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The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student
Work, and Teacher Commentary. Many more GaDOE approved instructional plans are available by using the Search Standards
feature located on GeorgiaStandards.Org.
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Introduction
Interdependence of Life: Ecology
Unit Framework Annotation
This unit teaches the principles of the development and use of a dichotomous key to identify organisms in
biomes and aquatic communities. Feeding and symbiotic relationships and human and environmental
conditions are also part of this unit.
Approximate Duration for the Unit Framework: Five weeks
Standards
Focus Content Standards
S7L1 Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared
scientifically.
a. Demonstrate the process for the development of a dichotomous key.
b. Classify organisms based on a six-kingdom system and a dichotomous key.
S7L4 Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire
species.
d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.
e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rain forest, savanna,
temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e., freshwater, estuaries, and
marine).
Integrated Characteristics of Science Standards
S7CS1. Students will explore of the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in
science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.
a. Understand the importance of—and keep—honest, clear, and accurate records in science.
b. Understand that hypotheses can be valuable, even if they turn out not to be completely
accurate.
S7CS2. Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory and field
investigations.
a. Follow correct procedures for use of scientific apparatus.
b. Demonstrate appropriate techniques in all laboratory situations.
c. Follow correct protocol for identifying and reporting safety problems and violations.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 1 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
S7CS3. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating
equipment and materials in scientific activities.
a. Use appropriate technology to store and retrieve scientific information in topical,
alphabetical, numerical, and keyword files, and create simple files.
b. Use appropriate tools for measuring objects and/or substances.
c. Learn and use on a regular basis standard safety practices for scientific investigations.
S7CS4. Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and
technological matters.
a. Observe and explain how parts can be related to other parts in a system such as
predator/prey relationships in a community/ecosystem.
b. Understand that different models (such as physical replicas, pictures, and analogies) can be
used to represent the same thing.
S7CS5. Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively.
a. Question claims based on vague attributions (such as “Leading doctors say...”) or on
statements made by people outside the area of their particular expertise.
b. Identify the flaws of reasoning that are based on poorly designed research (i.e., facts
intermingled with opinion, conclusions based on insufficient evidence).
c. Question the value of arguments based on small samples of data, biased samples, or samples
for which there was no control.
d. Recognize that there may be more than one way to interpret a given set of findings.
S7CS6. Students will investigate the features of the process of scientific inquiry.
Students will apply the following to inquiry learning practices:
a. Investigations are conducted for different reasons, which include exploring new phenomena,
confirming previous results, testing how well a theory predicts, and comparing competing
theories.
b. Scientific investigations usually involve collecting evidence, reasoning, devising
hypotheses, and formulating explanations to make sense of collected evidence.
c. Scientific experiments investigate the effect of one variable on another. All other variables
are kept constant.
d. Scientists often collaborate to design research. To prevent this bias, scientists conduct
independent studies of the same questions.
e. Accurate record keeping, data sharing, and replication of results are essential for
maintaining an investigator’s credibility with other scientists and society.
f. Scientists use technology and mathematics to enhance the process of scientific inquiry.
g. The ethics of science require that special care must be taken and used for human subjects
and animals in scientific research. Scientists must adhere to the appropriate rules and
guidelines when conducting research.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 2 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Complementary Standards
S7L5. Students will examine the evolution of living organisms through inherited characteristics that
promote survival of organisms and the survival of successive generations of their offspring.
a. Explain that physical characteristics of organisms have changed over successive
generations (e.g. Darwin’s finches and peppered moths of Manchester).
Understanding and Goals
Unit Understandings, Themes, and Concepts
ƒ The survival of organisms in a biome is affected by living and nonliving factors.
ƒ Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar, yet unique characteristics.
ƒ Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
ƒ Within a biome, an organism can be identified by its physical characteristics through the use of a
dichotomous key.
Misconceptions: (What students may think)
ƒ Ecosystems and biomes are the same.
ƒ Organisms determine the biome.
ƒ Few people live in the tundra.
ƒ Adaptations happen over night.
Balanced Assessments
Informal
Observations
Dialogue and Discussion
Selected
Responses
Constructed
Responses
Self-Assessments
Teacher
checklist
Life Line
Teacher
developed
conceptual
based
multiple
choice
questions.
Observation Log
Scavenger Hunt
using a
dichotomous key
and the murals—
Students will
assess their work
with pair partners,
with another pair,
and then against a
teacher-prepared
answer sheet.
Students will use a
rubric to grade
their Murals of the
World and Links
board games.
