AICE Environmental Management AS – Introduction to environmental management Day 5

1. Introduction to environmental management Day#5. Lesson plan

Boost Your AICE Environmental Management Exam Success: Teaching Biotic Interactions, Photosynthesis, and Cellular Respiration

Two crucial topics, biotic interactions and the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, are essential for students’ understanding. Here’s how you can effectively teach these objectives, ensuring higher engagement and better exam results.

Lesson Outline

• Start the day with Bell ringer#5
• Begin your lesson with a captivating hook to grab your students’ attention. Show a short, compelling video of a predator-prey interaction in a well-known ecosystem, such as a lion hunting a zebra in the African savanna. Ask your students to identify the different organisms and their roles in this interaction. This visual and engaging introduction will pique their interest and set the stage for exploring ecological concepts.

• Lecture (Chapter 1 PPT – slides 30 -37)
  • Describe biotic relationships competition, grazing, predation, mutualism, parasitism using examples
    • Understanding biotic relationships is fundamental to mastering AICE Environmental Management. Here are key types of biotic interactions with examples to illustrate each:
      • Competition
        Definition: Competition occurs when two or more species vie for the same resources, such as food, water, or territory, that are in limited supply.
        Example: In a forest, trees of different species compete for sunlight, water, and nutrients. Taller trees can overshadow shorter ones, reducing their access to sunlight and affecting their growth. Similarly, in grasslands, different herbivores such as zebras and wildebeests compete for the same grass.
      • Grazing
        Definition: Grazing involves herbivores feeding on plants, which can influence the growth and reproduction of the plants.
        Example: Cows grazing on grasslands eat grasses and other vegetation, which can limit plant growth but also encourage new growth by trimming mature plants and allowing more sunlight to reach young plants. Sea urchins grazing on algae in marine environments can control algal populations, affecting the composition of marine ecosystems.
      • Predation
        Definition: Predation is an interaction where one organism, the predator, hunts and kills another organism, the prey, for food.
        Example: Lions preying on zebras in the savannah. The lions hunt and kill the zebras for food. In the ocean, sharks preying on smaller fish is another example, where the predator controls the population of the prey species.
      • Mutualism
        Definition: Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species involved benefit from the interaction.
        Example: Bees and flowering plants exhibit mutualism. Bees get nectar from flowers for food, while the flowers benefit from pollination as the bees transfer pollen from one flower to another, aiding in plant reproduction. Another example is the relationship between clownfish and sea anemones. Clownfish get protection from predators by living among the stinging tentacles of sea anemones, while sea anemones get food scraps left by the clownfish.
      • Parasitism
        Definition: Parasitism is a relationship where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of another organism, the host, which is harmed.
        Example: Ticks feeding on a dog’s blood. The ticks get nourishment from the blood, while the dog may suffer from blood loss, irritation, and potential transmission of diseases. In plants, mistletoe is a parasitic plant that attaches to and extracts water and nutrients from the host tree, often weakening or killing the host.
  • Integrate knowledge from biology and chemistry to explain photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Highlighting the chemical reactions and energy transformations involved helps students understand these processes in a broader context.
    • Understanding photosynthesis and cellular respiration is crucial for grasping how energy flows through ecosystems. Here’s an explanation of each process, focusing on the chemical reactions and energy transformations involved:
      • Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy, storing it in the bonds of glucose molecules.
      • Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose and other organic molecules to produce ATP, releasing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.
      • In photosynthesis, light energy is transformed into chemical energy stored in glucose. In cellular respiration, the chemical energy in glucose is converted into ATP, which cells use for various functions.
      • Photosynthesis takes in carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, while cellular respiration uses oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. This cyclical exchange of gases between these two processes is essential for maintaining life on Earth.
• Use Guided Notes – This year, I’m using Version B Guided Notes with my students, as I’ve noticed they benefit from having more structured support during class.
  • It features fill-in-the-blank prompts for key vocabulary and concepts, making notetaking faster and more accessible, especially for English language learners or those with processing difficulties.

• Collaborative learning – Task Cards – students work in groups and Practice Cambridge Style questions using this set of task cards. This document covers topics for Unit#1 Introduction to Environmental Management
• Small group activity
  • Investigative Skills 1.2 – page 44 – 47 (Coursebook)
    • Students work in groups of 3-4;
    • Provide the materials to each group;
    • Students will follow the instructions listed in the book
    • When students finish the activity, they start the review/ practice questions using the following Task Cards

By incorporating these strategies into your teaching, you can create an engaging and effective learning environment for your AICE Environmental Management students. Focusing on biotic interactions, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration with interactive activities, real-life applications, and comprehensive exam preparation will not only enhance understanding but also improve exam passing rates. Remember, the key is to make learning interactive, relatable, and consistent. Happy teaching!

Homework – high level/flipped classroom

• Version A – For High-Level Students:
  Ideal for independent or advanced learners, this version requires students to copy all notes by hand as homework before class. This flipped-learning approach helps students come to class prepared, freeing up time for application activities, discussions, and AICE-style practice questions.
• For this assignment have students fill in the blanks using the PPT Presentation. 

By targeting these core areas and employing these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to fostering a deeper understanding and greater success for your students in AICE Environmental Management.

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