my community ecology homework & homework application

My Community Ecology

Homework & Homework Application

My Community Ecology, Task 1, Lesson 3: Population Dynamics

Homework PURPOSE: What brought new people to these counties? To answer this, let’s

identify some reasons for population growth and development in our own families.

USE: Tomorrow we will begin class by discussing reasons that led our families to contribute to the growth and development of our community.

PROCEDURE: Interview your parents or other family members to find out when your family first came to this area, from where, and why. Write a brief description of what you find.

Today’s discussion: Part 1

In small groups, share what you learned from your family histories. Answer the following questions:

• What are the main reasons (drivers) for the family moves in your group?• What hypotheses can you make about connections between what you learned in

their families and trends they noted in the timing of population increases/decreases

Be prepared to share out.

My Community Ecology Task 2, Lesson 1: Ecosystems

Homework Application

Discussion: Part 2

1. What other communities exist alongside humans in urban areas (animals, insects, plants)?

2. What benefits might urban growth have for those other communities? 3. What disadvantages for those communities might come with urban

growth?


Homework PURPOSE: Read to learn how biodiversity can benefit both ecosystems and

humans, and what benefits might exist at our site.

• USE: We will discuss this reading at our next class in two ways. 1) How does this information about the benefits of biodiversity relate to what we know about the site from our data collection and reading? 2) How does this information help us determine the potential benefits or consequences of developing the site?

• PROCEDURE: Use what you know about the site while you read (pro/con articles, site data). Think carefully about how what you read is relevant to our site. Mark three kinds of biodiversity benefits with different sticky notes:

1. Mark biodiversity benefits you think are HIGHLY relevant to our site – and be ready to talk about what data you have (or want to get) to provide evidence for those benefits.

2. Mark biodiversity benefits you think are REGIONALLY relevant – this might be something that matters for your region in general, but most likely isn’t present at the site.

3. Mark biodiversity benefits you think are GLOBALLY relevant – these are benefits that are exciting but are very unlikely to exist at the site.


Homework ApplicationIn pairs or small groups discuss the following questions:

1. Discuss which biodiversity benefits did you mark as HIGHLY, REGIONALLY, and GLOBALLY relevant. See if you and your partner(s) can reach consensus on the benefits that are highly relevant to the site.

2. Decide whether you have data to support your decision about which benefits are relevant for the site. If you don’t have data, what would you need?

3. Choose the two most important site-relevant benefits of biodiversity. Given these benefits, what are the potential benefits or consequences of developing the site?

Be prepared to share!

My Community Ecology Task 3, Lesson 1: Population Ecology

HomeworkPURPOSE: Make connections between what you have just learned about federal and public land protection and our site by zooming out to look at how the site fits into the larger region of land around it.

USE: We need to decide if our site could (or should) be viewed as evidence of habitat fragmentation or whether it serves as a possible corridor to protected habitat. Tomorrow we will discuss your research findings to make our decision.

PROCEDURE: Research online to answer the following questions and be prepared to share out what you learn using what you read in this section:

1. Where and what types of protected lands are in our city and state?2. How close are those protected areas to the development site? 3. Should we consider the site as habitat fragmentation or a corridor to protected

habitat? Why?

We need to decide if our site could (or should) be viewed as evidence of habitat fragmentation or whether it serves as a possible corridor to protected habitat. In a small group, share what you found when you investigated our local federal and public lands and decide what that means for our site. 1. Where and what types of protected lands are in our city and state?2. How close are those protected areas to the development site? 3. Should we consider the site as habitat fragmentation or a corridor to protected

habitat? Why? Use evidence to support your thinking. Can you reach a group consensus on #3?

FIELD NOTEBOOK: Record this information: if you believe we can claim our site serves as a critical habitat corridor, your research will serve as important evidence. Remember to include sources, as you will need them for your final project.

My Community Ecology Task 3, Lesson 2: Measuring Populations & Diversity


My Community Ecology Task 3, Lesson 4: Ecosystem Service Map

HomeworkPURPOSE: As environmental scientists, we need to use data to create an ecosystem services map to better understand the current condition of the site and the potential effects of the proposed changes.

USE: Now that we have a detailed understanding of the current conditions of our site, we will use this map, our biomap, and our notes from our site visits and readings to understand the potential impacts of the proposed site development, and write a strong environmental impact statement.

PROCEDURE: Refer to the Ecosystem Services Map handout with grading rubric.

• Ecosystem Services Maps

Teachers: decide how students can share or use their maps… • Gallery Walk? • Pair-Share?

My Community Ecology Task 3, Lesson 5: Food Webs and FRQ Practice


Gallery Walk of Advocacy Project Drafts

As you view each project, give the following feedback:

1. One part you think will lead to community buy-in (explain why).2. One part you think may lead to criticism from opponents (explain

why).3. Evidence or explanation the author(s) could include to

address potential criticism.

My Community Ecology Task 5, Lesson 2: Creating Sustainable Communities


my community ecology homework & homework application

Documents