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Fall Fall
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
How do the choices we make when w eat affect the
environment?
Dayson PasionSample lesson plans and assignments for goals 5.01,
5.02, and 5.03 of the North Carolina high school biology
curriculum.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Table of ContentsIntroduction and
Background................................................5
Backward Design Learning
Plan.............................................7 Day One Lesson
Plan: Introduction to Ecology: the Ecology of
Twilight..............................................................................11
Students view segments of the film Twilight and then personally
reflect and discuss the interactions of organisms with each other
and their environment. This introduces the study of ecology with a
hook to grab students' attention. Day Two Lesson Plan: What Affects
a Tree?.........................15 Students examine the biotic and
abiotic factors that influence the life of a tree, view a
presentation, and then work in pairs on a short reading and
questions about biotic and abiotic factors of ocean zones. Day
Three Lesson Plan: Does where we live affect how we
live?...................................................................................17
Students view a clip from Blue Planet to expose them to different
biomes of Earth. Presentation is then given to students about
biomes. Students then work on a biome activity of their choice
(either postcard or song) and write a reflection for a guided
prompt. Performance
Assessment....................................................23
Performance Assessment
Rubric..........................................24 Multiple Choice
Questions...................................................26
Guided Notes for
Presentations...........................................30
Abiotic/Biotic
Worksheet.....................................................35
Biome Postcard Activity
Sheet.............................................40 Biome Rap/Song
Activity Sheet............................................41 The
Omnivores Dilemma Reading Guide..............................42 The
Omnivores Dilemma Reading Guide
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Introduction and BackgroundI picked the Ecology unit because it
is what I really most interested about and what I would most like
to teach when I am in the classroom. According to the North
Carolina Biology Support Document, the recommendation is to spend
14 days on this unit (in a block schedule). Therefore I have
designed my lesson plans over the 14-day period.
Before the Unit Actually StartsI recently came across Michael
Pollans The Omnivores Dilemma: the Secrets behind What you Eat. It
was just published this past October. I read the original version
last year and loved it. I always knew that I wanted to incorporate
it into the classroom somehow but thought that the reading may be
too intensive. The book was written with 9 12 years old in mind.
With this new development I knew that I had to incorporate this
book! Because it is quite a long read it will take some time to
read outside of the classroom. I want to introduce this book two
weeks before the unit actually starts. The reading schedule will be
as follows: Week One: pages 1 107 Week Two: pages 108 202 Week
Three: pages 203 298 Week three will be the first week of the unit,
which will mean that by week two of the unit, the book will be
completed and students will be able to incorporate it into lessons
of section 5.02 (food webs and energy pyramids) and 5.03 (human
impacts on the environment). I will have the students write
reflections in their dialogue journals after reading the sections
for the first two weeks. Once the unit begins I will be able to
incorporate what they have been reading into the lessons as well as
continuing to have the students write reflections after reading the
last section. For the performance assessment of the unit I want to
have each student write a letter to administration or the school
board (some type of authority) as well as develop a presentation
(in groups) for the same audience. This letter and presentation
will address how the school could adopt strategies to reduce their
impact on the environment via what choices they make for school
food programs.
Dialogue JournalsIn this unit, as well as the others that I plan
to teach. I want to incorporate the use of dialogue journals. These
journals will be an aide in gauging students progress in the class
as well as gauging their interest in the subject matter. Entries in
the journals will be expected quite frequently. Students will be
free to discuss anything relevant to the current topic that is
being presented in class but will be highly encouraged to discuss
relationships that they see in other units, problems they are
having in my class or other classes, and anything personal they are
willing to share. This aide also helps with students who are
classified as ELL students since this will give them an opportunity
to practice their writing and comprehension skills without the fear
of being graded negatively for spelling or grammar errors. Since
this is a dialogue journal the teacher will have an active role in
each students journal. By providing feedback, thoughtful insights,
answers to
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questions that a student may have, or questions that they have
of the student the teacher will create an ongoing dialogue that
will reinforce their commitment to the student. The dialogue
journal is also being used to strengthen the students scientific
literacy. The dialogue journal is intended to bolster the students
grades and will carry a high weight in grading when in comes to
semester and final grades.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Timeline of UnitDriving Questions: How do the choices of what we
eat affect the world around us? (5.01, 5.02, and 5.03) Unit 5 Da
Lesson Plan y 5.01 1 What is ecology? An introduction to ecology:
the ecology of Twilight 2 What affects the life of a tree? Abiotic
and biotic factors 3 Does where we live affect how we live? Biomes
4 What limits the size of populations? Populations/Limiting
Factors/Carrying Capacity 5 What lives right outside of our school?
Lab activity: Species Richness/ Biodiversity of campus. 6 How do
organisms interact with each other? Symbiosis 5.02 7 How do
organisms interact with each other? Food chains/webs/energy
pyramids 8 How do organisms interact with each other? Keystone
species 9 How do organisms interact with each other and the
environment? Carbon/Nitrogen/Water Cycle 5.03 10 Omnivores Dilemma
and the Effect of Humans on the Environment: How do the choices of
what we eat affect the world around us? Film viewing of Food, Inc.
11 Omnivores Dilemma and the Effect of Humans on the Environment:
How do the choices of what we eat affect the world around us? Round
table discussion of The Omnivores Dilemma and Food, Inc. 12
Omnivores Dilemma and the Effect of Humans on the Environment: How
do the choices of what we eat affect the world around us?
Presentation 13 Review 14 Exam *I do not be providing specific
lesson plans for after day three. For the last part of the unit I
want to shape the lessons as a round table/discussion lesson.
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Backward Design Learning PlanRelevant Curricular GoalsSCOS
Objective: 1. 5.01 Investigate and analyze the interrelationships
among organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems.
-Techniques of field ecology, abiotic and biotic factors, and
carrying capacity. From the Biology Support Document: -Students
should be able to identify and describe symbiotic relationships
-Mutualism -Commensalism -Parasitism -Students should be able to
identify and predict patterns in Predator /prey relationships. -Use
field ecology techniques such as sampling and quadrant studies to
determine species diversity and changes over time. -Explain how
abiotic and biotic factors are related to one another and their
importance in ecosystems. -Analyze how limiting factors influence
carrying capacity (e.g. food availability, competition, harsh
winter). -Interpret population growth graphs. 2. 5.02 Analyze the
flow of energy and the cycling of matter in the ecosystem.
