The Environment & Interactions of Living Organisms

Mark Sailer

Pioneer Jr-Sr High School

Royal Center, IN

Name: __________________________________   
What is to be accomplished?/Study Guidelines        Date Due: _____________
1.  Identify biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.
2.  Describe the different levels of biological organization.
3.  Explain how ecology and the environment are related.
4.  Identify the characteristics that describe populations
5.  Examine the different types of relationships that occur among populations in a community.
6.  Determine the habitat and niche of a species in a community.
7.4.9 Understand and explain that as any population of organisms grows, it is held in check by one or more environmental factors. These factors could result in depletion of food or nesting sites and/or increase loss to increased numbers of predators or parasites. Give examples of some consequences of this.
7.4.6 Explain how food provides the fuel and the building material for all organisms.
7.5.3 Demonstrate how the scale chosen for a graph or drawing determines its interpretation.
7.1.7 Explain how engineers, architects, and others who engage in design and technology use scientific knowledge to solve practical problems.
7.2.7 Incorporate circle charts, bar and line graphs, diagrams, scatter plots, and symbols into writing, such as lab or research reports, to serve as evidence for claims and/or conclusions.

* Indicates required activities/assignments      This Schedule is subject to change.
    Day 1 – INTRODUCTION  (Daily Work Maximum Points = 78 points)
Class review of Scientist Project and Bridge project. And Overview of unit/Discussion
*1.  Launch Lab – Space and Interactions – Imagine that you are in a crowded elevator.  Everyone jostles and bumps each other.  The temperature increases and ordinary noises seem louder.  Like people in an elevator, plants and animals in an area interact.  How does the amount of space available to each organism affect its interaction with other organisms?  - Find out how much space (area) each person has. Record all measurements and work on your paper.   Then write a prediction on your paper about what might happen if the number of students in your classroom doubled.  Explain your prediction. Then make a list of things you interact with everyday. (10 points)   
2.  Create a Foldable for Abiotic and Biotic Factors.  This will be a two-tab foldable.   Before you do anything else, list examples of biotic and abiotic things around you on your table.  As you work through the unit, write about each.  (10 points when foldable is complete.)   
3. Read Section 1 – The Environment – Complete reading questions or section questions (10 points)   
Day 2  - The Environment
*1.   Bellringer, Listen to lecture and take notes (5 points)   
2.  Environment – Reinforcement Worksheet (5 points)   
3.  Work on Vocabulary Cards – Vocabulary  - abiotic factor, biosphere, biotic factor, community, ecology, ecosystem,  habitat, limiting factor, niche, population, population density, symbiosis,  (See instructions) (10 points)   
4.   Illustrate soil formation using a poster. (20 points)   
Day 3 – Interactions among living organisms
*1.   Bellringer, Listen to lecture and take notes (5 points)   
2.  Make a model (or models) that show different population spacing (15 points)   
3.  Read Section 2 – Interactions among living organisms – Complete reading questions or section questions (5 points)   
4.  Watch Video – Milkweed: Study in Symbiosis ( 5 pts)   
Day 4 – Interactions among living organisms
*1.   Listen to lecture and take notes (5 points)   
2.  Directed Reading Worksheet – Overview, Environment, Interactions (5 points)                OR Interactions among living organisms Reinforcement worksheet (5 points)   
3.  Populations and Resources Lab activity (15 points)   
Day 5 –
*1. QUIZ (15 points)   
B Layer Work
A Layer Work
Day 6 –
A Layer Work  (B Layer Work if needed)
Day 7 – If needed for B and A layer work
   

Homework and Additional C Layer Activities
Sign up for and complete daily log (one student) (5 points)  - you must turn in 2 copies of the daily log the next day to earn your points   
Growing from the ashes – Enrichment (5 points)   
What in the world is Dillo Dirt? - Enrichment (5 points)   
Watch Video – Antarctica: The unknown Land (5) points   
Watch Video – Life in the Desert (5 Points)   

“B”  Layer Activities – Choose One (20 points Max.)
1.  What kinds of organisms are found in pond water?   Bring in pond/lake/creek water.
2.  How do abiotic factors affect the germination of seeds?
3.  Other Activity approved by Mr. Sailer

“A” Layer Activities – Use “A” layer form (choose one 22 points Max.)
1.    Research data about population growth or decline of a species.  Make a graph.  Describe the graph.  Propose explanations why the graph looks the way it does.
2.  How can air pollution engineers improve indoor air quality?
3.  Research populations that live in areas with extreme factors that restrict the kinds of organisms that can live there.  Create a collage, Display or diorama
4.  Other question approved by Mr. Sailer

    GRADING SCALE

A 103+ points        B 85-102 points        C 67-84 Points    D 48-66 Points


C Layer points earned = ________________

B Layer Points Earned = _______________

A Layer Points Earned = ________________

                        Total points = ________________________________

Vocabulary Card Instructions – Create flash cards for vocabulary terms from chapter 9.  Flash cards are made with plain 8.5 x 11 paper.  Fold it in half and in half, and in half…open in up… you should have 8 squares.  Cut along fold lines to make 8 small cards.  Use additional sheets of paper to make enough cards for all of the words.  Write the word on one side of the card.  Write the definition, in your own words on the other side of the card.  Learn them.  They are worth  5 or 10 points depending on the number of terms for the unit.

Section 1 Review Questions
1.    Compare and contrast abiotic factors and biotic factors.  Give five examples of each that are in your ecosystem.
2.    Describe a population and a community.
3.    Define the term ecosystem.
4.    Explain how the terms ecology and environment are related.
5.    Explain how biotic factors change in an ecosystem that has flooded.
6.    Each person lives in a population as part of a community.  Describe your population and community.

Section 2 Review Questions
1.    Determine the population of students in your classroom.
2.    Describe how limiting factors can affect a population.
3.    Explain the difference between a habitat and a niche.
4.    Describe and give an example of two symbiotic relationships that occur among populations in a community.
5.    Explain how sound could be used to relate the size of the cricket population in one field to the cricket population in another field.
6.    A parasite obtains food from its host.  Most parasites weaken, but do not kill their hosts. Why?