Grade/Subject: / Environmental Science 11 / School
Date / Allotted Time / 80 minutes
Topic: describing diversity and relationships in an ecosystem
Cross-Curricular Connections: Intrapersonal and Family Relationships 11; Housing and Living Environments 12; Media Arts 10/11/12; Drama 10/11/12; Visual Arts 11/12;

PART 1: PLANNING

  1. Rationale/Pre-Assessment:

The students should have been introduced to the concept that there are many roles and relationships within ecosystems, specifically symbiosis and its different forms (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism/predator-prey). The teacher will also draw on students’ pre-existing knowledge of what organisms need to survive (shelter, water, nutrition) and their drive to reproduce. This lesson will helpstudents begin to apply the ecological concepts to a local ecosystem and increase their understanding of, and connection to, their “place.”

  1. Big Ideas:

Diversity in Local Ecosystems; Processes and Changes in Local Ecosystems

  1. Core Competencies

Communication / Creative and Critical Thinking / Personal and Social Responsibility
The community relationships will be described either graphically, linguistically or dramatically alongside a verbal explanation. Students will be able to try either a new style of communication or one they are comfortable with to compliment verbal presentation skills.
As group work, students will also have to rely on and build their cooperative and group communication skills to complete the task successfully. / Creative:To form their models, students will have to consider design elements and creative modes of representation of ecological relationships.
Critical: Students will begin to analyze the interconnected nature of a local ecosystem, asking questions about the nature of roles and relationships, finding connections, and naming those connections. / Personal Awareness: students will begin reflecting on their role in ecosystems, locally and globally.
Social Responsibility: Students will begin to explore and describe their impact on the local environment and to understand interdependence between natural and human communities.
  1. How will Indigenous perspectives, knowledge & ways of knowing be acknowledged, honoured or integrated into this learning experience?

Principle(s) to be included: / Nature of principle(s) embedded in lesson:
Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions.
Learning recognizes the role of indigenous knowledge.
Learning requires exploration of one’s identity. / Students will flush out the symbiotic (some reciprocal) relationships in their local environment (sense of place). This will describe the connectedness in the ecosystem, and with community and self.
By describing the relationships and interconnected nature and balance of a local ecosystem, students will get a sense of how actions can have widespread consequences.
Begin asking students where we can learn about the relationships in local ecosystems. Refer to Sophie Thomas’ ethnobotany guide besides other plant/animal guides and the internet (use some sites that highlight TEK).
Students will reflect on how they interact with the local environment – traditional, recreational, cultural practices and attitudes that contribute to their identity.
  1. Learning Development:

Curricular Competencies:
What are students are expected to do? / Content:
What are students expected to learn?
-experience and interpret the local environment
-construct, analyze and interpret models and/or diagrams / -Abiotic and edaphic factors
-Biodiversity – species and their ecological roles; relationships and interactions in ecosystems
-Population dynamics
Learning Target/Intention
What will students learn?
Students will be able to + verb …
  1. Lesson Development: (example adaptations)

Learning Target/Intention /

Not necessary for this group, but these would be ideas.

Adapted Learning Target/Intention /

AdaptedSources of Evidence

/

AdaptedCriteria

Identify examples of symbiotic relationships
Highlight connections in a local ecosystem
Identify their own role in a local ecosystem / Map created using an organism and relationship word/picture bank.
Tell/dictate a story or draw a picture of themselves interacting with nature / Connections stressed over naming the specific relationship ie. Drawing a line between two organisms rather than identifying it as a predator/prey relationship.
The story/picture must specify their interaction with a local ecosystem.
  1. Resources, Materials, and Technology Preparation:

Example pdfs/images, projector, laptop, student laptops if chosen, poster papers, markers, Kahoot video review, whiteboard markers for brainstorm session, printed rubrics for self-assessment, guidebooks and textbooks

  1. Assessment Strategies:

Formative teacher assessment – Kahoot to review relationships and assess where students are at in their understanding of the symbiotic relationship types (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism/predator-prey) and habitat requirements (shelter, water, nutrition). Identify any concepts that need to be solidified before moving on to the assignment/work period.

Example Self-assessment assignment rubric– in real class would be created together.

