Grade 7 Standards & Focus

In this unit, students learn how different environments support a variety of organisms and how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem. Students explore how changes to an ecosystem impact organisms through the real-world phenomenon of endangered lesser flamingos in East Africa.

Lesser Flamingos are threatened by human development, and today only one lake in East Africa remains a suitable breeding ground for this species. Students explore the difficult choices communities face as they decide whether to build a factory at the last remaining breeding ground for the flamingos. A similar factory was built years ago at a nearby lake; students learn about the impact of that factory on the flamingo habitat and population.

This unit introduces students to ecological disturbances through the real-world phenomenon of invasive tree snakes in Guam that have driven native bird species to the brink of extinction.

Students learn that some disturbances are natural and others are caused by human actions. Following a disturbance, there is usually a recovery. These recoveries can occur with or without human action. Students investigate how human intervention can cause unintended consequences. 

Students explore how energy flows through an ecosystem using models like food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids. Students apply their knowledge by constructing a food web using local organisms. Students link their learning to the invasive snake problem in Guam by analyzing how changes to one part of a food web can lead to shifts in other populations.