1. BTEC First Diploma Applied Science
Unit Five: Biological Systems
Assignment: Organisms to Ecosystems
lesson Learning Outcomes Teaching and Learning Resources Assignments Comments
1 Construct simple Classification of a bag of sweets. Some chocolate, Sweets for Organisms to Students not
identification keys and some gummy, some colourful, some with shell, classification Ecosystems Task to eat the
describe the main some with nuts. How would they classify these? one sweets!
characteristics within the
major classification groups Create a key to show the difference between. Images of
organisms Extension
Major classification groups – the five kingdoms. from the five question –
Which animal goes where? kingdoms are people
animals too?
2 Construct simple Research the major characteristics of the five access to Organisms to
identification keys and kingdoms and create a presentation to give to the laptops Ecosystems Task
describe the main rest of the class about the things each of these one
characteristics within the
major classification groups have in common.
3 Construct simple Visit to Queens Road playing fields to examine the Risk Organisms to Students not
identification keys and area and undertake initial ecological survey – trial assessment Ecosystems Task to touch or
describe the main of quadrat random sampling and transect and visit forms one eat anything
characteristics within the
major classification groups sampling. Students to evaluate techniques. Collect on visit other
10 examples of one thing (eg 10 leaves) Quadrats than that
they are
Create Identification key for these organisms. Digital camera investigating.
Under no
circumstance
to pick
mushrooms.
2007-2008
Assessed by Teresa Greer

2. 4 Explain the need to Which one would you eat? Show students a Access to Organisms to
classify organisms selection of mushrooms – some weird and some computer/lapt Ecosystems Task
normal looking – which would they eat? Reveal ops two
those that are poisonous hopefully showing a few
surprises. Images of
So why classify organisms? Consider if bitten by a mushrooms
snake and gone to the hospital for anti-venom.
Would need to know what snake had bitten in first
place.
Students to think of as many good reasons for
classification as possible and write a popular
science article on need to classify.
5 Explain the need to Continue with article from previous session. Access to Organisms to
classify organisms Discuss findings as a group. computer/lapt Ecosystems Task
ops two
6 Discuss the characteristics Show students a duck billed platypus picture and Access to Organisms to story of the
which are used to ask them to identify the key features. How would computers Ecosystems Task duck billed
distinguish the major they classify this organism? three platypus that
groups
Poster making British
Has most features in common with mammals so is materials Scientists
a mammal. Is the difference or similarities more thought was
important when classifying? Access to fake
textbooks
Students to create a poster on the importance of
differences and similarities when classifying
organisms.
7 Describe an ecosystem Plan an investigation to find the types of organisms Organisms to Student
investigated and indicate you would find in the Queens Road park area. Ecosystems Task safety brief
the types of Four
interdependence of living
things in it. Use google maps to create a map of the area ahead
of time.
2007-2008
Assessed by Teresa Greer

3. 8 Describe an ecosystem Visit to Queens Road playing fields to examine the Risk Organisms to Student
investigated and indicate area and undertake initial ecological survey – trial assessment Ecosystems Task safety brief
the types of of quadrat random sampling and transect and visit forms Four
interdependence of living
things in it. sampling. Students to evaluate techniques.
String
Quadrats
9 Describe an ecosystem Write up investigation on the organisms found in access to Organisms to
investigated and indicate the queens road area. Use the organism laptops Ecosystems Task
the types of identification kit to note Four
interdependence of living
things in it.
10 Describe examples of Students to pick a selection of the organisms they paper and Organisms to
adaptations to the found in their investigation and consider how they drawing Ecosystems Task
environment shown by are adapted to their environment materials Five
organisms within the
ecosystem
Define Key word: Adaptation Access to
textbooks
Draw the organisms and label the adaptations that
particularly suit them to living in Queens Road
park.
11 Describe examples of Continuation of drawing task – students to paper and Organisms to
adaptations to the complete all adaptation drawings and relevant drawing Ecosystems Task
environment shown by annotations including the key word definition. materials Five
organisms within the
ecosystem
Access to
textbooks
13 Construct quantitative and What is a food chain? Students to produce a simple Paper Organisms to
qualitative diagrams to food chain from the organisms given to them. Ecosystems Task
demonstrate the Which is the producer? (define) which is the writing Six
relationships between
living organisms living primary consumer? (define) which is the secondary material
interdependently within an consumer? (define.
ecosystem. Access to
2007-2008
Assessed by Teresa Greer

4. Are there any scavengers, predators or prey in the textbooks
food chain? Which direction should the arrows go Results from
(showing energy transfer)? Where do all food previous
chains start? investigation
Students then create a simple food chain showing
the organisms from Queens Road.
Students then expand for food web (define)
What does a pyramid of numbers show? What
does a pyramid of biomass show? Students do
practice pyramids then construct one from Queens
road data.
14 Describe the possible Plan investigation at Queens road looking into Organisms to Student
effect of human activities mans impact in the environment. Ecosystems Task safety brief
on the ecosystem Seven
investigated
Brain storm how man might affect his local
environment
Consider the different types of habitat at Queens
Road, woodland, field space, wasteland, burned
area, football pitch area and scrub around edges.
15 Describe the possible Undertake the investigation from last lessons Risk Organisms to Student
effect of human activities plans. Random sampling and transect of three assessment Ecosystems Task safety brief
on the ecosystem areas. Students to draw maps and take a selection and visit forms Seven
investigated
of results to collaborate on in the classroom.
String
Quadrats
Identification
keys
Digital camera
2007-2008
Assessed by Teresa Greer

5. 16 Describe the possible Discussion of yesterdays finding and group pooling Access to Organisms to may need
effect of human activities of results laptops Ecosystems Task extra time for
on the ecosystem Seven this
investigated
Were there any surprises in the results? What does
this mean for the future? Students to write up
investigation report
17 Describe the effect of How do we know how much CO2 was in the air a Images of ice Organisms to
these environmental thousand years ago? Students to brainstorm ideas and forest Ecosystems Task
changes over time and the how we can get data from this long ago. migration Eight
means of measuring them
Look at trapped gas in ice and other methods of Global
measuring environmental data over time. Show warming
images of forest migration and suggest reasons for graphs
this. Show students the graphs of global
temperature and CO2 levels and ask if they can see Post-its for
a pattern and when the levels started to rise. brainstorm
What affect do they think the littering, football
pitch and burned area will have on Queens Road
over time?
18 Describe the effect of Students to research the methods used to examine Access to Organisms to
these environmental environmental data over time and use their results laptops Ecosystems Task
changes over time and the from the queen road area to create a experimental Eight
means of measuring them
investigation they could use long term in
Tottenham to learn about the effect of mans
impact on the environment. This to include a fully
discussed hypothesis.
19 Analyse Data relating to Students to examine the graphs of global Access to Organisms to
changes in the temperature and CO2 levels and write an impact laptops Ecosystems Task
environment and explain report covering the time indicated, including a plan Nine
how the environmental
impact may be minimised for avoiding future damages.
in future
2007-2008
Assessed by Teresa Greer