8th Grade Lesson Plans: Sixth Six Weeks

STAAR Test review will continue until the day of the test.

ECOSYSTEMS – CHAPTERS 18, 12, and 20

 

TEKS OBJECTIVES:

11)  Organisms and environments. The student knows that interdependence occurs among living systems and the environment and that human activities can affect these systems. The student is expected to:

(A)  describe producer/consumer, predator/prey, and parasite/host relationships as they occur in food webs within marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems;

(B)  investigate how organisms and populations in an ecosystem depend on and may compete for biotic and abiotic factors such as quantity of light, water, range of temperatures, or soil composition;

(C)  explore how short- and long-term environmental changes affect organisms and traits in subsequent populations; and

(D)  recognize human dependence on ocean systems and explain how human activities such as runoff, artificial reefs, or use of resources have modified these systems.

FROG DISSECTION

 TEKS OBJECTIVES:

(1)  Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, conducts laboratory and field investigations following safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to:

(A)  demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards; and

(B)  practice appropriate use and conservation of resources, including disposal, reuse, or recycling of materials.

(3)  Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions and knows the contributions of relevant scientists. The student is expected to:

(A)  in all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing, including examining all sides of scientific evidence of those scientific explanations, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student;

(B)  use models to represent aspects of the natural world such as an atom, a molecule, space, or a geologic feature;

(C)  identify advantages and limitations of models such as size, scale, properties, and materials; and

(D)  relate the impact of research on scientific thought and society, including the history of science and contributions of scientists as related to the content.

(4)  Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and safety equipment to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to:

(A)  use appropriate tools to collect, record, and analyze information, including lab journals/notebooks, beakers, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, anemometers, psychrometers, hot plates, test tubes, spring scales, balances, microscopes, thermometers, calculators, computers, spectroscopes, timing devices, and other equipment as needed to teach the curriculum; and

(B)  use preventative safety equipment, including chemical splash goggles, aprons, and gloves, and be prepared to use emergency safety equipment, including an eye/face wash, a fire blanket, and a fire extinguisher.

 

 

April 9-10, 2012

Discuss the following relationships: 3 types of symbiosis, predator/prey, levels of organization.   Virtual lab, “Model Ecosystems,”  investigating biological pyramids.

April 11-12, 2012

Discuss population changes in an ecosystem.  Complete Antarctic food web.

April 13 & 16, 2012

Discussion and lab on environmental impact on oceans.

April 17-18, 2012

STAAR review and activity on body systems

April 19-20, 2012

STAAR review and activity on Punnet squares

April 23-25, 2012

STAAR review and activity on the structure of atoms

April 26-27, 2012

STAAR science and social studies tests.

April 30-May 8, 2012

Construct Glogster posters on assigned topics about interactions within ecosystems and present these to the class.

May 9-16, 2012

Frog dissection emphasizing organs that make up systems and their function and interdependence.

May 17-22, 2012

Study Sheets and review for spring semester exams

 

SPRING SEMESTER EXAMS:   May 23-25

Schedule will be announced later.

The spring semester exam will be over the objectives of the unit on ecosystems and the frog dissection.

It will also include some questions from the 5th Six Weeks on the scientific method, oceans, weather, and landforms plus a few questions from the 4th Six Weeks unit on gathering data from the universe and plate tectonics.

Study all notes, vocabulary, and review worksheets.

Extra Credit will be given for reviews signed by a parent.