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Communities and Populations

Supporting

Communities and Populations

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that organisms have characteristics that help them survive and can describe patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within the environments.

Science Background

What Are Ecosystems?: PBS (website) - Ecosystems are communities of interacting organisms and the physical environments in which they live. Learn more about the general characteristics that define an ecosystem, and about specific elements found in different kinds of ecosystems (coastal, forest, etc.).

What Are Ecosystems?
PBS, http://www.pbs.org/

An Ecological System: Geography4Kids (website) - Information about ecosystems, biomes and ecotones, with links to additional, related content and resources.

An Ecological System
Geography4Kid, http://www.geography4kids.com/

Neighborhoods: The Franklin Institute (website) - Descriptions and background information for ecosystems, habitats and biomes, along with links to many additional related resources and activities.

Neighborhoods
The Franklin Institute, http://www.fi.edu/

Signature Lesson

TerrAqua Column: What is the Land-Water Connection? Bottle Biology (website) - Using a simple soft drink bottle, students create an ecosystem with three basic components (soil, water, plants) that enables them to explore the links between land and water; observe and describe physical characteristics of environments within the ecosystem; and investigate how they support living organisms.

TerrAqua Column
Bottle Biology, http://www.bottlebiology.org/

Supporting Lessons

Habitat Breakdown: Texas A&M University (website) - Investigate the critical roles that food, water, shelter and space play in enabling organisms to survive in a given habitat. Includes assessment and math connections.

Habitat Breakdown
Texas A&M University, http://iitc.tamu.edu/

Elementary Ecosystems: Nation Geographic (website) - Explore the basics of species interdependency within an ecosystem and learn the importance of biodiversity by performing a simple simulation to discover how one species within an ecosystem can affect many others.

Elementary Ecosystems
Nation Geographic, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Habitats of the World: Discovery Education (website) – Students work in teams to collect information about different habitats of the world.

Habitats of the World
Discovery Education, http://www.discoveryeducation.com/

Ecosystems: Texas A&M University (website) - Take a field trip to a pond or stream. Collect a water sample and place it in a large pickle jar, making sure to include water from the bottom of the pond or stream. Observe the living and non-living things in the jar. Includes assessment and math connections.

Ecosystems
Texas A&M University, http://iitc.tamu.edu/

Assessment Ideas

Over a period of three to four weeks, have students make daily observations of the TerrAqua ecosystems created in the Signature Lesson, and record any developments in their science notebooks. At the end of the observation period, ask the following questions.

  • What physical characteristics of the environment support the organisms living in the TerrAqua column?
  • How do the living organisms within this ecosystem rely on each other for survival?
  • How do the organisms within this ecosystem rely on the non-living objects for survival?

 

Literature Connections

Exploring Ecosystems with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Biskup, Agnieszka (ISBN-13: 978-0736878944)

Changing Ecosystems. Bright, Michael (ISBN-13: 978-1432916589)

The Ecosystem of a Stream. Pascoe, Elaine (ISBN-13: 978-1435836884)

Populations and Ecosystems. Glass, Susan (ISBN-13: 978-0756944810)

Earth’s Growing Population. Chambers, Catherine (ISBN-13: 978-1432924232)

Related Science TEKS

(3.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including observing a schoolyard habitat.

(3.2C) Graphs, Tables, Charts
The student is expected to construct maps, graphic organizers, simple tables, charts, and bar graphs using tools and current technology to organize, examine, and evaluate measured data.

(3.2D) Analyze Evidence and Explain
The student is expected to analyze and interpret patterns in data to construct reasonable explanations based on evidence from investigations.

(3.3C) Develop a Model
The student is expected to represent the natural world using models such as volcanoes or Sun, Earth, and Moon system and identify their limitations, including size, properties, and materials.

(3.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, pan balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, spring scales, hot plates, meter sticks, compasses, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, sound recorders, and Sun, Earth, and Moon system models; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

(3.4B) Safety Equipment
The student is expected to use safety equipment as appropriate, including safety goggles and gloves.

Related Math TEKS

3.13A The student is expected to collect, organize, record, and display data in pictographs and bar graphs where each picture or cell might represent more than one piece of data.

3.13B The student is expected to interpret information from pictographs and bar graphs.

3.15A The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

Ecosystems: NeoK12 (website) - Photos, videos, presentations, games and quizzes that can be used to teach the concept of ecosystems.

Ecosystems
NeoK12, http://www.neok12.com/

Habitat Breakdown: Texas A&M University (website) - Investigate the critical roles that food, water, shelter and space play in enabling organisms to survive in a given habitat. Includes assessment and math connections.

Habitat Breakdown
Texas A&M University, http://iitc.tamu.edu/

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