Ecology Unit Lesson Plan
Week 1 Lesson 2
Teacher: Ms. Adams
Date: 3/10 - 3/14 (Tuesday and Thursday)
Time: 90 min period
Subject / grade level: Science/ 7th
Materials: Notebook, pen/pencil, worksheets, PowerPoint/Prezi, “Do Now”, Promethean Board, A,B,C and D
Flashcards for Moving Multiple Choice and Laptop
Standards:
S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environment.
A. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from one organism to another and can recycle
between organisms and their environments.
B. Explain in a food web that sunlight is the source of energy and that this energy moves from organism to
organism.
C. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and
entire species.
D. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.
E. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes. (i.e., tropical rain forest, savanna,
temperate, desert, taiga, tundra and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e., freshwater, estuaries and
marine).
Essential Questions:
 Why are there so many different kinds of organisms?
 How are we related?
 Where did all that energy come from?
Lesson objective(s):
SWBAT:
 Identify biotic and abiotic organisms in an ecosystem
 Recognize how organism are organized
 Show how energy is recycled in an environment
 Explain the Rule of 10
 Recognize the difference between a food web and a food chain
 Identify the types of organisms found at each level of the energy pyramid
Define a biome and characteristics of each
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
I will allow students who are visually impaired to sit closer to the promethean board during the lecture and for
students who have ADHD they will be allowed to stand behind their seat quietly. For the students that are
gifted, I will extend the lesson by having them explain why decomposers are at every level of the food chain and
possible results if they did not exist.
ENGAGEMENT
Day 2 Lesson 2 (Autotrophs/Heterotrophs)
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Ecology Unit Lesson Plan
Week 1 Lesson 2
Teacher will:
 Start lesson by reiterating what we discussed in the previous lesson about abiotic and biotic factors in an
ecosystem. (in the form of a group discussion) (5-10 mins)
 Give “Do Now” describe an autotroph, heterotrophs, predator, prey, primary consumer, secondary
consumer give an example of each if possible (5-10 mins)
 Briefly discuss the new terms mentioned above and explain which category humans fall into (secondary
consumer/ heterotroph) (5 mins)
 PowerPoint/ video for further instruction of the new concept (10-15 mins)
EXPLORATION
Day 2 Teacher will:
 Put questions and picture of animal on promethean board for students decider which category it falls
into and answer on blank paper independently (10 mins)
 Autotrophs vs Heterotrophs comprehension worksheet (5- 10 mins) (Moving Multiple Choice)
EXPLANATION
Day 2 Students Should:
 Think/ Pair/ Share what it means to be an autotroph and heterotroph.
 Think about what type of organisms are autotrophs and heterotrophs. (i.e. herbivore, carnivore, omnivore and
decomposers)
 Teacher will address any misconceptions during this time.) (5-10 mins)
ELABORATION
Day 2 Students will:
 Recognize any similarities between organisms that are autotroph and heterotroph
 Determine what will happen if there were more primary consumers than producers and secondary consumers
than primary consumers.
 What type of consumer are humans? Explain.
 Think about the food they eat and identify their meal using new vocabulary. (Exclude snacks/junk food and
drinks) (Homework)
EVALUATION
Day 2 Students will:
 Exit ticket: Compare and Contrast autotrophs and heterotrophs.(5 mins)
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