Unit: Aquatic Communities Water, Water, Everywhere!
Standards (Content and Characteristics):
Focus Standard:
S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine).
Supporting Standards:
S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
a. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environments.
b. Explain in a food web that sunlight is the source of energy and that this energy moves from organism to organism.
c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.
d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.
S7CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:
a. Reading in All Curriculum Areas • Read a minimum of 25 grade-level appropriate books per year from a variety of
subject disciplines and participate in discussions related to curricular learning in all areas
• Read both informational and fictional texts in a variety of genres and modes of discourse
Enduring Understanding:
The earth is vast and has a great variety of different land types, organisms, climates, and aquatic types.
The ocean is only a percentage of the world’s water. There are also freshwater communities and estuaries.
Location and climate play are huge role in the type of organisms that live in aquatic environments.
Different factors influence if an organism can live in a certain habitat: temperature, light, food source, space, ect.
Some organisms can survive in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.
Essential Questions:
What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities?
How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise?
How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water?
How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different? Pre-Assessment: Use What I Know About Aquatic Communities-KWL, Attachment A. For this pre-assessment activity, chart paper and pencils are need. Students work in small groups followed by a class discussion.
After students are in groups (no larger than four), hand out the KWL chart.
Students are to complete the K and W sections of the chart with only the help of their group members—no text books. The L section will be completed in conclusion to the unit.
After 8 minutes, discuss their charts as a class. Take them up to be placed on the wall for display.
Teacher will look over the completed portion of the chart to assess the students’ knowledge.
o Clarify ideas and correct any misconceptions
LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES Lesson Planning Form
Name: Rutledge Class: 7th
grade Life Science
GPS: S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine).
Unit/Chapter/Lesson: Unit 2: Aquatic Communities Date(s): Day 1, 50 minutes
Learning – Focus Time
Essential Question(s):
(with key questions if necessary)
What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities?
Activating Thinking Strategies: (ex: kwl, word maps, wordsplash,
etc…)
15 minutes K-W-L (Attachment A) Students will divide into groups of 3 or 4 and complete the K and L sections of the chart. Teacher will facilitate a class discussion of chart, clarify ideas, and correct misconceptions.
Acceleration Strategies: (focus on content maps and key
vocabulary)
Fresh water:
No salt
Rivers, lakes, ponds, streams
Large variety of plants and animals
Most spread out biome across the world
Marine:
Salt water, oceans
Four zones: (Intertidal, Neritic, Oceanic,
Benthic)
Reference Finding Nemo
Estuary:
Where fresh water combines with salt water
Ex: Mississippi River dumping into the Gulf of
Mexico
Brackish water
river mouths, bays, lagoons and salt marshes
Teaching Strategies: (graphic organizers)
10 minutes Tree Map of aquatic communities with characteristic
listed below each
Prompts: (distributed practice and
distributed summarizing)
15 minutes Prezi or PowerPoint presentation
Summarizing Strategies: (ex. Ticket Out the Door, 3-2-1,
etc…Answer the essential
question)
10 minutes Discuss the Essential Question.
Assignment and/or Assessment: No Homework
Re-Teaching Focus and Strategy: (if necessary)
SED Modifications: Some students will be given a partially completed tree
map to help guide them with filling it in.
LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES
Lesson Planning Form
Name: Rutledge Class: 7th
grade Life Science
GPS: S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine). S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one
another and their environments. a. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from
one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environments.
b. Explain in a food web that sunlight is the source of energy and that this energy moves from organism to organism.
S7CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by: a. Reading in All Curriculum Areas
• Read a minimum of 25 grade-level appropriate books per year from a variety of subject disciplines and participate in discussions related to curricular learning in all areas
• Read both informational and fictional texts in a variety of genres and modes of discourse
Unit/Chapter/Lesson: Unit 2: Aquatic Communities Date(s): Day 2, 55 minutes
Learning – Focus Time
Essential Question(s):
(with key questions if necessary)
How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? Location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water?