-Relationship of the carbon cycle to photosynthesis and
respiration. -Trophic levels-direction and efficiency of energy
transfer. From the Biology Support Document: -Investigate the
carbon cycle as it relates to photosynthesis and respiration.
-Analyze food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids for direction
and efficiency of energy transfer.
Benchmark Goals (from Project 2061):1. Ecosystems can be
reasonably stable over hundreds or thousands of years. As any
population grows, its size is limited by one or more environmental
factors: availability of food, availability of nesting sites, or
number of predators. 2. If a disturbance such as flood, fire, or
the addition or loss of species occurs, the affected ecosystem may
return to a system similar to the original one, or it may take a
new direction, leading to a very different type of ecosystem.
Changes in climate can produce very large changes in ecosystems. 3.
At times, environmental conditions are such that land and marine
organisms reproduce and grow faster than they die and decompose to
simple carbon containing molecules that are returned to the
environment. Over time, layers of energy-rich organic material
inside the earth have been chemically changed into great coal beds
and oil pools. 4. The chemical elements that make up the molecules
of living things pass through food webs and are combined and
recombined in different ways. At each link in a food web, some
energy is stored in newly made structures but much is dissipated
into the environment. Continual input of energy from sunlight keeps
the process going.
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5. Although the earth has a great capacity to absorb and recycle
materials naturally, ecosystems have only a finite capacity to
withstand change without experiencing major ecological alterations
that may also have adverse effects on human activities.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Curriculum Learning Goals:Biology Big Ideas1. Life is dependent
on other life and the environment. a. All carbon-containing biomass
is created from CO2. b. Organisms and the environment modify each
other. c. Life works in cycles. d. Life recycles everything it
uses. 2. Biological systems obey the laws of chemistry and physics.
3. Structural complexity and information content are built up by
combining simpler subunits into multiple complex combinations. 4.
Understanding biological systems requires both reductionist and
holistic thinking because novel properties emerge as simpler units
assemble into more complex structures. 5. Populations of species
interact with one another and the environment to form
interdependent ecosystems with flow of energy and materials between
multiple levels.
Topic-Big Idea Connections1. Relationships among species are
ordered from organism > species > population > community
> ecosystems > biosphere (Biology Big Idea 3,4). 2. The
environment effects how an organism lives (BBI 1b). 3. Some
organisms play specific roles in their environment (BBI 1b) 4. Some
organisms may form symbiotic relationships with another (BBI 1b).
5. Size of populations may be limited by one or more environmental
factors (BBI 1b, 5). 6. Energy and matter flow through organisms
and the environment (BBI 1c, 1d, 2, 4, 5). 7. Producers are the
base of all food chains and webs. The energy and matter produced
from this level of organism will flow through the entire chain/web
(BBI 1a, 1c, 1d, 2, 4, 5). 8. Carbon cycles from the environment
through organisms back to the environment (BB1 1a, 1c, 1d, 2, 4,
5). 9. Ecosystems can change over time.
Understandings & Knowledge:Essential Terms: Abiotic
Factors/Biotic Factors Biosphere/Biome
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Carnivore/Herbivore/Omnivore/ Decomposer Carrying
Capacity/Limiting Factor Community/Ecosystem Competition Ecological
Succession Emigration/Immigration Extinct/Endangered Essential
Understandings:
Food Web/Food Chain Habitat/Niche Keystone Species
Organism/Species/Population Predation
Symbiosis/Mutualism/Parasitism/ Commensalism
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
1. Carbon found in organisms comes from CO2 in environment.
2. Energy for life comes from the Sun. The energy then flows
from organism to organism but most of the energy is lost to the
environment. 3. Abiotic factors are non-living conditions that can
affect organisms. Biotic factors are living (or once living)
organisms that affect other organisms. 4. Life can be organized
beyond organism. It is organized from least complex too more
complex: species, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere.
5. Stresses from the environment and other organisms can affect the
size of populations. 6. Ecosystems can change over time and have a
predictable pattern. 7. Organisms can have a dramatic role in their
environment. 8. Organisms will compete for the same resources. 9.
Interrelationships among organisms exist. Essential Skills: 1. Use
field ecology techniques such as sampling and quadrant studies. 2.
Interpret food chains, food webs, and trophic levels. 3. Interpret
population graphs.
Questions & ConnectionsDriving Questions: 1. How do the food
choices we make affect the environment? a. How does the non-living
world affect the living one? b. What affects do organisms have on
each other? What misunderstandings are predictable (from Project
2061): 1. Students may not be able to distinguish between abiotic
and biotic factors, as there observation of the living and
nonliving are based on evident observations. 2. High populations of
an organism can be explained by a high demand of the predator to
require more of the organism. 3. Organism can adapt their bodies to
fit into a certain habitat or may be able to move to another
habitat once their environment has been changed. 4. Food is
substance taken directly from the environment. Food is required for
growth (rather, food provides materials needed for growth).
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5. The living environment and non-living environment do not
share substances. They are not made of the same elements. 6. Plants
absorb their food from the soil. 7. When organisms decay they
simply rot away into the environment and end up as dirt. 8. Matter
is created and destroyed between organisms rather than
transformed.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Day One Lesson Plan: Introduction to Ecology: the Ecology of
TwilightAbstract: With this lesson plan I intend to introduce the
concepts of ecology to the students. This lesson uses a current pop
culture phenomenon to lure the students into the lesson and make
them interested. Students will then reflect about what they saw
using guided questions that will be provided to them. They will
then share their thoughts in groups and then again as a class.
Students will then briefly reflect on the class discussion.
Reflections will be collected to observe students understanding and
discover any questions or misconceptions. Students will also
participate in a brief lecture on ecology and ecological
organization. Students will also be given the assignment and rubric
for the unit performance task. North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science 2005 Grade 9-12 Biology Goal 1 1.01 Identify biological
problems and questions that can be answered through scientific
investigations. 1.03 Formulate and revise scientific explanations
and models of biological phenomena using logic and evidence to:
-Explain observations -Make inferences and predictions -Explain the
relationship between evidence and explanation. Goal 5 5.01
Investigate analyze the interrelationships among organism,
populations, communities and ecosystems. 5.02 Analyze the flow of
energy and the cycling of matter in the ecosystem. 5.03 Assess
human population and its impact on local ecosystems and global
environments. Lesson: Introduction script for teacher to students:
Just like the Cullens in the Twilight series must chose between
drinking human blood or animal blood, we too must make daily
choices when we decide what foods we eat. Over the next few weeks
we will be taking a closer look at the realm of ecology. We will
learn about different locations of the world, influences of the
environment, relationships among organisms, and ultimately how we,
as humans in the natural world, affect our planet. Some of the
issues we discuss may cause you to ask yourself difficult
questions. So today we are going to watch a few scenes from
Twilight. While watching I want you to play close attention to the
natural environment. Watch selected scenes of Twilight. These clips
will showcase the climate of Forks, Washington as well as show
contrasting images of the Phoenix, Arizona climate. (Around 15
minutes)
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clip: End 5th clip: End 6th clip: End
Start time: Start time: Start time: Start time: Start time:
Start time:
time: 0:00 3:25 time: 15:10 18:40 time: 49:35 50:57 time: 58:50
1:00:22 time: 1:09:30 1:10:50 time: 1:31:13 1:32:25
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
After the students have watched the scenes, have students write
a response in their dialogue journals using the following prompt.
