web with the calculated
energy amounts relative to the movement through the web.
After diagram is completed, students will communicate and
interpret it in written format.
Have students in groups of three create labeled diagrams to
explain: a) how greenhouse gases trap heat in the
atmosphere? b) Why solar energy varies with latitude? c)
How heat is transported in the biosphere? Each student in the
group should draw one diagram.
Put students in small groups to create a multimedia project
outlining the key characteristics of an assigned biome and then
have students present. Each group should present a different
biome.
Have students do a skit designed to educate others on how
limiting factors determine population density.
Have students research the Great Dust Bowl of the 1930s and
what historical significance was represented on an ecological
scale.
Have students research the use of DDT during WWII,
“Operation Cat Drop” and what historical significance was
represented on an ecological scale.
Have students explain how changing our ecological behaviors
is necessary through a depiction of art work or dramatic play.
Students will complete a research paper presenting the
ecological footprint of humans.
Students will design a viable closed ecosystem capable of
maintaining life for a predisposed amount of time.
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Extension:
 Have students write
a biosphere poem
or passage that
reflects the effect of
man on earth and
his carbon
footprint. Host a
poetry slam.
 Have students work
in groups to
research food webs
that display
evidence of the
effects of human
impact.
 Have students
design a board
game to help with
vocabulary
terminology and
application.
 Oral and visual
presentation of
scientific data graph
on carrying
capacity for peer
review and rubric
feedback.
Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Have students complete Mix and Match Ecology Activity (see
resources).
Students will take an oral or written exam of differentiated
assessment practices: true and false, multiple choice, essay,
matching, short answer, and completion
Resources
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Mix and Match Ecology http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4766
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http://regentsprep.org/regents/biology/2011%20Web%20Pages/Ecology%20Human%20Biosphere-%20Influence%20page.htm
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Biology, by Miller and Levine (Pearson)
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Idaho Science Teacher’s
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National Science Teacher’s
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The Science Teacher’s Book of Lists, by Barhydt and Morgan
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Web sites that are good resources:
Biology Corner – www.biologycorner.com
Awesome Science – www.nclark.net
Science Spot Classroom – www.sciencespot.net
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Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
Ecology Outline
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Ecology is the study of how organisms fit into their environment
A community is the organisms that live in a particular environment
A habitat is the physical location of a community
An ecosystem is a collection of organisms and their physical environment
The diversity of an ecosystem is a measure of the number of species living there
There are different feeding groups of organisms
o Autotrophs: Organisms that make their own food, like plants and some
bacteria
o Heterotrophs: Organisms that cannot make their own food, like
 Herbivores: Eat plants
 Carnivores: Eat meat
 Omnivores: Eat plants and meat
There are different factors is an ecosystem
o Abiotic factors are nonliving things
o Biotic factors are living things, such as
 Producers: Organisms that take in energy from their surroundings to make
their own food
 Consumers: Organisms that eat other organisms for energy
 Decomposers: Special type of consumer that eats waste products and dead
organisms for energy
There are different trophic levels in a food chain
o A trophic level is a feeding level in an ecosystem
o A food chain is a lineup of organisms that shows who eats who
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1st trophic level is usually a producer
2nd trophic level is a primary consumer
3rd trophic level is a secondary consumer
4th trophic level is a tertiary consumer
and so on
Last trophic level is a decomposer
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Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
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Every time an organism eats, it obtains energy from its food
o So energy is transferred from the 1st to the 2nd to the 3rd trophic level and so on
(but some of this energy does get lost along the way)
o Energy pyramid: Picture showing how much energy is transferred to the
different trophic levels in a food chain
A food web is a network of connected food chains
Interaction in an environment
 Each organism has a niche, or role, to play in its environment
 Competition is a struggle between organisms for resources, such as food, water,
shelter
 Predators are organisms that catch, kill, and eat other organisms called prey
 Symbiosis is a close relationship between 2 organisms in which one organism lives
near, on, or even inside another organisms and in which at least one organism
benefits
o There are three types of symbiosis
o 1. Commensalism is when one of the 2 organisms benefits from the symbiosis
o 2. Mutualism is when both organisms benefit from the symbiosis
o 3. Parasitism is when one organism benefits (parasite) and the other organism
is harmed (host) from the symbiosis
 The parasite feeds on the host while it is still alive, weakening but not
killing it
 An adaptation is a change in the behavior or physical characteristics of a species
that make it better suited to its environment
 Populations of organisms increase and decrease due to overpopulation of a
competitor or predator, disease, lack of food or water or shelter, and extreme
weather
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Unit Title: Ecology & Sustainability
Grade: 10th
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Ecosystems are constantly changing due to changing populations of organisms,
changing weather, natural disasters, and human activity
Every time a change occurs, the balance of the ecosystem has to be readjusted
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