School Life
Teacher
observation of
completed
Zoom activity
Student Notes
Zoom Activity
Temperature and
Moisture of
Life in a Bottle
Need for food, water,
space, and the ability to
sustain stable internal
stability (such as staying
fever free)
Puzzle of Life—
Discussion on Feeding
relationships
Teacher prepared essay questions such as:
Describe the relationship of an organism
within each biome. What characteristics
does that organism have that allows it to
survive in that biome? How is that
organism dependent on other organisms
and the environment in which it lives?
Describe the relationship of an organism
within each biome. What characteristics
does that organism have that allows it to
survive in that biome? How is that
organism dependent on other organisms
and the environment in which it lives?
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 3 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Unit Performance Task(s)
Links Board Game
Description/Directions:
Purpose: Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared
scientifically. They will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
Objective: Students will be developing “Links” board games. The objective of the game is to have an
organism begin in its natural biome, travel through all 5 other biomes and return to its original biome
without running out of food, water, and living space. (Teacher discretion should be used to determine the
number of playing pieces representing organisms; food, water, and living space, the number of spaces for
each type of community, number of fortune, misfortune, and key cards, and the required number of
possible interactions encountered by the traveling organisms.)
Students may be placed in groups for completion of this project. Each group’s game must include:
ƒ Game board
ƒ Student generated playing pieces to represent organisms
ƒ Start with food, water, living space (Ex. Money in some modern games issued at the beginning of
the game). Game spaces on the board should allow players to lose or gain more of these as they
travel through the game.
ƒ All 6 terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savanna, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and
mountain)
ƒ Water communities (freshwater, estuaries, and marine)
ƒ Living and nonliving factors including precipitation/moisture and temperature
ƒ Misfortune cards: cards with situations including natural and man-made disasters (Ex: meet a
predator, forest fire, etc). These will need to apply to ANY biome.
ƒ Fortune cards: Allow the organisms (players) to acquire an adaptation from another organism for
survival in each particular biome.
ƒ Key cards: Must be a folded card. When opened should show the picture of an organism on the
top flap with a simple dichotomous key on the bottom. Answer should be written on the back. If
answered correctly, card can be kept as a wildcard to get them out of a difficult situation. If
answered incorrectly, must be placed back under the deck.
(Teacher Note: Every student in group must make at least one Key card.)
ƒ Ways that the organism (playing piece) interacts with its environment and the organisms within its
environment as it passes through each biome.
(Teacher Note: Should include competition, mutually beneficially, predator/prey relationships.)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 4 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Rubric for Performance Task
Teacher developed rubric
Student Work Sample with Teacher Commentary
(To be added as available)
Sequence of Instruction and Learning
Sequence of Instruction and Learning
Teacher Activities
Student Activities
Monitor safety at all times.
Life Line Activity
Discussion of how the web links everyone
together, and how everyone was important in
the Life Line Activity.
Life In a Bottle Activity
Discussion of local climate.
Biome Climate Wheel
Use graphic organizers to teach feeding
relationships.
Biomes of the World Mural
Zoom Activity
Clip It Dichotomous Key Activity
Constantly monitor student understanding and
adjust instruction as needed.
Biome Scavenger Hunt
A Day in My Life Activity
Feed Me Activity
Breaking News
Puzzle of Life
Links Board Game
Comparing the Research
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 5 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Sequence of Activities, Tasks, and Assessments for Unit
Teacher Note: Tasks in the unit are linked to their descriptions in the appendix.
Safety reminders (›) are included but do not take the place of a school’s comprehensive safety plan
which must be maintained and enforced in the laboratory and classroom.
EQ: How is life like a web?
Understanding: Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
Day
1
Life Line Activity: Materials—ball of yarn and a small sealed bowl of candy. Students should
be placed in a circle and presented with this question: How can we support a bowl of candy
using yarn? After discussion time, the students should toss the ball of yarn from one student to
another, loosely wrapping yarn around one of their index fingers. (Teachers need to monitor
students so that they do not wrap the yarn too tightly and possibly cut off the circulation in the
finger.) During various stages of the development of the web, the teacher should ask questions
about the strength of the web in relation to supporting the bowl of candy. When the web is
strong enough to support the bowl, then the discussion should be changed to reflect what
happens when environmental and man-made changes occur in a biome. To add to the visual
effects of the demonstration, the teacher could ask one student to move without letting go of the
yarn, one student leave, or possibly cut some part of the web (yarn).
Discuss how making a web holds everyone together? What were the strong areas? What were
the weak areas? Journal entry on, “How was everyone important in the activity?”
› Pay attention that the yarn does not get wrapped tightly around students’ fingers.
EQ: Why is it necessary for everything in an ecosystem work together?
Understanding: Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
School Life activity- Students go outside to observe school ecosystem. Students will complete
an observation log consisting of labeled illustrations of what they see. “How do the things you
observed work together?”
