Humans in the Biosphere
Teaching Unit
Michigan Technological University
Global Change Institute Summer 2007
Jennifer Williamson
[email protected]
Science Department
Essexville Garber High School
8 August 2007
Humans in the Biosphere
Table of Contents
Statement and Overview……………………………………………..............
page 3
Unit Organizer………………………………………………………..............
page 4
Day 1: Lesson and Activities…………………………………………………
A Changing Earth
page 5
Day 2: Lesson and Activities…………………………………………………
Our Resources
page 7
Day 3: Lesson and Activities…………………………………………………
Biodiversity
page 9
Day 4: Lesson and Activities………………………………………………….
Human Impact and Future Predictions
Page 12
Day 5: Review Game and Test…………………………………………………
page 16
Resource Index…………………………………………………………………
page 17
Note to Teachers: These lessons are designed for a high school Biology class. The text
accompanying the lessons is Prentice Hall Biology 2008. All days are planned for 90minute blocks. Plans would need to be modified for 45-50 minute class periods and could
be covered over 8-9 days.
Students will be grades 10 points each for daily homework, 20 points each for daily
classwork, 10 points for turning in their Unit Organizer complete, 10 points for keeping
their journal/notebook, and 100 points for their unit test. This will be 240 points possible
for the unit. I grade 90% + A, 80% + B, 70% + C, 60% + D, and below 60% F. You can
adapt this to any grading system you have.
Summer 2007 Global Change Institute
Michigan Technological University
Jennifer Williamson
8 August 2007
Unit Design Statement and Overview
Hi everyone. I hope you have had a great summer! I hope these materials help you.
This unit is designed for use in my high school Biology class for students primarily in
grades 9-10. This unit is designed to meet a new curriculum in the district I was just hired
into. The textbook that it coincides with is also new this year to the school. This unit is
designed for use in a block schedule situation, 90-minute periods meeting every other
day. This unit will cover five block days but could be adapted to teach in 8-9 regular
school days. This is my first time teaching high school Biology and my first time
teaching in a block schedule situation. I will let you know how it goes!
My unit is designed to coincide with my textbooks final chapter on Ecology, Humans in
the Biosphere. I use activities and resources from the text, Prentice Hall Biology
copyright 2008, activities and resources from our class this summer, and activities and
resources from the MEECS Air Quality Unit provided in the institute.
Thanks to you all for being a great class and sharing these great resources and your ideas
to help my students! Keep in touch. [email protected]
Page 3: Global Change Teacher Institute Unit
The Unit Organizer
Hand out on first day of class to give students an overview of the unit they will begin.
Teacher may choose to use blank form and have students fill in daily as they continue
through the unit, using the ELMO or an overhead projector. The editable full size Power
Point version of this is included as UnitOrganizer.ppt and the pdf version is included at
UnitOrganizer.pdf.
Page 4: Global Change Teacher Institute Unit
Day 1: Our Changing Landscape
Daily Objective: Students will describe human activities that can affect the biosphere.
Vocabulary: agriculture, monoculture, green revolution
Accompanying Text: Pages 139 – 143 Prentice Hall Biology 2008
MME Curriculum Alignment:
Standard B3: Interdependence of Living Systems and the Environment
•
•
L3.p2B Describe common ecological relationships between and among species
and their environments.
L3.p4A Recognize that, and describe how, human beings are part of Earth’s
ecosystems. Note that human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the
equilibrium in ecosystems.
Lesson Warm-up (15 minutes)
Write “The spreading influence of humans can and does affect the biosphere.” on the
projection system. Have students read through the pages and write out statements that
support this claim.
Guided Discussion (10 minutes)
Students share statements that support this claim from text. Should include “using
resources”, “hunting and gathering”, “agriculture”, “industry”, “urban development”.
Make a list on the white board. Ask them if they have other ideas not included. Discuss
human advantages and drawbacks for each of these activities. Make a list.
Class Activity (30 minutes)
Inquiry Activity: What Happens to Household Trash? (Adapted from p138 Biology)
1. Students look through the contents of a bag containing roughly the amount of dry
trash produced per person each day in the United States.
2. Students sort the trash into items that can be reused, items that can be recycled,
items that can be composted, and items that must be discarded because they
cannot be recycled or composted in Essexville.
Questions for students to answer with lab group:
1. Which materials make up most of the trash? Does this reflect the amount and
types of trash you produce?
2. What do your think happens to the trash you produce? Think of at least three
ways in which trash can have an impact on living things.
