Life as We Know It
MS-LS1-1. Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.
MS-LS2-3. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
Learning Target
Investigate the idea that living things are made of cells and describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
Success Criteria
I can describe the prevailing theory of how life began on planet Earth.
I can recognize the distinction between living and nonliving factors.
I can begin to develop a conceptual model of how living and nonliving factors interact.
Questions to Ponder
How did life begin on our planet?
How do we differentiate between living and nonliving things?
A Timeline of History
What happened and when did it happen?
Your teacher will provide you with cards that contain events that have happened throughout Earth's entire history of 4.6 billion years. Decide in your group where you will place all of the cards on the five meter sticks.
Find all of the event cards here: https://paleosoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Geological-Timeline-Activity_reduced.pdf
Events
Oceans and continents start to form – 4400 million years ago – 4.4 meters from present day (end of timeline)
First evidence of life –3500 million years ago – 3.5 meters from present day
Initial of atmospheric oxygen –2400 million years ago – 2.4 meters from present day
Evolution of eukaryotic (non-bacterial) life—1800 million years ago – 1.8 meters from present day
Cambrian Radiation of Animals—542 million years ago – 54.2 centimeters from present day
Plants move on to Land—450 million years ago – 45 centimeters from present day
Animals move on to Land—430 million years ago – 43 centimeters from present day
Permo-Triassic Mass Extinction – largest known!—251 million years ago – 25.1 centimeters from present day
Evolution of Mammals –195 million years ago – 19.5 centimeters from present day
Opening of the Atlantic Ocean—160 million years ago - 16 centimeters from present day
Extinction of the Dinosaurs—65 million years ago – 6.5 centimeters from present day
Rise of the Himalayan Mountains—20 million years ago - 2 centimeters from present day
Evolution of our species, Homo sapiens—200,000 years ago - 0.2 million years ago – 0.02 centimeters from present day (0.2 mm)
Extinction of the Wooly Mammoth—10,000 years ago – 0.01 million years ago – 0.001 centimeters from present day (0.01 mm)
Where did we come from?
Can Science Explain the Origin of Life?
A few more videos on the origins of life...
Sorting Activity
Observe the following images. Come up with ways to sort them into groups.
After you have come up with the criteria for inclusion in your groups add several other things that you think should be in your groups.
Llama
A Rock
Log
The Rock
Dog
Flowers
Water
Soil
Mushrooms
Sunlight
Sorting the World - Biotic vs. Abiotic
Things in the world can be divided into two categories; Biotic and Abiotic factors.
Biotic factors are living or once-living organisms in the ecosystem. These are obtained from the biosphere and are capable of reproduction. Examples of biotic factors are animals, birds, plants, fungi, and other similar organisms.
Abiotic factors refer to non-living physical and chemical elements in the ecosystem. Abiotic resources are usually obtained from the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Examples of abiotic factors are water, air, soil, sunlight, and minerals.
In Your Notebook
Create your own chart showing the difference between Biotic and Abiotic Factors.
Try to use examples that were not shown above!