Day
2
Life in a Bottle:
Purpose: You will study the interaction of organisms in a sample ecosystem.
Materials: (Teacher Note: This may be a small group activity. Collect materials several days in
advance. The teacher needs to prepare four identical bottles as the students prepare theirs. These
will be used for later instruction.)
Clear plastic 2 or 3 liter bottle
Gravel
Potting soil or garden soil
Small pieces of charcoal (gardeners or aquarium type)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 6 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Small plants like strawberry, begonia, oregano, thyme, moss fern
Moss plants
Plastic spoon
Scissors
Marking pen
Misting bottle with water
Plastic wrap
Rubber Bands
Thermometer
Procedure:
1. Prepare your bottle by removing the label. If it has an opaque base, remove the opaque part
of the base. (These may be pulled off or soaked in warm water then removed. If the base does
not remove easily seek the help of an adult.)
2. Under adult supervision, cut off the top of the bottle to form a 20 cm tall container.
3. Spread about 2 cm of gravel or sand on the bottom of the bottle and add a spoon full of
charcoal over the gravel.
4. Layer about 8–10 cm of soil over the gravel and pack it down with the spoon.
5. Scoop out holes in the soil to accommodate plants. Remove the plants from their packets,
and place them in the holes. Pack the soil firmly around the plants stems.
6. Using the misting bottle, spray the soil until you see water starting to collect in the gravel.
(Since the gravel was covered with charcoal and soil, you will have to view the gravel from the
side of the bottle.)
7. Cover the soil with moss plants, including the area around the stems of the vascular plants.
8. Add a small animal, like a cricket, earthworm, or isopod to your ecosystem.
9. Using the thermometer measure the temperature of your ecosystem. Record this in your
observation log as instructed by your teacher.
10. Cover your ecosystem with clear plastic wrap and a rubber band.
11. Observe your environment daily for two weeks and record information as directed.
12. Questions to pose: Why are all the things you put in the bottle necessary? “Is there a limit to
the amount of life your Life in a Bottle can support?”
› Warn students of animals in the school ecosystem that might be harmful such as snakes and
bees.
› Don’t allow students to prepare their bottles with knives or hot water.
EQ: How do you fit into the larger world?
Day
3
Understanding: Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
Observation log: Observe Life in a Bottle and note any changes.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 7 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
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Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Zoom Activity: This is a transition lesson for the unit. The dialogue occurring in this activity is
important to establish the understanding in children that they are part of a larger, diverse world.
Teacher preparation: 5 pieces of paper increasing in size with outlines prepared.
Example:
Paper 1: 3x5 outline of the bottle used in “Life in a Bottle”
Paper 2: 5x7 outline of school grounds (Drawing the building is not important.)
Paper 3: 8x11 outline of county
Paper 4: 11x14 outline map of Georgia
Paper 5: Poster/butcher paper larger than 11x14 for an outline of the U.S.
Teacher Note: The teacher could visit the county extension agent, visitor’s center, or website to
collect pictures of county and state. A multimedia presentation could be prepared with pictures
to use in guiding the discussion.
Procedure:
Step 1: The teacher will give each group of students a piece of the 3x5 paper. The students will
draw what they observed in their bottles.
Step 2: The teacher will then give the students a piece of 5x7 paper. Students will use the
noted/drawings from their School Life Activity to illustrate the school yard ecosystem.
Step 3: The teacher will lead a discussion of how their bottle habitat might fit into their school
yard ecosystem. Students will place the bottle habitat picture into the middle of the picture of
their school’s ecosystem.
Step 4: The teacher will give each group an 8x11 piece of paper with the outline of their county
drawn on it and lead a discussion of the ecosystems of their county. Students will illustrate their
county’s ecosystems.
Step 5: The teacher will give each group an 11x14 piece of paper with the outline of Georgia
and lead a discussion of the ecosystems of Georgia including the ocean, tidal zones, lakes,
Okefenokee, mountains, etc. Students will illustrate the ecosystems discussed.
Step 6: The teacher will provide each group a piece of paper larger than 11x14 with an outline of
the United States and lead a discussion of the biomes of the U.S. Students will illustrate the
biomes discussed.
Teacher Note: As the students complete each drawing they are to place the smaller piece of
paper within the larger piece of paper building a layered pyramid effect. The teacher may want
to give students an additional piece of paper and allow students to draw the Earth and label the
biomes of the Earth.
EQ: How does a change in climate affect the living things in an environment?
Day
4
Understanding: Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar, yet unique
characteristics.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 8 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Observation log: Observe Life in a Bottle and note changes.
