ECOSYSTEMS AT RISK LESSON PLANS
Week 5 – Friday 12th March, 2010
· Introduction to human impacts on ecosystems – video Nature of Australia : End of Isolation
· Booklet issued – integrated unit on Biosphere leading into Ecosystems
Week 6
Monday 15th March, 2010
· Copied down definitions from Smartboard
· Read booklet pages 4 to 10
· Need to know one GEOCHEMICAL CYCLE in detail such as Water, Nitrogen, Carbon-Oxygen cycles
· Need to know a food chain and web and the implications of interference.
· Homework: Write a response to Figure A – Question (a) in a paragraph
Tuesday 16th March, 2010
· Read from Green Booklet on Ecosystems from Pages 4 – 10 then the example in Fig 6.7 on page 12, pages 15 and 16. Highlighted key phrases and terms.
· Handed out hand written sheet with two simple diagrams on looking at factors that affect the diversity of ecosystems See fig. 1.1.1 page 11 in Textbook and the Slide-Share link (see Wiki for link under Lesson Material) on Diverse Ecosystems showing the slide of the relationship between Altitude and Latitude. Would be good to look at the whole slide show on this as it covers all the key biomes and ecosystems and reasons why there is such variation on earth.
Friday 19th March, 2010
· Individual interviews conducted with teacher on the research project. Issues discussed and project planned. Anna has handed hers in completed already!
· In order to understand diverse ecosystems and biomes two episodes of Man Verses Wild watched – desert, mangrove, rainforest environments encountered. Think about reasons for diversity? Reasons for the differences in climate and vegetation? Basic factors include climate and water – too much water, too little, distance from water….consider what these environments look like and feel like? Suggest you re watch the Slide Share powerpoint again to understand why deserts occur where they are and rainforests.
· Next Friday a 35 min Essay to be written in class on :
· Discuss how biophysical interactions lead to diverse ecosystems and their functioning” a worksheet was given out on how to approach this essay.
Tuesday 23rd March, 2010
· Reading from Textbook pages 88-95
· Distributed booklet : coral reef ecosystems.
· Looked at global location of Coral reefs in booklet and labelled map in handout
· Read conditions necessary for coral ecosystems to survive p.88.
· Understood terms: Spatial, Dimensions, Biodiversity.
· Copied notes relating to Spatial distribution and Dimensions.
Wednesday 24th March, 2010
· Filled in worksheet relating to video “50 Million Years Under the Sea” which explores the global distribution and condition of coral reefs in a table on the worksheet in the booklet.
· Video also explores how coral reefs have changed over time.
· Friday: Essay in class in 35 minutes relating to Diversity of Ecosystems.
“Discuss how biophysical interactions lead to diverse ecosystems and their functioning”
· More work will be done on the booklet with another short video on Reef Ecosystems
· Individual interviews will be conducted for the SGP
Friday 26th March, 2010
· Practice essay answered in class (see above)
· Video from Library – “Reef Ecosystems”
· Handed out notes to attach to previous set on Coral Reef Ecosystems on Biophysical Interactions (references drawn from Macquarie Revision Guides, Reef Ed and GBRMPA)
· You Tube videos showing biophysical interactions
· Students asked to read human impacts in text book
· Student need to have excursion notes filled in and returned BEFORE the excursion
Tuesday 30th March, 2010
· Regretfully half the class was away on a science excursion that I was not aware of and there is real urgency to finish this case study.
· Excursion notes issued for Aquarium excursion tomorrow.
· Homework essays to be written over the holidays – TWO essays based on your Coral Reefs case study
(1) Discuss how biophysical interactions lead to diverse ecosystems and their functioning. In your answer refer to ONE ecosystem case study you have studied (ie. Coral Reefs and the GBR)
(2) Describe the spatial patterns and dimensions of ONE case study of an ecosystem at risk and evaluate the human impacts both positive and negative on this ecosystem (ie. Coral reefs and the GBR).
· Syllabus topics discussed and notes taken today on:
- Nature and Rate of Change –(text p. 96-103) eg. Global Warming, Sea level change, Coral Cay formation, various rates of coral growth, cyclones and seasonal changes, tides and currents change daily and seasonally.
- Invasion ie. Crown of Thorns Star fish plagues possibly exacerbated by nutrient runoff from agriculture and warming ocean temperatures which provide both food and warm conditions for more larvae to survive longer.
- Vulnerability (read textbook p. 24-29) define the term. Consider how vulnerable the GBR is? Look at notes given and http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/publications/misc_pub/climate_change_vulnerability_assessment/our_changing_climate
- Natural Stress affecting GBR include cyclones, marine organisms, sea level change, predators, flooding from the mainland, subsidence and continental drift
- Modifications to energy flows/nutrient cycles include – global warming and the carbon/oxygen cycle; adding of nutrients from agricultural areas adds to the phosphorous/nitrogen cycle; removal of triton shellfish (top predator to the COTS) thus upsetting the food chain and increased plagues of COTS;
- Succession – primary succession on coral cays (read textbook p.95)
- Read notes taken from Stacey and Lucas : Investigating Geography – Contemporary Issues chapter on Great Barrier Reef.
TERM 2:
Monday, 20th April
Finished work on Coral Reef Ecosystems. Told to read textbook section on Management – contemporary and traditional.
Tried to discuss events in the news relevant to topic – grounding of the Chinese Coal tanker on Douglas Shoal on 3rd April, damaging 3km of reef.
Tuesday, 21st April
Brief Powerpoint of Chinese Tanker damage to GBR.
Started Minamurra Rainforest Virtual Fieldtrip and notes. Labelled vegetation diagrams and labelled interactions – microclimate, emergents, canopy, filtered light, calm, humid conditions, leaf litter and recycling of nutrients with decomposers, leaching of nutrients. Located Minamurra Rainforest on maps.
This Friday will be doing first of two lessons on Mapping Skills.
First HSC Assessment on Friday in week 3. Both Case Studies need to be studied. Essays, short answers and multiple choice. Mapping skills, weather maps, climate graphs included on test.
Friday, 23th April
Corinne was away – sore arm so need a large band-aid!
Robyn replaced the class and did cross-sections on topographic maps and gave out Tamworth Topo maps with questions to work. Grid References, Area References, distances and cross-sections all covered.
Tuesday, 27th April
*Worked on teacher handouts – Minamurra Rainforest – looked at Aerial Photo, Topo map and read from the HSC Online site - Geography. Highlighted key points. Students must read the whole lot of the notes on this from the on-line chapters.
Wednesday 28th April
Did simple sketch maps of the location of Minamurra Rainforest and a Vegetation cross-section. Looked at location of rainforests in Australia on a map and rainfall patterns across the Illawarra Escarpment (orographic influences as moisture laiden clouds blow onto land from south-east) providing high moisture content for rainforest environment.
Notes taken from whiteboard in class onto summary sheet in teacher’s handout. Key headings included:
Spatial patterns and dimensions, nature and rate of change, human impacts both positive and negative, traditional and contemporary, geographical methods and tools used to gain information and data, validity and reliability of data.
Introduced concept of Preservation, Conservation and Exploitation management practices with the first one used by Aboriginals and when wilderness is established, Exploitation by early settlers and cedar getters who controlled and cleared nature; currently using Conservation – managed ecosystem of limited people use and impacts but management is continual in terms of maintenance, bush regeneration, collecting and storing seeds for replanting, removal of mistflower and lantana is continual.