The document discusses interdependence within ecosystems and describes an activity using an ecocolumn to teach students about these concepts. The activity involves students producing graphs of oxygen and carbon dioxide cycling, recording observations of plants and animals, drawing food chains and webs, and writing about the effects of pollution based on experiments. The goal is for students to understand interactions and energy flow within ecosystems.

1. I’m Depending on You Interactions within Ecosystems

2. TAKS Objective 2 – The student will demonstrate an understanding of living systems and the environment Interdependence occurs among living systems

3. TEKS 8.6 The student knows that interdependence occurs among living systems. The student is expected to describe interactions within ecosystems.

5. Question True or False: Plants do not carry on respiratory functions

6. Plants require energy for cell functions. Plants use stomata to take in oxygen instead of lungs or gills

7. Question True or False: The majority of oxygen is provided by terrestrial plants.

8. The majority of oxygen is produced by phytoplankton and algae living in the oceans.

9. Prior Knowledge TEKS 7.12A – Familiar with components of an ecosystem TEKS 6.8C – Flow of energy in living systems including food chains and food webs TEKS 7.12D and 7.5 B – Role of ecological succession with regard to environmental change and equilibrium/ Relationship between producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem should be reviewed. TEKS 7.12C – Understand the relationship between organisms and the environment where they are found.

10. Background

11. Combination of abiotic factors and communities in an environment is called an ecosystem

12. Life Levels and Organization

13. Ecosystem energy flows from the sun to autotrophs and subsequently to heterotrophs.

14. Food Chains and Food Webs

16. Nutrients must be recycled in the ecosystem.

17. Water cycles through living organisms.

18. Show the pictures of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. http:// www.evostc.state.ak.us/facts/photos.html  ENGAGE

29. Create an ecocolumn to help students review prior knowledge about ecosystems.  EXPLORE

31. Ecocolumn will be used in tandem with TEKS 8.14C – TAKS 5  ELABORATE

32. TAKS Objective 5 – The student will demonstrate an understanding of Earth and Space Science Natural events and human activity can alter Earth systems

33. TEKS 8.14 The student knows that natural events and human activity can alter Earth systems. The student is expected to :