1. How are all living things connected?
Unit 1 Lesson 1 Introduction to Ecology
How are all living things connected?
Each individual organism has a role to play in the flow of energy and matter.
In this way, organisms are connected to all other organisms, and their relationships affect each one’s growth and survival.
A biotic factor is an interaction between organisms in an area.

3. How are all living things connected?
Unit 1 Lesson 1 Introduction to Ecology
How are all living things connected?
All organisms rely on the nonliving environment for survival.
An abiotic factor is a nonliving part of an environment, such as water, nutrients, soil, sunlight, rainfall, or temperature.
Abiotic factors influence where organisms can survive.

6. Objective (s)/ I can:
1. Analyze the interactions among biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.
2. Identify the levels of organization in an ecosystem.

7. Starter: (10 min) Recall from previous session:
Show a picture of an ecosystem.
- what are the parts of an ecosystem?
- give example of each factor
define each factor
- Do biotic and abiotic factors interact?
- give an example

8. Main task:
Students use the text book pg:72 number:6, to create a flow chart that shows the interaction among the living and non-living factors related to prairie dogs.

9. Activity 2: identify the levels of organization in an ecosystem. DCI
Part 1: integration with LS1-1
Have groups arrange the levels of organization in a human body or in any other system (room, school, building, company,…) from the smallest to the largest. Pg: 73 #7
Part 2: discussion
Students explain how an ecosystem might be divided into similar types of levels. List those levels and describe why you chose them?

10. Option 1
Arrange the following pictures from the smallest to the biggest

11. Option 2
classify the biotic and abiotic factors into the different levels of organizations
(crocodiles and great blue Herons)

12. OPTION 3
classify the biotic and abiotic factors into the different levels of organizations(crocodiles and great blue Herons)
Extended thinking: How does the removal or extinction of a predator might affect the population of a prey, as well as the larger community and ecosystems?