Colleen Snow
Lesson plans for Biology
Week 15, November 14-November 18, 2011
Unit 6: Ecology
Standards: State Standards
Concept 4: Biological Evolution
Understand the scientific principles and processes involved in biological evolution.
S4-C4-PO4 Predict how a change in an environmental factor (e.g., rainfall, habitat loss, non-native species) can affect the number and
diversity of species in an ecosystem.
Concept 5: Matter, Energy, and Organization in Living Systems (Including Human Systems) Understand the organization of
living systems, and the role of energy within those systems.
S4-C5-PO1. Compare the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in terms of energy flow, reactants, and products.
S4-C5-PO2. Describe the role of organic and inorganic chemicals (e.g., carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, water, ATP)
important to living things.
S4-C5-PO3. Diagram the following biogeochemical cycles in an ecosystem:
• water
• carbon
• nitrogen
S4-C5-PO4. Diagram the energy flow in an ecosystem through a food chain.
S4-C5-PO5. Describe the levels of organization of living things from cells, through tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms,
populations, and communities to ecosystems.
Topics
Levels of organization
Energy flow
Biochemical cycles
Vocabulary: ecology, biosphere, species, population, community, ecosystem, biome autotroph, producer,
photosynthesis, chemosynthesis. Heterotrophy, consumer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, detritivore,
decomposer, food chain, food web, trophic level, ecological pyramid, biomass, biogeochemical cycle,
evaporation, transpiration, nutrient,nitrogen fixation, denitrification, primary productivity, limiting nutrient,
algal bloom
This weeks’ vocabulary: : ecology, biosphere, species, population, community, ecosystem, biome autotroph,
producer, photosynthesis, chemosynthesis. Heterotrophy, consumer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore,
detritivore, decomposer, food chain, food web, trophic level, ecological pyramid
November 14
Standards: S4-C4-PO4, S4-C5-PO1,S4-C5-PO2,S4-C5-PO3,S4-C5-PO4,S4-C5-PO5
Complete bottle lab
Today’s vocabulary: NONE
Read : NONE
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, student will be able to: Give example of biotic and abiotic factors.
November 15
Standards: S4-C4-PO4, S4-C5-PO1,S4-C5-PO2,S4-C5-PO3,S4-C5-PO4,S4-C5-PO5
Ecology power point
Today’s vocabulary: ecology, biosphere, species, population, community, ecosystem, biome autotroph,
producer, photosynthesis, chemosynthesis. Heterotrophy, consumer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore,
detritivore, decomposer, food chain, food web, trophic level, ecological pyramid, biomass, biogeochemical
cycle, evaporation, transpiration, nutrient,nitrogen fixation, denitrification, primary productivity, limiting
nutrient, algal bloom
Read pp. 63-65
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, student will be able to:
Identify the levels of organization that ecologist study.
Describe the methods used to study ecology
November 16
Standards: S4-C4-PO4, S4-C5-PO1,S4-C5-PO2,S4-C5-PO3,S4-C5-PO4,S4-C5-PO5
Today’s vocabulary:
ecology: the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their
environment.
Biosphere: the part of earth where life exists, including land water and air.
Species: group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
Population: a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area.
Community: assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area.
Ecosystem: collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their non living
environment.
Biome:group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities.
Read pp. 63-65
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, student will be able to:
November 17
Standards: S4-C4-PO4, S4-C5-PO1,S4-C5-PO2,S4-C5-PO3,S4-C5-PO4,S4-C5-PO5
Today’s vocabulary:
Autotroph: producers that use carbon dioxide and sunlight to produce theie own food energy
(photosynthesis of chemosynthesis).
Producer: same as autotroph.
Photosynthesis: uses light energy and carbon dioxide to power chemical reactions to make food(sugars,
starches).
Chemosynthesis: producers that use chemical energy to produce food (sugars and startches).
Heterotrophy: organisms that rely on other organisms to supply them with food energy.
Consumer: same as heterotrophy.
Herbivore: eat plants only.
Carnivore: eats other animals.
Omnivore: eats both plants and animals.
Detritivore: feed on dead organisms.
Decomposer: same as detrivore.
food chain: series of steps in which animals transfer energy by eating and being eaten.
food web: links all the food chains in an ecosystem together.
trophic level: each step in a food chain.
ecological pyramid: a diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each
trophic level in a food chain or web.
Read pp. : 67-73
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, student will be able to:
Identify the sources of energy for life processes.
Trace the flow of energy through living systems.
Evaluate the efficiency of energy transfer among organisms in an ecosystem.
November 18
Standards: S4-C4-PO4, S4-C5-PO1,S4-C5-PO2,S4-C5-PO3,S4-C5-PO4,S4-C5-PO5
Today’s vocabulary:
Biomass: total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level.
biogeochemical cycle: process in which elements, chemical compounds and other forms of matter are
passed from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to the other.
Evaporation:process where water changes from liquid state to gas.
Transpiration:loss of water in plants, through its leaves.
Nutrient: chemical substances that an organism requires to live.
Nitrogen fixation: process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia.
Denitrification: conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.
primary productivity: rate at which organic matter is created by producers in an ecosystem.
limiting nutrient: factor that causes the growth of a population to decrease.
algal bloom: an immediate increase in the amount of algae and other producers that results from large
input of a limiting agent.
Read pp.: 74-80
Activity: Energy Pyramid
Homework: energy pyramid study guide
Extra credit: biomes word search
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, student will be able to:
Identify the sources of energy for life processes.
Trace the flow of energy through living systems.
Evaluate the efficiency of energy transfer among organisms in an ecosystem.