While students are writing, play slide show of images of Arizona
and Washington. (Around 25 minutes) Prompt: When Bella travels from
Phoenix, AZ to Forks, WA what do you notice? Describe Forks. What
is different about the natural environment? What is similar? How do
these two locales compare to where you live? Would you like to
visit here, why or why not? Students will then work in groups to
discuss ideas that they had while they were writing in their
dialogue journals, revisiting the guiding questions presented to
them earlier. (Around 20 minutes) Students will then, as groups,
discuss their findings to the class. As the class discusses the
guiding questions write down ideas and questions that students
have. Students will then write a brief reflection about the class
discussion, new discoveries, new questions, etc. During this time
the teacher will facilitate the discussion making sure that by the
end students can define ecology. Collect dialogue journals in order
to incorporate and address any questions or misconceptions that the
students have throughout the unit. Teacher will review each entry
in the dialogue journal in order to gauge each students progress
and need for differentiation. While teacher reviews the dialogue
journals, they will create of repeating questions and
misconceptions that can be referenced throughout the unit. (Around
30 minutes) Likely Student Outcomes: My hope is for students to be
able to describe differences and similarities of the two biomes
that they encounter in the video. Students should be able to see
the obvious climate differences between Arizona, Washington and
North Carolina. After the reflection, group work and guided
discussion students should be able to form the idea that the
climate of the region determines the type of organisms they will
encounter. Students should also note that the climate limits what
is available to survive in the location. Students should be able to
express their ideas about what they have seen freely and
confidently after having a chance to personally reflect on the
questions and working in groups. Specifically students should
recognize the vastly different climates between Arizona and
Washington. Arizona is a hot and dry desert while the Olympic
Peninsula is a temperate coniferous rainforest. Students should
also infer that organisms of each environment are well suited for
the climate that they live in. Background Science Information:
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This lesson mainly focuses on the general ideas of ecology, most
notably how organisms interact with their environment and how the
environment interacts with organisms. The lesson also touches on
how humans specifically affect the environment. This lesson also
focuses on the biomes of the Pacific Northwest and Southwest North
American desert. Desert: Deserts cover about one fifth of the
Earth's surface and occur where rainfall is less than 50 cm/year.
Although most deserts, such as the Sahara of North Africa and the
deserts of the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Australia, occur at
low latitudes, another kind of desert, cold deserts, occur in the
basin and range area of Utah and Nevada and in parts of western
Asia. Desert biomes can be classified according to several
characteristics. There are four major types of deserts: Hot and
Dry: The seasons are generally warm throughout the year and very
hot in the summer. The winters usually bring little rainfall.
Temperatures exhibit daily extremes because the atmosphere contains
little humidity to block the Sun's rays. Desert surfaces receive a
little more than twice the solar radiation received by humid
regions and lose almost twice as much heat at night. Many mean
annual temperatures range from 20-25 C. The extreme maximum ranges
from 43.5-49 C. Minimum temperatures sometimes drop to -18 C.
Rainfall is usually very low and/or concentrated in short bursts
between long rainless periods. Evaporation rates regularly exceed
rainfall rates. Sometimes rain starts falling and evaporates before
reaching the ground. Rainfall is lowest on the Atacama Desert of
Chile, where it averages less than 1.5 cm. Some years are even
rainless. Inland Sahara also receives less than 1.5 cm a year.
Rainfall in American deserts is higher almost 28 cm a year. Soils
are coursetextured, shallow, rocky or gravely with good drainage
and have no subsurface water. They are coarse because there is less
chemical weathering. The finer dust and sand particles are blown
elsewhere, leaving heavier pieces behind. Forest: Present-day
forest biomes, biological communities that are dominated by trees
and other woody vegetation, can be classified according to numerous
characteristics, with seasonality being the most widely used.
Distinct forest types also occur within each of these broad groups.
There are three major types of forests, classed according to
latitude: Temperate: Temperate forests occur in eastern North
America, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe.
Well-defined seasons with a distinct winter characterize this
forest biome. Moderate climate and a growing season of 140-200 days
during 4-6 frost-free months distinguish temperate forests. Further
subdivisions of this group are determined by seasonal distribution
of rainfall: temperate coniferous: mild winters, high annual
precipitation (greater than 2000 mm). temperate broad-leaved
rainforests: mild, frost-free winters, high precipitation (more
than 1500 mm) evenly distributed throughout the year. Deforestation
is of major concern in both the forests of North Carolina and
Washington. While most old growth forests are gone from North
Carolina more remain in Washington. Forestry is one of the largest
components of the Pacific Northwest economy. In Arizona urban
sprawl continues to grow forcing residents to find more sources of
a very limited resource: water. The Colorado River is the main
source of water for residents of Phoenix. Comparisons can be made
to the Columbia River of the Pacific Northwest.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Day Two Lesson Plan: What Affects a Tree?Abstract: Teacher will
take students on a walk on the school grounds. Lead students to a
pre-selected tree. Hold a discussion around tree asking students
what affects how the tree grows? On a piece of poster board, start
listing items that the students have said grouping items into
biotic factors, abiotic factors and misconceptions. Hang the poster
board with listings and refer back to it during instruction of
biotic and abiotic factors. Once back in class students will
participate in presentation of abiotic and biotic factors. North
Carolina Curriculum Alignment Science 2005 Grade 9-12 Biology Goal
1 1.1 Identify biological problems and questions that can be
answered through scientific investigations. Goal 5 5.01 Investigate
analyze the interrelationships among organism, populations,
communities and ecosystems. Lesson: Teacher will take students to a
tree on the campus of the school. Students will not need any
personal items. Materials for this lesson are three poster flip
boards and markers. Have students sit in a circle around the tree
so that they are able to hear and see everyone. The teacher will
also be part of the circle. The teacher will open with the
question: What does this tree experience every day? This should
start the discussion. Other questions to focus the discussion can
include but are not limited to: How does the tree grow? What does
the tree need to survive? Does anything live on or in the tree?
