Biological+Diversity+Unit+Project

Teacher Lesson Plan - Instructions Biology – Grade 10 Biological Diversity Unit Project Ohio Content Standards: Diversity and Interdependence of Life, Evolution, Heredity ISTE Standards: 1. Creativity and Innovation  2. Communication and Collaboration  3. Research and Information Fluency  4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making  5. Digital Citizenship
 * __Objective: __** The students will learn how diverse organisms within ecosystems are interdependent with each other and will make a plan to help endangered or threatened species proceed into the future by balancing the factors in the selected ecosystem.


 * __Driving Question: __** How can people help save threatened and endangered species from extinction? Find out what the threats are to each animal and plant studied and come up with a way to fix the imbalance in the ecosystem.


 * 1) 1. Students will go to the National Geographic website at []. At this site, the students will select an animal that is either endangered or threatened. They will research this animal first through this website and can do a web search as well on the animal. Students will work in groups of two or three on each animal. They will start by answering the web quest questions provided. The students should proclaim their animal and plant species on the class LMS or on Linoit ([]).
 * 2) 2. The students will also look up information about a plant in the same ecosystem as the animal they selected. Some plant websites to check out include [] and []. The plant could be directly or indirectly associated with the survival of the animal species. For example, lions could be associated with savannah grasses or bushes. The lions hide in the bushes and grass while sleeping and hunting. The herbivores they prey on also eat the grass and leaves off the bushes. The students will answer some basic information about the plant selected.
 * 3) 3. The student groups will each make a plan to help bring balance to the selected ecosystem to help the animal go forward as a species as well as the plant species in a well balanced ecosystem. The student groups should make a PowerPoint, Google Presentation, or Prezi about their animal, plant, and ecosystem with both in balance. Emphasis should be placed on balancing diverse organisms and their niches in the environment. Student groups should also use Google Maps or Yahoo Maps to make a map of where their animal and plant live in the world. These presentations will serve to e ducate the rest of the class on the various species of plants and animals that create the diversity of life on Earth.

Animal Web Quest


 * 1) 1. Name of the animal
 * 2) 2. Describe the habitat and location range where it lives.
 * 3) 3. What type of animal is it? (Mammal, Reptile, Bird, Amphibian, etc.)
 * 4) 4. What is the animal’s diet type?
 * 5) 5. What is the size and weight of this animal?
 * 6) 6. What is the group name?
 * 7) 7. What is the protection status of this animal?
 * 8) 8. Give an interesting fact about this animal that has not already been covered by the previous questions.

Plant Web Quest
 * 1) 1. Name of the plant
 * 2) 2. Describe the habitat and location range where it lives.
 * 3) 3. What type of plant is it? (Deciduous, Coniferous, Tree, Shrub, Fern, etc.)
 * 4) 4. What are the plant’s ideal sunlight and water conditions / needs?
 * 5) 5. What is the size of this plant?
 * 6) 6. What is the group name?
 * 7) 7. What is the protection status of this plant?
 * 8) 8. Give an interesting fact about this animal that has not already been covered by the previous questions.


 * __ Rubric __**

5 points Questions about the animal species

5 points Questions about the plant species

5 points Presentation clarity and content

3 points Grammar and Spelling

7 points Plan to save species studied and balance the ecosystem (creativity, logical conclusions and predictions of interactions among species,  general scientific method and application of learned material)

25 points total

Estimated duration is 3 to 5 school days.

[|Student Directions for project]