Unit 3: Ecosystem Interactions

Essential Question
How and why do organisms interact with their environment and what
The “big picture” are the effects of these interactions?

Driving Question How can we support the local wildlife species in our area??

 I can define a population of organisms.

Knowledge Targets  I can identify the biotic and abiotic factors that affect growth of an
organism and its population.
What I need to  I can define an ecosystem.
know  I can identify and describe examples of competition for resources
within an ecosystem.
 I can identify and describe examples of predator/prey relationships
within an ecosystem.
 I can identify and describe examples of special relationships among
organisms such as mutualism, symbiosis, and parasitism.

 I can predict changes in organisms and populations based on

resource availability.
Reasoning Targets  I can describe how availability of resources affects all parts of an
ecosystem.
What I can do with  I can describe the similar patterns of interactions among organisms
what I know and populations across ecosystems.
 I can describe how energy and matter are transferred within an
ecosystem.

 I can classify organisms as producers, consumers and/or

Skill Targets decomposers.
 I can analyze and interpret data to provide evidence of changes in
What I can organisms and populations based on resource availability.
demonstrate

Product Targets  I can construct an explanation that demonstrates patterns of

What I can make to interactions among organisms and populations across multiple
show my learning ecosystems.
 I can develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of
energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
 I can construct an argument that defends my action plan to support
the population of a native species.