Teacher led discussion of local area climate (temperature and precipitation.)
Biome Climate Wheel: The teacher should allow the students to use the internet/newspaper to
research the average yearly temperature and moisture in 10 predetermined places in various
world biomes. The biome, temperatures, and rainfalls should be recorded in student observation
logs.
1. Using card stock, students should cut three circles (8”, 7” and 6” diameter).
2. Students should draw eight equal parts on each circle. The first circle should be labeled
biomes. Place the word biome with characteristics and pictures of living and nonliving
things in the first piece or part of the circle.
3. The other seven pieces of the circle should contain the following biomes: desert, tropical
rain forest, temperate, taiga, mountain, savanna, and tundra. Each piece should represent
a biome. Assign a specific color to each biome (desert-red, tundra-white, etc.).
4. The second circle will be labeled temperature. Place the temperature label on one of the
eight pieces.
5. Record the average range of temperature for each biome on each of the remaining seven
pieces (one biome per piece).
6. Color each temperature piece the same color as its matching biome piece (desert
temperature-red, tundra temperature-white, etc.).
7. The third circle will represent average rainfall. Label one of the eight pieces
precipitation.
8. Assign an average precipitation for each of the biomes to each piece. Use the same
colors for precipitation as used to represent each of the biomes and temperatures (desert
rainfall-red, tundra-white, etc.).
9. Use a brad to attach all the wheels.
Teacher Note: Prepare patterns of circles for students to use to make the climate wheels. The
completed wheel can be used to compare and contrast the biomes. This could lead into class
discussions/journal topics on various facts concerning the biomes (i.e. types of plants and
animals per habitat, adaptations of animals, human activity related to temperature and weather,
etc.) Following is an example of how the circles should be divided into eight sections. The
desert biome with its matching yearly average daytime temperature and rainfall are shown. After
the three wheels are completed for all of the biomes, they will be held together by a brad. The
student should be able to read all three wheels for the same biome at the same time.
Example: Desert
38 degrees C (day)
250 mm
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 9 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
EQ: How does a change in temperature and/or precipitation effect the living things in the
environment?
Day
5
Understanding: Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar yet unique
characteristics.
Continue Biome Climate Wheel
EQ: How do the biomes of the world compare?
Understanding: Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar, yet unique
characteristics.
Biomes of the World Mural
Your group will choose a biome to research. The research will be used to design a mural to
depict plants and animals and other organisms found living in the biome. Your project must
include the following:
Day
6
1. Pictures or drawings of at least 4 different animals found in the biome.
2. Pictures or drawing of at least 4 different plants found in the biome.
3. A background showing the characteristics of the biome
4. Written information about average precipitation, average temperature, unique adaptations of
an animal and a plant, within the biome that allows the organism to survive. This is to be written
on the biome mural.
5. Written information about what kinds of interdependence occurs between humans and other
organisms in the biome.
6. A presentation of your project to the class.
Teacher Note: Other criteria may be added by the teacher. The written components could
include which biomes would neighbor the chosen biome? How do animals interact with more
than one biome such as with migration? Upon completion and sharing the biome murals,
students could journal about which biome they would like to visit, what supplies would they
have to take, and how they would survive if stranded in the wild of that biome?
EQ: How do the biomes of the world compare?
Day
7
Understanding: Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar, yet unique
characteristics.
Complete Biomes of the World Project
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 10 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
EQ: How can you use a dichotomous key?
Understanding: Within as ecosystem, an organism can be identified by its physical
characteristics through the use of dichotomous key.
Clip It Dichotomous Key
See Appendix A
Purpose: To develop a dichotomous key for classifying objects.
Materials: Paper clips of various sizes, shapes, materials and colors.
Teacher Note: Prepare containers of paper clips containing large and small sizes of the following
styles: Bull Dog Clips, Butterfly Clips, Cube Clips, and Oval Style clips. These clips need to be
made from a variety of materials such as metal and plastic and some may be vinyl coated. Use
various colors such as silver, gold, black, etc. (Many colors are found in the vinyl coated style.)
The teacher may keep one type or style out of the students’ view to be added later in the activity
as a mystery clip. Students may work in pairs or small groups.
Day
8
Procedure:
1. Place your sample of paperclips on the table in front of you and list five characteristics of the
clips. Record these characteristics on the Clip It table.
2. Choose one of the five characteristics to begin your classification. Now separate the clips into
two groups, those clips that have the characteristic and those that do not. Label one group “A”
and the other “B”. List the characteristic for each group in the Clip It chart. Keep paper clips in
these groups for the next step.
3. Choose a second characteristic from your table, and separate group A into two groups based
on having or not having that characteristic. Label these groups “A1” and “A2”. Label your chart
with the name of the characteristic of A1 and A2.
