Essential Questions
Biology:NCSCOS Goal 5.01
- What factors affect/impact ecosystems?
- How do ecosystems respond to these factors?
- How do populations of organisms respond and adapt to these factors?
- What responsibilities do humans have to ensure the continued homeostasis of ecosystems?
- What impact do the visual arts have upon awareness and promotion of change in respect to the homeostasis of ecosystems?
Art
- Art as a vehicle for social change.
- Art created in a responsible manner.
- Historical context of artworks in response to social issues.
- Correlations between world events and art.
- Developing Planning Skills.
- Utilization of elements and principles in a cohesive artwork.
- Development of aesthetic dialog.
Daily Plans/Goals
Day 1: Animal Adaptations
Science Learning Objectives:
- Physical vs Behavioral Adaptations
- Innate vs Learned Behaviors
- Methods of Communication
- The terms: Suckling, Taxis, Instincts, Migration, Estivation, Hibernation, Pheremones, Courtship Dances, Territorial Defense, Mimicry, Camouflage, Defense Mechanism
Art Learning Objectives:
- Exploration of purposes/functions of art
- Exploration of shape/form in relation to function
Project Objectives: Organism and Habitat Design
Lesson Plan:
1. 13 minutes - Video on Ecology
2. 10 minutes - Students will participate in a "Think, Pair, Share" activity regarding how art is connected to science. Each group will contribute 1 connection to the entire class discussion.
3. 5 minutes - Groups are established, using previously filled out Student Learning Styles Surveys. An "organizer" is nominated within the group.
4. 7 minutes - Science Concepts are taught via powerpoint
5. 15 minutes - Art concepts are taught - Brief powerpoint on form and function
6. Students work on Habitat description and creature sketches.
Resources:
Animal Adaptations Video
Animal Adaptaions Power Point
Day 1 - Design Guide with Notes and Rubric
Reflections:
On the first day, in the first class, it was a little chaotic to get them into their groups, so we decided to do the following to help expediate the transition of one class into two classes.
1. Prepare group tables with numbers and names assigned to them.
2. Group them in my class according to their group numbers and send them down one group at a time. Hold students out in the hall and let them in a few at a time to find their tables instead of letting them all in at one time. We will direct them to their seats.
3. On day one, present in each room and switch.
4. We didn't have time for the think, pair, share, but with making adjustments to getting them settled and not having a shortened block , we should have enough time.
5. No time for video. It needs to be cut.
We made these changes for the last bell of the day and things went much more smoothly. We had two projectors set up. One in each sectino of the art lab. Mrs. Rubino taught on wone side and I taught on the other, then we switched off. It worked well and was very time-efficient.
The chaos was much less due to our changes in group assignment. One more modification that I would make is to be sure to make all groupings at least one day in advance and let the students have some input.
Supplies to bring for day 2:
Big tupperware/metal bowls
Flour and premix he paste
Balloons
Flour
Glue Sticks
Day 2: Community
Science Learning Objectives: Organism, Population, Community, Habitat, Niche, Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism, Symbiosis, Predator, Prey, Producer, Analyze food chains, Analyze food webs, Analyze energy pyramids for direction and efficiency of energy transfer, Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore, Producer, Scavenger, Consumer, Decomposer, Detritus, Detritivore, Competitor, Body Systems
Art Learning Objectives:
Art as profession=illustrator for medical/biological texts
Project Objectives: Food Web and Niche Design
__Lesson Plan:_
1. Students will all go directly to art lab and sit at their assigned seats.
2. Mrs. McPherson will present science lesson in one room, flip flop rooms
3. Mrs. Rubino will present paper mache demo
4. Kids will be given the day 2 organism design sheet with the niche description and food web design.
5. Kids need to complete thumbnail sketch and organism/habitat description and art worksheet (packet) and food web worksheet. The group organizer will turn them in for approval and the group will start on their paper mache construction.
Resources:
Community Powerpoint
Niche Design / Food Chain Worksheet
Ideas – Will your organism be a social organism? Will it have any symbiotic relationships? Will it be a Predator, Prey, or Producer? Create a food web/chain that includes your organism and others. What type of “vore” will your organism be? What is your organism’s niche? Will your organism have any competitors? If so, what types of adaptations does your organism have to help it be more successful than its competitor? Using you food web/chain, make an energy pyramid. Is your organism an efficient source of energy for consumers?
Discussion on impact of medical/biological illustrations on learning. Show examples of medical/biological illustrations. Have students work on "interior" of creatures based upon their place in food web/energy pyramid.
Day 3: Factors Affecting the Community
Science Learning Objectives: Biotic and Abiotic, Carrying Capacity, Limiting Factors, Density Dependent, Density Independent, Population Growth Graphs, Biotic Potential
Art Learning Objectives: Criticism
Project Objectives: Visualize factors that affect the organism's population
Lesson Plan: Students will
Michelle’s Ideas – What Biotic and Abiotic factors will affect a population of your organism? What limiting factors are associated with your organism? Separate the limiting factors into dependent and independent factors. Create a population growth graph that demonstrates how your population of organism would react to a rapid increase in population of an organism created by another group in the class. What is your organism’s biotic potential?
Day 4: Human Effects on Ecosystems
Science Learning Objectives: Human Population Graphs, Habitat Destruction, Acid Rain, Introducing Non-native Species, Algal Blooms, Run-Off, Urbanization, Pollution, Eutrophication, Deforestation, Desertification, Greenhouse Effect, Ozone Depletion, Biological Magnification, Sustainable Practices / Stewardship, Renewable/Nonrenewable Resources, Resource Depletion, Protecting Endangered/Threatened Species
Art Learning Objectives:Correlations between world events and art. Art created in a responsible manner.
Project Objectives: Visualize Human Interventions
Lesson Plan:
Michelle’s Ideas – What human activities will have the largest impact on your organism? What might humans do preserve homeostasis in ecosystems containing populations of your organism?
Day 5: Project Completion
Project Finishing
