Pyramid Levels of Organization Make Pyramid Foldable and set up page!

#1 Engage: Is It…Alive?

(LEFT page, bottom half) (10 min)

A. Use i-Nigma to watch the video at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHQ5xLav518

Try to determine if the samples are

alive or not? Check your answers under the tab. Answer the following

question: What do you THINK all organisms have in common? Check

your answers on p. 450-451 (each box is an answer).

B. Look on p. 449 at pictures A-D. In your book, label which ones you think

are alive (organisms).

#2 Explore: Biotic v. Abiotic? (inside 4-flap foldable)

(15 min)

Definitions of background vocabulary: A. SPECIES – from p. 460, copy the definition

of species on the right. List an example of a species on the left.

B. BIOTIC FACTORS – from p. 480, copy the definition of biotic factors on the right. List 5 examples of biotic factors shown in Figure 2 on the left.

C. ABIOTIC FACTORS – from p. 480, copy the definition of abiotic factors on the right. List 5 examples of abiotic factors on the left.

D. NICHE – copy the following definition of niche: the job/role of an organism in an ecosystem (ex: producer, consumer, decomposer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, predator, prey, scavenger). For any of the examples, if you do not KNOW the definition, you must define them (they are ALL review from 5th).

#3 Explain: Pyramid Levels of Organization

(on pyramid foldable)

(20 min)

A. On the FIRST side: label the levels. 1 (top) – Organism 2 – Population 3 – Community 4 (bottom) – Ecosystem

B. Read/look at the pictures of each section of How Is an Ecosystem Organized? on pp. 482-3. As you read each section, on the SECOND side: copy the following bolded notes on the correct level. 1- An organism is ANY one living thing

that can grow, utilize nutrients, and reproduce

2- A population is all the same species of organisms sharing an environment.

3- A community is a group of all of the different living things (organisms) sharing an environment.

4- An ecosystem consists of all the living organisms (biotic factors) interacting with the non-living things (abiotic factors) within their environment.

Levels of Organization

C. On the THIRD side: make examples. Look at the major ecological regions in Texas on p. 487-493. 1. Pick one of the regions and draw a

picture of a typical organism from that region onto the top level. A lion is an example of an organism.

2. A population is many of the same species (kind) of organism. For example, a population of lions would consist of all the lions — not just a single pride, or family group of lions, but the multiple prides that live in a geographic area. Think of your organism interacting with others of its same kind. Draw a picture of a population of your organisms on Level 2.

3. The community of a lion population would include zebras, elephants, giraffes, grass, trees, bacteria, mushrooms, etc.; in other words, the food web that includes lions and all the living (biotic) things in their environment. Think of your population interacting with other types of organisms. Draw a picture of a community that exists within your population’s environment on Level 3 (using the text to help you).

4. An ecosystem is all living and non-living things in an environment. Abiotic (non-living) factors include air, soil, water, and sunlight. For example, the ecosystem of a lion would include zebras, cheetahs, grass, air, soil, water, sunlight. Draw a picture of your community’s ecosystem on Level 4 (using the text to help you).

#4 Group Project Elaborate/Evaluate: Make Your Own Ecosystem

(Diorama and Index Cards) (45 min)

Answers to Engage video. Sample

#

What is it? Is it…alive?

1 car No

2 sea cucumber? (animal)

Yes

3 cheetos No, but made of living things like all food

4 lamp No

5 computer disk No

6 slime mold? (fungus)

Yes?

7 virus No

8 salt No

9 diatoms (protist)

Yes