Jefferson County Science Scope and Sequence
Course: Biology I
Course Code: 2000310
Quarter: 1B
Topic(s) of Study: Ecology
Bodies of Knowledge: Nature of Science and Life Science
Standards(s): 1: The Practice of Science, 17: Interdependence,
Essential Questions: What factors and processes determine the distribution of living things in
an aquatic system? How do seasonal variation, climate change, and succession affect an
ecosystem? How do human’s actions affect carrying capacity? How has the use of modern
technology contributed to human impact on the environment? How do scientists design an
investigation to answer a scientific question and communicate their findings?
NGSSS
SC.912.L.17.2: Explain the
general distribution of life in
aquatic systems as a function of
chemistry, geography, light,
depth, salinity, and temperature.
Cognitive Complexity: High
OUTLINE OF CONTENT
(CONCEPT/SKILLS)
I Aquatic systems are
organized based on
A. Chemistry
B. Geography
C. Light
D. Depth
E. Salinity
F. Temperature
SC.912.L.17.4: Describe changes
in ecosystems resulting from
seasonal variations, climate
II Changes in ecosystems
change and succession. Cognitive are a result of
Complexity: Moderate
A. Seasonal variations
B. Climate change
SC.912.L.17.5: Analyze how
C. Succession
population size is determined by
births, deaths, immigration,
III Population size is
emigration, and limiting factors
determined by
(biotic and abiotic) that
A. Births
determine carrying capacity.
B. Deaths
Cognitive Complexity: High
C. Immigration
D. Emigration
SC.912.L.17.8: Recognize the
E. Limiting Factors
consequences of the losses of
1. Biotic
biodiversity due to catastrophic
2. Abiotic
events, climate changes, human
activity, and the introduction of
IV Loss of biodiversity is a
invasive, non-native species.
result of
Cognitive Complexity: High
A. Catastrophic events
B. Climate changes
SC.912.L.17.9: Use a food web to
C. Human activity
identify and distinguish
D. Evasive species
producers, consumers, and
introduction
OBJECTIVES
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Describe the components of an aquatic
system by constructing a model. (I)
Explain how aquatic systems are
distributed by the following factors
(chemistry, geography, light, depth,
salinity, and temp) using a graphic
organizer. (I)
Describe how aquatic systems are
influenced by the oceanic zones by
completing a lab activity. (I)
Describe what causes currents, tides,
and waves by analyzing a video. (I)
Describe how various oceanic and
freshwater processes affect the
abundance of aquatic organisms by
analyzing a nonfiction article. (I)
Sequence the major events of
succession both primary and secondary
using a graphic organizer. (II)
Differentiate between weather and
climate and relate to biomes using a
graphic organizer. (II)
Connect seasonal variations to changes
in ecosystems using a graphic
organizer. (II)
Relate birth rate, death rate,
immigration, and emigration to
population size by analyzing a video
and using a graphic organizer. (III)
Describe the impact of limiting factors,
both biotic and abiotic on carrying
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Jefferson County Science Scope and Sequence
decomposers. Explain the
pathway of energy transfer
through trophic levels and the
reduction of available energy at
successive trophic levels.
Cognitive Complexity: Moderate
SC.912.E.7.1 Analyze the
movement of matter and energy
through the different
biogeochemical cycle s, including
water and carbon. Cognitive
Complexity: High
SC.912.L.17.11: Evaluate the
costs and benefits of renewable
and nonrenewable resource s,
such as water, energy, fossil
fuels, wildlife, and forests.
Cognitive Complexity: High
SC.912.L.17.13: Discuss the need
for adequate monitoring of
environmental parameters when
making policy decisions.
Cognitive Complexity: High
SC.912.L.17.20: Predict the
impact of individuals on
environmental systems and
examine how human lifestyles
affect sustainability. Cognitive
Complexity: High
SC.912.N.1.1 Define a problem
based on a specific body of
knowledge, for example: biology,
chemistry, physics, and
earth/space science, and do the
following: Cognitive Complexity:
High
1. pose questions about the
natural world,
2. conduct systematic
observations,
E. Non-native species
introduction
V Food webs
A. intricate and
complex systems
that comprise:
1. Producers
2. Consumers
3. Decomposers
B. Transfer energy
through distinct
pathways
1. Energy is
transferred from
producers up
through the
levels of
consumers
2. Energy is
reduced at
successive
trophic levels.
