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Interdependence of Life: Organisms and Their Environments
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Details

Type of Product:Science Object
Average Rating:
 based on 3 reviews
Publication Title:Interdependence of Life SciPack
Grade Level:Elementary School, Middle School, High School


Description

Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the first of four Science Objects in the Interdependence of Life in Ecosystems SciPack. It explores organisms and their environments.

All organisms, including human beings, live within and depend on the resources in their environment. These resources include both living (biotic) factors such as food and nonliving (abiotic) factors such as air and water. The size and rate of growth of the population of any species, including humans, are affected by these environmental factors. In turn, these environmental factors are affected by the size and rate of growth of a population. Populations are limited in growth to the carrying capacity of the ecosystem, which is the amount of life any environmental system can support with its available space, energy, water, and food.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Identify and describe biotic and abiotic factors that influence the size and growth rate of a specific population in a particular environment.
  • Describe possible immediate and long-term effects on an individual population that exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment.
  • Given a line graph displaying an individual population size and its rate of growth, infer the carrying capacity of the environment for that population.


Ideas For Use

Science Objects are two hour learning experiences teachers can use to enhance their understanding of a particular scientific concept. Teachers can access any topic “on demand” from the Internet. Topics are based on the science literacy goals in the national standards (NSES, Science for All Americans, Benchmarks, and the Atlas of Scientific Literacy) and tied to state standards.

Each Science Object provides an understanding of the science content by providing a structured set of learning experiences through simulations and practice assessments. Science Objects challenge teachers to explore and explain real world phenomena and are founded on the principle that learners must be challenged with a problem, observation, data, etc., in order to develop scientific understanding. Science Objects utilize the five phases of inquiry-based learning: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate

Learning Outcomes:

  • Identify and describe biotic and abiotic factors that influence the size and growth rate of a specific population in a particular environment.
  • Describe possible immediate and long-term effects on an individual population that exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment.
  • Given a line graph displaying an individual population size and its rate of growth, infer the carrying capacity of the environment for that population.

Additional Info

Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification)
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Freshwater
Biomes
Competition
Population dynamics
Populations
Predation
Symbiosis
Conservation
Environmental change
Classifying
Collecting data
Communicating
Hypothesizing
Interpreting data
Observing
Predicting
Intended User Role:Elementary-Level Educator, High-School Educator, Middle-Level Educator, New Teacher, Teacher
Educational Issues:Inquiry learning, Professional development, Teacher content knowledge, Teacher preparation, Teaching strategies

Technical

Resource Format:application/x-shockwave-flash, audio/mp3, text/html, video/quicktime
Installation Remarks:Run the Science Objects System Check to ensure that your system is capable of viewing the simulations: http://ecommerce2.nsta.org/system_check/
Requirements:Requires Macromedia Flash Player and Apple Quicktime Player


National Standards Correlation

This resource has 9 correlations with the National Standards.  
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This resource has 9 correlations with the National Standards.  
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  • Life Science
    • Organisms and environments
      • All animals depend on plants. Some animals eat plants for food. Other animals eat animals that eat the plants.
      • An organism's patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism's environment, including the kinds and numbers of other organisms present, the availability of food and resources, and the physical characteristics of the environment.
      • When the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce, and others die or move to new locations.
      • All organisms cause changes in the environment where they live. Some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, whereas others are beneficial.
    • Regulation and behavior
      • All organisms must be able to obtain and use resources, grow, reproduce, and maintain stable internal conditions while living in a constantly changing external environment. (5-8)
      • An organism's behavior evolves through adaptation to its environment. (5-8)
    • Populations and ecosystems
      • All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem. (5-8)
      • Biotic parts of an ecosystem include animals, plants, and microorganisms. (5-8)
      • The number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and abiotic factors, such as quantity of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition.


Customer Reviews
Includes a great Hands-On Activity
  Reviewed by: Christopher Hall (Vanderwagen, NM) on February 21, 2013
  I really liked the Hands-On Activity found in the Population Distribution Density portion of the object. I think that it would be a great activity to do with my students to make science and math real and applicable to them. A lot of the information presented in this SciObject is related to or the same as information in the Resources and Human Impact SciPack.

Interdependence of life
  Reviewed by: Erika Bucenec (Johnstown, NY) on December 20, 2012
  This resource was well put together, well organized and informative. It was understandable and easy to follow.

Life All Around Us
  Reviewed by: Betty Paulsell (Kansas City, MO) on April 18, 2012
  This Science Object gives a very thorough explanation of organisms and the environments around them. It is written at about an upper elementary or middle school level with very detailed explanations of the concepts presented. Parts are recorded, there are quizzes to take, simulations to explore, and lots more!

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