Task #1: Topics & Standards

Task #1: Topics & Standards

Group: LaurieGuestMacKay–MareIslandTechnologyAcademy – 9th (9 – 12) - Vallejo

Course: Invasives Monitoring Project

Grade: 9th –12 th (Taught to 3rd/4th Grade – or – 6th Grade by high school students)

Approximate time for project: One month –or-- full semester

Resources available: GPS monitor, field trip to monitoring site, classroom computers, and software

Topic: Life Sciences – The effects of invasive species in an ecosystem

This long-term class project will use GPS monitors to map and track invasive plant in the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge tidal marshland. Students will study ecosystems, climate, plant diversity, and the effects of an invasive species on a habitat.

Students will report back with an individual project on the results of their local study. At the end of the project, small class groups will present a PowerPoint presentation of their compare/contrast research of local and national invasive plant infestations to a local 6th grade class. (Also applicable to 3rd and 4th grade standards.) Project qualifies for community service hours toward graduation requirements.

Standards to be addressed:

High Schools:

Grade 9-12: Biology

Ecology

Standard Number: 6
Stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a / Students know biodiversity is the sum total of different kinds of organisms and is affected by alterations of habitats.
b / Students know how to analyze changes in an ecosystem resulting from changes in climate, human activity, introduction of nonnative species, or changes in population size.
c / Students know how fluctuations in population size in an ecosystem are determined by the relative rates of birth, immigration, emigration, and death.
d / Students know how water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle between abiotic resources and organic matter in the ecosystem and how oxygen cycles through photosynthesis and respiration.
e / Students know a vital part of an ecosystem is the stability of its producers and decomposers.
f / Students know at each link in a food web some energy is stored in newly made structures but much energy is dissipated into the environment as heat. This dissipation may be represented in an energy pyramid.
g / * Students know how to distinguish between the accommodation of an individual organism to its environment and the gradual adaptation of a lineage of organisms through genetic change.

Task #2: Unpacking the Standards

Need to know/Be able to do:

Science:Ecosystems – Habitats/biomes w/ emphasis on wetlands and grasslands, biodiversity

Resources – food chains and food webs, an organisms place in the environment

Plants - Structure of plants and how they use resources, non-native vs. invasive

Technology:Using GPS monitor, classroom computer, software (Arc View, Excel)

Math:Graphing, spreadsheets & charts

Social Studies:Latitude & longitude, mapping

Cooperative Learning: Effective interpersonal and small group skills, group accountability

Task #3: Developing Rubrics

Science Elements:

Understanding biodiversity and ecosystems:

4. Advanced
90% or above on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity / 3. Proficient
80% - 89% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity / 2. Basic
70% - 79% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity / 1. Below Basic
Below 70% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity

Know how to analyze changes in an ecosystem resulting from changes in:

climate, human activity & introduction of nonnative species, and changes in population size.

4. Advanced
90% or above on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem changes / 3. Proficient
80% - 89% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem changes / 2. Basic
70% - 79% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem changes / 1. Below Basic
Below 70% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem changes

Know how to distinguish between the:

accommodation of an individual organism to its environment and

the gradual adaptation of a lineage of organisms through genetic change.

4. Advanced
90% or above on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem accommodation/adaptation / 3. Proficient
80% - 89% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem accommodation/adaptation / 2. Basic
70% - 79% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem accommodation/adaptation / 1. Below Basic
Below 70% on test/quiz of knowledge of ecosystem accommodation/adaptation

Math Elements:

Know how to graph

4. Advanced
Successfully graph data independently by hand / 3. Proficient
Successfully graph data by hand with a partner / 2. Basic
Successfully graph data by hand with teacher assistance / 1. Below Basic
Unable to graph data independently by hand

Know how to use geometry for plotting area, perimeter, etc.

4. Advanced
Successfully plot/map data independently by hand / 3. Proficient
Successfully plot/map data by hand with a partner / 2. Basic
Successfully plot/map data by hand with teacher assistance / 1. Below Basic
Unable to plot/map data independently by hand

Social Studies Elements:

Mapping: Understand latitude and longitude

4. Advanced
Can describe in degrees a location in terms of latitude and longitude independently / 3. Proficient
Can describe in degrees a location in terms of latitude and longitude with a partner. / 2. Basic
Can describe in degrees a location in terms of latitude and longitude with teacher /

Below Basic

Cannot describe in degrees a location in terms of latitude and longitude.

Mapping: Know how to find a GPS point on a map

4. Advanced
90% or above on test/quiz of mapping latitude/longitude / 3. Proficient
80% - 89% on test/quiz of mapping latitude/longitude / 2. Basic
70% - 79% on test/quiz of mapping latitude/longitude / 1. Below Basic
Below 70% on test/quiz of mapping latitude/longitude

Task #3: Continued

Technology Elements:

Using GPS monitor

4. Advanced
Able to independently collect and record accurate data / 3. Proficient
Collect and record accurate GPS data with a partner / 2. Basic
Collect and record accurate GPS data with teacher help / 1. Below Basic
Unable to collect and record accurate GPS data

Ability to access website and do research

4. Advanced
Able to independently use website for research / 3. Proficient
Able to use website for research with a partner / 2. Basic
Able to use website for research with teacher help / 1. Below Basic
Unable use website for research

