The project involves students designing functioning ecosystems for an artificial biosphere as part of a reality TV show. Students are assigned to design one of seven ecosystems and must research the characteristics and requirements to make it balanced. They will create posters and written reports to propose their ecosystem design. The goal is for students to understand what makes ecosystems balanced through this simulated design project. Students will present their proposals and discuss how to design a completely self-sustaining ecosystem.

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
Name of Project: A Balancing Act Duration: 15 hours
Subject/Course: Life Science Teacher(s): Johnson Liu Grade Level: 7th
Other subject areas to
be included, if any:
Project Idea
Summary of the issue, Students act as “set designers” for a TV reality show who need to propose a working ecosystem for an artificial
challenge, investigation, biosphere. Each team is assigned a particular ecosystem: a rain forest, a desert, fresh water ponds and swamps,
scenario, or problem: tundra, grasslands, coniferous forest, and a deciduous forest. Students conduct research on their ecosystem as they
learn about the characteristics of all ecosystems and build understanding of what makes a balanced ecosystem work. In
preparation for an oral presentation of their proposals, student groups create detailed posters and a written report.
Driving Question How can we design a completely self-sustaining ecosystem?
Content and Skills The factors of ecology such as biotic and abiotic features, symbiosis, predator/prey relationships, animal
Standards to be adaptations, non-native species, and the effect of human interactions on ecosystems.
addressed:
T+A E T+A E
21st Century Skills Collaboration Find and use information from online X
to be explicitly taught and
X
assessed (T+A) or that
will be encouraged (E) by
Presentation X Use graphic design skills to create X
project work, but not posters
taught or assessed:
Critical Thinking: Conduct research X Time managment X
Presentation Audience:
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 1

2. Group: X
Culminating Written report on a particular ecosystem; detailed poster showing “set design” of the Class:
Products and ecosystem; oral presentation of set design proposal; second written report on a disturbance to
Performances the ecosystem.
School:
Community:
Experts:
Individual:
Web:
Other:
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Entry event to
launch inquiry, A Balancing Act began when students received a “memo from Wolf Television,” explaining their goals for the success of a new
engage students: reality show, “Beat the Biosphere.” The set design teams are asked to come up with proposals for a variety of functioning
ecosystems, such as a rain forest, desert, fresh water ponds and swamps, tundra, grasslands, coniferous forest, and a deciduous
forest. They are told to present their ideas to Wolf executives with detailed drawings and submit a written report.
Assessments Quizzes/Tests Practice Presentations X
Formative
Assessments Journal/Learning Log Notes X
(During
Project) Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes X Checklists
Rough Drafts X Concept Maps
Online Tests/Exams Other:
Written Product(s), with rubric: X Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric: X
Summative __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
Assessments
(End of Project) Oral Presentation, with rubric X Peer Evaluation X
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test Self-Evaluation
Essay Test Other:
.
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 2

3. Resources On-site people, facilities: Teacher and peers.
Needed
Equipment: Computer or laptop with internet access
Materials: Poster board, color markers
Community resources:
Reflection Journal/Learning Log X Focus Group X
Methods (Individual,
Group, and/or Whole-Class Discussion X Fishbowl Discussion
Whole Class)
Survey X Other:
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 3

4. PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: A Balancing Act Course/Semester: Life Science/Fall
Knowledge and Skills Needed By Students Scaffolding / Materials/ Lessons To Be Provided
to successfully complete culminating products and by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
performances, and do well on summative assessments mentors, or community members
How to find and use information from online and print Scaffolding
sources? Computer with internet access
 Printer
Lessons to be provided by the project teacher
How to make an oral presentation? Lessons to be provided by the project teacher

How to use graphic design skills to create effective Scaffolding
posters? Poster board
 Color markers
Lessons to be provided by the project teacher
Collaboration skills. Scaffolding
Lessons to be provided by the project teacher

Organization and time management. Scaffolding
Lessons to be provided by the project teacher

© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 4

5. PROJECT CALENDAR
Project: Start Date:
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Project Week One
Introduction: How to find and Lesson to be How to use Students finish
Project name, use information provided by graphic design their detailed
project idea, from online and project teacher skills to create poster and
driving question, print resources? on collaboration effective present it to the
entry event. Scaffolding, skills. posters? Lesson class.
Students divide lesson to be Independent to be provided by
into groups and provided by research project teacher.
select an project teacher. Students create
ecosystem to a poster.
work with.
Project Week Two
Teacher Collaboration Research and First draft due on Students finish
introduce the skills. start writing the written written report.
rubric for a Independent on- report. report. Peer
written report. line research to critique on the
find information. first draft.
Project Week Three
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 5

6. Teacher Collaboration Students work on First draft of oral Students present
introduce the skills. Introduce their PowerPoint presentation due. their oral
rubric for the oral and teach or Prezi Peer critique on presentation to
report. PowerPoint or presentation. the first draft. the class.
Prezi to students
Project Week Four
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 6

7. © 2008 Buck Institute for Education 7