Element / 4 – Excellent / 3 – Good / 2 – Getting There / 1 – Needs More
Organisms Identified / We included10+ organisms / We included 7-9 organisms / We included 4-6 organisms / We included <4 organisms
Habitat Elements Identified / We identified 3+ habitat elements and explained their roles / We identified 3+ habitat elements but didn’t explain all their roles / We identified <3 habitat elements but only explained some or none of their roles / We identified <3 habitat elements and didn’t explain their roles
Relationships Identified / We correctly identified the symbiotic relationships connecting all the organisms I chose, and indicated if they weren’t directly connected / We identified most of the symbiotic relationships connecting the organisms I chose, but may have missed or not specified some / We identified and specified some of the symbiotic relationships connecting the organisms I chose / We connected some organisms but didn’t identify the relationships
Organization/Presentation / We clearly and creatively displayed our ecosystem design, using easy to follow organization / We displayed our ecosystem design using good organization but could have taken more care for clarity and creativity / We displayed our ecosystem design and may have used creativity, but it was not clearly organized / We needed to improve our organization and clarity for the presentation of our ecosystem design
Group Work / I participated in group discussion, design, took on a role putting the model together, and listened well to my group mates / I participated in ¾ discussion, design, took on a role putting the model together, and listened well to my group mates / I participated in 2/4 discussion, design, took on a role putting the model together, and listened well to my group mates / I participated in ¼ discussion, design, took on a role putting the model together, and listened well to my group mates

PART 2: TEACHING

Lesson Development: Include Assessment for Learning Strategies (e.g. engineering effective discussions, providing feedback, self and peer assessment)
Teacher Activities: / Student Activities: / OngoingAssessment / Pacing
Before Lesson:
Check and set up all technology, set out supplies (including books) on table at the front, pull up Kahoot, write learning intentions on the board, draw symbiosis grid (+/- filled in later)
Relationship / Organism A / Organism B
Mutualism / + / +
Commensalism / + / 0
Parasitism / + / -(may or may not die)
Predator/Prey / + / -(dies)
Motivator/Start of Lesson:
Review and Preview – rubric we made last class, outline what class is going to look like, point out learning intentions
During Lesson:
Review symbiotic relationship types, basic habitat requirements through student-led discussion (think-pair-share mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, predator-prey), ask for volunteers to fill in grid
Activities to apply learning
Practice/Review Kahoot

Web/Model
-explain expectations, options, review rubric together, initiate brainstorm (habitat choice, then organisms and habitat elements)
-initiate work period, making clear that tomorrow will be finishing up and presenting, then taking feedback from myself and peers to make any changes before final hand-in, move around class to give feedback and answer questions
Review/Summary
Remind that tomorrow is more work time, ask for questions, hand out sticky notes
Closure:
Exit slip – sticky notes (answer 1, other one tomorrow)
Q: What relationship is the most confusing? What are you doing well working with your group and what do you need to do better next work period? (write name) / On break between classes, getting books and taking seats
Listening, asking questions about the day
Remembering and sharing vocabulary important to the content with their peers, then volunteering to fill in the +/- on the grid,
Logging into Kahoot individually or in desk partners, answering questions
Choose habitat to focus on (local), brainstorm and discuss what organisms they expect to encounter, what those organisms need in the habitat/what makes up the habitat
Decide on media/platform, discuss things to include, design, name the relationships involved, put the model together, ask questions for clarification on assignment or concepts
Put away materials, ask questions
Reflect and write answer on sticky note and hand in / Observe mood and energy of group, will I have to move anyone?
Formative assessment – do they recognize how the grid describes the relationship types?
Gathering data to review later about what concepts are being understood and recognized, and what needs improvement
Observe students’ comfort level with the terminology and familiarity with local ecosystems – who is more/less prepared for coming units? What do I need to solidify as a part of this introductory unit?
Observe how groups are working – make notes for next unit group switch; give feedback on process; note what questions are being asked about assignment or concepts / 5 min
15 min
15 min
7 min
30 min
5 min
3 min

PART 3: REFLECTION

How did the learning go? How do you know what to teach next? In what ways are the learners informing you about the next steps?