Download Year 8: Living World-‐ Ecosystems

Year 8: Living World-­‐ Ecosystems Revise assumed knowledge: Check Date ST3-­‐10LW describes how structural features and other adaptations of living things help them to survive in their environment □ ST3-­‐11LW describes some physical conditions of the environment and how these affect the growth and survival of living things LW5 Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to conserving and managing sustainable ecosystems. INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANISMS IN ECOSYSTEMS 4LW5a. construct and interpret food chains and food webs, including examples from Australian ecosystems 4LW5b.describe interactions between organisms in food chains and food webs, including producers, consumers and decomposers (ACSSU112) 4LW5d. predict how human activities can affect interactions in food chains and food webs, including examples from Australian land or marine ecosystems (ACSSU112) Literacy activity (ESL focus): Define and describe. □ Biosphere-­‐ consisting of atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere Literacy activity (ESL focus): Define and describe. □ Producer, consumer, autotroph, heterotroph, decomposer, food chain, food web Research task+ ICT: Food chains and food webs Students are to use ICT to research and find interactive websites and animations □ that demonstrate food chains and webs Construct a range of food chains of increasing complexity. Include Australian □ examples Construct a range of food webs of increasing complexity. Include Australian □ examples Literacy activity (ESL focus): Define and describe. □ Ecosystem, biotic, abiotic, habitats, population, community Research task or teacher delivered Describe benefits of ecosystems to humans eg; • photosynthesis (oxygen) □ • pollination (food) • filtration of water first-­‐hand investigation: Natural filtration of water □ (Oxford pg15). Research task and group work: Impact of humans on ecosystems. Students are to present a short presentation to the class outlining a human activity and its impact on a named ecosystem eg: □ • urbanisation • deforestation • nitrification and algal blooms • land degradation • over harvesting of biota Research task or teacher delivered: Investigate how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge such as care of waterways or sustainable management of the environment is used to inform scientific decisions to care for Country and Place. Include: □ • The use of fire in hunting • Understanding of impact of fire on Australian flora and the cycling of nutrients Identify a range of introduced species in Australia including the prickly pear, Cactoblastis cactorum, cane beetles, cane toad. Describe: □ • the reason the species was introduced the impact the introduced species has had on a named ecosystem Assessment: Oxford online test-­‐ Interactions between organisms in ecosystems □ Students to achieve 100% in Support and Consolidate OR Consolidate and Extend MICROORGANISMS IN ECOSYSTEMS 4LW5c. describe examples of beneficial and harmful effects that micro-­‐organisms can have on living things and the environment Literacy activity (ESL focus): Define and describe. □ Microorganism, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, pathogen first-­‐hand investigation: Microorganisms in the environment (Oxford pg22). Use agar plates containing nutrient agar to culture microorganisms isolated from □ around the school. Numeracy: Reliability in microbiology (Oxford pg24) □ Identify different types of microorganisms • Bacteria □ • Protozoa • Fungi Recall the definition of producer, consumer, decomposer □ Research task, teacher delivered or group work: Identify beneficial and harmful microorganisms in everyday life • Beneficial microorganisms -­‐ Producer: Nitrogen –fixing bacteria -­‐ Producer: Cyanobacteria (normal levels) -­‐ Consumer: Microorganisms in Industry (milk) -­‐ Consumer: Breakdown of oil spills -­‐ Decomposer: Digestive system bacteria □ first-­‐hand investigation: Making yoghurt (Oxford pg28) □ □ □ •
Harmful microorganisms -­‐ Producer: Eutrophication -­‐ Pathogens caused by bacteria, protozoa, fungi Extension research task: Research and present information on a diseased caused by a viral and prion pathogen Assessment: Oxford online test-­‐ Microorganisms in ecosystems □ Students to achieve 100% in Support and Consolidate OR Consolidate and Extend MANAGING ECOSYSTEMS 4LW5e. explain, using examples, how scientific evidence and/or technological developments contribute to developing solutions to manage the impact of natural events on Australian ecosystems 4LW5f. describe how scientific knowledge has influenced the development of practices in agriculture, eg animal husbandry or crop cultivation to improve yields and sustainability, or the effect of plant-­‐cloning techniques in horticulture Literacy activity (ESL focus): Define and describe. □ Ecology, ecologist, sustainable Literacy: Ecologist case study (Oxford pg35) □ Research task or teacher delivered Compare energy usage of Australia and other countries Numeracy and ICT: Ecological footprint (Oxford pg37) Determine students’ ecological footprint using available online calculators Explain reasons for conserving biodiversity • Health of biosphere-­‐ links between hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere • Biological resources • Social and cultural value □ □ □ Describe conservation efforts in Australia at the local, community and national level □ □ □ □ □ Research task or teacher delivered Explain, using examples, how scientific evidence and/or technological developments contribute to developing solutions to manage the impact of natural events on Australian ecosystems • Bushfire warning and prevention (post Canberra fires) • Flood management • Tsunami warning system (Australian and Asia) • Cyclone Literacy activity (ESL focus): Define and describe. Carbon, soil organic carbon (SOC), animal husbandry and crop cultivation Compare traditional farming practices with conservative farming in Australia. Include practices of: • Crop rotation • Free range farming (stress to animals) • Selective breeding • Artificial pollination and insemination • Hybridisation: Triticale • Cloning: Wollemi pine • GMOs: Bt cotton, Super salmon • Introduced species-­‐ dung beetle. (Oxford pg45) first-­‐hand investigation: Crop yield benefits of SOC (Oxford pg45). Student design task. Complete as a class experiment. Compare traditional farming practices with conservative farming in Australia (Oxford). Include practices of: • Crop rotation • Free range farming (stress to animals) • Selective breeding Assessment: Oxford online test-­‐ Managing ecosystems Students to achieve 100% in Support and Consolidate OR Consolidate and Extend □ □