Environmental Systems Unit 3

Big Idea:

• This unit bundles student expectations that allow students to utilize critical thinking and communication skills to understand the nature of environmental science and begin investigating the role of native plants and animals within both local ecosystems and across a variety of biomes. Students are introduced to the study and history of environmental science, current issues, and contributions of scientists and careers. Students identify native plants and animals using dichotomous keys. They investigate the roles native plants and animals play in local and global ecosystems to make comparisons between native organisms in other biomes. Students focus on the interrelationships of plants and animals including their economic significance and interdependence.
• Students will investigate and analyze the interrelationships between abiotic and biotic factors within Earth’s systems as well as how matter and energy flow through specific components of Earths’ systems, including the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Safety and notebooking are practices that will be emphasized throughout the year.

Student Expectations:

Priority TEKS

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

Focus TEKS

E.4(A) identify native plants and animals using a dichotomous key

E.4(B) assess the role of native plants and animals within a local ecosystem and compare them to plants and animals in ecosystems within four other biomes

E.9(E) evaluate the effect of human activities, including habitat restoration projects, species preservation efforts, nature conservancy groups, hunting, fishing, ecotourism, all‐terrain vehicles, and small personal watercraft, on the environment

Ongoing TEKS

E.1(A) demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations, including the appropriate first aid responses to accidents that could occur in the field such as insect stings, animal bites, overheating, sprains, and breaks

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

E.3(B) communicate and apply scientific information extracted from various sources such as current events, news reports, published journal articles and marketing materials

Student Learning Targets:

• I will know ecosystems can be reasonably stable over hundreds or thousands of years. As any population grows, its size is limited by one of more environmental factors. Availability of food, availability of nesting sites, or number of predators. If a disturbance such as flood, fire, or the addition or loss of species occurs, the affected ecosystem may return to a system similar to the original one, or it may take a new direction. Leading to a very different type of ecosystem. Changes in climate can produce very large changes in ecosystems. Human beings are part of the earth’s ecosystems. Human activities can, deliberately or inadvertently, alter the equilibrium in ecosystems.

Essential Questions:

• In what ways do human activities impact the environment?
• What methods are used to identify organisms?
• In what ways do native plants and animals affect our local ecosystem?
• How do the roles of local plants and animals compare to organisms in other ecosystems?
• What conclusions can be reached when evaluating the interdependence and economic significance of resources within an environmental system (including ourselves)?

Extra Information:

Adopted Textbook: Environmental Systems Texas: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Texas Gateway Online Resource Center