This document outlines a proposed 1-2 week lesson plan on biodiversity in different stages of ecological succession in a schoolyard. The lesson goals are for students to investigate abiotic and biotic factors at each succession stage, explain trophic levels using a food web model, and identify human impacts. Materials needed are inexpensive. Students will collect samples using Berlese funnels, analyze them microscopically, and present findings. The hypothesis is that a forested walking trail has greater biodiversity than other areas. Questions guide data analysis to understand succession stages and human impacts on the ecosystem.

1. Title: Biodiversity in different stages of succession in our schoolyard
Author: Tricia Silvera
Grade: 9-12
Duration: 1-2 Weeks depending on schedule (Regular 7 classes/block)
Introduction: The focus of our school is the environment. We are an EIC (the environment as
an integrated context for learning) model school. This particular lesson is for use in an
environmental science or biology class but can be used as a starting point for further research.
LessonGoals: Students will investigate the abiotic and biotic contributors to each ecosystem
and describe/list each species discovered at each stage of succession. Students will be able to
explain the trophic levels utilizing the food web model. Students will be able to identify the
human impact on these ecosystems as it relates to the schoolyard.
Materials & Budget: Pencil, journal, camera, Berlese Funnel (2 liter bottles, potato or onion
bags, tape, scissors), small aquarium, continuous light source, colored flags or cones, small
shovel/trowel, small sandwich bag for collecting leaf litter samples, forceps, petri dishes,
dissecting microscope, alchohol. Most of the high value equipment such as the camera and
microscope is already on hand at the school in the science labs, as are the forceps, alchohol and
petri dish, shovel/trowel. The rest of the materials can be easily acquired by the individual
students. The cost will be minimal to conduct this study.
Implementation:
 Show video “Succession” by Olympia Gianfransesco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=_Y9EQbKH_hA
 Discuss the stages of succession and their differences. What kind of biotic features are
found at each level?
 Develop questions to be answered through investigation of the ecosystems in our
schoolyard.
 Students will bring in 2 liter bottles, potato/onion bags to make Berlese funnels and also
small sandwich bags to collect samples.
 Students will make a Berlese funnel: Cut 2 liter soda bottle just below the mark at the top
of the bottle just above the label with scissors; tape the top of the cut bottle for safety
from the sharp edges; cut the onion/potato bag in half and cut open at the seam; place the
onion/potato bag inside the top half of the bottle to create a “filter” for the funnel; place
the top half in the bottom half.
 Collect samples of biotic contributors found in the leaf litter at each stage of succession
from pre-determined areas in the school yard.

2.  Conduct an analysis of the samples and communicate whether or not the data supports of
falsifies the hypothesis that was developed.
 Present the results of the investigation to the class.
Questions:
a. What level of successionhas the most bio-diversity?
b. Which area of the school yard has reached the highest level of succession?
c. Has the building of our school impacted succession or bio-diversity in our school
yard?
d. What trophic levels can be found in our sampling sites?
e. How will the biotic factors/organisms found interact according to a foodweb
model?
Hypothesis: The walking trail has greater biodiversity.
Prediction: If the walking trail has greater biodiversity, then there will be a greater number of
species found there than in the outdoor classroom or athletic fields.
Sampling sites: Utilizing the walking trail (forested area) and the shrubbery (smaller plants)
around the school in the outdoor classroom, and athletic fields (grassy area).
Experimental Design: The students will be grouped based upon class size. Each group will
choose a sample plot (using the colored flags/cones for marking equal areas for sampling) the
walking trails and the shrubbery around the school in the outdoor classroom, and athletic fields
and collect two samples. Collect small sandwich bag samples for analysis of organisms found in
the leaf litter of each area. The samples will be placed in the Berlese funnel and contained in a
small aquarium exposed to continuous light overnight. Students will then analyze the samples
using dissecting microscopes borrowed from the science lab. Students will record data in their
notebooks. Students will create data tables to analyze the samples. Students will then report
findings to the class.
Analysis and Communication: A collective poster display will be placed in the hallway of the
results of the data. (To incorporate technology, groups may also create group PowerPoint or
Glog displays for classroom presentation). The data can be presented to elementary school
students or to the school at large at a PTA meeting.
Resources: www.teachertube.com , www.ted.com , www.NSTA.org , www.Khanacademy.com ,
www.youtube.com, www.glogster.com
Extension: This lesson could be extended to a literature class by having the students write and
analytical research paper utilizing the empirical data collected during research and inquiry. A
math class could use this as a lesson to interpret data tables and create graphs of the data

3. collected. A social studies class could use the data to incorporate a lesson on interpreting data to
address the human impact or building of the school has had on the ecosystem of the schoolyard.
Sample worksheets/evaluation guidelines (rubric):
Biodiversity in different stages of
succession in our schoolyard
Levels/Criteria 1 2 3 4 Score/Level
Creativity Project includes
little variety in
presentation
techniques
Material presented
with little originality
or creative thought
Some apparent
originality
displayed through
creative use of
materials
Exceptional
originalityof
presented material
Content Unorganized and
meets less than
half the
requirements
Project meets half
of the
requirements;
well-organized
Project is well-
organized and
meets most
requirements
Project is well-
organized and
meets all
requirements
Grammar Multiple
grammatical and
stylistic errors
Some errors in
grammar and/or
formatthat does
not interfere with
clarity
Few grammatical
and/or stylistic
errors
Nearly error-free
which reflects
clear
understanding and
thorough
proofreading
Presentation Careless,hurried,
and illegible
presentation
Project appears
rushed of
somewhat
careless,butthe
content is legible
Clear,uncluttered,
and attractive
Evidence that
pride and care
was taken and the
message ofthe
productis clearly
defined

