Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

The focus of this WebQuest is to provide 9th grade Biology students an interactive way to learn about key topics in Ecology.

Objectives:
I would recommend using this project to introduce Ecology to your students after you have covered Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. It will expose them to key ideas and key terms as well as allow them to use technology. Students will also get practice annotating a text and showing mastery through art.

Resources:
Prerequisite Skills: Comfort level with the Internet and google documents
Time Required: 1 week of instruction

Materials:
Chromebooks
Posterboards
Art Supplies (markers, colored pencils)
Graph Worksheet

Standards

Next Generation Science Standards:
HS-LS2-1. Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.
HS-LS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-LS2-6. Evaluate claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

ACT Standards:
EMI 201: Find basic information in a model (conceptual)
EMI 302: Determine which models present certain basic information
IOD 401: Select data from a complex data presentation
IOD 403:Translate information into a table, graph, or diagram
IOD 304:Determine how the values of variables change as the value of another variable changes in a simple data presentation

Credits

The resources and web links included on this website are external websites. I would like to thank the owners/creators of the sites for allowing my students access to them!