Does it matter where the tree is located? Etc. The teacher will
then write answers down on the flip boards. Each flip board will
hold a certain category of words. One flip board will be abiotic
factors, the second will be biotic factors and the last flip board
will be common misconceptions. These boards should not be labeled
yet. They should be completely blank when the discussion begins.
Once the boards are filled up or the teacher deems that enough
ideas have been presented. The teacher will than ask about flip
board one: What do all these ideas have in common? The teacher will
do the same with the second board. The teacher will guide the
students so that they see the connection for board one is that they
are nonliving and that the second board is living. Once students
see this the teacher will then label board one abiotic and board
two biotic. The teacher will save board three for the presentation
in the latter part of class. Students will than go back to the
classroom. (40 minutes) Once in the classroom, students will view a
presentation with a guided note handout. The presentation will go
over biotic and abiotic factors with a focus on the rocky
intertidal (to tie back into one of the biomes from the previous
days lesson). (25 minutes) After the presentation students will
then work in pairs on a formative assessment that will measure the
students understanding of biotic and abiotic factors. Teacher will
assign pairs and hand out the abiotic and biotic worksheet. The
worksheet comes from the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and will
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work as a great segue between lesson two and lesson three.
Students will work together in order to complete the assessment and
then turn in at the end of class. The teacher will walk throughout
the classroom and gauge the students understanding based on the
pairs discussions. (25 minutes)
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Likely Student Outcomes: Students should actively participate
during the discussion. Examples of ideas for biotic factors may
include: competition from other organisms, symbiotic relationships,
organisms living in or on the tree, etc. Examples of ideas for
abiotic factors may include: sun, water, location of tree, minerals
in soil, wind, weather, etc. Students may have a hard time
understanding that soil is a mixture of both biotic and abiotic
factors since it consists of both organic and inorganic compounds.
After the presentation students should have a better grasp on the
information and should be able to complete the worksheet with
minimal help. Background Science Information: Abiotic factors are
influences in the environment on an organism that are inorganic or
never living. Biotic factors are influences in the environment on
an organism that are organic or living/once living. An organisms
niche is influenced by biotic and abiotic factors, doing so the
organism plays a specific role in the environment.
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Day Three Lesson Plan: Does where we live affect how we
live?Abstract: Students will watch a video (to be determined either
BBC Earths Blue Planet of Planet Earth) that showcases some of the
worlds biomes. Through the use of a presentation, the teacher will
introduce the class to concepts of biomes. The teacher will also
showcase how and why organisms live in certain biomes. After the
lecture students will then work individually on the biome postcard
project or can work in pairs on and make a biome rap/song. North
Carolina Curriculum Alignment Science 2005 Grade 9-12 Biology Goal
1 1.03 Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models of
biological phenomena using logic and evidence to: -Explain
observations -Make inferences and predictions -Explain the
relationship between evidence and explanation. Goal 5 5.01
Investigate analyze the interrelationships among organism,
populations, communities and ecosystems. 5.03 Assess human
population and its impact on local ecosystems and global
environments. Lesson: Students will watch BBC Earth production
video for 20 minutes. Using the film Blue Planet: Tidal Seas
students will be introduced to various intertidal biomes of the
worlds oceans. Since most students have not traveled the world and
school funds are limited to do so, biomes will be brought to
students. In the video students should pay attention to how
different each location is and how organisms adjust to the tides.
(20 minutes) Start time: End time: 7:50 27:50
Presentation of biomes will be given to students that will
define what a biome is and go through the major earth biomes as
well as other interesting biomes. Time will be equally divided
between aquatic and terrestrial biomes. (30 minutes) Students will
then use the remainder of the class time to either work
individually on creating a biome postcard or they can choose to
work in pairs in order to create a biome rap/song. Teacher will
provide examples of both. (40 minutes) To be done outside of class:
Students will then be asked to reflect using knowledge that they
received today in class and from reading The Omnivores Dilemma for
Kids: the Secret Behind What You Eat. Students can
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expand their reflection to include other topics but the must
answer the following prompt: What are the consequences of using
biomes that foster a great diversity of life in order to produce
food for you or the food you eat? For example, what do you think
happens when rainforests are cleared for growing soybeans or
raising cattle?
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Likely Student Outcomes: Students may not understand that
climate affects the living environment in a region. Likely
questions may pertain to why there are so many types of forests or
why some biomes seem to overlap. Students will work on either the
Biome Postcard assessment or the Biome Rap/Song assessment. Each
assessment will require knowledge of biomes in order to be
completed correctly. The reflection in the journal will draw
conclusions on how humans have affected the environment.
Specifically, how human agriculture and industry have change the
landscapes of biomes. Background Science Information: A biome is a
specific geographic area with common organisms and climatic
conditions, defined by specific communities. Terrestrial Biomes
Forest: Present-day forest biomes, biological communities that are
dominated by trees and other woody vegetation, can be classified
according to numerous characteristics, with seasonality being the
most widely used. Distinct forest types also occur within each of
these broad groups. There are three major types of forests, classed
according to latitude: Tropical: Tropical forests are characterized
by the greatest diversity of species. They occur near the equator,
within the area bounded by latitudes 23.5 degrees N and 23.5
degrees S. One of the major characteristics of tropical forests is
their distinct seasonality: winter is absent, and only two seasons
are present (rainy and dry). The length of daylight is 12 hours and
varies little. Further subdivisions of this group are determined by
seasonal distribution of rainfall: evergreen rainforest: no dry
season. seasonal rainforest: short dry period in a very wet
tropical region (the forest exhibits definite seasonal changes as
trees undergo developmental changes simultaneously, but the general
character of vegetation remains the same as in evergreen
rainforests). semi evergreen forest: longer dry season (the upper
tree story consists of deciduous trees, while the lower story is
still evergreen). moist/dry deciduous forest (monsoon): the length
of the dry season increases further as rainfall decreases (all
trees are deciduous). Temperate: Temperate forests occur in eastern
North America, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe.
