GAYNES SCHOOL SCHEME OF WORK – SCIENCE
Year Group
Year 8
Unit code, title and length
B2 2 Ecosystem processes - 9 Lessons
Health and Safety
See individual lessons in Scheme of Work
Resources
See individual lessons in Scheme of Work
Assessments
Progress task
Checkpoint test
Checkpoint assessment
Followed by End of Unit test (after completing
all Biology topics)
BLP – Imagining, Reasoning and
Collaboration
Homework
See homework rotation
Social – Views of hunting (disrupting food
chain)
Moral – deforestation and its impact on the
environment
Spiritual –
Cultural – The use of forests and animals
Cross-Curricular
PE – aerobic and anaerobic respiration
IT Possibilities
possibly researching photosynthesis as part of
lesson/homework
Resources
See individual lessons in Scheme of Work
Health and Safety
See individual lessons in Scheme of Work
Common misconceptions
Plants do not respire
Breathing and respiration are the same thing
Food chains are infinite
Key Learning Outcomes
Lesson
Number
1
Learning outcome
•
•
•
describe the process of photosynthesis
state the word equation for photosynthesis
use appropriate methods during practical work.
2
•
•
•
describe the structure and function of the main components of a leaf
explain the distribution of chloroplasts in a leaf.
make observations.
3
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
describe how a plant uses minerals for healthy growth
explain the role of nitrates in plant growth.
analyse data.
to apply knowledge of plants and fertiliser in answering an extended exam question
describe where chemosynthesis takes place
describe the process of chemosynthesis.
understand that scientific theories develop with new evidence.
state the word equation for aerobic respiration
describe the process of respiration.
test predictions and identify independent, dependent, and control variables.
•
•
state the word equation for anaerobic respiration
describe the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
4
5
6
7
•
evaluate data.
8
•
•
describe what food chains show
describe what food webs show.
9
•
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describe the interdependence of organisms
describe how toxic materials can accumulate in a food web.
present observations in an appropriate way.
10
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describe how different organisms co-exist within an ecosystem
identify niches within an ecosystem.
apply sampling techniques.
Differentiation Up/Down
Lesson
Up
Y8 B2 2.1 Photosynthesis
Develop own practical method
Y8 B2 2.2 Leaves
Y8 B2 2.3 Plant minerals
Y8 B2 2.3a 6MQ
Y8 B2 2.4 Chemosynthesis
Y8 B2 2.5 Aerobic respiration
Y8 B2 2.6 Anaerobic respiration
Y8 B2 2.7 Food Chains
Y8 B2 2.8 Disruption to food chains
and webs
Y8 B2 2.9 Ecosystems
Down
Support sheet detailing how to carry
out practical method
Develop own practical method
Support sheet detailing how to carry
out practical method
Develop own practical method
Support sheet detailing how to carry
out practical method
Student work at their own ability to answer a 6 mark question
Comprehension task
Support Sheet to aid in answering
questions
Develop own practical method
Support sheet detailing how to carry
out practical method
Develop own practical method
Support sheet detailing how to carry
out practical method
Development of a food web for a
Support sheet to develop food chains
given habitat
from a variety of given organisms
Use the food web developed to
Use given population data to
show how population changes effect determine changes in the food chain
the ecosystem
Develop own practical method
Support sheet detailing how to carry
out practical method
Key Questions
Lesson
1
Big Question
Starter
Plenary
How do plants get their food?
2
How is a leaf adapted for
photosynthesis?
Why do the leaves of a plant
sometimes turn yellow?
What I already know or Testing
for starch
Leafy cross-section
Photosynthesis reaction or
Photosynthesis and life
Leafy adaptations or gas
exchange role play
Mineral crosswords and
Gardeners advice line (diagnose
plants)
Peer assessment and
improvements
3
4
5
Explain in detail why farmers
have to add to fertiliser to soil
to ensure good crop yields
year after year. (QWC, 6
marks)
How do microorganisms that
Intro plant minerals or what's in a
fertiliser? (Why do you think
fertilisers are used?
BUG the question
What’s on the menu for tube
What’s the difference? or how
6
7
8
9
10
live in the dark make their
own food?
How do you get the energy
you need to grow, move, keep
warm, play football etc?
Why do we get cramp when
we exercise?
Why are food chains rarely
longer than 5 animals in
length?
Why couldn't one organism
survive on it’s own?
How are different animals and
plants able to exist in the
same place?
worms? Or what is
chemosynthesis?
Releasing energy from fuels or
energy for athletes
views change
The exhausted basketball player
or Useful respiration
Who eats who? Or Feeding
definitions
Respiration equations
Keywords and definitions or Up
or down?
Sampling techniques - How
would you count the number of
flowers in a field?
Or ecosystem keywords
Best and worst or Human impact
Aerobic respiration or The
respiring athlete
Chains from webs or Role playing food chains
Key word definitions or Living
together