7th Grade Science Unit 4: Environmental Science / 13-14
Reporting Cluster: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Topic / Knowledge: / Assessments:
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems / 4 / In addition to score 3.0 performance, the student demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications that go beyond what was taught.
3
Proficient / Students demonstrate they have developed an understanding of:
·  given adequate biotic and abiotic resources and no disease or predators, populations (including humans) increase at rapid rates
·  The number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and abiotic factors
·  symbiotic relationships among organisms
·  the energy flow through an ecosystem from sunlight through organisms
2 / Students will recognize or recall:
Specific vocabulary such as:
organism, population, community, ecosystem, biotic, abiotic, predator, prey, symbiosis, producer, consumer, decomposer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, parasite, host, limiting factors, carrying capacity, overpopulation, niche, food chain, food web
Basic knowledge such as:
·  living things are interdependent in an ecosystem
·  the difference between biotic and abiotic factors
·  the number of living things in an ecosystem is dependent on resources available within the ecosystem
·  the characteristics of producers, consumers and decomposers
·  general ecosystem organization
·  how to interpret a food chain and food web
Natural Selection and Adaptations / 4 / In addition to score 3.0 performance, the student demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications that go beyond what was taught.
3
Proficient / Students demonstrate they have developed an understanding of:
·  species acquire many of their unique characteristics through biological adaptation which involves the selection of naturally occurring variations in populations
·  Biological adaptations include changes in structures, behaviors, or physiology that enhance survival and reproductive success in a particular environment
2 / Students will recognize or recall:
Specific vocabulary such as:
natural selection, adaptation, evolution, traits, mutation, genes, DNA
Basic knowledge such as:
·  some changes in traits are beneficial, while others cause a species to decline
·  evolution is small genetic changes over long periods of time
·  adaptation helps organisms to survive and reproduce in their environment
·  the differences between types of adaptations
Reporting Cluster: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Topic / Knowledge: / Assessments:
Environmental Issues and Human Impacts / 4 / In addition to score 3.0 performance, the student demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications that go beyond what was taught.
3
Proficient / Students demonstrate they have developed an understanding of:
·  the impact of industrialization and human population growth
·  steps individuals can take to lessen their negative impact on the environment
·  scientific evidence surrounding global climate change
2 / Students will recognize or recall:
specific vocabulary such as:
pollution, conservation, extinction, endangered, deforestation, invasive species, habitat destruction, biodiversity, reduce, reuse, recycle, renewable, non-renewable, biodegradable, conservation, global climate change
basic knowledge such as:
·  human behaviors impact the environment in both negative and positive ways (3 R’s)
·  resources are finite
Suggested Instructional Resources
Learner Objectives / Topic / Textbook Resources / Labs / PBL Ideas
(projects) / Web Resources – websites or resources on http://science.dmschools.org
·  I can use a food web or food chain to determine relationships among organisms.
·  I can construct explanations for common patterns of interactions within ecosystems.
·  I can use known environmental factors to hypothesize future success of a given population within an ecosystem. / Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
·  I can construct explanations for how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individual’s probability of surviving and reproducing. / Natural Selection and Adaptations
·  I can explain how human actions affect the environment in both positive and negative ways.
·  I can discuss the impact of industrialization and human impact growth on the environment. / Environmental Issues and Human Impacts