4. PERSONAL STATEMENT
The following information will notbe considered during our office's review of your application for inclusion in the
New Teacher Finder (NTF). However, if your application is admitted into the NTF, this information will be made
available to principals as partof your application,to review and help identify potential matches for their openings.
We encourage you to use this space to briefly summarize why you wantto become a teacher in our schools,and
recommend you address the following points in particular:
 What are you looking for in a school community,and what will you bring to one?
 Describe anyprofessional strengths or skills which you believe contribute to your success as an educator.
 Highlightany accomplishments with students this pastyear.
Letme introduce myself,IamTricia Sanga formeralumnaof HofstraUniversityanda graduate of
Universityof Phoenix.IwasemployedwithDeKalbCountySchoolsforatotal of tenyears.My last
position,before relocatingtoNewYork,wasa Teacher-InterrelatedatArabiaMountainHighSchool and
taught there forthe lastfour years.My experience isvariedandhasencompassedmany fields.Iam
confidentthatIam an ideal candidate fora teachingpositionespeciallydue tomymanyyears working
witha diverse learningpopulationandcoaching.Thispastschool yearI obtatineda$1000 grant from
the GeorgiaWildlife Federationtoupgrade the outdoorclassroomareatofacilitate more frequent
usage for EIC classesinparticular.Ialsoreceivedaleadershipawardasone of the top 5 teachersfrom
region4 from Explore LearningforutilizingGizmosinthe classroomasatool fordifferentiated
instruction.Ialsohave experience workingwithavarietyof budgetsdue tomycoachingvarsitycross-
country(2years),swimming(3years),soccer(4years),teachinganEIC(EnvironmentasanIntegrating
Context) (4years) classandgrantwriting. My coachingrecord speaksforitself andcanbe viewed
at http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/athletics/ andclickingonthe particularsportstab. I have
attachedmy resume andteachercertification. Mystudentteachingportfoliocanbe viewedonline
at https://www.taskstream.com/ts/silvera/StudentTeachingPortfolio pword:tarababy1121
Describe a time when you successfully overcame an instructional challenge (focus on teaching a specific
academic objective) in the classroom and describe the strategies you used. How did you know that your
students met this objective? Why do you consider it a success and how do you know?
A few of the students in 10th grade chemistry were unable to understand solving multi-step equations,
which was a necessary pre-requisite for solving and balancing chemical equations. In the co-taught setting,
I utilized flexible grouping and peer tutoring as a strategy to help re-teach the process of PEMDAS when
doing multi-step equations. I also utilized the explorelearning.com website and assigned gizmos, that
provided visual and audio "hands on" activities and instant feedback on the quiz at the end of the activity as
homework. I knew the strategies worked because I could utilize the gizmo activity repetitively until mastery
in addition to testing their understanding after utilizing the strategies after in-class instruction and the
students test score increased to passing.
It is three months into the school year. As a teacher new to your school, you are struggling to keep a few
students on task. Your Assistant Principal observed your class and suggested you need to work on
classroom management. A colleague remarked that these three students are known for having
particularly challenging behavior and maybe they should just be moved to another class. After another

5. observation, your Assistant Principal’s feedback indicates that you have “unclear behavioral expectations
and lack of consistent follow-up with off-task students”. Please write an email response to your Assistant
Principal wherein you outline your plan for addressing the issues in your class.
I have worked in the co-taught setting and both teachers are responsible for classroom management.
Dear Mr./Ms. Assistant Principal,
It is almost the close of the semester and three children are still having issues with off task behavior. At the
beginning of the semester, during the first two weeks academic and behavior expectations are reviewed with
the students. The academic and behavior expectatiosn are also posted in the classroom. All the students are
involved with setting the classrrom rules. A colleague suggested that these students be removed from the
class but that will not solve the problem or be beneficial to the students. It is time that these students are
placed on individual behavior contracts.
I will schedule a conference with the parents and teachers of the students. This will allow me to get inp ut
from everyone on the best way to create a behavior contract that will facilitate each student learning
appropriate behavior. The contract will detail the expected behavior goal, a timeline for achieving each goal,
a reward for making progress and the consequence for not meeting the goal. Having a behavior contract in
place facilitates the student learning accountability for their actions and allows communication between the
stakeholders as to progress or regress of behavior goals.
Educationally yours,
Ms. Sang
You are a teacher at NYC School of Excellence. During the beginning of the year you determined that
more than half of your students are below grade level and a quarter of the class is absent at least once a
week. Considering these challenges, what do you expect to accomplish (for your students and yourself)
by the end of the school year? How would you achieve these goals?
First I would need to find out if technology such as wi-fi for internet connection and a device such as a
phone, tablet, laptop/ desktop is accesible for the student. For the students that are absent at least once a
week I would make sure that the daily class assignments and homework are posted online and available for
those with internet access. If not then I would have a hardcopy to hand to them at the beginning of the
week. For the students that are functioning below grade level I would utilize flexible grouping and station
teaching during instruction time, pullouts would be ideal but not in a co-taught setting. I would also utilize
various websites and give alternative assignments on those websites, for example gizmos on explore
learning, to remediate deficits. I would expect to see improvement during the year utilizing benchmark
testing, assessments during and after instruction and hopefully enough improvement so that the students
could meet the standards on standardized tests for their grade level.