Compete, Benefit, and Everything in between Relationships Compete, Benefit, and Everything in between

The Big Idea: Focus on Learning “The teacher’s core aim: enhancing student learning. To achieve this goal calls for a willingness to rethink the planning of lessons, together with a readiness to change the roles that both teacher and students play in supporting the learning process.” Black, 2004

S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments. d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial. BIG IDEAS: Relationship/Interaction Competition Mutually Beneficial Symbiosis

“A high level of qualification in a subject is less important than a thorough understanding of its fundamental principles, an understanding of the kinds of difficulties that students might have, and the creativity to be able to think up questions that stimulate productive thinking.” Eskew, 1997

National Science Education Standards Life Science Standard C As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of populations and ecosystems. Fundamental concepts and principles that underlie this standard are included in pages157-158 of the NCES.

Understandings Students will understand that There are different kinds of interactions that take place among organisms. In all environments organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources, including food, space, water, air, and shelter. In any particular environment, the growth and survival of organisms depend on the physical conditions. Organisms may interact in several ways: producer/consumer, predator/prey, parasite/host, scavenger, decomposer. Some species have become so adapted to each other that neither could survive without the other. Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy

What is a relationship? Mutualism? Commensalism? Parasite/Host? Predator/Prey? Competition?

Essential Questions How can organisms become independent? Or can they? Why is mistletoe a parasite, but Spanish moss is not? Why are all roles necessary in an ecosystem? Do all organisms adapt or die when a change in the environment happens? What determines an organism’s role in an ecosystem? How do changes in a food web affect population? Why can’t all organisms get along with each other? Where does the energy come from that an organism needs to survive?

Skills and Knowledge Students will know The roles of organisms in an ecosystem The relationships of organisms in various biomes. Use the language of science correctly when explaining relationships Recall examples of organisms in different biomes and their relationships in an ecosystem. Students will be able to How the roles are portrayed in a food chain How the roles are portrayed in a food web How the roles are portrayed in a pyramid How to draw arrows to show energy flow in a food chain, food web, and pyramid configuration

Assessments are used to improve instruction. “Teachers collect information about students’ understanding almost continuously and make adjustments to their teaching on the basis of their interpretation of that information. They observe critical incidents in the classroom, formulate hypotheses about the causes of these incidents, question students to test their hypotheses, interpret student’s responses, and adjust their teaching plans.”

G.R.A.S.P.S. Goal Role Audience Situation Product, Performance, and Purpose Standards and Criteria for Success Assessment Task Blueprint, Workbook page 176

Understandings targeted through this task There are different kinds of interactions that take place among organisms. In all environments organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources, including food, space, water, air, and shelter. Organisms may interact in several ways: producer/consumer, predator/prey, parasite/host, scavenger, decomposer.

Task Overview You are a curator at an animal park. Your new project is to design a display depicting a major biome that includes how the organisms relate to and interact with each other. Your display will include A research narrative with facts about a minimum of ten organisms and their energy needs A food web of including all organisms from the narrative including arrows showing sequence of the transfer of food energy (See next slide) Examples of and explanations of sample symbiotic relationships including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism

You will now finish a diagram of a food web in the pond You will now finish a diagram of a food web in the pond. The food web shows what eats what in the pond system. Draw arrows in the diagram below from each living thing to the things that eat it. (The first arrow is drawn for you.)    

Question Number 1 - 8th Grade Science                                                                                                                  Which of these populations is most likely to increase if the number of grasshoppers decreases? Plant Frog Praying Mantis Owl

Products that provide evidence of understanding Signs for display: Major biome, organisms listed by kingdom Choose an example of an organism from each role in the ecosystem (predator, prey, producer, consumer, parasite, host, scavenger, decomposer), explain the role of that organism and its energy (food/nutrient) needs. Diagram of energy pyramid depicting organisms with arrows showing sequence of energy flow. Show examples of symbiotic relationships from the biome. (commensalism, mutualism, competition, parasitism)

Sample Rubric Required Items Accuracy Presentation Highly Qualified Director Competent Manager Reading the Want Ads for a Job Required Items Display includes examples from all major roles in the biome and all relationships are represented. Display includes examples of three major roles in the biome and two or three relationships are represented Display includes two or less examples of major roles in the biome and includes less than two relationships. Accuracy Signs include 10 or more facts that are accurate, spelled correctly and energy arrows are in right direction. Signs include 5 to 9 facts that are accurate, few misspellings, and energy arrows are in right direction. Signs include less than 5 facts that are accurate, have misspellings, and the energy arrows are not correct. Presentation Display is legible and inviting. It contains colorful items and graphics/pictures. Display contains required items, but is not organized. Display is haphazard and/or messy. It is not legible and contains no color.

Criteria used to evaluate evidence Selected Response Constructed Response Performance/ Project Informal Assessment Matching quiz on roles Multiple choice test over relationships Diagram/Web Graph of number of organisms Short answer quiz on relationships– show pictures of organisms and students write the relationship and why they chose it. Research narrative Animal Park Display Graded with Rubric Peer Review Oral questioning Self-Assessment