4. Continue to choose a characteristic and divide each group into two parts until you cannot
divide the group any further. Label the new groups “A3 and A4, A5 and A6, etc.” When all clips
are divided you should have one or two clips in each group. Label your chart with the
characteristic used for each division. (A3, A4, A5, A6)
5. Repeat steps 3 – 4 now using group “B” clips. Label your chart under letter “B” with the
characteristics used for each division. (B3, B4, B5, B6)
6. Now prepare a dichotomous key that could be used to identify any new clip that may be
introduced.
7. Place your paperclips back in one pile on the table. Use the clips and see if you can separate
them in the same manner as your chart.
8. Trade charts with a partner (check for use of different characteristics or orders of
characteristics) and try to follow each other’s charts to separate the clips.
9. (The teacher will now introduce the mystery clip.) Describe a method that you would use to
classify a new paper clip now added to your pile.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 11 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
› Warn students that some clips are strong enough to pinch their skin and that others may have
sharp points if broken and will need to be discarded.
See Appendix A
EQ: Why is a dichotomous key useful?
Understanding: Within as ecosystem, an organism can be identified by its physical
characteristics through the use of a dichotomous key.
Day
9
Biome Scavenger Hunt
Purpose: To increase student knowledge of biomes and ability to interpret a dichotomous key to
draw a conclusion.
Materials: Pictures of Biomes or Biome Mural projects.
Procedure: Students will be given a teacher produced picture or a biome mural. Follow the
dichotomous key to name that biome.
Teacher Note: If pictures are used, students will need guidance (i.e. classroom discussion) to
determine the answer to Step 2. If the Biome Mural projects are used, students may use their
notes from class presentations/discussions of the projects.
See Appendix B
EQ: Why can’t there be a lone survivor?
Understandings:
Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar, yet unique characteristics.
Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
Day
10
Show video depicting characteristics of biomes/ecosystems or survival in ecosystems.
Constructed response questions. As you watch the video, describe the relationship of an
organism within each biome, what characteristics does that organism have that allows it to
survive in that biome? How is that organism dependent on other organisms and the environment
in which it lives?
Day
11
EQ: Why can’t there be a sole survivor?
Understanding: The survival of organisms in a biome is affected by living and nonliving
factors.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 12 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
Student Adaptations- “A Day in My Life!”
Student Instructions:
List everything you do in a day. Draw an adaptation from the teacher’s prepared cards. Address
everything you do during that day and analyze how this adaptation affects your daily activities.
Teacher Note: The teacher will need to prepare adaptation cards in advance and prepare enough
cards for every student to receive an adaptation. Adaptations should be fictitious such as x-ray
vision, ability to fly, ability to become invisible, etc. Be sensitive to students with naturally
occurring physical disabilities.
EQ: What effect does the environment have on organisms?
Understandings:
The survival of organisms in a biome is affected by living and nonliving factors.
Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
Feed Me
See Appendix C
Teacher Note: Teacher should divide students into groups so that each group has at least 2
“babies”. Some groups should have 2 parents and other groups only one parent. (The activity,
Breaking News, will be a follow-up activity for Feed Me.)
Purpose: To allow students to recognize that changes in environmental conditions (such as
pollution and other human activity) can affect the survival of individuals and entire species.
Day
12
Sample groups:
2 parents and 5 babies
1 parent and 4 babies
1 parent and 5 babies
2 parents and 2 babies
1 parent and 2 babies
1. The teacher should prepare and hand out cards to each group assigning them one of the six
biomes and a specific organism’s habitat within that biome. (Teacher note: No group should be
assigned “human”. The habitat you assign to each group should be in relation to the natural
disaster that you are going to introduce the next day in Breaking News. Students should not be
given information about this now.)
2. Student groups should describe and discuss the living/nonliving features of their assigned
habitat within the assigned biome, including food supply, water supply, and shelter.
3. Student groups should describe possible adaptations that their assigned organism might have
that would help it to survive in their assigned habitat and biome (Example: Food gathering
appendages).
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 13 of 24
Copyright 2006 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Teachers
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 7
4. Each parent in each group should be given one “feeding utensil”. (Teacher Note: Groups with
two parents will have two utensils. Some of the utensils should be functioning and others
malfunctioning. Examples: regular plastic spoon, plastic spoon with a hole, fork with middle
tines broken, pair of chop sticks, spoon with no handle, full fork, etc.)
5. A small, colored, food item, such as candy, should be placed in a large, clean tray in the
middle of the room.
6. Student groups should be directed to send the parent/parents to the “food source” when the
signal is given. They should also be reminded not to eat the food during the course of the
activity.
