DAILY LESSON LOG

School EMA EMITS COLLEGE Grade Level Grade 8

Student Teacher Ronilo A. Licot Learning Area Science 8
Teaching Date & Time Quarter Fourth
I. OBJECTIVES
The learners demonstrate understanding of the one-way flow of energy and the
A. Content Standards
cycling of materials in an ecosystem.
Focusing on the nitrogen cycle. The learners will learn how nutrients cycle in the
B. Performance biosphere.  This will lead into a discussion of how human influences alter this cycle
Standards and consequently, prompt students to consider how they can be a positive impact
for the environment.
1. Identify nutrients in the biosphere and explain how they are used by autotrophs
and heterotrophs.
C. Learning 2. Distinguish between energy flow and nutrient cycles.
Competencies & 3. Diagram the nitrogen cycle.
Objectives 4.Analyze how human activity impacts the nitrogen cycle.

.
II. CONTENT Visualizing Nitrogen Cycle
III. LEARNING
RESOURCES
A. References:
1. Teacher’s Guide,
Science 8 TG, pp. 4-5
Pages
2. Learners’
Science 8 LM, pp. 287
Material, Pages
3. Additional
Biovue animation, Presentation handout
Materials
B. Other Learning
Internet,
Resources

ENGAGEMENT

Teacher Activity Probing Question Student Activity

Ask students to draw what they
know about nutrient cycles on
an overhead.  (Think, pair, share
activity and come up with a
joint diagram)
 
Get students thinking about
how nutrients are involved in
the life cycle.
 
A common misconception
among students is that wood is
made up of phosphate and
nitrate rather than carbon.
 
 
Autotrophs manufacture
carbohydrates, proteins, fats,
and vitamins.
 
 
 
 
 
Compare nutrients and energy
in the biosphere.  Ask students
1.  How are nutrients important
to the life cycle?
 
2.  How do living organisms get
the nutrients they need?
3.  What kinds of nutrients are
there?
 
4.  Can anyone remind me what
an autotroph does?  What do
you think it does with these
nutrients?
5.  Can anyone remind me what
a heterotroph does?  How do
you think it obtains its
nutrients?
6.  What happens to nutrients
when animals die?
 
7.  Where does energy primarily
1.  They help the plant to grow
and reproduce (by building
living tissue).
2.  Soil, air, water, food.
 
3.  water, carbon dioxide,
nitrogen, phosphorous,
potassium
4.  It takes the nutrients and
makes its own food
(carbohydrates, proteins, fats,
vitamins).
5.  Heterotrophs cannot make
their own food and must eat
autotrophs (plants), which have
nutrients.
6.  The nutrients go back into
the ground (recycled) for the
next group of autotrophs.
7.  The sun and gets to animals
to think about how these two
things are used and where they
go after they are used.
Nutrients cycle and energy
flows.
 
5 minutes
EXPLORE
Teacher Activity
Let students watch a Biovue
animation of the nitrogen cycle
(videodisc side 4).
Then ask students to get
together in groups of four and
to make a 3-minute
presentation of the nitrogen
cycle in an exciting way (short
play, rap song, opera, etc.) so
that other students can
remember the key components.
 
Hand out worksheet to let
students know what you want
in the presentation.
25 minutes
EXPLAIN
Teacher Activity
Each group gives their 3-minute
presentation of the nitrogen
cycle.
Then ask class questions to
clarify any misconceptions.
 
 
come from and how is it
transmitted to animals
(heterotrophs)? 
8.  What happens to the energy
animals obtain from their
food?  Is it also recyclable?  heat).  Energy is not recyclable.
Probing Questions
Probing Questions
How do you think the amount
of oxygen in the air compares to
the amount of nitrogen?
Are plants able to use all of that
nitrogen?
 
 
through the food they eat.
 
8.  Animals use that energy (so
energy is loss through
 
Student Activity
Atmosphere, soil, amino acids
and proteins that make up
tissues of living things
Nitrogen fixation is when
nitrogen gas is coverted into
other forms, which primary
producers (autotrophs) can
then absorb and use.
From food they eat.
Ammonium, nitrate, nitrite
The action of lightning,
microscopic primary producers
in the photic zone, nitrogen-
fixing bacteria on the roots of
plants, bacteria action in the soil
Animal wastes (urea, uric acid),
decay.
Student Activity
Nitrogen is most abundant gas
(80%)
 
 
No.  It must go through a usable
form first (nitrogen fixation) by
the action of bacteria.
  
 
 
 
15 minutes
ELABORATE
Teacher Activity
Get students thinking about
how nitrogen cycle can be
affected in other places besides
their local areas.
 
Ecosystems are smaller parts of
the biosphere in which nutrient
cycles occur.  Ultimately,
though, these cycles are global
processes and affect other
ecosystems as well.
 