Well-defined seasons with a distinct winter characterize this
forest biome. Moderate climate and a growing season of 140-200 days
during 4-6 frost-free months distinguish temperate forests. Further
subdivisions of this group are determined by seasonal distribution
of rainfall: moist conifer and evergreen broad-leaved forests: wet
winters and dry summers (rainfall is concentrated in the winter
months and winters are relatively mild). dry conifer forests:
dominate higher elevation zones; low precipitation. Mediterranean
forests: precipitation is concentrated in winter, less than 1000 mm
per year. temperate coniferous: mild winters, high annual
precipitation (greater than 2000 mm).
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rainforests: mild, frost-free winters, highprecipitation (more than
1500 mm) evenly distributed throughout the year. Boreal (Taiga):
Boreal forests, or taiga, represent the largest terrestrial biome.
Occurring between 50 and 60 degrees north latitudes, boreal forests
can be found in the broad belt of Eurasia and North America:
two-thirds in Siberia with the rest in Scandinavia, Alaska, and
Canada. Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm
summers and long, cold, and dry winters. The length of the growing
season in boreal forests is 130 days.
Grassland: Grasslands are characterized as lands dominated by
grasses rather than large shrubs or trees. There are two main
divisions of grasslands: Tropical (Savannas): Savanna is grassland
with scattered individual trees. Savannas of one sort or another
cover almost half the surface of Africa (about five million square
miles, generally central Africa) and large areas of Australia,
South America, and India. Climate is the most important factor in
creating a savanna. Savannas are always found in warm or hot
climates where the annual rainfall is from about 50.8 to 127 cm
(20-50 inches) per year. It is crucial that the rainfall is
concentrated in six or eight months of the year, followed by a long
period of drought when fires can occur. Savanna has both a dry and
a rainy season. Seasonal fires play a vital role in the savanna's
biodiversity. Temperate: Temperate grasslands are characterized as
having grasses as the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs
are absent. Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the
amount of rainfall is less in temperate grasslands than in
savannas. The major manifestations are the veldts of South Africa,
the puszta of Hungary, the pampas of Argentina and Uruguay, the
steppes of the former Soviet Union, and the plains and prairies of
central North America. Temperate grasslands have hot summers and
cold winters. Rainfall is moderate. The amount of annual rainfall
influences the height of grassland vegetation, with taller grasses
in wetter regions. As in the savanna, seasonal drought and
occasional fires are very important to biodiversity. However, their
effects aren't as dramatic in temperate grasslands as they are in
savannas. The soil of the temperate grasslands is deep and dark,
with fertile upper layers. It is nutrient-rich from the growth and
decay of deep, many-branched grass roots. The rotted roots hold the
soil together and provide a food source for living plants. Each
different species of grass grows best in a particular grassland
environment (determined by temperature, rainfall, and soil
conditions). The seasonal drought, occasional fires, and grazing by
large mammals all prevent woody shrubs and trees from invading and
becoming established. However, a few trees, such as cottonwoods,
oaks, and willows grow in river valleys, and some nonwoody plants,
specifically a few hundred species of flowers, grow among the
grasses. Precipitation in the temperate grasslands usually occurs
in the late spring and early summer. The annual average is about
50.8 to 88.9 cm (20-35 inches). The temperature range is very large
over the course of the year. Summer temperatures can be well over
38 C (100 degrees Fahrenheit), while winter temperatures can be as
low as -40 C (-40 degrees Fahrenheit). Temperate grasslands can be
further subdivided. Prairies are grasslands with tall grasses while
steppes are grasslands with short grasses. Prairie and steppes are
somewhat similar but the information given above pertains
specifically to prairies the following is a specific description of
steppes. Steppes are dry areas of grassland with hot summers and
cold winters. They receive 25.4-50.8 cm (10-20 inches) of rainfall
a year. Steppes
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occur in the interiors of North America and Europe. Plants
growing in steppes are usually greater than 1 foot tall.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Desert: Deserts cover about one fifth of the Earth's surface and
occur where rainfall is less than 50 cm/year. Although most
deserts, such as the Sahara of North Africa and the deserts of the
southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Australia, occur at low latitudes,
another kind of desert, cold deserts, occur in the basin and range
area of Utah and Nevada and in parts of western Asia. Desert biomes
can be classified according to several characteristics. There are
four major types of deserts: Hot and Dry: The seasons are generally
warm throughout the year and very hot in the summer. The winters
usually bring little rainfall. Temperatures exhibit daily extremes
because the atmosphere contains little humidity to block the Sun's
rays. Desert surfaces receive a little more than twice the solar
radiation received by humid regions and lose almost twice as much
heat at night. Many mean annual temperatures range from 20-25 C.
The extreme maximum ranges from 43.5-49 C. Minimum temperatures
sometimes drop to -18 C. Rainfall is usually very low and/or
concentrated in short bursts between long rainless periods.
Evaporation rates regularly exceed rainfall rates. Sometimes rain
starts falling and evaporates before reaching the ground. Rainfall
is lowest on the Atacama Desert of Chile, where it averages less
than 1.5 cm. Some years are even rainless. Inland Sahara also
receives less than 1.5 cm a year. Rainfall in American deserts is
higher almost 28 cm a year. Soils are course-textured, shallow,
rocky or gravely with good drainage and have no subsurface water.
They are coarse because there is less chemical weathering. The
finer dust and sand particles are blown elsewhere, leaving heavier
pieces behind. Semiarid: The summers are moderately long and dry,
and like hot deserts, the winters normally bring low concentrations
of rainfall. Summer temperatures usually average between 21-27 C.
It normally does not go above 38 C and evening temperatures are
cool, at around 10 C. Cool nights help both plants and animals by
reducing moisture loss from transpiration, sweating and breathing.
Furthermore, condensation of dew caused by night cooling may equal
or exceed the rainfall received by some deserts. As in the hot
desert, rainfall is often very low and/or concentrated. The average
rainfall ranges from 2-4 cm annually. The soil can range from sandy
and fine-textured to loose rock fragments, gravel or sand. Coastal:
The cool winters of coastal deserts are followed by moderately
long, warm summers. The average summer temperature ranges from
13-24 C; winter temperatures are 5 C or below. The maximum annual
temperature is about 35 C and the minimum is about -4 C. In Chile,
the temperature ranges from -2 to 5 C in July and 21-25 C in
January. The average rainfall measures 8-13 cm in many areas. The
maximum annual precipitation over a long period of years has been
37 cm with a minimum of 5 cm. The soil is fine-textured with a
moderate salt content. It is fairly porous with good drainage.
