Environmental Systems Unit 1

Big Idea:

• This unit bundles student expectations addressing energy interactions, energy transformations, and energy flow. This unit also addresses student expectations relating to the interrelationship between abiotic cycles and interactions among Earths’ systems. Students diagram abiotic cycles (including the rock, hydrologic, carbon, and nitrogen cycles) in order to make observations and compile data about fluctuations in abiotic cycles and to evaluate the effects of abiotic factors on local ecosystems and local biomes. Through designing models, students will describe how matter cycles and energy flows through specific components of Earths’ systems (including the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere). Furthermore, students explain the flow of energy in an ecosystem (including conduction, convection, and radiation) as well as investigate and explain the effects of energy transformations. This is done in terms of the laws of thermodynamics within an ecosystem and through identification of energy interactions in an ecosystem.
• Students will focus on land use and management and the impact of these practices on the quality and sustainability of resources. Students will evaluate the relationship between consumption and sustainability of resources.

Student Expectations:

Priority TEKS

E.4(C) diagram abiotic cycles including the rock, hydrologic, carbon, and nitrogen cycles

E.5(E) analyze and evaluate the economic significance and interdependence of resources within the environmental system

E.6(A) define and identify the components of the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere and the interactions among them

E.6(C) explain the flow of energy in an ecosystem, including conduction, convection and radiation

Focus TEKS

E.4(D) make observations and compile data about fluctuations in abiotic cycles and evaluate the effects of abiotic factors on local ecosystems and local biomes

E.6(D) investigate and explain the effects of energy transformations in terms of the laws of thermodynamics within and ecosystem

E.6(E) investigate and identify energy interactions in an ecosystem

Ongoing TEKS

E.2(A) know the definition of science and understand that it has limitations, as specified in subsection (b)(2) of this section

E.2(E) follow or plan and implements investigative procedures, including making observations, asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting equipment and technology

E.2(F) collect data individually or collaboratively, make measurements with precision and accuracy, record values using appropriate units, and calculate statistically relevant quantities to describe data, including mean, median, and range

E.2(G) demonstrate the use of course apparatuses, equipment, techniques, and procedures, including meter sticks, rulers, pipettes, graduated cylinders…….

E.2(I) organize, analyze, evaluate, build models, make inferences, and predict trends from data

E.2(K) communicate valid conclusions supported by the data through methods such as lab reports, labeled drawings, graphic organizers, journals, summaries, oral reports, and technology‐based reports

Student Learning Targets:

• I will know at times, environmental conditions are such that land and marine organisms reproduce and grow faster than they die and decompose to simple carbon containing molecules that are returned to the environment. Over time, layers of energy-rich organic material inside the earth have been chemically changed into great coal beds and oil pools. 5E/H1*
• I will know the chemical elements that make up the molecules of living things pass through food webs and are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in a food web, some energy is stored in newly made structures but much is dissipated into the environment. Continual input of energy from sunlight keeps the process going. 5E/H3

Essential Questions:

• In what ways do the abiotic cycles interact and affect one another?
• How do natural occurrences impact abiotic cycles, and what affects can that impact have on an ecosystem or biome?
• In what ways do the components of the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact?
• In what ways can energy transfer in an ecosystem?
• What are the effects of energy transformations within Earth’s environmental system?
• In what ways do energy transformations in ecosystems demonstrate the laws of thermodynamics?
• How is the economic significance of resources within an environment evaluated?

Extra Information:

Adopted Textbook: Environmental Systems Texas: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

District Grading Policy

Texas Gateway Online Resource Center