Sharp Science
Interdependence (Unifying Concepts)
Standard
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
SC-I-U-1
Standard - SC-6-I-U-1
Students will understand that
ecosystems are more than just
the organisms they contain:
geography, weather, climate
and geologic factors also
influence the interactions within
an ecosystem.
Standard - SC-7-I-U-1
Students will understand
that species may become
extinct even if
environmental conditions
remain constant.
Competition between
species for limited
resources can result in
extinction.
Standard - SC-8-I-U-1
Teacher Target
Teacher Target
The learner will understand that
ecosystems are more than just
the organisms they contain:
geography, weather, climate
and geologic factors also
influence the interactions within
an ecosystem.
Student Target
I can describe biotic (living)
versus abiotic (non-living-light
water, temperature, soil)
factors in an ecosystem.
I can understand that an
ecosystem is a combination of
living and nonliving factors.
I can describe how different
climate zones, geography,
weather, etc. will influence
what living things are located
where. Example: A moose
would be found in Alaska. You
would never see one in
Arizona.
Student Target
I can explain how
competition between species
for limited resources can
result in extinction.
Students will understand
that organisms both
cooperate and compete in
ecosystems. Balanced
patterns of cooperation and
competition may generate
ecosystems that are
relatively stable for hundreds
or thousands of years.
Teacher Target
The learner will understand
that organisms both
cooperate and compete in
ecosystems and that
properly balanced patterns
of cooperation and
competition may generate
ecosystems that are
relatively stable compared to
ecosystems that do not have
balanced patterns of
cooperation and
competition.
Student Target
I can explain ways in which
organisms cooperate in an
ecosystem.
I can explain ways in which
organisms compete in an
ecosystem.
I can demonstrate how an
ecosystem can remain stable
with balanced patterns of
cooperation and
competition.
I can demonstrate how an
ecosystem loses stability as
a result of unbalanced
patterns of cooperation and
SC-I-U-2
I can describe how the
consequences of change in one
or more abiotic factors on a
population within an
ecosystem. (Oh Deer Activity)
Standard Demonstrator
competition.
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard - SC-6-I-U-2
Standard - SC-7-I-U-2
Standard - SC-8-I-U-2
Students will understand that
communities do not exist in
isolation, but are globally
interconnected by a number of
Earth systems (e.g. ocean,
atmosphere, lithosphere).
Students will understand
that changes within an
ecosystem may be caused
by the interactions of
many factors, both biotic
and abiotic. Seemingly
small changes can have
significant consequences
as their effects ripple
through a community.
Teacher Target
Students will understand that
communities do not exist in
isolation, but are globally
interconnected by a number of
Earth systems (e.g. ocean,
atmosphere, lithosphere).
Student Target
I can understand that all of
Earth’s systems are
interconnected.
Teacher Target
Students will understand
that the matter in an
ecosystem is constantly
transferred between and
among organisms and the
physical environment. While
the form and location is
continuously changing, the
total amount of matter in
the system remains
constant.
Teacher Target
The learner can explain the
“Law of Conservation of
Matter” as it relates to
transformations of matter
within an ecosystem.
Student Target
I can compare abiotic and
biotic factors in an
ecosystem.
I can demonstrate how
matter within an ecosystem
continuously changes.
I can understand that the levels
of organization on our Earth
are organism, population,
community, ecosystem, and
biosphere.
SC-I-U-3
Student Target
I can explain the “Law of
Conservation of Matter”.
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard - SC-6-I-U-3
Standard - SC-7-I-U-3
Standard - SC-8-I-U-3
Students will understand that
science can sometimes be used
Students will understand
that not all
Students will understand
that it is important to
to inform ethical decisions by
identifying the likely
consequences of an action, but
cannot be used to establish if
taking that action would be
right or wrong.
Teacher Target
The learner will understand
that science can sometimes be
used to inform ethical decisions
by identifying the likely
consequences of an action, but
cannot be used to establish if
taking that action would be
right or wrong.
Student Target
I can use science to gather data
to make an ethical decision,
but that decision could be right
or wrong. (CAT Experiment)
SC-I-U-4
actions/decisions have the
possibility of a desirable
outcome. Sometimes a
compromise requires
accepting one unwanted
outcome to avoid a
different unwanted
outcome.
Teacher Target
consider what population
will benefit and what
population (not necessarily
the same one) will bear the
cost when deciding among
alternative courses of
action.
Student Target
Student Target
I can explain the importance
of considering the ecological
costs and benefits when
deciding among alternative
courses of action.
I can investigate how human
actions have negative
impacts on the environment.
Teacher Target
The learner will explain the
importance of considering
the ecological costs and
benefits when deciding
among alternative courses
of action.
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard -
Standard -
Standard - SC-8-I-U-4
Teacher Target
Teacher Target
Students will understand
that sometimes decisions
have unintended
consequences no matter
how thoughtfully they were
made, and may actually
create new problems and
needs.
Teacher Target
Student Target
Student Target
Student Target
I can give examples of
unintended consequences to
ecosystems.
I can explain how various
courses of action may create
SC-I-S-1
new problems and needs
within an ecosystem.