(Teacher Note: Have enough food to share equally with the students upon completion of the
activity.)
7. After the signal is given, the parents will have 2 minutes to go to the food source, gather food,
and bring it back to a paper plate or bowl for the family using only their adaptive appendages.
(Hands cannot be used to assist in the food gathering process with the exception of the parents
holding the utensils.)
8. While parents are gathering food, the babies should be making a noise like their assigned
organism’s baby would make.
9. At the end of two minutes, parents should stop gathering food.
10. The food should be divided among the family members. (Teacher Note: The teacher may
determine the number of food items required for survival. Remind students that in the wild, quite
often the parents eat first before their babies. If parents don’t eat, the babies automatically die.
Thus, food brought back to the nest, den, burrow, etc. is for the survival of the family. Instruct
students that if they did not receive enough food items they, as an individual in the family, died.
Example: If candy was used, then each parent should have received five pieces and each baby
should have received at least three to sustain life. Journal topic: Why is this important for
survival of the species?)
11. Babies should count and record in the family data table the number and color of food items
gathered.
12. The teacher should lead a class discussion about why some groups received more food than
others.
13. Students will record in the class data table, their family’s total of food items eaten.
14. The teacher will select one “color” or food item that was determined to be poisonous due to
pesticides. Students will look at their food items in the family data table and determine who in
the family received poisonous food. All who consumed the poisonous food are now dead.
13. Students will complete the class data table Mortality and Survivors, recording the number of
adults and siblings who died due to starvation or pesticide poisoning and the number of
survivors.
14. The teacher will lead students in a discussion to relate this activity to organisms in real
biomes when the numbers of the organisms decline or increase. Possible journal topics: What
happens to babies when the parents of wild animals die? What role does pollution and other
human activities play on the survival or extinction of organisms in a biome?
See Appendix C
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 14 of 24
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› Warn students of the dangers of playing with the broken utensils. Be cognizant of students
with allergies to the food product—offer an alternative.
EQ: How does the environment affect us?
Understanding: The survival of organisms in a biome is affected by living and nonliving
factors.
Begin class with charting and/or information from the previous day’s Feed Me activity
Day
13
Breaking News
The teacher will begin class with “Breaking News” – a teacher prepared video clip or newspaper
article about a current natural disaster. The teacher will connect the news article to the Feed Me
activity. During the Feed Me activity students chose cards that gave their location in relation to
the center of the breaking news activity. As a group, the students will discuss and write about
how the natural disaster affected the individual, their parents and siblings, and their entire
species through a change in the ecosystem.
Teacher Note: Be sensitive to the students in your class. Prepare news articles or find news clips
from any natural disaster such as an earthquake, hurricane, fire, tsunami, etc. The teacher will
know the natural disaster prior to the Feed Me activity, but will not share that information with
the students. The teacher needs to be sure that the natural disaster matches the given biome from
the day before.
EQ: How do we all fit together?
Understanding: The survival of organisms in a biome is affected by living and nonliving
factors.
Day
14
Graphic Organizer
The teacher can use a variety of graphic organizers to teach feeding relationships. One activity
would be given to each student two sheets of paper (i.e. art, construction paper). Direct the
students to place one sheet of paper about ½ inch down from the top of the second sheet of
paper. Fold both sheets in half and staple them creating a booklet with four pyramid like pages.
The first page would be the title page, the second page for predator/prey, third page for
competition, and the fourth page for mutually beneficial relationships. Students could then use
old magazines to cut and paste pictures depicting each of the relationships. These booklets could
be designed to be larger meeting the needs of the teacher.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 15 of 24
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EQ: How do we all fit together?
Understanding: Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
Day
15
Puzzle of Life
• In advance of the activity, the teacher will make a large poster board size multicolored
mosaic drawing (The busier the better.) and make 20-30 tokens (Tokens can be beans, craft
sticks, popcorn, etc. One way to draw a mosaic is borrowed from kindergarten. Scribble
draw all over the piece of paper. Then have students color the individual sections much like
a stained glass window. On the back of the drawing, glue a large picture of one of the
terrestrial biomes.)
• The drawing will then be cut into enough large pieces that teams of 3 or 4 students could
receive 2-3 pieces.
• The teacher needs to provide a prize such as candy, trinkets, free homework pass, etc.
• To play the game, the teacher would place students in teams of 3-4, give each team 5 tokens,
and assign them roles as predator or prey (Equal numbers). The students will be told that
talking will not be allowed. They can communicate in some other method within their team,
but not at all with other teams.
• The teacher would then place a random piece of puzzle in the center of the board and all of
the other pieces in a container away from the teams.
