LS1+(7-8)+-+1


 * Students demonstrate understanding of biodiversity by…**

1a __giving examples of adaptations or behaviors that are specific to a niche (role) within an ecosystem.__

1b __explaining how organisms with different structures and behaviors have roles that contribute to each other’s survival and the stability of the ecosystem.__

What do these GSEs mean? What subtopics do students need to address to understand these GSEs?
Students should be able to identify the ways in which plants and animals have certain features that help them meet their needs to survive. Definition of a niche- a role of an organism in an ecosystem, common niches of general species. ex. plants are producers, animals are consumers, bacteria are decomposers Definition and examples of adaptations - How did organisms obtain these specific adaptations (background of evolution) How adaptations contribute to an organism's niche What an ecosystem encompasses

How the roles of different organisms are intertwined to contribute to everyone's survival in the ecosystem (ex. plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis, animals use oxygen and convert to carbon dioxide, which plants use to make oxygen)

What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
The needs and roles of a species are the same as those of similar species. Animals are carnivores if they are big and ferocious. Herbivores are small and timid. Characteristics are passed on by the bigger stronger organisms. Decomposers release some energy that is cycled back to plants. Ecosystems are not a functioning whole, but simply a collection of organisms. The needs and roles of a species are general and typical of species. Species coexist in an ecological system because of their compatible needs and behaviors: they “get along.”

Opportunities for inquiry:
After students have background knowledge about decomposers, have them design an experiment or demonstration to show decomposers at work.

What phenomena and representations help students understand these topics?
Chemical equations for photosynthesis and respiration- help students see that these processes are opposite one another

What activities or activity sequences can be used to address these GSEs?
Take a walk outside- have students point to examples of consumers or producers and describe their role in the environment

Set up decomposition terrariums in the front of the classroom; one containing soil and the other with sand. Place a fruit slice, vegetable slice, piece of paper, and a pice of plastic. Have students make predictions about what will happen to each object in the sand and in the soil. ("Middle School Life Science" by Judy Capra)

Videos that describe photosynthesis and respiration- how producers and consumers work together to create equilibrium in an ecosystem.

Writing piece- pretend you are a leaf. Describe what happens to you the moment you leave a tree branch and fall to the ground (assessing knowledge of decomposers). -Describe the differences and similarities between decomposers and scavengers

List of what students should be able to do as evidence that they understand.
Six Facets of Understanding: 1. Explanation- based on data, experiments, observations.

Provide examples of organisms’ adaptations that are important for their specific role in the ecosystem

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">2. Interpretation- the means by which scientists make sense of data, making connections.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">After demonstrating the role of decomposers in the decomposer terrarium, have students design a poster or write a paragraph that shows or describes how the role of decomposers plays a part in stabilizing the ecosystem.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">3. Application- using knowledge to solve new problems <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Do not give the answer. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Present a related, but challenging task to explain <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Point towards use of prior knowledge <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">- Hints to provide a scaffold

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">Provide students with a different example of an ecosystem (one that has not been discussed in class beforehand) and have students identify producers, consumers, and decomposers in the ecosystem and how their roles stabilize the ecosystem.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">4. Perspective- recognizing that multiple interpretations are possible, not jumping to conclusions and consider all alternatives, **knowing the importance of an idea-** teachers should design their lessons so that students come away knowing the importance

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">5. Empathy- Four levels: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">1. Struggle to validate the ideas and theories that they’re learning <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">2. Understand and appreciate the ways that science has changed people’s ways of thinking over time about the natural world. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">3. Teachers need to grasp how and why students are thinking as they do <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">4. Open- mindedly embrace ideas that seem strange

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">6. Self-knowledge- examination of one’s own ideas and reasoning in order to advance them