7th Grade Ecology

Vocab: Organism, Resources, Biotic Factor, Abiotic Factor, Ecosystem, Population, Species, Habitat, Community.

Day 1: Read the book on pages 398-401.   Review Ecology  Terms with BrainPop on Ecosystems/Ecology.  

• There is an optional sheet for BrainPop that can be completed on your own.  

• Then complete the vocab wheel using the book or online article to preview vocab for the unit.

Use the  Article HERE to read about Ecosystems and Ecology as an additonal Text

Day 1 Optional:  Bill Nye and Accountability Sheet

Day 2:   Organism to Ecosystem Lab simulation.  Students will use the levels of organization as they make plans for a freshwater aquarium. They will choose an organism, decide how large a population of that species they want, choose compatible community members, and add abiotic factors to the ecosystem. They will “test” the success of their ecosystem and compare their results with other groups.

Vocab: Producers, Consumer,  Decomposers, Energy Transfer, Food Chains, & Food Webs

Day 3: Introduce the words Producer, Consumer, Decomposer and Food Chain with text  pages 399-401 and PPT with Foldable .  You may also read HERE about food chains.   

Day 4:  Continue to talk about Food Chains.  Read about the similarities and differences of Food Webs and Food Chains using the book pages 402-403 and make a Venn Diagram . Then complete the Web Quest on Food Chains and Optional Crossword Puzzle. 

Day 5: Food Web paper lab and Optional Video about Food Chains. 

Day 5: Tangled Web Paper Lab and Extra Knowledge Video

Vocab: Invasive species, food chain, food web

Day 6:  Complete the Lionfish in Florida reading and look over the infographic, watch the videos, and answer the questions in the packet. Discuss how the Lionfish disrupts not only Food Chains, but also Food Webs. Read the additional article and infographic and answer the following questions on a piece of paper:

• Why do you think the Lionfish population has expanded so greatly?  Use evidence from the articles.

• What can be done to control the population based on the text?  Do you think this will work in your opinion?

• How can the growth of invasive species be slowed or stopped based on what you read?

Day 6: Lionfish Article with Questions, Info-graphic,  Paired articles and Video            

Day 7:  Complete the invasive species "Most Wanted" activity after reading about different invasive populations.  Complete ONE Plaintiff file activity on your own or in a small group.  You must figure out who the plantiff is for one of the "Most Wanted" invasive species and fill out the complete Plantiff file.  You may also watch the video to gain additional knowledge.  You may need to use the internet to help research.

Vocab: Predation, Predator, Prey, Symbiosis (Mutualism, Parasitism, Commensalism), Competition, Limiting Factors

Day 8: Competition and Predation information from the book pg 411-413. Make sure to practice graphing on page 413.  In addtion view the video and begin the PowerPoint to take notes on types of interactions in the community. 

Day 9: Predator vs. Prey Activity graphing activity from Day 8 PowerPoint.  The article below can also be read to discuss types of relationships.  Link for reading HERE

Day 10: Start with the video from National Geographic.  Then complete Symbiotic Relationship PowerPoint with Graphic Organizer for notes, and  Text 441-415, and check for understanding with Practice WS.   You may also use the article below in the Extra Resources section to expand on the relationships. 

Day 11:  Symbiosis Lab Stations on Commensalism, Mutalism, and Parasitism.

Day 12: Review relationships with Study Jams.  Then complete Wanted Poster Activity for Symbiotic Relationships.  

      Day 12: Symbiosis Want Ad        

Vocab: Limiting Factors

Day 13: Florida’s Ecosystems: Limiting Factors Activity  and Video.  Use the text book to read about limiting factos on page 394.  Then use the Case Study on 396-397 to look at Florida's Grasshopper Sparrow and its population decline. 

Day 14:  Text Time: Alaska's Rat Island with questions and video (The video is long and you may want to only show small segments to students). 

Day 15: Unit 10 Review and Grudge Ball

Day 16:  Test