Title Ecosystem and Biome Exploration

Purpose/Rationale To use Google Cardboard (Virtual Reality) to further explore

the Great Barrier Reef, the concepts of ecosystems, and find
connections to the ecosystem of our local community. Human
impact will also be determined and discussed.
Community Resources Students will be asked to complete an activity sheet that has
and meeting needs of to deal with the features of the environment around their
particular population homes/school. Students will be looking at the biotic and
of students abiotic features.
Virginia SOLs LS. 1The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by
planning and conducting investigations in which
LS.1i: patterns are identified in data and are
interpreted and evaluated
LS.8--The student will investigate and understand
interactions among populations in a biological
community.
o LS.8a: Relationships among producers,
consumers, and decomposers in food webs
o LS.8b: Relationship between predators and prey
o LS.8e: Niches

Materials Google Cardboard or View-Master

Smartphone (with VR Cardboard App)
Personal Chromebooks (each student has one)
Magazines
Scissors/tape/glue

Safety and Class Students will use their smartphones and Chromebooks in only
Management Issues an appropriate fashion. When outside, students will be
respectful of each other, themselves, and the nature around
them.
Procedures for Teaching (numbered with time frame)
Engage What Makes an Ecosystem
(10 min) 1. Students are asked to look at a series of pictures of
ecosystems and divide the aspects of the pictures into
two groups (biotic or abiotic).
2. They will talk to their shoulder partner about how they
decided to divide the groups.
3. They will then share out and as a group, the class will
decide what aspects are found in an ecosystem and
how to divide them into two groups. The teacher will
bring in the terms abiotic and biotic, if not already
talked about.
 4. The students will decide what aspects of an ecosystem
are seen in both pictures and write those terms into a
SmartBoard page.
Explore What an Ecosystem!
(40 min) 1. Student should choose a VR biome or Wildlife area,
including terrestrial or marine environments.
2. Observations should be made about the habitat, plant
species, land area, animal species, animal appearance,
etc. These observations should be written in their
notebooks. The teacher will emphasize looking for the
aspects that the class came up with that make up an
ecosystem.
3. The students will collect data on if they observed the
aspects of an ecosystem the class came up with as a
group in their program.
4. Students should talk to their shoulder partner (or
someone who doesnt have the same program) about
the similarities or differences they have found in their
observations, then make inferences about why they
believe there are differences in the needs or looks of
species.
Explain Looking at Biomes
(50 min.) 1. The teacher will bring the class back together and pose the
question, do we need to add anything or get rid of
something in our list of features in an ecosystem?. The
teacher will ask if anyone would like to share the
similarities/differences between their ecosystems as well
as bring up that there are many different types of
ecosystems that species depend onbring in biomes.
2. Students will research a biome on their computers. They
will write down the features that the class came up with
and find examples of those aspects from their own biome.
This information will also be used in the later Biome
Brochure.
3. The students will either draw pictures of the aspects or cut
out pictures of the aspects to use in a collage.
4. The students will pair up and create a Venn diagram of the
pictures and words they found that compare and contrast
the biomes.
Elaborate Effects on Environment
(50 min) 1. The teacher will bring the class back together to talk
about the Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel, an
endangered species in southwest Virginia.
2. Students will brainstorm why the flying squirrel might
be endangered in SW Virginiathe teacher will bring
up biome features that might be affected.
 3. Students will be asked to explain how human
activities, including construction and recreation, could
affect the flying squirrel.
4. The teacher will ask the students to create a brochure
on a biome, keeping in mind all they learned over the
last two days. Students should include the biotic and
abiotic features of the biome as well as include how
humans could affect the biome and how a species in
that biome could go extinct.

Formative Venn Diagram of similar biomes; students who looked at

marine ecosystems will be encouraged to examine terrestrial
ecosystems during this assessment so that they get a well-
rounded understanding of ecosystems and biomes.
Summative StudyJamsStudents are able to watch a video about
Ecosystems and then complete a Quiz on some of the
aspects of an ecosystem.
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosy
stems/ecosystems.htm
1. Students to either raise their hand when they have
finished the quiz so that the teacher can see their score
or send the teacher an email of their scores.

The biome brochure made by the students will be graded

based on creativity, correctness, and information.
Authentic Students will be asked to go outside their home, or the school,
and determine what aspects of their environment are abiotic
or biotic features of their ecosystem. This will be a
homework assignment that will allow them to understand the
difference between biotic and abiotic. The activity sheet is
attached.
Activity Sheet Attached.

10 minutes going over what you have done, 10 minutes interactive stuff and discussion
Terrestrial Ecosystem

Marine Ecosystem
Name _______________________ Date _______________ Period _____________

What an Ecosystem! Activity Sheet

1. What Virtual Reality ecosystem are observing/interacting within?

2. Write down the aspects of an ecosystem that your class has come up with. Make a
check mark if you observe one of those features.
Aspect of Ecosystem Did you see it?

3. Find someone in the class that looked at an ecosystem different than yours. Compare
and contrast what aspects they saw and what you saw.
4. Why do you believe there are differences in the two ecosystems?

5. Would an animal or plant species from your ecosystem survive in your partners
ecosystem? Why or why not?
Name _______________________ Date ___________________ Period _____________
Homework Assignment

Go outside and find an area of your backyard or schoolyard that you can observe. This
will become your new ecosystem! Answer the following questions about the ecosystem
around you.

1. Make a list of abiotic and biotic features of your ecosystem. Make sure to write all
characteristics of the ecosystem down!

Abiotic Biotic

2. What kind of animals could be sustained in your ecosystem (ex. turtle, catfish, polar
bear)?

3. How do humans, including you and your family, fit into this ecosystem?
Name ___________________________ Date _________________ Period ___________

Biome Brochure
Use http://science-class.net/biomes to continue researching about your biome. Make sure
you gather information about:
a. Weather and climate (including temperature, precipitation)
b. Landforms (mountains, bodies of water)
c. Animals and plant species and their adaptations
d. Ecological concerns or issues
Make your brochure:
1. Fold your brochure by folding first 1/3 of right side of the paper in. Then fold the
1/3 side halfway over the left-over space.
2. In the left hand column: describe ecological issues and concerns of the biome
including human impacts and catastrophic events as well as biotic factors of the
biome (minimum of three species)
3. In the middle column: include your name, class period, and works cited column.
4. In the right hand column: include title, description of the biome and abiotic
factors (including location and general characteristics such as precipitation,
temperature, landforms, and bodies of water).
5. There should be one graphic of your biome on your brochure as well as colorful.

You may use your Chromebook to create your brochure by using Microsoft Publisher.
 Date ______________
Assessment for Teaching
Make a list of teaching strategies that are central to your classroom (i.e. speaking clearly
and loud enough, focusing on all students, interesting and thought-inspiring information).
After watching your video of your classroom, write down if the strategy occurred in the
classroom, how often, and what changes you might need to make to increase the
occurrence.

Strategy Occurrence? Changes?

Additional information: