Apologia: Biology Module 10 Ecosystems

Biology can be tough unless you learn the vocabulary.  Make a Concept Map of the terms, those in the study guide, highlighted in bold print, and any the child encounters she doesn't understand, such as symbiosis.  A concept map requires understanding of how the terms relate to one another.  Here is an opportunity to insert a bit of technology and use Cmap tools available from IHMC.  To introduce ecology or ecosystems, the kids go outside and look around for five minutes.  When we come inside, we make a list of organisms in the local area.  When they are stumped, we go back outside for another few minutes.  This time they make notes of any organisms they see.  We add to our list.  I try to create a list with 50-100 species including plants, mammals, reptiles, insects, etc.  Next, the kids research their scientific names and eating habits.  We work together to create a sample food web, identify the tropic levels, and explain the arrows.  This example identifies the tropic levels.  My kids use common names for their food webs and color code each tropic level in different colors.  The kids make a separate list of the organisms' common and scientific names.

In Module 10, Dr. Wile reviews several biogeochemical cycles: water, carbon, etc.  The Greenhouse lab is fun and quick.  I am not sure why Dr. Wile chose to add these materials here.  It doesn't hurt to review the Greenhouse Effect.  Global Warming or Climate Change is a topic I teach in AP Environmental Science.  You might enjoy planning a debate on the topic.  My approach is to do a review at this point and focus my efforts on Ecology.