Cold: These deserts are characterized by cold winters with snowfall
and high overall rainfall throughout the winter and occasionally
over the summer. They occur in the Antarctic, Greenland and the
Nearctic realm. They have short, moist, and moderately warm summers
with fairly long, cold winters. The mean winter temperature is
between -2 to 4 C and the mean summer temperature is between 21-26
C. The winters receive quite a bit of snow. The mean annual
precipitation ranges from 15-26 cm. Annual precipitation has
reached a maximum of 46 cm and a minimum of 9 cm. The heaviest
rainfall of the spring is usually in April or May. In some areas,
rainfall can be heavy in autumn. The soil is heavy, silty, and
salty. It contains alluvial
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fans where soil is relatively porous and drainage is good so
that most of the salt has been leached out.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Tundra: Extremely cold climate, Low biotic diversity, Simple
vegetation structure, Limitation of drainage, Short season of
growth and reproduction, Energy and nutrients in the form of dead
organic material, Large population oscillations Arctic: Arctic
tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the North
Pole and extending south to the coniferous forests of the taiga.
The arctic is known for its cold, desert-like conditions. The
growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days. The average winter
temperature is -34 C (-30 F), but the average summer temperature is
3-12 C (37-54 F) which enables this biome to sustain life. Rainfall
may vary in different regions of the arctic. Yearly precipitation,
including melting snow, is 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches). Soil is
formed slowly. A layer of permanently frozen subsoil called
permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel and finer material.
When water saturates the upper surface, bogs and ponds may form,
providing moisture for plants. There are no deep root systems in
the vegetation of the arctic tundra; however, there are still a
wide variety of plants that are able to resist the cold climate.
Alpine: Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world
at high altitude where trees cannot grow. The growing season is
approximately 180 days. The nighttime temperature is usually below
freezing. Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well
drained. Aquatic Biomes: Marine: Marine regions cover about
three-fourths of the Earth's surface and include oceans, coral
reefs, and estuaries. Estuary: Estuaries are areas where freshwater
streams or rivers merge with the ocean. This mixing of waters with
such different salt concentrations creates a very interesting and
unique ecosystem. Coral Reef: Coral reefs are widely distributed in
warm shallow waters. They can be found as barriers along continents
(e.g., the Great Barrier Reef off Australia), fringing islands, and
atolls. Naturally, the dominant organisms in coral reefs are
corals. Corals are interesting since they consist of both algae
(zooanthellae) and tissues of animal polyp. Since reef waters tend
to be nutritionally poor, corals obtain nutrients through the algae
via photosynthesis and also by extending tentacles to obtain
plankton from the water. Ocean: The largest of all the ecosystems,
oceans are very large bodies of water that dominate the Earth's
surface. Like ponds and lakes, the ocean regions are separated into
separate zones Intertidal: The intertidal zone is where the ocean
meets the land sometimes it is submerged and at other times
exposed, as waves and tides come in and out. Because of this, the
communities are constantly changing. On rocky coasts, the zone is
stratified vertically. The intertidal zone on sandier shores is not
as stratified as in the rocky areas. Waves keep mud and sand
constantly moving. Benthic: The benthic zone is the area below the
pelagic zone, but does not include the very deepest parts of the
ocean (see abyssal zone below). The bottom of the zone consists of
sand, slit, and/or dead organisms. Here temperature decreases as
depth increases toward the abyssal zone, since light cannot
penetrate through the deeper water. Pelagic: The pelagic zone
includes those waters further from the land, basically the open
ocean. The pelagic zone is generally cold though it is hard to give
a general temperature range since, just like ponds
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and lakes, there is thermal stratification with a constant
mixing of warm and cold ocean currents. Abyssal: The deep ocean is
the abyssal zone. The water in this region is very cold (around 3
C), highly pressured, high in oxygen content, but low in
nutritional content. The abyssal zone supports many species of
invertebrates and fishes. Mid-ocean ridges (spreading zones between
tectonic plates), often with hydrothermal vents, are found in the
abyssal zones along the ocean floors. Chemosynthetic bacteria
thrive near these vents because of the large amounts of hydrogen
sulfide and other minerals they emit. These bacteria are thus the
start of the food web as invertebrates and fishes eat them.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Freshwater: Freshwater is defined as having a low salt
concentration usually less than 1%. Ponds & Lakes: Lakes and
ponds are divided into three different zones which are usually
determined by depth and distance from the shoreline. The topmost
zone near the shore of a lake or pond is the littoral zone. This
zone is the warmest since it is shallow and can absorb more of the
Sun's heat. It sustains a fairly diverse community. The
near-surface open water surrounded by the littoral zone is the
limnetic zone. The limnetic zone is well-lighted (like the littoral
zone). The deep-water part of the lake/pond is the profundal zone.
This zone is much colder and denser than the other two. Little
light penetrates all the way through the limnetic zone into the
profundal zone. Temperature varies in ponds and lakes seasonally.
During the summer, the temperature can range from 4 C near the
bottom to 22 C at the top. During the winter, the temperature at
the bottom can be 4 C while the top is 0 C (ice). In between the
two layers, there is a narrow zone called the thermocline where the
temperature of the water changes rapidly. During the spring and
fall seasons, there is a mixing of the top and bottom layers,
usually due to winds, which results in a uniform water temperature
of around 4 C. This mixing also circulates oxygen throughout the
lake. Of course there are many lakes and ponds that do not freeze
during the winter, thus the top layer would be a little warmer.
Streams & Rivers: These are bodies of flowing water moving in
one direction. Streams and rivers can be found everywhere they get
their starts at headwaters, which may be springs, snowmelt or even
lakes, and then travel all the way to their mouths, usually another
water channel or the ocean. The characteristics of a river or
stream change during the journey from the source to the mouth. The
temperature is cooler at the source than it is at the mouth. The
water is also clearer and has higher oxygen levels. Towards the
middle part of the stream/river, the width increases, as does
species diversity. Toward the mouth of the river/stream, the water
becomes murky from all the sediments that it has picked up
upstream, decreasing the amount of light that can penetrate through
the water. Since there is less light, there is less diversity of
flora, and because of the lower oxygen levels, fish that require
less oxygen, such as catfish and carp, can be found. Wetlands:
Wetlands are areas of standing water that support aquatic plants.
Marshes, swamps, and bogs are all considered wetlands. Wetlands are
not just freshwater biomes but can include salt marshes as
well.