3. List three ways you can reduce the amount of trash you produce.
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Guided Discussion (20 minutes)
What did your group find? How many of your families recycle at home? Hand out
Essexville recycling guidelines. Ask students to identify trash they could have recycled
from their bags. Ask students why some households choose not to recycle. (It cost $2 per
month, some are unwilling, think it unnecessary). Weigh the total trash from all groups
that could be recycled. Math connection: How much trash would we save if half of the
people in Essexville chose to recycle? Compare to other classes that have done the same.
Lesson Summary (5 minutes)
List the main ways that human activity has affected the Earth’s landscape.
Agriculture, Industry, Urban Development
Tell one way that you can reduce your impact on the Earth.
Reduce the amount of waste I produce.
Assignment: pp163-165 (Answer 1, 2, 12-14, 25) for next class period
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Day 2: Our Resources
Daily Objective: Students will explain how environmental resources are classified.
Students will identify the characteristics of sustainable development. Students will
describe how human activities affect land, air, and water resources.
Vocabulary: renewable resource, nonrenewable resource, sustainable development, soil
erosion, desertification, deforestation, aquaculture, smog, pollutant, acid rain
Accompanying Text: Pages 144-149 Prentice Hall Biology 2008
MME Curriculum Alignment:
Standard B3: Interdependence of Living Systems and the Environment
•
•
L3.p2B Describe common ecological relationships between and among species
and their environments.
L3.p4A Recognize that, and describe how, human beings are part of Earth’s
ecosystems. Note that human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the
equilibrium in ecosystems.
Lesson Warm-up (15 minutes)
Write, “The Earth has many resources we rely on for daily living. We directly affect the
quality of these resources.” on the projection system. Have students read through the
pages and write out statements that support this claim.
Guided Discussion/Lecture (25 minutes)
Students share statements that support this claim from text. Should include “land”,
“forest”, “fisheries”, “air”, “water”. Make a list on the white board. Ask them if they have
other ideas not included. Define renewable and nonrenewable resource. Make sublists
under each heading and define as renewable or nonrenewable. Example: Forest: wood,
renewable; Land: Oil, nonrenewable; Fisheries: fish, depends on amount. Discuss
sustainable development including forest management and aquaculture. Share bag of
emissions from car exhaust. Ask, how do we impact our natural resources? Discuss air,
water, and land quality.
Class Activity (35 minutes)
Air Pollution Play: One Breath at a Time (MEECS Air Quality Unit, Lesson 2)
Tell students we are going to be role-playing to learn about air pollution. Students select
roles. Students act out the play with classmates.
Students Read “The Asthma Story” and answer questions with a partner.
Groups share responses if time allows.
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Lesson Summary (5 minutes)
What is the difference between a renewable and a nonrenewable resource?
List two human activities that affect land resources, and explain the changes that can
result. Do the same for air and water resources.
How does the decline in world fisheries represent a “tragedy of the commons?”
Identify two ways in which environmental resources are important to human health.
Assignment: pp163-165 (Answer 3-4, 10, 15, 16, 26, 28, 30, 31) for next class period
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Day 3: Biodiversity
Daily Objective: Students will define biodiversity and explain its value. Students will
identify current threats to biodiversity. Students will describe the goal of conservation
biology.
Vocabulary: biodiversity, ecosystem biodiversity, species diversity, genetic diversity,
extinction, endangered species, habitat fragmentation, biological magnification, invasive
species, conservation
Accompanying Text: Pages 150-156 Prentice Hall Biology 2008
MME Curriculum Alignment:
Standard B3: Interdependence of Living Systems and the Environment
•
•
•
•
L3.p2B Describe common ecological relationships between and among species
and their environments.
L3.p4A Recognize that, and describe how, human beings are part of Earth’s
ecosystems. Note that human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the
equilibrium in ecosystems.
B3.4B Recognize and describe that a great diversity of species increases the
chance that at least some living organisms will survive in the face of cataclysmic
changes in the environment.
B3.4C Examine the negative impacts of human activities.
Lesson Warm-up (10 minutes)
Write “Think about walking from Garber to 7-11. Take a look around on your imaginary
walk. Write down all of the living things that you may see. Think big. Think small. Think
in-between. Now, think about walking around in the woods. Make another list. How does
this list look the same? Different?” on the projection system. Have students journal write
their responses.
Guided Discussion/Lecture (45 minutes)
Ask students to share their “sights” from their journals. Make a list of the types of living
things they see everyday.
Define Biodiversity, Ecosystem Diversity, Species Diversity, and Genetic Diversity
Show pictures on ELMO of trees, birds, and animals from along the Saginaw River
Riverwalk. Show pictures from the Bay City State Recreational Area Wetlands area.
