Technology Integration Plan

My unit of study for my sophomore Biology class is all about sustainability. In order to understand sustainability, students first need to have knowledge of food webs. By observing food webs in nature and their delicate balance, students can also observe human society and how it impacts these food webs. This will allow students to gauge human interaction with the environment and determine what kinds of human behaviors area sustainable for the environment.

My lesson begins with a Do Now which prompts students to individually what they believe a food web is and provide an example of a food web within their own community. This activity allows students to begin brainstorming about what they already know regarding food webs and relay that information into animals in their own backyards. My lesson then continues on the SMART board where students get out of their seats and put their answers on the board. This is followed by a mini lesson via power point on the SMART board with an official definition of food web, introduction to trophic levels, and examples of each trophic level. The relationship between trophic levels, energy flow, and population size is also explored as students respond orally to prompts and take notes using the T-chart provided.

Finally, the mini lesson is followed by students breaking up into groups of three for a collaborative group activity. Students will be given lap tops and watch a Youtube TedEd video titled “Rewilding Our World.” This video explores the phenomena of trophic cascades and how human impact have changed how food webs function. Students will then utilize the application CK-12 to choose a food web and research which organisms play crucial roles in the food web. They must then research how human activities have impacted this particular food web. Students will then use the application Lucid Chart to map out the food web in the form of a diagram and pin point human interaction within the food web. The diagram should utilize pictures to enhance the look and support the ideas within the food web. The students will then print two copies of their food web diagram. One will be for their reference and the other they will hand in at the end of class as their exit ticket.

For homework, I will assign a short essay highlighting their food web and how human populations have impacted it in regards to species populations, energy flow and dynamics. Students will also be required to define three vocabulary words in their notebooks for the next class: ecological niche, competition (biology), and population growth.

My assessments for this lesson will reflect student participation during class, active note taking practices, mechanically sound and accurate responses, organization of notes and detail, accuracy, and creativity of food web diagram.

You can access my lesson plan by following the link below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6pdTAbc8HVhbnV4T2ItTVJiOEE