We have learned a lot about plant and animal life this section. Zoologists and Botanists work very hard to maintain the plant and animal life that we get to experience every day. Their jobs are not all fun and games because sometimes plants and animals become endangered (at risk of becoming extinct). It is their jobs to predict what would happen without these organisms and try to prevent their disappearance. These Biologists value every single organism in our ecosystem because they know their value to our world. Soon, so will you! You will explore the importance of certain animals and plants in our ecosystem and try to imagine a world without them.
SOL's being addressed in this WebQuest:
4.5 The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals, including humans, in an ecosystem interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Key concepts include: a) plant and animal adaptations; b) organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems and how they interrelate; c) flow of energy through food webs; d) habitats and niches; e) changes in an organism’s niche at various stages in its life cycle; and f) influences of human activity on ecosystems.
C/T 3-5.7 Draw conclusions from research and relate these findings to real-world situations. A. Use research to support written and oral presentations. • Apply research derived from digital resources to original work. • Demonstrate how to cite digital resources when developing nonfiction reports and presentations. B. Apply knowledge when conducting research to develop accurate and balanced reports. • Use best practice guidelines for evaluating research results.
Objectives:
1. The students will learn how all parts of an ecosystem are interconnected and why each organism plays an important role. 2. The students will explore their own ideas and research their interests about the ecosystem. 3.The students will use internet research to support an ecosystem diorama depicting life after extinction of their organism chosen.
Learning Goals:
All students will be advised to choose an organism in our ecosystem to relate these questions to.
What is the niche of your organism? If it disappeared tomorrow, what would the affects be on the ecosystem? How would losing this organism affect you personally?