Using Excel spreadsheet software to record and graph results

4. Advanced
Able to independently enter and graph data / 3. Proficient
Able to enter and graph data with a partner / 2. Basic
Able to enter and graph data with teacher assistance / 1. Below Basic
Unable to enter and graph data

Using ArcView Software to map

4. Advanced
Able to independently accurately map data / 3. Proficient
Able to independently accurately map data with a partner / 2. Basic
Able to independently accurately map data with teacher assistance / 1. Below Basic
Unable to accurately map data

Using PowerPoint to report back to class

4. Advanced
Present a clear, concise, accurate report on finding with more than 10 slides – shows mastery of PowerPoint / 3. Proficient
Present a clear, concise, accurate report on finding with minimum of 10 slides / 2. Basic
Present a factually accurate report on finding with minimum of 7 slides / 1. Below Basic
Unable to present a factually accurate report on finding with minimum of 7 slides

Cooperative Group Elements:

Effective interpersonal and small group skills

4. Advanced
Actively promotes group interaction (shows leadership), sensitive to feelings of others / 3. Proficient
Participates without prompting, sensitive to feelings of others / 2. Basic
Participates with prompting, not always sensitive to feelings of others / 1. Below Basic
Does not participate even with prompting, insensitive to feelings of others

Effective group accountability

4. Advanced
Actively communicates commitment to group goals, works hard to complete assigned roles / 3. Proficient
Communicates commitment to group goals, completes assigned roles / 2. Basic
Communicates commitment to group goals, but does not complete assigned roles /

Below Basic

Does not communicate commitment to group goals, does not complete assigned roles

Task #4: Project Assignments:

Topic: Life Sciences – The effects of invasive species in an ecosystem

Project qualifies for community service hours toward graduation requirements.

This project also provides an excellent opportunity for students to work with real-life scientists and build mentor relationships.

On-going checks for understanding:

Test/quiz on knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity

Test/quiz on ability to analyze changes in an ecosystem resulting from changes in:

climate, human interaction/non-natives, population size

Create graph of local findings (includes gathering and organizing data) using Excel spreadsheet

Create map (grid) of research area by hand

Create map of research area on the computer

Field Trip:

Students must participate in at least one GPS mapping field trip

Incorporates Cornell Notes to record data

Individual mid-term project:

Report on individual GPS mapping experience and data results

Can be written report, oral report with poster presentation, or other (teacher approved) creative presentation

Final Group Project(five class groups):

Use website to research second diverse geographic area participating in the project

(Montana, Ohio, Texas, New Hampshire, or Florida)

Create a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting the two diverse refuges

Presentation of final results, in form of a PowerPoint presentation, to local 6th Grade class.

(3rd, 4th, and 6th grades have similar Life Sciences standards)

Includes compare/contrast analysis of local findings vs. findings of other site

Concludes with students reasons for combating invasive species

Supplemental:

Topic: Life Sciences – The effects of invasive species in an ecosystem

This project also dovetails with the following elementary and middle school standards:

Elementary:

Grade 3: Life Sciences

Standard Number: 3

Adaptations in physical structure or behavior may improve an organism’s chance forsurvival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a / Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
b / Students know examples of diverse life forms in different environments, such as oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands.
c / Students know living things cause changes in the environment in which they live: some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, and some are beneficial.
d / Students know when the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce; others die or move to new locations.
e / Students know that some kinds of organisms that once lived on Earth have completely disappeared and that some of those resembled others that are alive today.

Grade 4: Life Sciences

Standard Number: 3
Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a / Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and nonliving components.
b / Students know that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
c / Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend on plants for food and shelter.

Middle School:

Grade 6: Life Sciences

Standard Number: 5
Organisms in ecosystems exchange energy and nutrients among themselves and with the environment. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a / Students know energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis and then from organism to organism through food webs.
b / Students know matter is transferred over time from one organism to others in the food web and between organisms and the physical environment.
c / Students know populations of organisms can be categorized by the functions they serve in an ecosystem.
d / Students know different kinds of organisms may play similar ecological roles in similar biomes.
e / Students know the number and types of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of light and water, a range of temperatures, and soil composition.
Category: Miscellaneous
Venn Title: Suitability Habitat for Invasives
Author:

Top of Form
Category

Bottom of Form
Drawn: 9/29/2004; 12:28:51 AM
Download instructions
.

If you like it the way it is and wish to download it to your drive, you may do so now. You may call this gif file whatever you wish (just make sure the name ends in .gif of course). The temporary file name is 1115704767.gif
PC Users: Click on image with right mouse button. You will be prompted to save this file on your hard drive.
MAC Users: Click on image and hold down until prompted to save it to your hard drive.
If you want to make changes to your Venn Diagram before you save it, just close this browswer window and you'll see your input page again -- make changes there and then tap the SHOW ME button again. You can do this as often as you like!

Thank you for using the Create-a-Venn System at VennDiagram.com.
For tech support email .
To get a graphic-creating system on your website, email our developers at Cicada Consulting at
/ last updated: 4/5/99; 9:06:00 AM

Guest ScienceNapa 2004Page