UbD Lesson Plan

Teacher’s Name: Patricia Breault Subject/Course: Resource

Lesson Title: Science— Ecosystems and the flow of energy Grade Level: 7th
Approximate Time Frame: 45 minutes
Essential Vocabulary: Ecosystem; biome; habitat; decomposer;
consumer; producer; herbivore; carnivore; omnivore; predator; prey;
community; population; food chain; food chain; adaptation; migration;
organism; autotroph; heterotroph

Brief Overview (Summary) of the Unit:

Students will learn to describe the different parts of the ecosystem and give examples by using multiple learning
methods: Kahoot quiz; PowerPoint; Question/Answer using dry erase boards and markers; Smartboard storyboard;
and exit tickets. Day before: students will do worksheet on ecosystems to see what students already know or want to
know. They will then be provided with correct answers to the questions on the worksheet.

Stage 1 – Desired Results (Acquisition, Meaning Making, and Transfer)

Key Standards (ELA, Math, SS, Science Frameworks for all Essential Understandings):

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.C
Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant observations and
ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.D
Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, modify their own views.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.4
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions,
facts, details, and examples.
CCSS.Science-MS-LS2-3.
The students understand the defining boundaries of the ecosystem and the flow of energy associated with an
ecosystem.

Transfer: Students will demonstrate understanding of the workings of an ecosystem and apply it to a new problem or
situation. Students will be able to recognize the different parts of an ecosystem when given various environments to
analyze. Students will also be able to identify the parts of an ecosystem and the flow of energy with at least 85%
accuracy on the exit ticket and be able to accurately recall the information on the end-of-unit exam.

Meaning Making: Students will understand and keep considering the idea that ecosystems apply to any type of
natural environment, regardless of whether one environment is dry or wet, for example.

Understandings: Students will understand there are different levels of an ecosystem and what they are called. They
will also understand: organisms and their environments are interconnected; changes in one part of the system will
affect other parts of the system; and that humans can alter the living and non-living factors within an ecosystem,
thereby creating changes to the overall system.

Essential Questions (Long Term and Topical):

What are ecosystems? Are all Ecosystems the same? How does human interaction affect ecosystems?

Acquisition of Knowledge and Skill

Knowledge: Students will: know that ecosystems describe a community of living organisms in their natural
environments; understand that organisms are linked to each other and to their environments in a web of
relationships; and understand that humans can affect ecosystems in many ways.
Skills/Performance: Students will be able to draw their own ecosystem renditions and learn the flow of energy
through use of virtual storyboard pieces on the Smartboard. They will also be able to examine a variety of
ecosystems and compare how the organisms, the habitat, and the food chains are similar and different in
ecosystems. Finally, students will be able to: categorize the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function
they serve as producers, etc.; describe the path of energy from the sun to the producers then to the consumer in the
food chain; and explain why removing an organism from their ecosystem and placing the organism in a new
ecosystem may upset the balance of the new ecosystem.

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task or Other Key Evidence of Learning
Students will be able to correctly identify the parts of an ecosystem given to them. They will be shown examples of,
for instance, a picture of a decomposer and asked if it is a part of the ecosystem. The activity will be continued until
all parts of the ecosystem have been used in the activity. Students will also understand that ecosystems occur in any
natural environment and the key terms, such as community, apply to each environment.

Key criteria to measure Performance Task(s) or Key Evidence:

A simple teacher assessment tool, in essence a checklist, has been devised to record the accuracy of each student’s
ability to correctly label their own ecosystem parts in whatever natural environment they choose.

Other Evidence to reflect student learning (formative and/or summative measures)

Formative measure- Concept map in class to represent students’ understanding of the topic and have students
submit one or two sentences identifying the main point of the day’s lesson.
Summative measure- Evaluate student learning of the lesson by including the information in the end-of-unit
exam/final or extend student choices to include a paper, oral report, presentation, or video.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan, Experiences, and Instruction:

The Teacher will… The Student will…

W
I will relate the importance of the topic to the students and how it applies Students will directly state the desired
to their everyday lives (because they live in their own environments) and results at the beginning of the lesson,
that the purpose of the day’s lesson is to prepare us for the future as well be prepared for the unit exam, and will
as the end-of-unit exam. I will remind students to ask for help throughout be expected to behave appropriately, try
the period and I will expect that they will try their best to understand the their best to understand/grasp the
lesson’s content. concepts, and ask questions as often as
they need.
H
Students will officially be introduced to the material the day of the lesson Students will participate in ungraded
with a warm-up Kahoot quiz activity to test their memory of what they Kahoot quiz and may use their answer
learned in the pre-assessment. A pre-assessment will be given the day sheets from the pre-assessment to aid
before that will test student’s existing knowledge on ecosystems and the in the answering of questions.
flow of energy. The pre-assessment will also have a section for student’s
to provide their own answers of what they wish to learn in the unit.
E
I will provide students with a number of ways to learn the content and Students will have the opportunity to
explore through interactive activities. These interactive activities will learn small and big ideas through
allow students to explore small and big ideas of the content through interactive activities and will be
experiential learning and direct instruction. Examples include prepared for the activities via teacher
simulation/web-based games (e.g. Kahoot) and lecture-based instruction instruction.
(e.g. Teacher/student Q&A). The PowerPoint instruction will also equip
them for the required performances.
R
I will constantly monitor student progress on activities and have back-up Students will provide feedback on the
activities in the event that the activities being used are not being difficulty level of the activities and reflect
understood by the students. using self-assessments and think-
alouds.

