Ecosystems

Location: TA Trails & Garrow Park Nature Trails & Beach

Description:
In class students will be introduced to the unit understanding life systems, interactions in the
environment in class where they will have the foundational knowledge to complete a
questionnaire scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt with take place on the nature trails between St.
Thomas Aquinas High School and Garrow park and the side walk route to Garrow park as
indicated in the map above. Students will realize that humans have many impacts on the
environment, while reflecting on their responsibility to protect the environment.

Students with be placed in pairs (recorder, video photographer), with an iPad (water proof case)
where students will observe existing ecosystems and investigate factors that may affect balances
within the ecosystem, ecosystems consisting of communities of plants and animals, and how
non-living parts affect the system. Students will complete each task of the scavenger hunt by
taking a picture or/and video with voice cementation to explain that task. Lastly, students will
have to reflect on media/advertisement for the trails. Students will present their videos to
another grade/class within the school.

Example questions:
Find an ecosystem that you and your partner are interested to explore. Take a picture/video of
your ecosystem and explain the interactions occurring in the ecosystem. How does each
component effect each other? (what are the components?

Investigate an area where there has been a natural occurrence? (forest fire, lightening strike,
drought, low/high water levels, garbage in wetland habitat, etc) How does this occurrence impact
this ecosystem and food chain in this system?

Duration: 6 classes broken down as follows

Day 1- scavenger hunt/ nature walk
Day 2- scavenger hunt/ nature walk
Day 3- reviewing information/editing
Day 4- editing video recording & pictures
Day 5- practice presentation
Day 6- presentation

Connections to curriculum expectations:

Grade 7 Science- Understanding Life Systems Interactions with the environment

Overall Expectations:
1. assess the impacts of human activities and technologies on the environment, and evaluate
ways of controlling these impacts;
2. investigate interactions within the environment, and identify factors that affect the balane
between different components of an ecosystem;
3. demonstrate an understanding of interactions between and among biotic and abiotic elements
in the environment

Specific Expectations:
1.1 assess the impact of selected technologies on the environment
2.1 follow established safety procedures for investigating ecosystems
2.4 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including sustainability, biotic,
ecosystem, community, population, and procedure, in oral and written communication
2.5 use a variety of forms to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
3.1 demonstrate an understanding of an ecosystem as a system of interactions between living
organisms and their environment
3.2 identify biotic and abiotic elements in an ecosystem, and describe the interactions between
them
3.4 describe the transfer of energy in a food chain and explain the effects of the elimination of
any part of the chain
3.5 describe how matter is cycled within the environment and explain how it promotes
sustainability

Grade 7 Language Arts

Oral Communication

Overall Expectations:
2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a
variety of purposes

Specific Expectations:
1.9
2.4
2.5

Media Literacy

Overall Expectations:
2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with
them are used to create meaning;
3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms,
conventions, and techniques;
4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interprets and creators, areas for improvement,
and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts

Specific Expectations:
1.1
1.4
2.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
4.1

Cost (per student): Free