The general philosophy of this unit is expressed by J. Stan Rowe in a chapter titled "The Importance of Conserving Systems" from the book Endangered Spaces edited by Monte Hummel. There needs to be a balance struck between looking at the
organisms and looking at the sphere in which they live
.
...the widespread opinion (is) that the entities of prime importance on Earth are people, other animals, and plants, rather than the globe's miraculous life-filled skin. Species attract far more attention than the earth-surface spaces which envelop them, even though over the long haul the species were born from the earth-circling fertile space that continues to provide for their support, sustenance, or renewal. Endangered species elicit torrents of public concern; endangered spaces are routinely desecrated and destroyed with scarcely a murmur of public disapproval. The priority is wrong, and from this profound error the whole world suffers. (page 229)
The qualitative factors which influence populations and the quantitative determination of a population are major topics. Some of the factors which influence the growth and ultimate size of a population may have been discussed during Middle Level Science and Social Studies classes, but for the most part, students will be considering these topics for the first time.
Teachers are encouraged to use the spaces surrounding the school and further afield, so that these studies are done within the contexts of the students' lives. As much as is possible, students should be given the chance to be outdoors to make first-hand observation of the phenomena studied in this unit. Consult Out to Learn!
The Conceptual Development section will be updated to reflect changes to K-10 Science curricula.
See Figure 7.
Note: A pre-assessment to determine the entry level of the students may be appropriate.
Soil, soil health, climate, ecosystem, niche, interdependence, communities, succession, extinction, habitat, fossil record, population, sampling, species, population cycles, stable population, carrying capacity
Common Essential Learnings Foundational Objectives
| NUM | To strengthen students' knowledge and understanding of how to compute, measure, estimate and interpret numerical data, when to apply these skills and techniques, and why these processes apply to the study of populations. |
| CCT | To develop an understanding of how knowledge is created, evaluated, refined, and changed within biology. |
| CCT | To promote intuitive, imaginative thought and the ability to evaluate ideas, processes, experiences and objects in the context of the study of the environment. |
| COM | To enable students to understand and use the vocabulary, structures and forms of expression which characterize the study of ecology. |
| IL | To support the development of a positive disposition to life-long learning. |
| PSVS | To support students in coming to a better understanding of the personal, moral, social, and cultural aspects of the study of life. |
| TL | To develop an understanding that technology both shapes society and is shaped by society. |
1. Explain how the interactions among the soil, climate, and living organisms produce the ecosystems which can be observed.
1.1 Identify the components of soil.
1.2 Describe the soil types of Saskatchewan.
1.3 Determine how soil characteristics influence plant growth.
1.4 Describe how climatic variations in Saskatchewan influence plant growth.
1.5 Investigate variations in plant growth on slopes.
1.6 Identify some soil microorganisms.
1.7 Discuss the importance of soil microorganisms.
1.8 Appreciate that the soil and the climate are the keys to life in Saskatchewan, and on this planet.
1.9 Investigate the interrelationship of agriculture and the environment.
1.10 Discuss the following cycles and attempt to illustrate their interrelationship: water, carbon dioxide-oxygen, nitrogen.
2. Analyze a variety of ecosystems.
2.1 Understand the concept of niche and habitat.
2.2 Identify the biotic and abiotic components and interactions in the ecosystems observed.
2.3 Describe how the human community is dependent on the soil, water, and air.
2.4 Formulate some food chains and webs involving the human community
2.5 Describe how the human community in which one lives is dependent on, and influenced by, the climate.
2.6 Identify both symbiotic and competitive relationships among organisms within a community.
2.7 Investigate a natural community in the neighbourhood of the school.
2.8 Compare the similarities and differences between the natural community and the constructed/human community.
2.9 Compare communities which have other soil types or other climate types.
2.10 Discuss succession in communities.
2.11 Identify how human activity, e.g. agriculture and urbanization, has altered succession or changed its rate
.
2.12 Indicate some determiners of succession.
3. Describe life in past ecosystems.
3.1 Examine the evidence of life in the past.
3.2 Debate change and extinction theories.
3.3 Investigate the role of humans in creating and sustaining conditions which alter the rate of ecological change
.
4. Explain how populations are counted.
4.1 Recall the criteria which define a population.
4.2 Identify some populations of plants or animals in the local area.
4.3 Describe methods of estimation by sampling.
4.4 Estimate some populations using one or more methods.
5. Analyze population changes.
5.1 Identify factors which influence reproduction rates and death rates.
5.2 Recognize factors which affect immigration and emigration.
5.3 Compare cyclic populations and stable populations.
5.4 Discuss the carrying capacity of planet Earth for the human population.
6. Recognize ecological sequencing.
6.1 Identify the sequencing present in the following terms: biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, and population.