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard - SC-6-I-S-1
Students will describe and
explore the biotic and abiotic
factors that affect change in
ecosystems
Standard - SC-7-I-S-1
Students will research and
investigate environmental
situations where small
changes may have large
impacts in both living and
non-living components of
systems (e.g., introduction
of zebra mussels into the
Kentucky river, planting
kudzu to stabilize hillsides)
Standard - SC-8-I-S-1
Students will predict the
effects of change on one or
more components within an
ecosystem by analyzing a
variety of data
Teacher Target
Teacher Target
Teacher Target
Student Target
Student Target
I can analyze data to
understand the patterns in
an ecosystem.
The learner will describe and
explore the biotic and abiotic
factors that affect change in
ecosystems
Student Target
I can describe and explore the
biotic factors that cause change
in an ecosystem.
I can describe and explore the
abiotic factors that cause
change in an ecosystem.
SC-I-S-2
I can describe where small
changes may have large
impacts in both living and
non-living components of
systems.
I can make predictions about
the effects of change within
an ecosystem given a variety
of data.
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard - SC-6-I-S-2
Students will document and
describe consequences of
change in one or more abiotic
factors on a population within
an ecosystem
Standard - SC-7-I-S-2
Students will investigate
potential factors
contributing to
endangerment or
extinction, including the
effects of competition for
resources
Standard - SC-8-I-S-2
Students will analyze
ecosystems to identify
patterns of cooperation that
enhance stability
Teacher Target
Teacher Target
Teacher Target
The learner will document and
describe consequences of
change in one or more abiotic
factors on a population within
an ecosystem.
SC-I-S-3
Student Target
I can describe how abiotic
factors might cause change in
an ecosystem. Ex. A drought
occurs and it affects the deer
because of lack of food and
water. Ex. A forest fire occurs
and it effects the robin birds
because they have no more
trees to live in.
Standard Demonstrator
Student Target
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard - SC-6-I-S-3
Standard - SC-7-I-S-3
Students will identify a
species which has become
extinct and analyze
data/evidence to infer the
contributing factors which
led to extinction
Students will model the flow
of energy and transfer of
matter within ecosystems,
communities and niches
Teacher Target
Teacher Target
Student Target
Student Target
I can model the flow of
energy and transfer of
matter within ecosystems,
communities and niches.
Students will investigate how
communities are
interconnected, how they
interact with different Earth
systems, and represent these
global connections/interactions
in a variety of ways (e.g.
writing, models, multi-media,
claymation)
Teacher Target
The learner will investigate
how communities are
interconnected, how they
interact with different Earth
systems, and represent these
global connections/interactions
in a variety of ways (e.g.
writing, models, multi-media,
claymation)
Student Target
I can show how Earth is
interconnected by
demonstrating such
information in a writing,
powerpoint, multi-media,
model, etc. (Good way for
I can explain how
competition between species
for limited resources can
result in extinction
Student Target
I can analyze ecosystems to
identify patterns of
cooperation that enhance
stability.
I can explain some factors
that lead to endangerment.
I can identify factor that
causes animals to go extinct.
Standard - SC-8-I-S-3
SC-I-S-4
students to pick project design
based on their learning style)
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard -SC-6-I-S-4
Standard - SC-7-I-S-4
Standard -SC-8-I-S-4
Students will differentiate the
usefulness of scientific research
to predict the possible
consequences of decisions
about environmental issues
from its limitations in making
ethical/moral decisions about
those issues
Students will research and
discuss environmental
impacts of actions (human
or non-human) which
necessitate choosing
between undesirable
alternatives (e.g., losing
crops to insects vs.
applying toxic pesticides)
Teacher Target
The learner will differentiate
the usefulness of scientific
research to predict the possible
consequences of decisions
about environmental issues
from its limitations in making
ethical/moral decisions about
those issues
Student Target
I can tell the difference
between the usefulness of
predicting the consequences of
environmental issues versus
the limitation in making
ethical/moral decisions about
those issues. (In other words
science is useful in giving us
information, but not in what
we should do.)
Teacher Target
Students will evaluate the
risks and benefits of human
actions affecting the
environment and identify
which populations will be
harmed or helped. Use a
variety of data/ sources to
support or defend a position
related to a proposed
action, both orally and in
writing. Analyze the validity
of other arguments
Teacher Target
Student Target
I can investigate how human
actions have negative
impacts on the environment.
Student Target
I can evaluate the risks and
benefits of human actions
affecting the environment
and identify which
populations will be harmed
or helped.
I can use a variety of data/
sources to support or
defend a position related to
a proposed action, both
orally and in writing.
I can analyze the validity of
other arguments.
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator
SC-I-S-5
Standard -
Standard - SC-7-I-S-5
Standard - SC-8-I-S-5
Teacher Target
Students will design and
conduct investigations of
changes to abiotic and
biotic factors in
ecosystems, document
and communicate
observations, procedures,
results and conclusions
Teacher Target
Students will identify
examples of human actions
that have had unintended
environmental
consequences (e.g., DDT
weakening egg shells, leadbased paint, asbestos
insulation)
Teacher Target
Student Target
Student Target
Student Target
I can identify examples of
human actions that have
had unintended
environmental
consequences.
Standard Demonstrator
I can compare abiotic and
biotic factors in an
ecosystem.
Standard Demonstrator
Standard Demonstrator