VI Biogeochemical Cycles
A. Atmosphere
B. Hydrosphere
C. Lithosphere
D. Biosphere
VI Resources
A. Renewable
B. Nonrenewable
C. Cost
D. Benefits
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VII Adequate monitoring of
environmental parameters
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need to be met when
making policy decisions
A. Human impact on
flora and fauna of an
ecosystem
B. Sustainable plans
C. Individual impact on
flora and fauna of an 
capacity using a graphic organizer. (III)
Interpret common population graphs
for growing populations, shrinking
populations and stable populations by
completing a lab activity and report.
(III)
Identify and describe causes for losses
of biodiversity by analyzing a nonfiction
article. (IV)
Explain how natural disasters, humans,
climate change and invasive species
threaten biodiversity by analyzing a
video or nonfiction article. (IV)
Identify the ultimate source of energy
for all of Earth’s ecosystems and
explain why a constant influx is
required by analyzing a video. (V)
Explain how energy flows through an
ecosystem using a food web and
pyramid by constructing a model. (V)
Relate the roles of producers,
consumers, and decomposers and
connect to trophic levels by
constructing a model. (V)
Explain and analyze the movement (or
cycling) of matter through
biogeochemical cycles through creating
a visual display and using a graphic
organizer. (VI)
Compare and contrast renewable and
non-renewable resources such as
water, energy, fossil fuels, wildlife, and
forests using a graphic organizer. (VI)
Describe some ways that humans
impact the environment using a
graphic organizer and analyzing a
video. (VII)
Explain changes in human lifestyles
that might positively impact the
environment using a graphic organizer.
(VII)
Objectives below are from Quarter 1A
and should be embedded in this topic
of study.
Develop a hypothesis with one
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Jefferson County Science Scope and Sequence
3. examine books and other
sources of information to
see what is already
known,
4. review what is known in
light of empirical
evidence,
5. plan investigations,
6. use tools to gather,
analyze, and interpret
data (this includes the
use of measurement in
metric and other
systems, and also the
generation and
interpretation of
graphical representations
of data, including data
tables and graphs),
7. pose answers,
explanations, or
descriptions of events,
8. generate explanations
that explicate or describe
natural phenomena
(inferences),
9. use appropriate evidence
and reasoning to justify
these explanations to
others,
10. communicate results of
scientific investigations,
and
11. evaluate the merits of the
explanations produced by
others.
ecosystem
D. Sustainable living
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independent variable (tested variable).
Distinguish between dependent
variables (outcome variable),
independent variables (tested
variable), controls, and variables that
are held constant in a variety of
activities.
Develop hypotheses and determine
what data should be collected to test
the hypothesis.
Determine tools and methods that
should be used to collect valid data.
Determine how data will be collected
to analyze the data.
Determine appropriate and consistent
standards of measurement for the data
to be collected in a survey or
experiment.
Collect, organize, and analyze data
sets, determine the best format for the
data and present visual summaries
from the following: bar graphs, line
graphs, scatter plots, cumulative
frequency graphs.
SC.912.N.1.3 Recognize that the
strength or usefulness of a
scientific claim is evaluated
through scientific
argumentation, which depends
on critical and logical thinking,
and the active consideration of
alternative scientific
explanations to explain the data
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Jefferson County Science Scope and Sequence
presented. Cognitive
Complexity: Low
SC.912.N.1.4 Identify sources of
information and assess their
reliability according to the strict
standards of scientific
investigation. Cognitive
Complexity: High
SC.912.N.1.6 Describe how
scientific inferences are drawn
from scientific observations and
provide examples from the
content being studied Cognitive
Complexity: Moderate
LA.910.2.2.3 The student
will organize information to
show understanding or
relationships among facts, ideas,
and events (e.g., representing
key points within text through
charting, mapping, paraphrasing,
summarizing, comparing,
contrasting, or outlining);
LA.910.4.2.2 The student
will record information and ideas
from primary and/or secondary
sources accurately and
coherently, noting the validity
and reliability of these sources
and attributing sources of
information;
MA.912.S.1.2 Determine
appropriate and consistent
standards of measurement for
the data to be collected in a
survey or experiment.
MA.912.S.3.2 Collect, organize,
and analyze data sets, determine
the best format for the data and
present visual summaries from
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Jefferson County Science Scope and Sequence
the following:
 bar graph s
 line graphs
 stem and leaf plots
 circle graph s
 histograms
 box and whisker plots
 scatter plots
cumulative frequency (ogive)
graphs
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Jefferson County Science Scope and Sequence
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