Show pictures from around Essexville. Ask students to identify habitats in each. Ask
students how different species live in different areas.
Ask students what good is it for us to have a wide variety of life on Earth? What do we
get from it? Food, industrial products, medicine, etc.
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Show pictures of recently built housing developments around Essexville. Show pictures
of the Bay City Mall and shopping centers. Show picture of M15 site of possible future
Walmart. It is now overgrown farm field, shrub, and prairie. Ask students what impacts
these types of development may have on biodiversity. We take away the habitats that
were previously occupied by wildlife. The wildlife does not survive.
Define Extinction, Endangered Species, Habitat Fragmentation (Over the Hedge
Example). Define Invasive Species (show pictures). Use Ash example. Define
Conservation Biology. Give students time to write about and share what kinds of things
they think we can do to try to conserve the biodiversity that we have today. Ask them to
think about things they know are happening now (can’t take firewood into the upper
peninsula, signs for fire-danger posted). Have groups make mini-posters showing
something we can do to help with conservation efforts.
Class Activity (15 minutes)
Modeling Biological Magnification (Adapted from Quick Lab p154 Biology 2008)
Materials:
Paper Cups (3 small, 1 medium, and 1 large)
1-L Beaker
Sand
12 beads
Masking Tape
Procedure:
1. Use a pencil to punch five holes in the bottom of each paper cup. Cover with tape.
The small cups represent grasshoppers, the medium cups a grasshopper-eating
lizard, and the large cup a hawk.
2. Half-fill each small cup with sand and 4 beads. The sand represents food. The
beads represent a chlorinated pesticide.
3. Hold each small cup over a beaker to catch the sand and remove the tape. The
outflow represents digested food.
4. Empty the contents of the three small cups into the medium cup. Repeat step 3
with this cup. How many beads does the lizard have?
5. Empty your medium cup and those of two other groups into a large cup to model
the hawk eating three lizards. How many beads does the hawk have?
Questions for Students to Consider:
1. Which animals accumulated the most pesticide?
2. Which level of the food chain is most affected by biological magnification?
Groups clean up area and return to desks for summary.
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Lesson Summary (5 minutes)
Why is biodiversity worth preserving?
List four activities that can threaten biodiversity.
What is the current focus of conservation biologists worldwide?
What is the relationship between habitat size and species diversity?
Why are habitats limited resources? How might this destruction affect the long-term
survival of species?
Assignment: Read 150-156 and on pp163-165 (Answer 6-9, 1, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 27)
for next class period
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Day 4: Future Predictions
Daily Objective: Students will describe two types of global change that are of concern to
biologists.
Vocabulary: ozone layer, global warming
Accompanying Text: Pages 157-160 Prentice Hall Biology 2008
MME Curriculum Alignment:
Standard B3: Interdependence of Living Systems and the Environment
•
•
B3.4d Describe the greenhouse effect and list possible causes.
B3.4e List the possible causes and consequences of global warming.
Lesson Warm-up (10 minutes)
Write “Global Warming is a serious problem that I need to be concerned about. Agree?
Disagree?” on the projection system. Have students journal write their responses.
Guided Discussion/Lecture (10 minutes)
Ask students to share what they have heard about global warming.
Define Global Warming. Define Carbon Dioxide emissions. Define the Ozone Layer.
Introduce students to today’s activity.
Class Activity (50 minutes)
Investigating Global Warming: The Effect of Carbon Dioxide and Ozone on Temperature
Materials Needed:
• 3 shoe boxes lined with black construction paper
• Clear plastic wrap
• Thermometer
• Tape
• Rubber tubing
• Carbon Dioxide tank with valve
• Light Source
• Computer Projector with access to internet
• Student Data Sheet (see pages 11-12 for student sheet)
Opening the Activity:
Show graph from www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc/historical02.jsp comparing
the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature on earth historically. Show excerpt from
An Inconvenient Truth. Ask students to look for the relationship. What happens as carbon dioxide
increases in the atmosphere? What happens as temperature increases in the atmosphere? Do you
think there is a relationship?
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Introducing the Investigation: Hand out investigation sheet. Ask students to read the objective.
Ask students to write a hypothesis. Direct students to lab area to perform lab. Help lab groups as
needed.
Student Investigation Procedure:
Step 1: Place a metal-back thermometer in each of the three boxes. Tape them down.
Step 2: Set the first box aside. Do nothing more to it. This will be the CONTROL BOX.
Step 3: Cover the opening in the second box with plastic wrap and tape it down. Set it aside. Do
nothing more to it. This is the OZONE ONLY BOX.
