Learning Plan – 5-6 weeks

# Lesson Title Lesson Activity Key Outcomes Evidence Materials

Resources

1 Green products Are green products really green?
- Bring in examples of green labelled
products and non-green products
- Generate discussions
- What are green products?
- Do you use any green products?
- Why do we use green products?
- What does it mean to be green?
Ask students to research and bring in an
article related to the topic of green
products for the next day
- Can look up products they have at
home and their effect on the
environment (especially if they are
labelled as green)
identify examples of human impacts Teacher observations Green and non-
on ecosystems, and investigate and (formative feedback) green products
analyze the link between these
impacts and the human wants and SMARTboard
needs that give rise to them
analyze
personal and public decisions that
involve consideration of
environmental impacts, and identify
needs for scientific knowledge that
can inform those decisions

2 Effectiveness of Research green products and their Teacher observations SMARTboard

green products effectiveness (formative feedback)
Discuss findings
3 Ecosystems and Introduce what is an ecosystem
interactions Talk about web of interactions
Define biotic and abiotic factors
- Ask students to rewrite the
definitions in their own words
- Separate the items into biotic and
abiotic categories
4 Performance task Introduce performance task
- Brainstorm issues in the
environment
- Make groups (2-3)
- Brainstorm ideas/topics groups
would like to focus on
5 Proposal Go over what the project is and more
explicitly what is a proposal and required in
the document
Start initial research
illustrate how life-supporting
environments meet the needs of
living things for nutrients, energy
sources, moisture, suitable habitat,
and exchange of gases
describe examples of interaction
and interdependency within an
ecosystem
analyze an ecosystem to identify
biotic and abiotic components, and
describe interactions among these
components
identify intended and unintended
consequences of human activities
within local and global
environments
Teacher observations
(formative feedback)
Students can work in partners
to complete the activity
(engaging in discourse and
receive feedback from peers)
Teacher assess student
understanding by asking
students to repeat what
teacher has said (formative
feedback on whether students
understand the parameters of
the project)
Teacher assess student
understanding by asking
students to repeat what
teacher has said (formative
feedback on whether students
understand the parameters of
the project and proposal)
6 Finalize proposal Time to discuss with group members about Students can receive feedback
the project and start on the project from their teacher and peers
proposal through creation of drafts and
revisions of their topic and
Finalize topic proposal

Students begin documenting their process Teacher review student

and learning through individual reflections working progress and work to
on a blog provide and receive formative
feedback

7 Work Time to do some research about the topic

8 Food web Learn about producers, consumers, and analyze ecosystems to identify Thumbs up. Thumbs down.
decomposers and their role in the food web producers, consumers and Thumbs in the middle.
decomposers; and describe how (formative assessment)
Learn what is a food web energy
is supplied to and flows through a
food web, by:
− describing and giving examples of
energy and nutrient storage in
plants and animals

9 Energy flow Talk about energy flow through food web − describing how matter is recycled Teacher questioning of key
in an ecosystem through concepts and ideas (formative
interactions among plants, assessment)
animals, fungi, bacteria and other
microorganisms
− interpreting food webs, and
 predicting the effects of changes to
any part of a web

10 Energy flow through Talk about energy flow through carbon and describe the process of cycling Teacher questioning of key
carbon and water water cycle carbon and water through an concepts and ideas (formative
cycle ecosystem assessment)

11 Draw webs of Students draw a food web that illustrates identify mechanisms by which Summative assessment: food
energy flow how their problem affects the food web pollutants enter and move through webs & carbon/water cycles
(include producers, consumers, the environment, and can
decomposers) become concentrated in some
organisms
Draw/illustrate how problem affects
carbon/water cycle

12 Action plan Time to make a plan of action with the Teacher questioning of key
group ideas and processes (formative
- Go over components of an action assessment)
plan
- Go over parameters of the project

13 Start action plan Time to work with group to plan and initiate Teacher observation of
action project student progress (formative
assessment)

14 Fish Creek Fish Creek Park field trip analyze an ecosystem to identify
biotic and abiotic components, and
describe interactions among these
components

investigate a variety of habitats, and

describe and interpret distribution
patterns of living things found in
 those habitats

investigate and interpret evidence

of interaction and change

15 Fish Creek reflect Fish Creek Park recap and reflection Teacher questioning of key
- Class discussion ideas and concepts (formative
Providing Talk about what the environment provides feedback)
environment (nutrients, energy sources, moisture,
suitable habitat, and exchange of gases)
- Brainstorm in small groups then
compile as a big group

16 Habitats and Action plan due Summative assessment:

interactions Action plan
Habitats and interaction of living things
Teacher questioning and
observations for student
understanding (formative
feedback)

17 Start project Implement and start project

- Research topic
- Get in contact with experts or
professionals (those important to
their project ex. Principal, local
organizations, government, etc.)

18 Population Population distribution investigate a variety of habitats, and Teacher questioning and
distribution Activity: Shelter Shuffle from 5-minute Field describe and interpret distribution observations for student
Trips document patterns of living things found in understanding (formative
- Students can do a 3min. Reflection those habitats feedback)
 on the activity at the end about
what happened during the activity investigate and interpret evidence
and what does it mean of interaction and change
scientifically

19 Disturbed sites Disturbed vs. undisturbed sites investigate a variety of habitats, and Teacher questioning of key
Real life case study describe and interpret distribution ideas and concepts (formative
- Explore examples patterns of living things found in feedback)
those habitats

investigate and interpret evidence

of interaction and change

identify signs of ecological

succession in local ecosystems

20 Project feedback Display what you have researched and done Teacher questioning and
- How has your chosen item or observations for student
problem affect population understanding (formative
dynamics and distribution? feedback)
- How does your project create
change or cause an effect on Teacher go over rubric with
population dynamics and students
distribution?
Students use rubric to assess
Reflect on what else needs to be done and their own work
improved upon

21 Work Time to work on project (will be more than Teacher observations for
one lesson depending on student needs) student understanding
(formative feedback)
 22 Presentations Presentation (may take more than one identify intended and unintended
class) consequences of human activities
within local and global
environments
describe and interpret examples of
scientific investigations that serve
to inform environmental decision
making
Summative assessment: use
of rubric to assess student
presentations
Summative assessment: check
student completion of
reflection blogs

analyze a local environmental issue

or problem based on evidence from
a variety of sources, and identify
possible actions and consequences

Adapted by Jeff Turner (2016) from:

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexander, Virginia: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.

Llewellyn, D. (2013). Teaching high school science through inquiry and argumentation. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.