8th Grade Science Guide

8.3: Ecology 3 Dimensions & Progressions

Unit 3

● Water fow in the Everglades changed when pythons were introduced to the ecosystem. ● As urban sprawl increases along the coasts, there has been a large decline in the survival rate of sea turtle hatchlings. ● The rate of heat transferred to the ocean has doubled since 1993. END OF UNIT COMPETENCY WITH LANGUAGE SUPPORTS ● I can make a model of a food chain and how energy is cycled through the food chain. ○ Language Supports: ■ Abstract nouns to introduce concepts (effect, relationship, converts, changes, cycled, energy loss) ■ Connectors to link clauses (as a result of, therefore, instead, however, on the other hand) ■ Clause types to express causality (if/then) ■ Declarative statements (Energy from the sun is lost between trophic levels because _____., etc.)

DIFFERENTIATION IN ACTION

● Gizmo - Forest ecosystems ● Newsela - Energy fow and the 10 percent rule

Skill Building

● Newsela - Keystone Species ● Food Web Graphic Organizer ● Food Chain Graphic Organizer

● Students can read about Sea Otters and how they help keep coastal water ecosystems in check. (Newsela articles). ○ Ecosystem Superhero: Sea Otters ○ Sea Otters and their role in kelp forests

Extension

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT ● SEEd 8.3.3 Formative Assessment ELA CONNECTIONS

● RST.6-8.1: Cite specifc textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. ● RI.8.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specifc claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and suffcient to support the claims. ● WHST.6-8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. ● WHST.6-8.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, refection, and research.

MATH CONNECTIONS ● N/A