CHAPTER TITLE: Living Things & Their Environment TOPIC: ECOSYSTEM DESIGNED BY: Jesselyn B.

Cristo

YEAR LEVEL: Grade VIII

TIME FRAME: 4 MEETINGS

STAGE 1- DESIRED RESULTS Content Standards (Established Goals) Performance Standard (Transfer Goals) Students should be able to: Students will be able to: identify ecological elements such as Students will appreciate the importance biotic and abiotic factors, species of respecting the all life forms and the interactions (populations and food environment and devise solutions to webs). They will analyze ecosystems for ecological problems to attain ecological these elements and determine how balance these factors influence species survival Practice their problem solving and critical rate thinking skills Gain a better of understanding of how

parts of an ecosystem work together as well as gain an appreciation of the importance of balance in the ecosystem.
Essential Understanding: Students will understand that Organisms interact with each other and their environment to meet their basic needs and survive The flow of energy is the most important factor that controls what kinds of organisms live in an ecosystem Essential Questions: How are the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystem interdependent with one another for survival? How does energy become transferred from one organism to another? What resources cycle and flow between organisms in an ecosystem? How do ecological relationships differ from each other with regard to their effect on two interacting organisms? In what ways do humans in particular affect the environment in which they live, and how does our environment affect us?

under certain conditions nature tends to remain living and nonliving things change over time
and the factors that influence the changes
Human intervention has a range of effects on natural biodiversity

the same or move toward a balance

Knowledge Students will Know the components of an ecosystem Know that for most ecosystems, the major source of energy is sunlight. Energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis. That energy then passes from organism to organism in food webs Describe the abiotic factors that influence the survival of organisms in their respective habitats Know that organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and abiotic factors Analyze the transfer of energy from one organism to another Solve ecological problems logically and scientifically

Skills Students will be able to Construct a food chain in a given ecosystem Construct a food web based on the food they ate on their recent supper Write a letter to the head of the local government unit inorder to let them know catastrophic event in their place and propose action plans in solving it

Attitude Students will be able to Appreciate the fact that everything has an important role to play in the web of life Realize the importance of respecting life and all the things that make life as we know it possible

STAGE 2- ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE Product/ Performance Criteria/ Rubrics Inorder for the students to apply their knowledge Please see attached rubric of ecosystems and the interdependence of plants and animals, they will act like real scientist in solving the ecological problem presented by the teacher. Here is the problem: After doing your recent project concerning environmental problems in provinces in northern Luzon you decided to take a vacation with your family in Puerto Gallera known to be one of amazing scuba diving sites in the country. While scuba diving with your family, you come across a fish graveyard in a very cold spot of water. There are tons of dead fish but the weird part is that they are perfectly preserved and have not rotted. You bring a few samples on shore, have them

tested at a nearby lab, and conclude that they all died at the same time - 10 years ago! What catastrophic event could have caused the massive death? Be specific! After swimming around a little more, you find more fish graveyards containing fish that died at various times throughout the last 10 years. The ocean floor is littered with dead fish bodies! What things could be missing in this ecosystem? List at least 2. As a scientist you become very interested in studying the area and in helping to solve the problem. But inorder to do so you need to write the head of the local government first to let them know of the existing problem and its probable cause and convince them to adopt you in solving it by proposing action plans to solve the problem. You will be assessed based on the content(scientific knowledge), organization, mechanics(grammar) Other Evidences Teachers observation Students participation

STAGE 3- LEARNING ACTIVITIES Day 1: Components of Ecosystem Hook: write the word ecosystem on the board - What do you think about when you hear the word Ecosystem? - document the students descriptions and strategically place them into two groups, first without headlines (living and nonliving).Then students will be asked what each group has in common - Ask students to look at the word ecosystem again. Have students focus on the second part of the word system. Ask what it might mean to look at ecosystem as a system? Discussion - Biotic and Abiotic Components of an Ecosystem - Biotic Components: a. Producers (autotrophs) and Consumers (heterotrophs) b. Consumers: -Herbivore, carnivore and omnivore -Decomposers

Abiotic Components a. Climate b. Edaphic Factors c. Topography Activity 1: Abiotic Components of an Ecosystem (please refer to the attached worksheet) - Students will prepare a summary of the abiotic components of an ecosystem by filling up the table - Students will answer the question that follow after filling up the table Essential question: Explain by giving examples: How are the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystem interdependent with one another for survival?

Day 2: Feeding Relationships among Organisms Hook: What do organisms need to sustain life? Essential question: How does energy become transferred from one organism to another? Discussion - Food Chain/ Food web - Energy Flow in the ecosystem a. Trophic levels b. Pyramid of Biomass c. Energy Pyramid Activity 2. Identifying components of food chain in an ecosystem (please refer to the
attached worksheet)

Students will read an article about Monfort Bat Cave then answer the questions that follow

Activity 3. Making food webs - Students will make a food web based on their meal in their recent supper with their family

Day 3: Ecological Relationships

Hook: Besides dependence in food, organisms in an ecosystem interact with each other. Today we will find out what other interactions occur Activity 4: Who Benefits? Who Gets Harmed? (please refer to the attached worksheet) Discussion: a. Mutualism b. Predation c. Commensalism d. Parasitism e. Competition Essential Question: How do ecological relationships differ from each other with regard to their effect on two interacting organisms? Closure: All life forms are important. Explain this statement in your own words.