• Team One would send a person to draw a piece of puzzle from the container and return to
the group. As a group the team would have to decide, without talking, to place the puzzle
piece on the board or pass to the next team. If they correctly place the piece of puzzle, they
receive another token. If they incorrectly place the piece they give up a token. If they pass,
the teacher will ask a question over their unit on biomes. If they answer correctly then there
will be no consequences and the play continues to Team Two. If they answer incorrectly,
then the teacher will ask their opposing predator/prey the question. If that team answers
correctly, they are allowed to collect a token from the loosing team and the game advances
to Team Two. If they answer incorrectly the game advances to Team Two. Team One does
not get another chance to draw a piece of puzzle until they can correctly place their current
piece of puzzle.
• As the game advances, pieces of the puzzle will become easier to match. For example, if a
student draws a puzzle piece that matches one that is being held by another team, he will
have to wait on the other team’s next play for the corresponding piece to be posted on the
board. If at first, no team has a matching piece, the teacher would draw a second piece from
the container adding it to the board, and the play would resume with the teams. The team
that has the most tokens at the end of the game receives the prize.
Teacher Note: Between the teams, students may visually steal clues for placement of their
puzzle piece by stealing glances at the other teams’ piece of puzzle as they move it around (This
mimics using your senses as during hunting in the wild. You may want to use a timer to allow
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 16 of 24
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one minute for team decisions concerning placing the puzzle piece. When a student leaves
his/her chair to go to the board, they have begun the play and can’t return to the desk until their
play is completed. The purpose of using one large puzzle is to teach students that their survival
depends on the interdependence of them with their own species (group), other species (groups),
predators and prey, their skills such as working in a pack of wild dogs, etc. Your follow up
discussion should center on feeding relationships and include competition, mutually beneficial,
predator, and prey. You could use the terms mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
Questions to pose: Why couldn’t you add your puzzle piece? How did you accomplish your
goal? What relationships occurred to help you achieve your goal? What relationships occurred
within the group and between the groups?
EQ: How are organisms and their environments linked together?
Understandings:
Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar, yet unique characteristics.
Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
Days The survival of organisms in a biome is affected by living and nonliving factors.
16, - Within as ecosystem, an organism can be identified by its physical characteristics through the
20 use of a dichotomous key.
Culminating Performance Task
Links game boards
See description and instructions under the assessment section
(This is a multi-day activity that encompasses all the standards and misconceptions studied
during the unit.)
EQ: What does modern science tell us about ecology?
Understandings:
Terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities have similar, yet unique characteristics.
Organisms are interdependent on their environment and each other.
The survival of organisms in a biome is affected by living and nonliving factors.
Days
Within as ecosystem, an organism can be identified by its physical characteristics through the
21use of a dichotomous key.
25
Comparing the Research: See Appendix D
The teacher will issue each group of students two articles or web sites of articles featuring recent
research findings relating to the changing state of biological diversity, biomes, habitats,
community,
etc. (Example: Deforestation of the rain forest) The students will compare the two articles to
find their commonalities and differences. The student needs to note how the studies were
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 17 of 24
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conducted, what were the original hypotheses that lead to the studies, etc. Students need to
record what the scientists think will be the future states of those biomes and how to help the
biomes recover. The teacher will need to develop and issue to the students a holistic rubric
(check-off sheet such as the example below) containing the eight elements of S7CS9. The
students should look for evidence of these components of scientific inquiry. They need to record
facts to defend their answers. They will also need to defend why they say an item from the
rubric was not noted in the studies. On day three, students will present (through the medium of
the teacher’s choice) their findings on the two articles.
Based on their study for this unit, students will defend or reject the scientific claims of what the
scientists said was the future state of the biomes. They will need to include what role they could
play as a junior scientist hired to work with the projects. What would they suggest to the
scientists that need to be done differently to improve the biomes, habitats, communities, etc.?
Language:
population, community, biome, ecosystem, competitive, mutually beneficial, habitat, terrestrial, aquatic,
tundra, taiga, tropical rain forest, temperate forest, desert, savanna, freshwater, estuary, marine, deciduous,
marsh, swamp, mutualism, commensalisms, parasitism, predator
Web Resources:
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/ocean_planet.html This site is the Smithsonian's traveling ocean exhibit,
Ocean Planet. Ocean Science link can be used to explore the deep sea.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/1020/biome.html
Climatogram lab
http://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome
Information on biomes.
http://www.accuweather.com
Information about weather and related links.