6.2 Review several examples of biomes by discussing some of their major kinds of plants.
6.3 Draw a climatogram and discuss temperature and moisture as major determiners of a specific ecological area.
| Unit Overview | Conceptual Development | Key Concepts | Webbing Highlights | S.T.S.E | Scientific Literacy | C.E.L's | Learning Objectives | Suggested Activities |
| Unit Overview | Conceptual Development | Key Concepts | Webbing Highlights | S.T.S.E | Scientific Literacy | C.E.L's | Learning Objectives | Assessment Techniques |
Note: Many activities have been identified in the key resources Information Bulletin.
1. Studying an ecological problem.
This activity reinforces the precise use of ecological concepts and the integration of the information learned in this unit. You will be assigned an ecosystem to study. An ecological problem should be chosen such as an oil spill, community garbage disposal, pesticide run off, monoculture agriculture, forest cutting and management techniques, or soil conservation. Preparation to study consists of three parts which should be followed in sequence.
Objectives: 1.0,
1.8,
2.1,
2.3,
2.11,
4.1,
5.1,
6.1,
6.2,
CCT's,
COM,
IL
Factors: A3,
A7,
B2,
B3,
B15,
B18,
B22,
F8,
G6
Assessment: Rating Scales; Self- and Peer- Assessments
Instructional Strategies
Note: each group will set up the potential analysis on their own except for the section on consultation.
Locate some general information about the ecosystem (biome). It should include where it is located, what the climate may be like, what the terrain (hills, valleys, mountains, etc.) is like and the kinds of living organisms there. This does not have t o be a detailed description but rather an outline so that one can make a presentation to other people.
You are to consult with your own group and three other outside people who you do not work with during this project. The purpose of the meeting is to broaden your thinking to arrive at some consensus as to what should be studied when one does an impact analysis of the area and the potential destruction that may have occurred or might occur. Assume that you are doing this study to make suggestions to a government about potential disasters that could occur and what you could do to contain the damage or to create a situation where there is more harmony between the environment and the needs of the people.
With the information from the preparation and the final set of ideas from the consultation, the student group is now ready to construct a concept web to illustrate what they have learned.
Steps to follow:
a) Begin the concept web with the term impact analysis.
b) sketch the ecosystem information from the preparation listing the key ideas and how they are related.
c) Add the what should be studied, potential destruction, damage containment and harmony to the concept web along with the connections that should be made to the ecosystem. Students should be reminded that the concept web is a valuable visual
account of pertinent
ideas and especially shows the kinds of connections which might not be demonstrated by any other means.
d) Finally, as a group write a recommendation.
2. Environmental impact.
This activity provides an opportunity to process information about the impact of the human population on the environment.
Objectives: 1.4,
1.6,
1.8,
1.9,
2.7,
5.4
Factors: B1,
B2,
C1,
C7,
C10,
d3,
D4,
D8,
F3,
F4,
F6,
CCT,
NUM,
PSVS,
TL
Assessment: Rating Scales; Self- and Peer- Assessments
Instructional Strategies
a) Form co-operative teams of six students each.
b) Have students construct a series of posters which illustrate what has been learned.
c) In addition, students could be asked to illustrate the impact of any of their categories on the ecosystem by suggesting where each of the three categories impacts on the ecosystem. This could be a summary with no marks assigned.
Evaluation Strategies
Prepare a poster (on an 8.5 by 11 sheet) or if they wish, prepare a record cover jacket, an emblem for a T- shirt, etc., which will reflect the student's concern about their chosen environmental problem. Have the poster reflect thoughts and underlying feelings from the information gained.
The finished product should include:
Evaluation (Five marks for each item):
• impact - dominant idea presented
• organization - clarity and content
• creativity - different artistic methods employed
• students will evaluate two other posters on the above three criteria. The students will be assigned the other posters by the teacher.
Use the following chart for student assessment
|
Student Name |
Categories | |||
|
Impact |
Organization |
Creativity |
Total | |
|
1. | ||||
|
2. | ||||
3. The slide-tape series Landscapes of Saskatchewan provides a contextual setting for the study of the ecology of Saskatchewan. Since the topography influences the type of succession which occurs, a full study of the ecosystem requires an understanding of the origin of the landscapes. The following objectives, based on the first section of that series, could be used to create an introduction to this unit.
- Recognize glacial and proglacial landforms.
- Describe how glacial and proglacial landforms were created.
- Examine the surface drainage patterns of the province.
- Identify topography produced by surface drainage.
- Identify sources of ground water and surface water in Saskatchewan.
4. Ask each student lab group to collect soil samples from various locations. Describe the collection site, the method of collection, the depth from which the sample was taken, the exposure of the site, type of vegetation, amount of ground cover, and other features.
Each sample can then be analyzed in the lab for characteristics such as pH, texture, particle size, organic content, amount of soluble material, living animals and remains of animals, and the presence of algae and bacteria.
Groups can then prepare a summary sheet of each analysis, for distribution to other groups so that the analyses of all the groups in the class
can be compared. Using the class data, groups can search for generalizations which can be made.
5. Ask each lab group to generate food chains and a food web, using the foods which have been eaten by the members of the class over a three day period. These webs could be presented to the class as a whole, either in an oral presentation with handouts, o r as a large poster for the bulletin board.