Activating Thinking Strategies: (ex: kwl, word maps, wordsplash,
etc…)
5 minutes The Do Now for the day is for students to clear their desks and prepare for “story time”. If able, move desks out of the way and create a circle with the chairs.
Acceleration Strategies: (focus on content maps and key
vocabulary)
Words and concepts from the book to discuss:
tide
prey/predator
life cyles
salt marsh
estuary
creek ocean Be sure to draw attention to the types of plants and vegetation.
Teaching Strategies: (graphic organizers)
Chart comparing students’ perceptions of the ocean
and marsh
Prompts: (distributed practice and
distributed summarizing)
5 minutes
25 minutes
7 minutes
5 minutes
Teacher will create a chart on the board to compare
the ocean and the marsh. The object is to have
students list all the things they like/dislike/know about
the ocean and the marsh.
Read And The Tide Comes In… aloud to students.
Throughout the story, discuss content as it comes up.
Cannon’s Point Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK1PdYmkiAc
Introduce Cannon’s Point and the assignment for
during the field trip.
Summarizing Strategies: (ex. Ticket Out the Door, 3-2-1,
etc…Answer the essential
question)
8 minutes Review Chart comparing Ocean and Marsh
Get responses from the students:
“Were their perceptions of the ocean like the
girl in the story?”
“Look at some of the responses on the board.
Based on what we just read in the book, are
they right/wrong? How”
Assignment and/or Assessment: Review tree map of Aquatic Communities
Review tree map of Terrestrial Biomes, focusing on the
maritime forest
Re-Teaching Focus and Strategy: (if necessary)
SED Modifications: Students with hearing problems can sit closer to the
teacher.
LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES
Lesson Planning Form
Name: Rutledge Class: 7th
grade Life Science
GPS: S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine). S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one
another and their environments. a. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from
one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environments.
b. Explain in a food web that sunlight is the source of energy and that this energy moves from organism to organism.
c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.
d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.
Unit/Chapter/Lesson: Unit 2: Aquatic Communities Date(s): Day 3, 70 minutes
Learning – Focus Time
Essential Question(s):
(with key questions if necessary)
How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water? How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different?
Activating Thinking Strategies: (ex: kwl, word maps, wordsplash,
etc…)
5 minutes Double Bubble, Attachment B—Students will complete the Double Bubble comparing the land and marsh/ocean. If the student cannot complete it within the time allotted, he/she can fill it out throughout the tour.
Acceleration Strategies: (focus on content maps and key
vocabulary)
Teaching Strategies: (graphic organizers)
Double Bubble, Attachment B
Prompts: (distributed practice and
distributed summarizing)
40 minutes Students will go on a tour of Cannon’s Point beginning in the forest and ending at the marsh. Throughout the tour, students will be prompted questions to relate the tour to the standards.
How are the organisms interacting with each other? Type of relationship?
How can changes in the environment (rather by people or nature) affect the community?
How is energy transferred from one organism to the other?
What are the characteristic of the land/marsh/ocean? Which biome is it?
Discuss the differences in the land environment and water environment.
Discuss how human interaction can change the environment.
Summarizing Strategies: (ex. Ticket Out the Door, 3-2-1,
etc…Answer the essential
question)
25 minutes Double Bubble – Compare land and water environments
Blank Sheet of paper, Attachment C– draw a food web using an organism seen at Cannon’s Point, in the story, or native to the ocean or marsh.
Answer the three discussion questions on Wrapping It Up, Attachment D
Assignment and/or Assessment: Three handouts will be taken up before departure and graded as a quiz grade.
Re-Teaching Focus and Strategy: (if necessary)
SED Modifications: Students will complete a partially completed Double
Bubble, draw the food web, and answer one out of the
three discussion questions or work with a partner to
answer them all.
LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES
Lesson Planning Form
Name: Rutledge Class: 7th
grade Life Science
GPS: S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine).
Unit/Chapter/Lesson: Unit 2: Aquatic Communities Date(s): Day 4, 55 minutes
Learning – Focus Time
Essential Question(s):
(with key questions if necessary)
What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities? How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water? How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different?
