March 21-26

Ecological Interactions & Symbiosis Advertisement Project 🌿📢

📅 Notes Completed: March 21
📅 Project Work Begins: March 24
📅 Project Due: March 26 (End of Class)
📌 Project is worth 41 points and counts as a quiz grade
📌 Hard copy advertisements only – no digital versions allowed

This week, students are learning about the three main types of symbiotic relationships that occur in ecosystems: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. After completing their guided notes through direct instruction, students are now applying their understanding through a creative symbiosis advertisement project.

📝 What We Learned in Notes:

• Competition – When organisms struggle for the same limited resources.

• Predation – When one organism (predator) hunts and eats another (prey).

• Symbiosis – A close relationship between two species in which at least one benefits.

  • Mutualism (+/+) – Both organisms benefit.

  • Commensalism (+/0) – One benefits, the other is unaffected.

  • Parasitism (+/–) – One benefits while the other is harmed.

📢 Symbiosis "Want Ad" Project:

Students will create a classified-style advertisement where one organism is seeking another to form a symbiotic relationship. Ads must include:

✅ A catchy headline
✅ A description of the type of symbiosis
✅ A brief summary of:

• Who the organism is

• What kind of partner they are looking for

• Why they need the relationship

• What (if anything) they are offering in return

✅ Three pictures:

• One of the organism seeking a partner

• One of the partner being sought

• One of the two organisms together in their symbiotic relationship
  (Hand-drawn or printed – must be neat and colorful!)

💡 Why This Matters:

This project reinforces understanding of how organisms interact in ecosystems and allows students to demonstrate their knowledge in a fun and creative way. It also highlights the importance of relationships in nature that support survival, adaptation, and balance within ecosystems.

✅ Reminder: Projects are due March 26 at the end of class and will be graded as a quiz. Be creative, neat, and accurate! 🧬📝🎨