6. Together in a class discussion, identify the organisms -- plant, animal, fungus, protist, and moneran -- which inhabit the area in which your school is located. Identify the niche of each organism. Compare the list generated with a list of those organisms which would have existed in the same area 200 years ago. Discuss the changes which have occurred. Predict what changes may occur under various scenarios, e.g., greenhouse effect raises the average temperature by 5 oC, with more precipitation than now.
7. Study the population of a yeast culture, over a ten to fourteen day period.
8. Each lab group could design and conduct a population study for plants or animals in a particular area. The study could be a one-time study, or be longitudinal. One example might be to study the population distribution and characteristics of the dandelions in a lawn over a four week period in May. Do yearly comparisons.
9. Natural communities are dynamic systems which change constantly through time. Have students interview older members of the community or certain organizations that have information about change over the last 50 years. Construct a series of maps of specific areas to illustrate the ecological changes that have occurred over the 50 year period. Try to identify the human
influences that have contributed to these changes. Videos, stories, legends, and posters may be used for sharing.
10. On a piece of cardboard or plywood have students create several models of the geological history of the earth at different times in the history of Saskatchewan. Include the mountains, seas, rivers, glaciers, plains, etc. Indicate the dominant life forms of the day and the climate on a key chart beside the model.
11. Have students collect recent articles about "Ecology" from newspapers, magazines etc. during the time interval that this unit is being taught. These should be collected in a student journal/folder and be referenced Ä source, date, page . If the article has to be summarized because it cannot be taken out of a source, then please do the summary in point form.
At the conclusion of this unit have the students do this follow-up:
- What is common and different between their results (concept webs and summaries) using the same initial information?
12. Investigate the "Global Village Ä Greening the Park" project at LaLoche, Saskatchewan.
13. Create a natural plant mini-ecosystem in your school yard. See the Science Teacher, December, 1991 issue for ideas.
14. Use the September-October, 1989 issue of Equinox plus data from Ducks Unlimited and other organizations to study the "Duck Dilemma" in Saskatchewan. Population graphs and interpretations are valuable.
In conjunction with this or separately, investigate the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMD).
15. Use Project WILD materials to explore the concept of the ecozone(s) in Saskatchewan.
16. Have students investigate and report on "Biosphere 2"! Start with newspaper articles.
17. In small groups, have students read and discuss the perspectives of the Inuit hunter and the biologist in "Two Ways of Knowing", from the Caribou News, August 1989. See Appendix A.
18. Students raised in traditional Indian ways may believe that abiotic/non-living natural objects have spirits. How does this concept impact upon your perspective of respect for the environment? (Perhaps you could invite an Elder in to discuss this wit h the class.)
19. Was the "Greenhouse Effect" unit covered in the new grade 10 Science course or will you integrate it here? See Objective 3.3.
20. After the arrival of Christopher Columbus, what factors contributed to the decline of North American Aboriginal populations? The Europeans originally saw North America as a wilderness area Ä untouched by human hands. Was it untouched? How might this be related to the concept of carrying capacity? (See American Indian Ecology.)
21. What biological arguments are part of the Nunavut land settlement?
22. Discuss the hypothesis that some Aboriginal cultures caused profound ecological damage. See International Wildlife (July-August, 1989) and Discover (December, 1988).
23. Inquire into allelochemicals such as rotenoids, natural insecticides.
24. The ecological 3R's are Reduce and Reuse listed before Recycle. What are the implications of the 3R's for the environment? What enrichment or extra-curricular projects can your students pursue?
25. Which of the "Twelve Principles of Indian Philosophy" have an ecological focus? (Consult The Sacred Tree or see the Native Studies Curriculum).
26. The Development Unit of Native Studies 20 contains a section on the Environment and case studies dealing with ecological problems involving Indian and Métis peoples. Use this as a reference for student inquiry or as a team teaching approach.
27. Pesticides and insecticides have an impact on the community. Have students conduct interviews with individuals that may have the information. With insightful interviewing, students will begin to learn about the potential positive and negative impact s of these chemicals.
28. Students could conduct a survey of the community to collect information about the various alternative ways that may exist to utilize the land which is available within the community.
29. The Saskatchewan Research Council, Saskatoon is involved on a project with the Cigar Lake Uranium mine. Two kinds of lichens (Cladina stellaris and C. mitis) are being studied as living monitors of airborne chemical and radioactive elements. Revegetation is also being studied. Inquire!
30. Contact the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 for a copy of "Bottle Biology" -- hands on biology projects with plastic containers investigating ecosystem interactions, population dynamics, biodegradation, and experimental design.
31. Contact the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 for information on "Fast Plants" for projects dealing with Brassica rapa tropisms, seed germination, life cycle, growth, a nd genetic studies.
32. Contact the Devonian Botanic Garden, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1 for information regarding student involvement in a Wildflower Survey. Fifteen species of plants are studied in their natural habitat. Their flowering dates contribute to phenology. The data can be used in climate studies, forestry, satellite sensing, and human health.