Topic: Forest Ecology

Prescribed Learning Outcomes:

Forest Ecology

It is expected that students will:

• define ecology, environment, and ecosystem
• describe processes in and components of ecosystems
• demonstrate awareness of forests as complex ecosystems
• describe the roles that fungi, microbes, and lichens play in a forest ecosystem
• define structural diversity and biological diversity
• assess the effects of natural and human forces on the forest
• describe a variety of food chains and food webs

Overview

• student experiments
• presentations

Planning for Assessment and Evaluation

• The teacher began the unit with a webbing activity to review the general concepts of ecology and biological diversity, which most students had learned in previous science courses. Students then worked in pairs to create webs to illustrate their understanding of forest ecology. As students worked, the teacher circulated to listen and ask questions to find out the extent to which students used correct terminology and understood the interrelatedness and interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem. The teacher also checked that students included in their webs the following ecosystem factors:
  • fungi, bacteria, and lichen
  • plants (e.g., trees, shrubs, grasses, mosses)
  • animals (e.g., mammals, including humans; birds; fish; insects)
  • abiotic elements (e.g., air, water, soil, climate)
• The pairs compared their webs with others, made adjustments as appropriate, and explained why they needed to make the adjustments they did. As students worked, the teacher noted the extent to which each:
  • willingly and constructively initiated, developed, and sustained partner interactions
  • contributed ideas
  • built on the partner's ideas

Student Experiments

• The teacher conducted a brief discussion of factors affecting plant growth and a review of the steps involved in single-variable experiments. Students were then asked to design and conduct experiments to illustrate how environmental factors affect plant growth.

• The teacher provided students with information about fungi, microbes, and lichen. Each student used this information to make a chart outlining the similarities and differences among the three groups. Students were reminded to include in each chart:
  • a basic description of each organism
  • the habitat requirements of each organism
  • the basic life cycle of each organism
  • information on how each organism is an essential part of an ecosystem
• Then the teacher set up assessment stations at which students identified and classified specimens as fungi, microbes, or lichen.

• Students visited a forest site to observe and record data about local plant species and their habitat. The teacher instructed small groups of students to each select either fungi, microbes, or lichen and to identify and collect samples and data to help explain the organisms' adaptations to their environment. As a follow-up activity, each group researched and created a poster, model, or multimedia presentation on one of the selected organisms to demonstrate understanding of its structure, special adaptations, processes, and life cycle.

Defining the Criteria

To what extent does the student:

• make reasoned hypotheses
• include appropriate steps when designing simple experiments
• accurately record data
• provide plausible interpretations of data
• demonstrate awareness and control of variables
• communicate information clearly and accurately

To what extent does the group:

• provide the audience with relevant background information
• present ideas in ways that are clear and easy to follow
• use samples and illustrations effectively and as appropriate
• include relevant and accurate detail about the organism's life cycle
• provide accurate explanations of special adaptations
• make specific references to how the organism is an essential part of the ecosystem

Assessing And Evaluating Student Performance

The teacher assessed students' experiments using a scale. Students received copies of the scale before starting their experiments and used them to develop and later assess their work. The teacher held conferences to discuss discrepancies between student and teacher ratings. Students were given suggestions for improvement, and those who received scores of 1 or 2 were given the opportunity to redo their experiments. (In these cases the final score was the higher of the two.)

Presentation

The class developed criteria for assessing student presentations. The teacher used the criteria to develop self- and peer evaluation sheets. After the presentations, the presenters evaluated themselves, then compared their self-evaluations with those of other students and the teacher.

Student Experiments

Criteria	Rating
identify factors that affect organism growth	5  4  3  2  1  0
create and clearly state a hypothesis	5  4  3  2  1  0
design an experiment to test the hypothesis, including establishing a control and controlling variables	5  4  3  2  1  0
accurately observe and record data in an effective manner	5  4  3  2  1  0
interpret data obtained from the experiment	5  4  3  2  1  0
communicate information clearly and accurately	5  4  3  2  1  0

Key:

5-Excellent-Criteria met to an exceptional or unusual degree.
4-Very Good-Criteria met in a very effective way.
3-Good-Criteria met in a competent and an effective fashion.
2-Satisfactory-Criteria met, but with considerable room for improvement.
1-Minimally Acceptable-Criteria met to some extent.
0-Not Evident-Criteria not met.

Presentation

Criteria	Comments	Rating
presents relevant background information		5  4  3  2  1  0
presentation is clear and easy to follow		5  4  3  2  1  0
uses samples and illustrations effectively and appropriately		5  4  3  2  1  0
includes relevant and accurate detail about the organism's life cycle		5  4  3  2  1  0
makes specific references to how the organism is an essential part of the ecosystem		5  4  3  2  1  0
refers to and provides explanations of special adaptations		5  4  3  2  1  0

Key:

5-Excellent-Criteria met to an exceptional or unusual degree.
4-Very Good-Criteria met in a very effective way.
3-Good-Criteria met in a competent and an effective fashion.
2-Satisfactory-Criteria met, but with considerable room for improvement.
1-Minimally Acceptable-Criteria met to some extent.
0-Not Evident-Criteria not met.

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