Visualizing Vocabulary in an Ecosystem

Students will spend several weeks reading about & observing a pond on our school grounds.

Key vocabulary: biotic, abiotic, population, communities, limiting factors, competition, predation, consumer, producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, symbiosis, commensalism, mutualism, parasitism

Students will observe the pond ecosystem, focusing on connecting with the key vocabulary to increase their understanding of the relationships present at the pond. A key component of their observation will be taking photographs that represent each of the key vocabulary words, or as many as they can possibly find. These photographs will help solidify their understanding, as well as help them with the final project.

After several weeks of activities, including observations, class discussions, bringing pond organisms into the classroom & studying and identifying them, creating a food web of the pond, role playing different symbiotic relationships, mapping the pond, and playing an active game that mimics fluctuations in population over time, students will be assessed based on one of the two following projects:

1. Write a REALISTIC fictional "diary entry" of one organism that lives in the pond. Of course, this will be based on facts learned about the organism. Students who choose this will be required to include facts about their organism as well as all the key vocabulary to explain what life is like for this individual in the pond. The writing assignment will include photographs taken to help illustrate

2. Create a poster that illustrates the pond ecosystem. Photos taken by students will be included, as well as drawings and labels to describe all of the key vocabulary.

PHOTOGRAPHS USING CAMERAS DONATED BY YOU WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE THIS PROJECT! :)
Currently, students do not include photographs and may include illustrations.