Final Presentation EVPP 607 Summer

1. The Story of the Key Deer How organisms are dynamic over time.

2. Lesson Plan for 7th Life Science Students As part of the curriculum for State of Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) for 7th grade students, they are required to understand that ecosystems, communities, populations and organisms are dynamic and change over time. Virginia Standard of Learning: Life Science 11 The student will investigate and understand that ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms are dynamic and change over time (daily, seasonal, and long term) Key concepts: phototropism, hibernation, and dormancy factors that increase or decrease population size; and eutropication, climate change, and catastrophic disturbance.

3. The Purpose The purpose of this lesson is to act as an introduction to standard LS 11. When teaching I have always used a set of lesson plans to address each standard. The first lesson plan gives an overview of the standard and then supplemental plans delve into further detail to complete the students understanding. Although the first lesson does not cover all of the concepts required in the standard, it will give the student a good foundation to work from in order to cover the remaining requirements.

4. Overview This lesson plan takes place over 3 class periods. For the purpose of the plan class periods are 55 minutes, and each lesson will take place in 45 minutes. The lesson plan utilizes the Key Deer in Florida to illustrate how dynamic organisms can be over periods of time. As part of the lesson students will examine how ecosystems can change over periods of time. How organisms, specifically the Key Deer, interact and have adapted to their ecosystem and the changes the ecosystem has endured over time. Predict what will happen to an organism if different changes happen in an ecosystem.

5. Objectives The student will be able to understand that organisms are dynamic and react to daily, seasonal and long-term events. predict the effect of climate change on ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms. compare and contrast different factors that increase or decrease a population’s size. predict the effect of large scale changes on ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms.

6. Pre-Class Work/Homework Prior to the first day of the lesson, students will be responsible for completing introductory work. This includes definitions and labeling locations on the map. The purpose of these activities is to familiarize students with the location and general unique terminology that will be discussed on the first day of the lesson. The work consists of a set of definitions and filling in locations on a blank map of Southern Florida and the Keys.

7. Day 1 – The Geology of the Florida Keys: What made them? What are they made of? The Purpose: Using the geology and history of the Florida Keys will enable students to see how and why organisms, specifically the Key Deer, have adapted to changes. In addition students will see how climate (regionally and globally) have impacts on ecosystems. Essential Questions: How were the Florida Keys formed? What natural events caused the formation of the keys?

8. Discussion During a PowerPoint presentation, students will be introduced to the story of how the Keys were formed over a period of time. Questions are posed to the students to create a classroom dialogue on the effects of climate on geology on an ecosystem.

9. Classwork and Homework After the PowerPoint presentation students will work independently on a timeline that will illustrate how the Florida Keys were formed. For Homework (or Independent Study) students look at 5 different sets of islands and look up how each of theses were formed. The islands were all either formed through coral or volcanic activity.

10. Day 2 – The Florida Key Deer – How a Species Adapts The Purpose: By examining the story of the key deer students will be able to understand how organisms respond to change. Essential Questions: What are Florida Key Deer? How did the Key Deer adapt to the changes in the Florida Keys over time? Why did the deer change over time?

11. Discussion During a PowerPoint presentation, students will be told the story of the Key Deer and how they differ from other white-tailed deer. Questions are posed to the students create a classroom dialogue on the effects that isolation on the islands has had on the deer.

12. Classwork and Homework After the presentation- Students will watch the following video on “The Hobbit” and in one paragraph, compare and contrast what is seen in the video with what was discussed in class. The Video link: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=692265n&tag=related;photovideo For Homework Pick one of the following organisms and compare it with what we discussed in class. How did this animal adapt to its changing environment? Create a chart on a piece of paper showing the similarities and differences between your animal and the Key Deer. The Clouded Leopard The Bactrian Camel The Northern Snakehead

13. Day 3 – The Dynamic World The Purpose: This section will give students and understanding of how the changing world affects organisms. We will examine both human and natural changes to an ecosystem and predict how the organism (in this case) the Key Deer react and adapt, if they can. Essential Questions: How do you think organisms will react to changes in their environment?

14. Discussion During a PowerPoint presentation, students will given a set of circumstances that will allow them to theorize what would happen. These include climate shifts, oil spill destruction and the lack of a national refuge conservation plan. Questions posed to the students create a classroom dialogue about theories and outcomes. They will begin to predict effects of changes on environments.

15. Classwork After the presentation students will form groups of three and complete: “In your backyard!” Directions: 1. Chose an animal found in your backyard. 2. What would happen if all humans disappeared? What would happen to your animal? Answer the following questions: 1. What is your animal? 2. What is unique about your animal? 3. If humans disappeared, would the population of your animal increase or decrease? Why? 4. Would your animal have to adapt in some way to survive?

17. Conclusive Activities Quiz Project Student will complete a short quiz. The quiz includes matching the definitions found in the three days of material. Short answers on questions from the material. One essay question require students to apply what they have learned to a given situation. Students will be required to incorporate the material into a culminating project. The project for this section will be to select 10 different adaptations found in nature and display them in a catalog for “organisms” to shop from. Each adaptation must be defined and “sold.”