 
 
Although fertilized plants can
absorb nitrogen compounds
and denitrifying bacteria
convert some into atmospheric
nitrogen, the huge quantities of
chemical fertilizer exceed the
soils natural recycling capacity.
 
 
 
5 minutes
EVALUATE
Teacher Activity
Teacher can watch student
presentations and check off the
points they covered with a
rubric.
I.  Some Concepts to Include in Your Nitrogen Cycle Presentation:
(this is not by any means a comprehensive list and should not limit you in being more creative)
*What are the major processes of the nitrogen cycle?
*Where can nitrogen be found?
Do animals directly receive the
nitrogen source they
need?  Why do animals need
nitrogen?
Probing Questions
How does human activity affect
the balance of the nitrogen
cycle?
Where does that runoff come
from, where does it go, and why
should we be concerned?
 
 
 
Why is algae overgrowth a
concern?
 
What are all the places you can
think of that might need
fertilizers?  Why do you think
this might be a concern to the
nitrogen cycle?
What happens when nitrogen
leaches through the
soil?  Where do we get our
water?  tract, nitrates are converted to
 
Probing Questions
No.  They get it from eating
plants.  They need nitrogen to
make proteins and amino acids.
Student Activity
Runoff, factories, fertilizers, etc.
 
 
Runoff from precipitation,
irrigation, and factories (sewage
treatment plants), which carries
excess nitrogen into rivers,
streams, and lakes, where they
cause algae overgrowth.
Algae overgrowth deprives life
in the water of oxygen and they
will die.
Nitrogen fertilizers are applied
to crops, lawns, and golf
courses.  Too much fertilizer will
disrupt the cycle (students
might need help here). 
It can enter groundwater
supplies.  If this drinking water
enters the human digestive
nitrites, which can be toxic.
Student Activity
*What is and why is nitrogen fixation necessary?

*How do heterotrophs obtain nutrients?

*What are all the forms nitrogen can be found as?

*What triggers the fixation process?

*How does nitrogen get returned back to the cycle?

II.  Some Ideas for a 3-minute presentation:

*short skit, rap song, opera piece, dance routine, etc.

*Realize you only have 20 minutes to work on this! 

*Tip:  How do you think you would learn the material best?

III.  Rubric

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Contributions Routinely provides Usually provides Sometimes Rarely provides
useful ideas when useful ideas when provides useful useful ideas when
participating in the participating in the ideas when participating in
group and in classroom group and in participating in the the group and in
discussion. A definite classroom group and in classroom
leader who contributes discussion. A strong classroom discussion. May
a lot of effort. group member who discussion. A refuse to
tries hard! satisfactory group participate.
member who does
what is required.
Time Routinely uses Usually uses time Tends to Rarely gets things
management time well well throughout the procrastinate, but done by the
throughout the project, but may always gets things deadlines AND
project to ensure have procrastinated done by the group has to
things get done on on one thing. Group deadlines. Group adjust deadlines
time. Group does does not have to does not have to or work
not have to adjust adjust deadlines or adjust deadlines or responsibilities
deadlines or work work responsibilities work because of this
responsibilities because of this responsibilities person's
because of this person's because of this inadequate time
person's procrastination. person's management.
procrastination. procrastination.
Nitrogen Defines term with Defines term with a Defines term with a Defines term with
Fixation excellent good explanation brief explanation no examples.
explanation and and some examples and example.
examples showing to show how
how nitrogen nitrogen fixation
fixation works and works.
the importance.
Explanation of Illustrations used Illustrations used to Illustrations used Does not or poorly
Nitrogen Cycle to explain nitrogen explain nitrogen to explain nitrogen explains the
cycle are excellent. cycle are good. Easy cycle are still nitrogen cycle
Easy to follow to follow unclear. Attempts processes with
presentation and presentation and all to make few illustrations.
all connections are connections are connections Connections are
accurately made accurately made between where not made
between where between where nitrogen comes between where
nitrogen comes nitrogen comes from and is used by nitrogen comes
from and how from and how autotrophs and/or from and how it is
autotrophs and/or autotrophs and/or heterotrophs. used by
heterotrophs use heterotrophs use it. Explains how autotrophs and/or
it. Explains how Explains how nitrogen is heterotrophs.
nitrogen is nitrogen is returned returned to the Does not explain
returned to the to the cycle. cycle. how nitrogen is
cycle. Shows returned to the
understanding of cycle.
relevancy of
nitrogen cycle by
making connection
to how human
activity affects
cycle.
Overall Provides work of Provides high Provides work that Provides work
Quality of the highest quality. quality work. occasionally needs that usually needs
Work to be to be
checked/redone by checked/redone
other group by others to
members to ensure ensure quality.
quality.