Life Science Progression:
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Key Concepts:
From Appendix E:
Progressions within the Next Generation Science Standard
Organisms and populations are dependent on their
environmental interactions both with other living things
and with nonliving factors, any of which can limit their
growth. Competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial
interactions vary across ecosystems but the patterns are
shared.
Including:
 Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Relationships in Ecosystems
 Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
 Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in
Ecosystems
 Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and
Resilience
Topic Standard(s)
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MS-LS2-2
MS-LS2-5
Next Generation Science Standard Storyline
The performance expectations in LS2: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Relationships in Ecosystems help students formulate an answer to
the question, “How does a system of living and non-living things operate to meet the needs of the organisms in an ecosystem?”
The LS2 Disciplinary Core Idea is divided into three sub-ideas: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems; Cycles of Matter and Energy
Transfer in Ecosystems; and Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience.
Students can analyze and interpret data, develop models, and construct arguments and demonstrate a deeper understanding of resources
and the cycling of matter and the flow of energy in ecosystems. They can also study patterns of the interactions among organisms within an
ecosystem. They consider biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem and the effects these factors have on population. They evaluate
competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Disciplinary Core Ideas(DCI):
LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
 Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with
nonliving factors.
 In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with
each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.
 Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources.
 Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually beneficial
interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in
these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with
their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared.
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Performance Expectations (PE) / Clarification Statement and Assessment Boundary:
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
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1.
MS-LS2-2.
Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on predicting consistent patterns of interactions in different ecosystems in terms of the
relationships among and between organisms and abiotic components of ecosystems. Examples of types of interactions could include
competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial.
MS-LS2-5.
Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Clarification Statement: Examples of ecosystem services could include water purification, nutrient recycling, and prevention of soil
erosion. Examples of design solution constraints could include scientific, economic, and social considerations.
Essential Question:
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Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Enduring Understanding:
How does a system of living and non-living things
operate to meet the needs of the organisms in an
ecosystem?
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Sustaining life requires substantial energy and matter inputs and the structure
and functions of organisms contribute to the capture, transformation,
transport, release, and elimination of matter and energy.
Organisms and populations of organisms are dependent on their
environmental interactions both with other organisms and with non-living
factors.
The limits of resources influence the growth of organisms and populations,
which may result in competition for those limited resources.
Rockaway Township Goals:
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Understand that an ecosystem includes all of the plant and animal populations and nonliving resources in a given area.
Describe how organisms interact with each other and with other components of an ecosystem
Describe how personal activities impact the local and global environment.
Unit Learning Targets:
The student will be able to….
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Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Suggested Activities:
Including Differentiated Strategies (DI)
Various human activities have changed the
capacity of the environment to support some
life forms.
The number of organisms and populations an
ecosystem can support depends on the biotic
resources available and on abiotic factors,
such as quantities of light and water, range of
temperatures, and soil composition.
All organisms cause changes in the
ecosystem in which they live. If this change
reduces another organism’s access to
resources, that organism may move to
another location or die.
Vocabulary:
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Target activities may be modified, revised, or added by
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the sixth grade middle school teachers to maintain
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relevancy to the ever-changing scientific world. Changes
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to target activities will reflect 100% agreement with the
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science certified teachers at the sixth grade level. Any
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changes to target activities will be shared with grades 6-8 
to provide consistency with all middle school grade levels.
This curriculum has been revised and updated for
September, 2016, using the NGSS.
Target Activities:
 Owl Pellet Dissection Lab
 Construct 3D Energy Pyramid
 Illustrate 10% Rule for energy transfer
 Construct a digital simulation to explain how energy
entering the ecosystem as sunlight is transferred by
producers into chemical energy through
photosynthesis.
 Create a digital interactive food web that traces
energy from light through an ecosystem.
 Highlight each transfer of energy between organisms,
and discuss how the pathway may vary within one
ecosystem and between ecosystems.
abiotic
biotic
oppositional relationships
predation
competition
symbiotic relationships
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
Resource Materials:
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Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Assessments:
Assessments: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video
Library provides short video clips of teachers describing experiments
associated with this CPI. http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=231
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides
short video clips of classroom experiences and interviews with students and
scientists regarding the content aligned with this CPI.
http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=110
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides
short video clips of an interview with a science education expert regarding
content associated with this CPI.
http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=1005
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides
short video clips of an interview with a science education expert regarding
student misconceptions associated with this CPI.
http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=43
Teachers’ Domain provides lesson plans and other multimedia resources
(video clips and simulations) that support this CPI.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.oate.decompose/
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/science/life_science/diversity/diversity.htm
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Organized Science Notebooks/ Science Journals
Daily and Graded Homework Assignments
Lab Investigations (controlled variables)
Teacher observation, checklists, rubrics
Student assessment rubrics (self checking / student
created / teacher created)
Lab group assessments (student created / teacher
created, student peer-to-peer feedback)
Projects / STEM Activity as determined by grade level
Project – Straw Skyscraper Structure – tested on
Earthquake Shake table (located in room 216) in
conjunction with Force Unit
Exit Tickets
Quizzes
Tests
Benchmark Assessment ( for SGO, as determined by
grade level)
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Science and Engineering Practices :
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and progresses to include constructing explanations and
designing solutions supported by multiple sources of evidence consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories.
 Construct an explanation that includes qualitative or quantitative relationships between variables that predict phenomena. (MS-LS2-2)
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Engaging in argument from evidence in 6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and progresses to constructing a convincing argument that supports or
refutes claims for either explanations or solutions about the natural and designed world(s).
 Evaluate competing design solutions based on jointly developed and agreed-upon design criteria. (MS-LS2-5)
Cross Cutting:
Patterns
 Patterns can be used to identify cause and effect relationships. (MS-LS2-2)
Stability and Change
Small changes in one part of a system might cause large changes in another part. (MS-LS2-5)
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Energy and Matter
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The transfer of energy can be tracked as energy flows through a natural system. (MSLS2-3)
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Unit Guide
Life Science – Grade 6
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Common Core State Standard Connections:
Common Core State Standard Connections:
ELA/Literacy
Mathematics
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RI.8.8 - Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced. (MS-LS2-5)
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RST.6-8.1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and
technical texts. (MS-LS2-2)
6.RP.A.3 - Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world
and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables
of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line
diagrams, or equations. (MS-LS2-5)
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RST.6-8.8 - Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research
findings, and speculation in a text. (MS-LS2-5)
6.SP.B.5 - Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their
context. (MS-LS2-2)
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MP.4 - Model with mathematics. (MS-LS2-5)
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SL.8.1 - Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one,
in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. (MS-LS2-2)
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SL.8.4 - Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused,
coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and wellchosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. (MS-LS2-2)
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WHST.6-8.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of
historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
(MS-LS2-2)
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WHST.6-8.9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis
reflection, and research. (MS-LS2-2)