Tracking Progress

Lesson 1.2: Describing an ecosystem

Date: September 20, 2023

Learning goals
We are learning to:

 identify Earth’s four spheres and describe how they relate to diversity and sustainability
 compare and contrast biotic and abiotic characteristics of sustainable and unsustainable ecosystems


Success criteria
I am able to:

 describe the Earth’s four spheres

 compare a sustainable and unsustainable ecosystem by referring to their biotic and abiotic factors
 explain how sustainability depends on biodiversity

Give an example/proof that shows how you have met the learning goal:

1. Summarizing Earth’s Spheres

Choose two or more of these videos or interactives to work through. Add notes on each of Earth’s four spheres to your notebook:

 atmosphere
 lithosphere (also called the geosphere)
 hydrosphere
 biosphere

 Video explores Earth’s geosphere and biosphere(Opens in new window)

 Video explores Earth’s hydrosphere and atmosphere(Opens in new window)
 Memory card game to help you learn the four spheres
 2. In the following picture find the biotic and abiotic components.

3. Summarizing Sustainability and Biodiversity

Choose two or more videos or articles to review the concepts of sustainability and biodiversity

In your notebook, summarize the concepts of sustainability, biodiversity, species diversity and genetic diversity, and biotic and abiotic factors.

Consider your organization of these concepts. Will you use a diagram, chart, list, etc? Use what works best for your learning and what you will
find easiest to reference in the future.

What is biodiversity?

Video 1(Opens in a new window)

Video 2(Opens in a new window)
Video 3(Opens in a new window)
Article: Biodiversity (National Geographic)