Unit 1: Populations and Ecosystems
Related Chapters in Biology Textbook: 3-6
Vocabulary: element, pure substance, mixture, compound, atom, molecule, cycle, ecosystem, biome, population, niche, carrying capacity, growth pattern, feedback, equilibrium, biogeochemical cycle, invasive species, food web, trophic level, stock, flow, birth fraction, death fraction, model, producer, consumer, abiotic, tragedy of the commons
Unit Goals
· Define unit vocabulary and use appropriately.
· Describe what elements are essential for life.*
· List biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.
· Describe natural biogeochemical cycles: H2O, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorous.*
· Describe how equilibrium is achieved and give examples of equilibrium in natural systems.
· Use concepts of feedback and carrying capacity to explain population growth patterns.*
· Distinguish between observations and inferences.
· Make Data tables and graph data with trend lines.
· Describe multiple types of connections within an ecosystem:*
o Food webs
o Trophic levels
· Describe and assess human impact on various populations.
· List and describe key features of major biomes.
· Describe and give examples of the impact of invasive species on an ecosystem.*
*Both A and C levels of proficiency.
Quizzes and Tests
Friday Quizzes: 9/23, 10/7 Unit Test: 10/20
Homework, Lab Reports and Projects
A level
· Bottle Ecosystem Research due Mon 9/19
· The Elements and Molecules of Life due Fri. 9/23
· Predator-Prey Interactions due Thurs 9/29
· Fishbanks Response due Fri 10/7
· Invasive Species Research due Tues 10/11
· Biome Poster due Tues 10/18
· Duckweed Lab Report due Thurs 10/20
B level
· The Elements and Molecules of Life due Fri. 9/23
· Fishbanks Response due Fri 10/7
· Invasive Species Research due Tues 10/11
· Biome Poster due Tues 10/18
· Duckweed Lab Report due Thurs 10/20
C level
· Fishbanks Response due Fri 10/7
· Biome Poster due Tues 10/18
· Duckweed Lab Report due Thurs 10/20