Step 4: Carefully cut a small hole in the top of the third box and insert the rubber tubing about 1
inch into it. Seal the area round the hole with clay to secure it. Attach the tube to the
carbon dioxide tank at the other end. DO NOT turn it on! This is the AND CARBON
DIOXIDE AND OZONE BOX.
Step 4: Place all boxes equal distances from your light source. Record the beginning temperature
for each box at this time and place that information in the column for zero minutes.
Step 5: Record the temperature of each box every 3 minutes for 24 minutes.
Activity Wrap-Up: Have a member of each group present their graph to the class. Lead a class
discussion about trends that students found. Did their data represent what they expected? Did
their data support the data they saw on the Internet? What are the implications for the long-term
effects on the earth?
Lesson Summary (5 minutes)
What are two major global changes affecting the biosphere today?
Why is the ozone layer important to living things?
How could a worldwide increase in temperature affect organisms?
What can we do to make wise choices in our use and conservation of resources?
Assignment: Read pp163-165 (Answer 5, 19, 21, 24, and 29) for next class period
and review major concepts and vocabulary for test.
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Name _____________________________
Hour __________ Date________________
Investigating Global Warming:
The Effect of Carbon Dioxide and Ozone on Temperature
Purpose: To determine the relationships between carbon dioxide, ozone and temperature.
Hypothesis: What do you think is the relationship between ozone, carbon dioxide, and
temperature? How will temperature change if we increase carbon dioxide or ozone?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Materials:
• 3 shoe boxes lined with black construction paper
• Clear plastic wrap
• Thermometer
• Tape
• Rubber tubing
• Carbon Dioxide tank with valve
• Light Source
Procedure:
Step 1: Place a metal-back thermometer in each of the three boxes. Tape them down.
Step 2: Set the first box aside. Do nothing more to it. This will be the CONTROL BOX.
Step 3: Cover the opening in the second box with plastic wrap and tape it down. Set it aside. Do
nothing more to it. This is the OZONE ONLY BOX.
Step 4: Carefully cut a small hole in the top of the third box and insert the rubber tubing about 1
inch into it. Seal the area round the hole with clay to secure it. Attach the tube to the
carbon dioxide tank at the other end. DO NOT turn it on! This is the AND CARBON
DIOXIDE AND OZONE BOX.
Step 4: Place all boxes equal distances from your light source. Record the beginning temperature
for each box at this time and place that information in the column for zero minutes.
Step 5: Record the temperature of each box every 3 minutes for 24 minutes.
Controls: Identify the controls in this experiment.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Variables: Identify the variables in this experiment.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Observations: Record your observations in the chart below.
Time
(minutes)
TemperatureControl
(Celsius)
Temperature
Ozone only
(Celsius)
Temperature
Ozone & CO2
(Celsius)
0:00
3:00
6:00
9:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
24:00
Analysis: Graph the data to look for trends.
Make a triple line graph of Time vs. Temperature on grid paper. Use a different color to
represent each of the three boxes. Make sure to include labels, titles, and a legend for the colors
on the graph. Staple the graph to this observation sheet.
Conclusion: Based on the data you collected and the graph you made write a conclusion about
the effects of ozone and carbon dioxide on the temperature and climate of the Earth. What
happens to temperature as carbon dioxide and ozone increase?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Day 5: Review and Assessment
Daily Objective: Students will review major concepts in a game situation and will test on
the objectives of the unit.
Lesson Warm-up (10 minutes)
Students take out their Unit Organizer. Students write detailed answers to the self-test
questions on the back of the organizer.
Review Baseball Game Activity (30 minutes)
Students choose two baseball teams. First, second, third, and home-base are appropriately
placed around the room. Students choose their own batting order. Students choose a
single, double, or triple when going up to bat. Teacher asks possible test questions from
testing bank, easy for single, harder for double, challenging for a triple. Students progress
around bases unless team gets three outs. An incorrect answer is an out. Three outs turn
over batting to other team. Teacher keeps track of score. Winning team gets 3 extra credit
points on today’s test!
Test: Humans in the Biosphere (50 minutes to complete)
Includes multiple choice, fill in the blank, and short response. Attached as unittest.pdf.
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Resource Index
An Inconvenient Truth, DVD, Al Gore 2006
MEECS Air Quality Unit, Lesson 2
Over the Hedge Dreamworks Animations 2006
Prentice Hall Biology 2008
The Unit Organizer Routine, B. Keith Lenz, The Content Enhancement Series, Edge Enterprises
Inc. 1994
www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc/historical02.jsp Science Museum of the National
Academy of Sciences, Global Warming Facts & Our Future
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