2-10-2012 Life Science - Depending on Interdependence

Continuing my way through the standards, offering links, lessons, and ideas to help teach the 

Core Curriculum Content Standards

Science Grades 6-8

5.3 Life Science: All students will understand that life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics.

C. Interdependence :  All animals and most plants depend on both other organisms and their environment to meet their basic needs.
By the end of grade	Content Statement	CPI#	Cumulative Progress Indicator (CPI)	RESOURCES
6	Various human activities have changed the capacity of the environment to support some life forms.	5.3.6.C.1	Explain the impact of meeting human needs and wants on local and global environments.	Microorganisms Food Chains Food Chains and Cycles Populations and Pyramids Damage to the Environment Changing the Balance Ecology and Grouping Organisms Compete or Die Population and Sustainability Life on the Rocky Shore Coral Reef Habitat Pond Life - Urban Ecologist Exploring Ecosystems Virtual Pond Virtual Aquarium Ecology and Behavior BrainPop Our Fragile Environment Marine Biology Journey North - migration Nanotechnology FOSS Populations and Ecosystems The Wild Lab Project Noah iNaturalist Project Squirrel Shout
6	The number of organisms and populations an ecosystem can support depends on the biotic resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition.	5.3.6.C.2	Predict the impact that altering biotic and abiotic factors has on an ecosystem.
6	All organisms cause changes in the ecosystem in which they live. If this change reduces another organism’s access to resources, that organism may move to another location or die.	5.3.6.C.3	Describe how one population of organisms may affect other plants and/or animals in an ecosystem.
8	Symbiotic interactions among organisms of different species can be classified as: Producer/consumer Predator/prey Parasite/host Scavenger/prey Decomposer/prey	5.3.8.C.1	Model the effect of positive and negative changes in population size on a symbiotic pairing.

Please post a comment below if you have a site or lesson idea to share for teaching these concepts.  I would love your input!