Activating Thinking Strategies: (ex: kwl, word maps, wordsplash,
etc…)
5 minutes WordSplash – have students create a list of words that relate to the unit (aquatic communities). It can also include terms from the terrestrial biomes unit as well if it relates to Cannon’s Point. The goal, is to have lists of around 30 terms/concepts.
Acceleration Strategies: (focus on content maps and key
vocabulary)
Teaching Strategies: (graphic organizers)
10 minutes Review tree maps for both terrestrial and aquatic
biomes
Prompts: (distributed practice and
distributed summarizing)
35 minutes Travel Brochures - pretend you are a travel agent for a
specific biome. Your boss tells you to create a
brochure to attract travelers to your biome.
In your brochure, you must include:
Name of your Biome
General climate
Types of plants and animals and their
relationships with each other
One “Made-up” Attraction
Location
Summarizing Strategies: (ex. Ticket Out the Door, 3-2-1,
etc…Answer the essential
question)
5 minutes Revisit lists made during Do Now. Randomly call out
words from the students’ papers and define them as a
class.
Answer Essential Questions
Assignment and/or Assessment:
Re-Teaching Focus and Strategy: (if necessary)
SED Modifications: Aim for a list of 15-20 words for Do Now
LEARNING—FOCUS STRATEGIES Lesson Planning Form
Name: Rutledge Class: 7th
grade Life Science
GPS: S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine).
Unit/Chapter/Lesson: Unit 2: Aquatic Communities Date(s): Day 5, 55 minutes
Learning – Focus Time
Essential Question(s):
(with key questions if necessary)
What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities? How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? And location wise? How does an estuary merge organisms from land and water? How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities
alike? Different?
Activating Thinking Strategies: (ex: kwl, word maps, wordsplash,
etc…)
15 minutes Do Now: Find your brochure and complete it. Prepare to present it.
Acceleration Strategies: (focus on content maps and key
vocabulary)
Teaching Strategies: (graphic organizers)
Prompts: (distributed practice and
distributed summarizing)
30 minutes Present Biome Brochures (To keep students engaged in
their peers’ presentation, students will have to write
down one thing they liked about each classmate’s
brochure/biome)
Summarizing Strategies: (ex. Ticket Out the Door, 3-2-1,
etc…Answer the essential
question)
10 minutes Answer Essential Questions
K-W-L Charts, complete the L portion
Assignment and/or Assessment: Biome Brochure will serve as 50% of Unit test grade
---See attached rubric
Re-Teaching Focus and Strategy: (if necessary)
SED Modifications: Students will have extra time to prepare for
presentation.
Attachment A What I Know About Aquatic Communities – Pre-Assessment
Names:___________________________________ Date:_________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Directions:
For each topic listed in the left column of the table below, list everything you already know in the column labeled K.
For each topic listed in the left column of the table below, list everything you want to know (are unsure of or need clarified) in the column marked W.
The L column will be used at the conclusion of this lesson. At the conclusion of the lesson, you will list everything you have learned in the L column.
TOPIC K W L
Fresh Water
Marine (Ocean)
Estuaries
Cannon’s Point – St.
Simon’s Island
Attachment C Food Wed
Directions: Create a Food Web using at least one organism seen at Cannon’s Point.
Attachment D Discussion Questions
What are the characteristics of the three aquatic communities?
How do salt marshes fit into aquatic communities? Characteristic wise? Location wise?
How are terrestrial biomes and aquatic communities alike? Different?
Rubric for Travel Brochures
Name: Biome:
Category Description Excellent 4
Good 3
Average 2
Needs Work
1
Climate Climate is accurately
described for the biome. It includes
temperature and amount of rain
fall.
Plants At least three accurate
examples of plants (with
relationships) are given.
Animals At least three accurate
examples of animals (with
relationships) are given.
Location Location is accurate and fits
the biome. Example:
Savanna in the tropics, not near the North Pole.
“Made up” Attraction (Creativity)
Attraction is creative and
shows thought.
Presentation Presentation flowed. Eye contact was made. Loud,
clear speaking voice. Steady
speed.