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In this unit we will learn about ecosystems, including populations, the Elwha River Restoration project and food webs. We will take field trips to the Elwha River, and design food webs.
Click below for unit assignments organized by these essential outcomes. Exemplary past work samples are below assignments.
Populations (not used after 2019)
Week 1 (Sep 12): We will take a quiz on our Beginning of School Unit. We will learn abiotic/biotic and be inspired by Jane Goodall's observations of chimpanzees. The Point: Identify one biotic and one abiotic factor, explain how to test each, and demonstrate the importance of each to the health of the ecosystem. (NGSS MS-LS2-4).
Week 2 (Sep 19): We will learn and apply classification. We will define abiotic and biotic and organize parts of an ecosystem by whether they are biotic or abiotic. The Point: Give examples of resources or factors that affect population size, and explain how each could affect the population (NGSS MS-LS2-1).
Week 3 (Sep 26): We will gain a sense of place for the Elwha River and have an introduction to water chemistry before heading to the Elwha River to do water chemistry tests. We will also observe and model watersheds. The Point: Gain a sense of place for the Elwha River.
Week 4 (Oct 3): We will collect data in the field at the Elwha River. We will begin to work with the data we and past students collected at the Elwha River, and we start a scientific investigation writeup. The Point: Plan an investigation individually and collaboratively, and in the design: identify independent and dependent variables and controls, what tools are needed to do the gathering, how measurements will be recorded, and how many data are needed to support a claim. (NGSS Science and Engineering Practices)
Week 5 (Oct 10): We will finish our Elwha Investigation Posters and review for and then take a quiz on Abiotic/Biotic. The Point: Identify one biotic and one abiotic factor, explain how to test each, and demonstrate the importance of each to the health of the ecosystem. (NGSS MS-LS2-4).
Week 6 (Oct 17): We will do peer review and presentations of our Elwha Investigation Posters at the Symposium and then do an introduction to food webs. The Point: Identify one biotic and one abiotic factor, explain how to test each, and demonstrate the importance of each to the health of the ecosystem. (NGSS MS-LS2-4) and Identify producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food chain, and describe the flow and loss of energy in each level. (NGSS MS-LS2-3).
Alternate Week 6 (Oct 17): We may also get an introduction to the biology of lakes and microscope use. The Point: Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms. (NGSS MS-LS4-2)
Week 7 (Oct 24): We will continue learning food webs and prepare for and take a quiz covering Food Webs material. The Point: Identify producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food chain, and describe the flow and loss of energy in each level. (NGSS MS-LS2-3).
Week 8 (Oct 31): We will study food webs and model energy flow/loss. We will create an Elwha Wetland food web poster. The Point: Identify producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food chain, and describe the flow and loss of energy in each level. (NGSS MS-LS2-3).
Week 9 (Nov 7): We will conclude our work on food webs and reflect on and organize all our Ecosystems unit work. The Point: Identify producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food chain, and describe the flow and loss of energy in each level. (NGSS MS-LS2-3).
Optional: Week 10 (Nov 14): We will study biomes and reflect on our work from this unit. The Point: Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth's terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem's biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health. (NGSS MS-LS2.C)
Documents and assignments are linked below.
Abiotic / Biotic (including Elwha River Restoration):
Abiotic / Biotic (including Elwha River Restoration):
Go to Edulastic.com to take pre/post/retake tests; use pre test to study for post test.
Test: Abiotic / Biotic
Food Webs:
Food Webs:
Go to Edulastic.com to take pre/post/retake quizzes; use pre test to study for post test.
Test: Food Webs
Populations (not covered since 2018-19):
Populations (not covered since 2018-19):
Go to Edulastic.com to take pre/post/retake tests; use pre test to study for post test.
Test: Populations
Exemplary Past Work Samples:
Ecosystems Unit Journal: Prompts 2017 - Responses/Notes 2017 - Prompts 2018 - Responses/Notes 2018
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