http://ericir.syr.edu/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Ecology/ECL0200.html
(introduction to ecosystems; activity includes stations to help students determine characteristics of an
ecosystem; ask ERIC lesson plan)
http://www.blm.gov/education/00_resources/articles/understanding_ecosystem_management/classroom.ht
ml
(introduction to ecosystem management; includes list of activities for exploration of concepts; published by
Bureau of Land Management)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 18 of 24
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http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/biodiversity
(habitat-diversity study of plant biodiversity; activities include examining ecological plots; published on
Discovery.com website)
http://www.up140.jacksn.k12.il.us/MediaCenter/pathfinder8.htm
(pathfinder to resources for creating a schoolyard habitat)
http://www.rubistar.com
Easy format for making rubrics
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 19 of 24
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Appendix A
Characteristics
1.___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
Group
A
____________
A-
A-3
Group
B
____________
A-2
A-
A-5
B-1
A-
B-
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Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 20 of 24
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B-
B-
B-
B-
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Appendix B
Dichotomous Key for Biomes
If:
Go To
1.a) Biome/ Community is terrestrial >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2
b) Biome/ Community is aquatic >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3
2.a) Biome appears to have no trees>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4
b) Biome has trees>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5
3.a) Community has high salt content >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6
b) Community has low or no salt content >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7
4.a) Average temperature is equal to or greater than 30 degrees Celsius >>>>>> 8
b. Average temperature is less than 30 degrees Celsius>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9
5.a) Average precipitation is greater than 200 cm>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> 13
b. Average precipitation is less than 200 cm>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 14
6.a) Has great distance from the shore >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10
b) Has little distance from the shore >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11
7.a) Water is fast moving >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> River
b) Water is slow moving >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 12
8.a) Cactus and kangaroo rats share this space>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Desert
b) Grasses and bison share this space>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Grasslands
9.a) Caribou roam during the short summers and long winters>>>>>>>>>>>> Tundra
b) Moose, deer and porcupines live among the needles of conifer plants>>>>Taiga
10.a) Covers a large area >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ocean
b) Covers a small area>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sea
11.a) Water meets land >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inertial
b) Water meets rivers or streams >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Estuary
12.a) Water is shallow >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Marsh
b) Water is deep >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 15
13.a) Macaws sing among the canopy>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Tropical Rain
Forest
b) Lions and leopards prey on wildebeests>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Savanna
14.a) Deciduous trees are home to robins and squirrels and protect whitetail deer> Temperate
Deciduous Forest
b) Coniferous trees help to feed moose and many migratory birds>>>>>>>>>> Taiga
15.a) Many grasses bines and trees combine >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Swamp
b) Few grasses and trees >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lake
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 21 of 24
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Appendix C
Data Table 1: Family Data
Species
(Food)
Adults
Male
Female
Siblings (Offspring)
1
2
3
4
5
Species
Total
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Brown
Total
Eaten
Data Table 2: Class Data of Species Eaten
Family
Number
Species Eaten
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
1
2
3
4
5
Total Per
Species
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 22 of 24
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Brown
Total
Per
Family
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Data Table 3: Class Data-Mortality and Survivors
Family Total
Number Number
of
Adults
Total
Cause of Death (Only Count One)
Survivors
Number
Starvation
Poisoned
of
Number Number Number Number Number Number
Siblings of
of
of
of
of
of
Siblings
Adults
Siblings Adults Siblings Adults
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 23 of 24
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Appendix D
Comparing the Research
Directions: Students should look for evidence of scientific inquiry as they read and compare the articles.
A check should be placed under the column of the article(s) that contains the evidence and a few facts
qualifying how the evidence was evident in the article should be recorded under the Facts Supporting
Evidence of Inquiry column. If evidence cannot be found to support one of the seven areas of scientific
inquiry, then students need to determine what was missing from the articles that would allow that support
and record that information under the What Evidence is Missing column.
Title and author of Article One:
_______________________________________________________
Title and author of Article Two:
_______________________________________________________
Scientific Inquiry
Article One
Article
Two
Facts Supporting Evidence
of Inquiry
1. The investigation was
conducted to explore new
phenomena, to confirm previous
results, to test a theory, or to
compare the results to another
theory
2. Evidence was collected,
reasoning was applied to the
inquiry, hypotheses were devised,
and explanations were formulated
to make sense of the evidence
collected.
3. Experimentation investigated
the effect of only one variable on
another.
4. Scientists collaborated on the
research, yet conducted
independent studies.
5. Accurate records were kept,
data was shared, and the research
was replicated.
6. Technology and mathematics
were used.
7. Special care was given to
human subjects and animals
involved in the study. Scientists
adhered to appropriate rules and
guidelines while conducting the
research.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Science y Grade 7 y Interdependence of Life
September 26, 2006 y Page 24 of 24
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What Evidence
is Missing?