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Performance AssessmentFor the performance assessment of this
unit you will be asked to incorporate the information you learned
in class, The Omnivores Dilemma, and any other outside research
that you do into a letter and presentation project. For this
project you will work with your laboratory partner. There are two
final products that you will produce letters (there will be two
letters, one from each of you) and a presentation. As a pair, your
assignment is to write a letter a produce a presentation that
advocates for incorporating local and sustainable foods into our
school lunch program. You may address the letter to any level of
authority in the education system (principal, superintendent,
school board, up to the United Stated Department of Education). You
will then summarize the points of your letter and form a
presentation to argue your stance. Each pair must find a unique way
to present their information; some examples include: child
nutrition, obesity, animal welfare, workers rights, global warming,
food contamination, nutrient pollution, etc. The objective of this
assessment is to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of
ecological concepts in the context of a personal narrative.
Components of letter: Must be properly addressed and in MLA format.
Must be two pages in length. Argues for the use of local and
sustainable foods in the school lunch program, through an issue
that affects the local community. Must support the argument in
order to persuade the audience. Must have four or more
peer-reviewed sources with proper citation including a
bibliography. Must include an honor pledge. Components of
presentation: Should be between four to six minutes long. Should
include visual aids (poster board, PowerPoint presentation, props,
etc.) that assist in persuading the audience. Should summarize the
main points of you letter. A suggestion for you and your partner;
when thinking of an issue that you will be writing about you should
pick issues that match or that closely related. For example, if one
of you chose that you would like to structure your letter around
child nutrition then it may be beneficial for the other person to
choose obesity. Your letters are due on the day of
presentations.
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Performance Assessment Rubric
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans Exemplary Student has shown a clear
understanding of the assignment. Student was able to clearly
demonstrate the big ideas of ecology while focusing on an issue
that affects the local community. The student also makes a
connection to the world in general. Student is able to eloquently
state their position. Student uses factual statements from
peerreviewed sources to support their claim while engaging their
audience with a story that is compelling and emotional.
Accomplished Student has shown a clear understanding of the
assignment. Student was able to demonstrate the big ideas of
ecology while focusing on an issue that affects the local
community. Developing Student has shown an understanding of the
assignment. Student begins to demonstrate the big ideas of ecology.
Beginning Student does not show an understanding of the assignment.
Student fails to demonstrate the big ideas of ecology.
School Food Reform Letter and PresentationContent 60% of
grade
Persuasiveness 25% of grade
Student is able to state their position as well as support their
decision with factual statements from peerreviewed sources. Student
has the beginnings of a compelling and emotional story that may
engage their audience.
Student states their position. The student may not develop their
argument fully and may lack relevant support. There is no attempt
to use a compelling or emotional story to engage their
audience.
Student is not able to state their position clearly. The student
fails to develop their argument and may lack relevant support.
There is no attempt to use a compelling or emotional story to
engage their audience.
Professionalism Student has cited four or 10% of grade more
peerreviewed *Blatant sources. evidence of There is no plagiarism
will evidence of lead to a failing plagiarism grade on this and
the
Student has cited four peer-reviewed sources. There is no
evidence of plagiarism and the bibliography
Student has cited four or less peerreviewed sources. There is no
evidence of plagiarism and the
Student has not cited any peerreviewed sources. There is
evidence of plagiarism and the
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Multiple Choice QuestionsFrom
http://kellysbioa.tripod.com/ecolmc.html (1-8) 1. Many individuals
of the same species living together in a defined area form a/an a .
community. b . genus. c . population. d . ecosystem. e . variety.
2. When two different species overlap in the same biological niche,
they are a . unaffected by one another. b . dependent on one
another. c . in co-operation with one another. d . in competition
with one another. e . dependent on different food supplies. 3.
Consider the following list of factors: I dispersal II rainfall III
mineral deposits V temperature.
IV competition
Which of the factors listed above are most significant in
determining the fact that belts of vegetation at successively
higher altitudes often correspond to those at successively higher
latitudes? a . I and III b . III and V c . II and IV d . II and V e
. I and V
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Which of the following terms best describes the inter-
relationship between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and the clover in
whose roots they live? a . mutualism b . commensalism c . predation
d . parasitism e . amensalism
5.
The progressive series of changes that eventually produce a
climax community on what was once a bare rocky island is an example
of a . primary succession. b . speciation. c . secondary
succession. d . evolution. e . eutrophication.
6.
The sequence of energy flow through a food chain is a . primary
consumers- producers- higher order consumers. b . producers- higher
order consumers- primary consumers. c . higher order consumers-
primary consumers- producers. d . primary consumers- higher order
consumers- producers. e . producers- primary consumers- higher
order consumers.
7.
In a terrestrial ecosystem, the trophic level that would contain
the largest biomass would be the a . producers. b . primary
consumers. c . secondary consumers.
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8.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
In the past decade, which of the following has NOT been a major
cause of the increase in the world's population? a . longer life
span b . lower infant mortality c . increase in birth rate d .
improved sanitation e. modern preventative medicine The source of
energy for almost all life on Earth is: a. b. c. d. e. fungi
animals water sunlight soil In an energy pyramid, the bottom level
represents: consumers producers scavengers decomposers
predators
9.
10. a. b. c. d. e.
11. Which of these food chains is in the correct order:
a. b. c. d. e.
sea otter, orca, algae, urchin urchin, orca, sea otter, algae
algae, urchin, sea otter, orca algae, orca, urchin, sea otter
urchin, sea otter, orca, algae
12. An example of an abiotic factor in the rocky intertidal zone
is
a. b. c. d. e.
urchins grazing on algae temperature regulating barnacle
stratification predation of urchins by sea otters mussels competing
with barnacles for resources predation by crabs
13. Please choose the correct relationship that represents the
relationship of biomass to energy pyramids in a marine environment.
a. biomass is inversely proportional to the energy in a system b.
biomass is directly proportional to the energy in a system
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c. there is no direct relationship between biomass and
energy
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
14. A population has reached its carrying capacity when:
a. b. c. d.
they stop reproducing the population stops growing cant survive
becomes extinct
15. What biome do you live in: a. tundra b. temperate deciduous
forest c. temperate coniferous forest d. taiga e. chaparral
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Guided Notes for PresentationsLesson 2: What influences an
organism?List examples of non-living and living influences that
affect the growth of the tree that we just talked about: Non-living
factors Living factors
Define and give examples: Biotic factor:
Abiotic factor:
Soil consists of:
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Describe and draw the rocky intertidal zone:
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
List examples of each in the rocky intertidal zone: Producers:
Consumers: Predators:
Please identify and draw the zonation of the two barnacles the
Connell studied:
Why was Chthamalus able to keep its territory even though
Semibalanus out competes Chthamalus?
