Age/Grade Level

Grades 9 & 10

Subject Area

Ecology

Time Allotted

2 ½ weeks

Unit Description

This unit has been developed to teach students the values of the salt marsh habitat. This will include the learning the different types of organisms that live in the marsh and how the marsh acts to protect other environments from pollution.

Unit Goals

The following expectations and indicators are part of the core learning goals in Biology provided by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).

Expectation3.5 The student will investigate the interdependence of diverse living organisms and their interactions with the components of the biosphere.

Indicator 3.5.1 The student will analyze the relationships between biotic diversity and abiotic factors in environments and the resulting influence on ecosystems.

Assessment limits:

  • Abiotic/Biotic factors
  • space
  • soil
  • water
  • air
  • temperature
  • food
  • light
  • organisms

Relationships

  • predator — prey
  • parasite — host
  • mutualism
  • commensalism
  • competition

Indicator 3.5.2 The student will analyze the interrelationships and interdependencies among different organisms and explain how these relationships contribute to the stability of the ecosystem.

Assessment limits:

  • diversity
  • succession
  • trophic level (producer; consumer: herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, scavenger; decomposer)
  • niche (role of organism within an ecosystem)
  • pyramid (energy, biomass)

Indicator 3.5.3the student will investigate how natural and man-made changes in environmental conditions will affect individual organisms and the dynamics of populations.

Assessment limits:

  • depletion of food
  • destruction of habitats
  • disease
  • natural disasters
  • pollution
  • population increase
  • urbanization

Indicator3.5.4 The student will illustrate how all organisms are part of and depend on two major global food webs that are positively or negatively influenced by human activity and technology.

Assessment limits:

  • oceanic food web
  • terrestrial food web

Expectation3.6 The student will investigate a biological issue and develop an action plan.

Indicator3.6.1 The student will analyze the consequences and/or trade-offs between technological changes and their effect on the individual, society, and the environment. They may select topics such as bioethics, genetic engineering, endangered species, or food supply.

Indicator3.6.2 The student will investigate a biological issue and be able to defend their position on topics such as animal rights, drug and alcohol abuse, viral diseases (e.g., AIDS), genetic engineering, bioethics, biodiversity, population growth, global sustainability, or origin of life.

Specific Learning Objectives

  1. List 3 of each of the following groups of plants &animals and construct a collage using images collected:
  2. Wading birds
  3. Ducks & Geese
  4. Song birds
  5. Predatory birds
  6. Mammals
  7. Producers (plants)
  8. Reptiles
  9. Invertebrates
  10. Construct a food web of the saltwater marsh identifying different trophic levels.
  11. Describe how different abiotic factors that influence the marsh habitat.
  12. Discuss the loss of marshland in the Chesapeake Bay.
  13. Explain how the salt marsh helps protect the local environment.

Characteristics of the students

  • This unit is designed for middle or high school students enrolled in environmental science or level 1 biology.
  • The unit can be completed individually or in pairs depending on the availability of computers and/or tablets.

Prerequisite Level of Performance and Knowledge

  • Since this a specific habitat, students should know the following terms from the previously studied biomes
  • Trophic levels
  • Consumer
  • Producer
  • Abiotic/Biotic
  • Food web
  • Reading and comprehension skills should be should be at the 6th grade level.
  • Students should be able to navigate through a series of webpages to find information.

Classroom Layout and grouping of students

  • Students will need access to Internet accessed computer or tablet. Preferably they will work in groups of 1 or 2 students per device.
  • An interactive whiteboard will make presentations and discussions more meaningful.

Introductory procedures

The DVD below will be used to create interest and then through a brainstorming session develop an outline of some of the ideas students would like to explore.

Materials and media (any resource, persons or materials: be as specific as possible. Identify resource, its availability, how it is to be used and why).

  1. Wetland Biomes: Essential and Endangered DVD – available from the Discovery Store ( )
  2. Year on Earth 2-Pack DVD – available from the Discovery Store ( )
  3. Computer w/ Internet access (2 students per computer)
  4. Notebook 10 and Microsoft Office software - Worksheets and activities can be completed and printed for evaluation.

Visuals

# / Description of Visual/Webpage / Purpose of Visual / Unit Objective / State Standard
1 / Introductory webpage / All of these original pages will be used to guide students through the unit. Each page will incorporate photography, constructed images (banners), and linked video. / Objective # / Expectation3.5
2 / Marsh Plant webpages / Objective # 1f / Expectation3.5
3 / Reptile webpage / Objective # 1e&g / Expectation3.5
4 / Bird webpage / Objective # 1a-d / Expectation3.5
5 / Mammal webpage / Objective # 1d / Expectation3.5
6 / Invertebrates webpage / Objective # 1h / Expectation3.5
7 / Food Web webpage / Activity designed to construct a food web using Notebook 10 software. / Objective # 2 / Expectation3.5
8 / Collage Activity / Activity designed to construct a collage of salt marsh images / Objective # 1 / Expectation3.5
9 / Salt Marsh in a Pan Activity / Lab procedure instruction used to show environment benefits of a salt marsh. / Objective # 5 / Expectation3.5
10 / Health of the Salt Marsh Activity / This image is used to guide students to understanding what factors can affect the salt marsh. / Objective # 3 & 4 / Expectation3.5
11 / Buffers webpage / This is an image designed to foster critical thinking about the relationship of the salt marsh to man’s activities. / Objective # 4 / Expectation3.5
12 / Videos for the above pages / Objective # 1, 2, 3 & 4 / Expectation3.5

Assessment and evaluation of learner understanding

  1. Students will complete a formative worksheet on the animals and plants of the saltmarsh.
  2. Students will construct a food web by using either drawings or images.
  3. Instructor will evaluate student during the activities.
  4. Student will construct a visual collage of salt marsh images.
  5. Student will construct a functioning model of a salt marsh
  6. Students will be given a summative assessment at the conclusion of the unit.

Relate assessment instruments to previously stated standards and/or learning objectives

  1. Worksheets to be completed as the webpages are explored (Objectives 1 & 3)
  2. Food Web development (paper, computer, or whiteboard) (Objective 2)
  3. Summative Test (Objectives 1 – 4)