Connor Plumb

Ecosystem Interactions Lesson #3

Freshman Biology
45 Minutes
Ecology

Standards: HS-LS2-7 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment
and biodiversity.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and
phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades
9-10 texts and topics.

Educational Objectives:
● The students will be able to understand how humans have altered the environment and
limited biodiversity
● Student will be able to identify ways that they can potentially reduce harmful effects of
human activity

Assessment on Learning:
● Ecological Footprint worksheet

Central Focus
● Students will be able to identify ways they can reduce harmful effects of human
activity

Accommodations for students with specific learning needs:

● Vocabulary sheet and graphic organizer

Academic Language
Language Function (select 1):

Analyze Compare/Contras Construct Describe Evaluate

t
 Examine Identify Interpret Justify Locate

Explain Prove Argue Synthesize

Identify a learning task from your plan that provides students with opportunities to
practice using the language function identified above:
Students will synthesize ways that they can reduce their carbon footprint

Additional Language Demands. Given the language function and learning task identified
above, describe the following associated language demands (written or oral) students need to
understand and/or use:

Vocabulary:
Greenhouse gases
Pollution
Climate Change
Biodiversity
Ecological footprint
Carbon emissions
Fossil Fuel

Plus at least one of the following:

Syntax
Discourse

Materials:
Notebook
Computer
Pencil
Worksheet

Anticipatory Set/ Attention Getter:

Calculating your ecological footprint
https://www.footprintcalculator.org/en/quiz/0/food/category
Questions to Ask
1.What were you surprised to find from calculating your ecological footprint?
2. What are some changes you could make to reduce your ecological footprint?
3. How might you influence others to make steps to reduce their carbon footprint?
4. How do greenhouse gas emissions play a role in climate change?
5. How does climate change effect biodiversity?

Sequence of Events (include time needed):

1.What is an ecological footprint video with discussion (5 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fACkb2u1ULY
2. Ecological footprint activity and discussion (20 mintues)
3. Worksheet related to their ecological footprint exercise (10 minutes)
4. Class based discussion on findings and responses (10 minutes)

Conclusion/Summary:
In conclusion it may seem like we can never make up for the damage that humans induce on the
planet. Our planet is home to many species and organisms and it is important for us to do what
we can to reduce the impact on the planet. I am not saying for everyone to become vegetarians, I
just want to make all of you contentious about some of the decisions we make. Recycling when
possible and limiting meat consumption are just a couple of ways that you can create a positive
impact on the environment. There are many ways we can take steps towards a more sustainable
future. I challenge you to get creative and think of new ways you can help work towards a
cleaner environment.

*Some lesson plan prompts come from SCALE.

Lesson Plan Guidelines

1. NGSS Standards
▪ Standards provide the focus, foundation for school curriculum and daily lessons
▪ Standards provide the guidance for teachers to create new learning opportunities for
students to meet and exceed the Illinois State Standards
▪ To make standards work, resources need to be carefully targeted toward students’
achievement of the standards
▪ Cite the standards using text and numbers

2. Educational Objective(s)

▪ Always begin with the statement: The student(s) will be able to:
 ▪ What is the purpose of the lesson?
▪ What do you want the students to learn or accomplish?
▪ What concepts are you attempting to teach?
▪ Have you achieved connection to the standards listed?
▪ What is the intended learning?

3. Assessment On Learning

▪ Reflect on how you will assess the intended learning.

▪ What is the method of assessment?
▪ Include the assessment tool—rubric, test etc..
▪ Describe the assessment plan.
▪ Include any rubric or other assessment plan with the lesson plan.
▪ How will you know if the students achieved the standards, goals, benchmarks and
behavioral objectives listed.

4. Central Focus

▪ What is the central focus of the lesson you are planning?

▪ What are students learning?

5. Academic Language

▪ Identify Language Demands

▪ Support student’s academic language development
▪ Include evidence of language use in the lesson plan

6. Materials Required for the Lesson

▪ List ALL materials needed to teach the lesson
▪ Think about the beginning, middle and end of the lesson

7. Set or Attention Getter

▪ Plan an opening to gain the students’ attention
▪ Engage students in learning
▪ Begin to deepen student learning during instruction
▪ Set the state-of-the-lesson (overview—what can the student expect).
▪ Link new material to previously learned material

8. Sequence of Activities
▪ What are you going to teach?
▪ How are you going to teach it?
▪ When are you going to teach it?
▪ What Academic Language will be used?
▪ Independent work? How? Include materials
▪ Cooperative work? How? What roles? Etc..
▪ List each step as if a substitute teacher was teaching the lesson—Do not assume!—be
complete and thorough by writing details
 ▪ Assessment
✓ Analyze student work
✓ Use feedback to guide further learning
✓ Use assessment to inform instruction

9. Questions to Ask
▪ Use Bloom’s Taxonomy and LABEL each question choosing one of the taxonomy’s labels:
▪ knowledge
▪ comprehension
▪ application
▪ analysis
▪ synthesis
▪ evaluation
▪ Plan questions that demand higher levels of thinking.

9. Conclusion and Summary

▪ Bring the lesson to a close.
▪ Check for student understanding. How will you do this?
▪ Include a transition to the next content area, activity or lesson. How will you accomplish
this?