Day 4: Flow of Matter and Nutrients in an Ecosystem Hook: Aside from food, what are the other materials in the environment on which organisms depend on to survive? Activity 5. Cycles of Matter (please refer to the attached worksheet) - This activity will help students recall the cyclic flow of materials in the living world - They will study a figure and recall what they have learned in their earlier science classes to answer the questions that follow Essential question: What resources cycle and flow between organisms in an ecosystem? Discussion - Carbon-Oxygen cycle - Water cycle - Nitrogen Cycle Closure: materials flow in cycles in the living world. Explain thus concept in your own word

Day 4: Ecological Balance Hook: What is meant by the phrase maintaining balance in nature? - Activity 6: Ecosystem Problem Solving - Students will apply their knowledge of ecosystems and the interdependence of plants and animals to creatively solve problems. - Inorder for the students to apply their knowledge of ecosystems and the interdependence of plants and animals, they will act like real scientist in solving the ecological problem presented by the teacher. Here is the problem: - After doing your recent project concerning environmental problems in provinces in northern Luzon you decided to take a vacation with your family in Puerto Gallera known to be one of amazing scuba diving sites in the country. While scuba diving with your family, you come across a fish graveyard in a very cold spot of water. There are tons of dead fish but the weird part is that they are perfectly preserved and have not rotted. You bring a few samples on shore, have them tested at a nearby lab, and conclude that they all died at the same time - 10 years ago! What catastrophic event could have caused the massive death? Be specific! - After swimming around a little more, you find more fish graveyards containing fish that died at various times throughout the last 10 years. The ocean floor is littered with dead fish bodies! What things could be missing in this ecosystem? List at least 2. As a scientist you become very interested in studying the area and in helping to solve the problem. But inorder to do so you need to write the head of the local government first to let them know of the existing problem and its probable cause and convince them to adopt you in solving it by proposing action plans to solve the problem.

Their work will be assessed based on the content(scientific knowledge), organization, mechanics(grammar)

Materials: Pictures and diagrams Worksheets

References: Rabago, Lilia.(2013). SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 7. Quezon City: Vibal Publishing House, Inc., pp 152-165 Rabago, Lilia.(2010). Dynamic Science: An Integration of Physical and Biological Sciences 2nd ed. Quezon City: Vibal Publishing House, Inc., Department of Education. SCIENCE: Learners Module 1st ed. (2013). Vibal Publishing House, Inc., pp 273-289 Department of Education. INTEGRATED SCIENCE (2009). Vibal Publishing House, Inc., pp 143-160

NAME:___________________ SECTION:____________ DATE: _____________ Activity 1: Abiotic Components of an Ecosystem

Prepare a summary of the abiotic components of an ecosystem by filling up the table below.

CLIMATE Factors a. b. c. d. a. b. c. d.

SOIL Factors

TOPOGRAPHY Factors a. b. c. d.

1. Cite some examples of the influences of the day-length on plant and animal behaviors.

2. How do soil factors determine the types and distribution of vegetation and consequently, of animal life?

3. Explain briefly how topography or surface relief influences the distribution of biotic communities on land.

Explain by giving examples: How are the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystem interdependent with one another for survival?

*adopted from SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY K-12 WORKSHEET

NAME:___________________ SECTION:____________ DATE: _____________ Activity 2: Identifying components of food chain in an ecosystem
Read the article about Monfort Bat Cave 1. What are the organisms found in the surrounding area of Monfort Bat Cave? List them down on the table below. PLANTS ANIMALS 2. What groups of organisms are considered as producers?

3. What part of the durian trees and other trees served as food for the bats?

4. The population of cave-dwelling bats is declining because they are being eaten by other organisms. What are these organisms that feed on bats? 5. Among the organisms that feed on bats, are there organisms that possibly feed on the predators of bats?

6. Divide the organisms into the following categories as shown in the table below. PRODUCERS 1ST ORDER CONSUMER 2ND ORDER CONSUMER

8. You have just analyzed the transfer of energy by categorizing the organisms according to their trophic level. In your own words, describe a food chain

7. Based on the Table 2. Construct a food chain with at least 3 organisms representing the producer, 1st order consumer and 2nd order consumer.
Energy from the Sun

PRODUCER

1st Order Consumer

2nd Order Consumer

NAME:___________________ SECTION:____________ DATE: _____________ Activity 3: Making Food Webs

Think of the food your family ate for supper last night. Make a food web based on your meal. Remember, your food web must have producers, consumers, and decomposers.

1. To which group of organisms do you belong?

2. Which trophic level do you occupy?

NAME:___________________ SECTION:____________ DATE: _____________ Activity 4: Who Benefits? Who Gets Harmed?
1. Study the five pictures below. In each picture a. Identify the organisms b. Look for the relationship between organisms using the symbol (+) if the organism is benefited; (-) if the organism is harmed; and (0) if the organism is not affected.

c. Lichens and tree

b. Cat and rat

a. Orchid and tree

d. Intestinal worm e. grasses

2. Present your data in a table below PICTURE A B C D E 3. What kind of relationships exists between the organisms in each picture? Organism benefited (+) Organism harmed (-) Organism not affected (0) Relationship

Rubric for Assessing Actvity 6

Criteria 1 2 3 4
Student presents Audience cannot Audience has Student presents information in understand presentation difficulty following information in logical, interesting because there is no presentation logical sequence Organization sequence which sequence of because student which audience audience can information. jumps around. can follow. follow. Student is Student Student does not have uncomfortable with demonstrates full Student is at ease grasp of information; information and is knowledge (more Content with content, but student cannot answer able to answer only than required)with Knowledge fails to elaborate. questions about subject. rudimentary explanations and questions. elaboration. Presentation has Student's presentation Presentation had no more than two Presentation has had four or more three misspellings misspellings no misspellings or Mechanics spelling errors and/or and/or grammatical and/or grammatical grammatical errors. errors. grammatical errors. errors.

Points

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