Lesson 3: Does where we live affect how we live?Biome
(definition):
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aquatic.
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
For the following biomes briefly describe the biome by
describing the location and climate. Also include examples of
organisms that live in these biomes: Terrestrial: Forests Tropical
Temperate Taiga
Grasslands Savannah Prairie
Deserts Hot and Dry Semi-arid Coastal Cold
Tundra Arctic Alpine
Aquatic: Marine
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Estuary Coral Reef
Freshwater Ponds and Lakes Rivers and Streams Wetlands
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Abiotic/Biotic Worksheet
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Biome Postcard Activity SheetOBJECTIVES: 1. Describe key
characteristics about a particular biome (climate, common animals,
common plants, natural resources, etc.). 2. Identify where in the
world a particular biome is located. ASSIGNMENT: Create a
fabulously colorful, creative, and informative postcard from
anywhere in the world that has your assigned biome! 1. In your
postcard, please include the following: 2. Front picture that
depicts the scenery of your biome (native plants and animals,
identifiable monuments or land forms, etc.). This can be drawn by
hand and colored in markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc. OR it
can be a collage of cutout images. But 3. It cannot be one large
printed image. 4. A stamp that is designed as a symbol representing
your biome 5. A letter written in the first person (I, us, we)
describing your journey in a location anywhere in the world that
has your assigned biome. In the letter, you must include the
following details: a. At least 3 types of fauna (animals) and at
least three types of flora (plants) that you see b. The climate
that you are experiencing and how it affects the living organisms
of the biome c. At least 3 activities that you have done on your
trip relating to the biome d. The food that you have eaten e. The
place (hotel, campground, chalet, hut, etc.) where you are staying
6. The address, which includes the name and address of the person
you are sending the postcard to. 7. A return address which is your
name and address where you are staying in the world. 8. The date
you wrote the postcard. 9. Present your postcard and information
that you have provided (duration: 2 minutes).
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Biome Rap/Song Activity SheetObjective: 1. Demonstrate
understanding of the assigned biome by writing a song or rap that
describes the location and climate of the biome, lists organisms
that may be found and connects how the climate and other abiotic
factors affect the organisms. Directions: 1. This assignment will
require that you work in pairs. 2. As a pair you will write
original lyrics for a rap or song that describes your biome. The
song/rap must include: a. A chorus or hook. b. Verses that include
information about the location and climate of the biome, organisms
that may be found in the biome and examples of how the climate and
other abiotic factors affect the organisms. c. The song/rap does
not have to include original music. You can use a preexisting song
or rap to build your lyrics onto. 3. Create a music video (skit) to
present to the class. Example: 1. Please refer to the example in
the presentation.
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Unit 5 Lesson Plans
The Omnivores Dilemma Reading GuideNorth Carolina Curriculum
Alignment Science 2005 Grade 9-12 Biology Goal 1 1.01 Identify
biological problems and questions that can be answered through
scientific investigations. Goal 5 5.01 Investigate analyze the
interrelationships among organism, populations, communities and
ecosystems. 5.02 Analyze the flow of energy and the cycling of
matter in the ecosystem. 5.03 Assess human population and its
impact on local ecosystems and global environments. Over the course
of the next few weeks you will be reading The Omnivores Dilemma:
The Secrets behind What You Eat. Written by Michael Pollan, a New
York Times bestselling author, this book reveals the food chain
that you and I eat daily. By looking at the production of four
different meals Pollan takes us on a journey through the history of
food production in the United States. Reading Schedule: Week One:
Introduction and Part I (p 1 - 107) Week Two: Part II and Part III
(p 108 - 202) Week Three: Part IV, Afterword, The Omnivores
Solution and Q & A with Michael Pollan (p 203 298) Week Four:
In class discussion of the book as well as viewing of Food, Inc.
After completing each weeks reading assignment, you will be
required to write a 1 2 page reading response in your dialogue
journals. Remember that your dialogue journals are due every Monday
at the beginning of class so make sure that your entry for the
previous week is in there. While responding think about how what
youve just read has made you think about the food you eat and the
choices that you make. Below you will find guided questions that
you should keep in mind as you read each section. Overall, I would
like you to discuss how reading your book has either changed or
strengthened ideas, opinions or beliefs that you hold. Has reading
this book made you think more about what types of foods you are
eating and the choices you are making? Guided Questions: Week One:
Introduction and Part I (p 1 - 107)
What does it mean to be an omnivore? What is a food chain? Did
you realize that so much of what you may be eating comes from one
type of plant? Do you think that most of your food would be
described as an industrial meal? What does Pollan mean when he
talks about an omnivores dilemma? How has the industrial meal
become so inexpensive?
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After reading about feedlots and CAFOs, how does eating meat
from the industrialized food chain make you feel? Do you know
family or friends that farm? How do you think the industrial food
chain has affected them? What effects on the environment (caused,
in part, by the industrial food chain) do you see in your everyday
life? Would you alter your diet in order to lessen the stress on
the environment that the industrial food chain is a part of? Part
II and Part III (p 108 - 202)
Unit 5 Lesson Plans
Week Two:
What do you think is different between an industrial organic
farm and a farm like Polyface Farms? Would you rather eat a meal
that came from the industrial food chain or from Polyface Farms?
Why or why not? Do you think that the industrial food chain or the
organic food chain have differences in how they treat the
environment? Why do you think it is better for the environment to
eat locally and seasonally? Compare and contrast how animals are
raised in a CAFOs and how animals are raised on a sustainable farm
like Polyface Farms. How did you feel when you found out that most
of the major organic companies are run by the large corporations
that historically have run industrial food chains? Part IV,
Afterword, The Omnivores Solution and Q & A with Michael Pollan
(p 203 298) After reading Pollans account about animal suffering,
did it give you reservations about eating meat again? How did you
feel when you read Pollans account of his hunting? Would it be
possible for you to create your own meal from start to finish? Do
you think it is better to know where your food comes from? Is food
reform a personal choice that every person has to make or do we
need leaders in government and business to make changes to the
system? Do you know where you can find locally grown food? Do you
think any real changes will be made to the nations food production
system? What did you think of Pollans tips for eating? What would
you like to ask Michael Pollan about his experience in researching
and writing this book?
Week Three:
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