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Earthworks
Earth System Science for Secondary Teachers
MAPPING A RESEARCH SITE AND COLLECTING AND PRESENTING POPULATION DATA
GRADE LEVEL AND CONTENT AREA: 6 TH Grade Life Sciences
TIME:This introductory lesson should take no more than 4-5 days.
LINK TO SCIENCE STANDARDS: Life Sciences
7.4.a: A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact make up an ecosystem.
BACKGROUND NEEDS:Students will need to understand the definition of species and populations. Students will need to understand how populations live together in the same habitat. We will use this study area many times as we study microorganisms, fungi and plants.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:Students will be able to map and separate logical study areas within a larger setting. Students will be able to compare and contrast the populations of species within those study areas. Students will be able to infer and predict possible changes to an ecosystem.
PROCEDURES:
These students will be coming to me as 6 th graders. Because they will come from various elementary schools, I will need to build a common base of understanding of the scientific method. Using the district-approved version of the scientific method, we will be studying microorganisms, fungi and plants during the first quarter. In the beginning, I will give students much of the information they need to be successful.
- Lead students to ask questions about what microorganisms, fungi and plants are found in our courtyard.
- Lead students to form a hypothesis based on what we are learning from our textbooks.
- Visit the courtyard. Lead students as they decide how to study the area. One big study area with all populations versus studying smaller areas and making generalizations based on a representative sampling.
- Lead students to devise a plan of study for the area. It is my hope that some students will choose to study the entire area and some will decide to study smaller areas.
- Discuss how students will collect data for their research questions. Practice skills necessary; microscope use, tables and charts, etc.
- Give students opportunities to visit their study sites to collect data and specimens as we study various species in our textbook.
- Ask students to analyze data for each study area.
- Have students reach conclusions as to what species and populations can be found in our courtyard. Teams will prepare presentations for their classmates.
- Students will present findings to their classmates.
ASSESSMENT: Students will be assessed on each piece of their site study as well as how they perform as part of a team. At the end of the textbook, students will be given a new study area where they will need to perform a new research project.
ENRICHMENT:Students will complete various activities to help them identify and locate various species. They will practices the skills necessary for research.
RESOURCES:Textbooks, courtyard, nature trail behind school, available equipment
BARRIERS AND STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING BARRIERS:
- Weather: Watch forecasts, inform students to dress for the weather
- Students unfamiliar with equipment and specimen-collecting procedures: Practice and familiarize students with skills necessary.
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