LS2+(Ext)+-+4


 * Students demonstrate an understanding of matter and energy flow in an ecosystem by …**

4aa explaining the energy transfer with cells in photosynthesis and cellular respiration, tracking ATP production and consumption.

What do these GSEs mean? What subtopics do students need to address to understand these GSEs?
== The students need to understand how energy moves from one living thing to the next and where does the energy come from in the first place (sun). Students should know that photosynthesis plays a major role in energy transfer and that ATP is an energy storing molecule. ==

What ideas to students need to understand before they can address the topics described above?
Students should be familiar with energy flow and food webs from ecology. This unit will dive deeper into the plant aspect of that food web. Students have also learned about photosynthesis in elementary and middle school but this unit will go into greater detail about the molecules involved etc.

What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science. MSTA Journal, 44(1) (Springí99), pp. 13-19. http://www.msta-mich.org 1. Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun. 2. Plants have multiple sources of food (heterotrophic as well as autotrophic). 3. Carbon dioxide, water, and minerals are food. 4. Plants feed by absorbing food through their roots. 5. Plants use heat from the sun as a source of energy for photosynthesis 6. Sunlight is a food. 7. Sunlight is composed of molecules. 8. Sunlight is 'consumed' in photosynthesis. 9. Plants absorb water through their leaves. 10. Plants produce oxygen for our benefit.