CHRISTINA BOWERS PH.D
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Topic 2:  Ecosystems and ecology

    Lesson 1 (10/29-10/30):  Topic 2.1 Species and populations
Slides: (Background Topic 2.1)     
Video:  Yellowstone and Climate Change


  • ​Activity:  Population dynamics Click and Learn 
  • Hand-outs for lab Activity   
  • Extra (Video):  Growth Curves
Alternative activity:  Jigsaw interactions 

​2.1:  Species and populations
Slides 1 (Topic information)
Slides 2 (Organism interactions) 
Link:  Species diversification (sloths)


Lab Activity:  Growth Curve Simulations
Lab Hand-outs

Lesson 2 (11/1-11/2):  Growth Curves and Data Point Activity
1.  Complete lab click and learn on growth curves (started on 10/29).
2.  Do Question sheet on Yellowstone and Climate Change pages 1-3).   Finish as homework. You can re-watch the video on 10/29 if needed).
  • ​Handouts 
By popular demand:  How Wolves Change the Rivers (linked here) 

Lesson 3 (11/5-11/6): Data Nuggets:

1.  Cacao (linked here) 
2.  Invasive species (herbivory) linked here 
3.  Green marsh crabs (linked here) 

Lesson 4:  Topic 2.2-communities and ecosystems
Video:  energy flow in ecosystems
Slides 
Video:  What is photosynthesis 

Lesson 5:  Topic 2.2 Ecosystems pyramids and Trophic cascades
Slides
Video:  Keystone species
Link:  Biomass pyramids (interactive)
Link:  Trophic cascades (interactive) 
Extra:  How to draw biomass pyramids to scale (video)
Extra:  Student hand-out (keystone species) 


Lesson 6: Trophic cascades and food webs.
Link:  Video- TED ed restoring ecosystems
Data point (Keystone species)
Hand-out (data questions)

Lesson 7:  Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Slides

Link:  Video-solar energy
Link:  Video-Whale studies in Antarctica 
Link:  Video-whales and climate
Article:  carbon dioxide emissions and whales 

Lesson 8:  Energy Flow Problem Solving  
Science:   What drives the Lemming Population Boom?
Lemming and Owl article

Click and learn (warm-up).  Working in pairs, click on the link and answer the associated questions.

Lesson 9 (1/8A, 1/9B):  Matter cycles (Carbon and Nitrogen) 
Activity:  Nutrient cycles
Article:  What happens when decomposition stops (Chernobyl) 


Lesson 10 (1/10A; 1/11B):  Matter cycles (continued)
Task list to complete

Video:  Haber process 
Slides: 
Essential Questions on Nutrient Cycles 

Lesson 11 (1/14A; 1/15B):  A trip to the Beach:  case study

Video:  "All washed up:  Lake Michigan Algae Challenge".

Article:  Quagga Mussels 

Lesson 12 (1/16A, 1/17B):  Biomes 
Slides

Link:  Biomes Webquest 
Article:  Polar vortex fractures into 3 zones 
Extra:  Explanation of tri-cellular circulation  

Lesson 13:  (1/18A; 1/22B):  Biome Project Work Day
Article:  Human impact on Biome distribution 

Lesson 14 (1/28A, 1/29B):  Biome Project Evaluation/Work day
Link:  Google Document Questions 
Endangered species database:  IUCNredlist.org     

Lesson 15 (1/30A, 2/1B):  Human impacts on biomes
Video
Handout 

Lesson 16 (2/1, 2/4):  Succession
Slides (1)
Slides (2)
Review concepts slides
Video:  Surtsey Island 
Video:  Succession (Crashcourse) 

Lesson 17 (2/11A-2/15B)
Reflection:  Zebra mussels
Video link 1:  Zebra mussels in Austin Water Supply
​Video link 2:  (Texas Parks and Wildlife) 
​Video link 3:  Zebra mussels update (2/14) 

Lesson 18:  (2/19-2/28) Investigating Aquatic and Terrestrial ecosystems
Slides 
​Article Link:  Stormwater run-off 
Link:  Plant ID GUIDE for Waun (Plant ID guide)
Site A 
Site B  

Lesson 19:  Virtual lab- exploring productivity in a water ecosystem 
​Lab link  
Questions to answer (upload via managebac)

LIfe is wonderfully complicated.   Stay curious.  Be skeptical.    And above all, ask many questions!