E
I will provide the students with an exit ticket for their self-reflection of the Students will have the opportunity to
learning and I will allow students to work in groups for specific activities work in peer learning groups to help
to facilitate self-evaluation. each other and aid in self-evaluation.
They will also complete an exit ticket
that is a reflection of the lesson’s
content.
T
I will constantly remind students to ask for help but additionally, I will Students will have the opportunity to
have copies of the digital activities for students to read off of, if they so participate in a variety of ways and will
choose, and mark up. Students can also be quizzed using flash cards. be given options, for instance, on ways
An example ecosystem will be displayed in the classroom. For students by which they can complete the exit
who require extra time or assistance, there will be a designated table at ticket or complete the night’s
the back of the room. Variations of the exit ticket can also be provided. homework.
Finally, adaptations of the homework can offered based on individual
need.
O
1. Begin with entry question and Kahoot quiz Students will follow the learning
2. Introduce essential questions and key vocabulary performance predetermined by the
3. Introduce PowerPoint presentation teacher.
4. Student ecosystem rendition using dry erase boards or
paper/coloring utensils and share in groups
5. Smartboard storyboard Activity (students will draw or drag
images to show flow of energy and label an ecosystem that is
shown for them)
6. Exit ticket and self-evaluation on their impact on the
ecosystems

Special Needs (include all learners on the continuum)

Modifications (changes to the Core
Standard(s) and level of proficiency
expected):
Interactive activities are used instead of
standard textbook based learning, such as
reading and identifying main points or
answering summative questions at the end
of the chapter.
Accommodations (supports or instructional adjustments):
Resource Room is a diagnostic service that is provided to all
students each day. Students are evaluated daily on materials they
must complete for the general education program. Assistance is
provided through discussion with the student as well as frequent
collaboration with core teachers. Support may be guidance with a
particular project or direct reteaching of concepts. Through one on
one assistance with the student, comprehension is key for the
student to understand the task and to perform the task to an
acceptable level to maintain a passing grade. I will be asking
students to explain how the different levels of the ecosystem work,
how flow of energy is transferred and from where does the transfer
begin. Lessons are differentiated when each student arrives and it is
based on both the student and teacher input with regard to how much
or little the student is comprehending the material. Some students
need a bit of clarification with directions while others need more
intensive support and direction to complete tasks. As I move around
the room, I will keep an eye on how the groups are working together.
Plans for after this lesson/competency is complete (How will you extend,
enrich?):
The close of the lesson will contain a brief overview of the key topics we have discussed and students will complete
the multiple choice exit ticket quiz indicating their level of comprehension of the lesson. Students will be able to state
that they know the difference between the different parts of an ecosystem as well as how the flow of energy works
and where it begins. Students will perform 85% or better on the exit ticket quiz given at the end of the period.

Key Resources and Materials Used: Websites, books, film clips, etc.
Type of Resource/Material: Online quiz system; digital Name of Resource/Material: Kahoot quiz; PowerPoint; dry-erase
presentation; drawing; digital interactive activity; exit ticket boards and/or paper/coloring utensils; Smartboard; Exit-ticket:
Parts of an ecosystem

UDL Lesson Adaptation Plan

Student: NA Subject: Science IEP date: 11/29/17

QUANTITY TIME LEVEL OF SUPPORT

Number of vocabulary terms to be Kahoot quiz- 5 min. Students will work

learned will be reduced but student will PowerPoint/dry-erase renditions- with teacher at each
have more interactive activities to 15 min. stage/activity but will
complete. Flow of energy/ecosystem have the opportunity
to work in groups
discussion and Smartboard
with assigned peer
activity- 15 min. buddies based on
Exit ticket- 10 min. individual skill and
If extra time, students will play web ability.
games on ecosystems.

INPUT DIFFICULTY OUTPUT

Digital formats, such as PowerPoint, Task instruction can be simplified, Students can
Kahoot, and the Smartboard, will be for example during the PowerPoint respond to
used to adapt methods of engagement Presentation, and rules can be questions in
and hands-on activities are accommodated to fit learner writing, verbally, or
implemented in to the lesson. Pre- needs. use of hands on
assessments are used and students material, including
work independently as well as in peer dry-erase boards.
groups.

PARTICIPATION ALTERNATE GOALS SUBSTITUTE

CURRICULUM

During Smartboard activity, one student Most students should be able to If necessary,
can edit the “storyboard” while receiving identify and label the characters in teacher can
feedback from his/her students on an ecosystem with proper personally assist
where to label or place images. Teacher vocabulary but an alternate goal of students who
may also engage in think-alouds at identifying actors without proper severely struggle
beginning of class instruction. vocabulary can be utilized in a with academics.
student needs it.

GRADING
Participation may count. Kahoot quiz grades will not be counted but exit tickets will be put into grade
book.
Exit Ticket — Parts Of An Ecosystem

1. In the ecosystem below, identify the following organisms IF they exist:

a. Producer: ____________________________________________
b. Herbivore: ___________________________________________
c. Carnivore: ___________________________________________
d. Omnivore: ___________________________________________
e. Predator: ____________________________________________
f. Decomposer: _________________________________________
g. Prey: _______________________________________________

G. Explain how two different organisms compete for a resource. What resource are
they competing for?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 H. Give an example of how a living organism depends on a non-living organism.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

I. Give one example of how a living organism depends on another living organism to
survive.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

J. List the transfer of energy from start to finish.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

K. What did you like or dislike about today’s activities?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________