Teacher(s) Lea, Wilburn and Spain
Unit title
Subject group and
discipline
MYP year
Stuck in a Web
Science
Year 3
Unit
duration
(hrs)
5 Block
days=
7.5
hours
Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit
Key concept
Relationships
Related concept(s)
Energy
Enviroment
Global context
Identities and Relationships
Statement of inquiry
Identities and relationships in the transfer of energy between organisms are interdependent upon each other.
Inquiry questions
Factual (remembering facts and topics) — What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors within an environment?
Conceptual (Analysing big ideas) — How would an ecosystem be affected if humans were producers instead of consumers?
Why does interdependence occurs among living systems and the environment?
Debatable (Evaluating perspectives and developing theories) —
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
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Objectives
A. Knowing
understanding
and
Students develop scientific knowledge (facts,
ideas, concepts, processes, laws, principles,
models and theories) and apply it to solve problems
and express scientifically supported judgments.
Assessment of this objective must be done using
tests or exams. To reach the highest level students
must make scientifically supported judgments
about the validity and/or quality of the information
presented to them. Assessment tasks could include
questions dealing with “scientific claims” presented
in media articles, or the results and conclusions
from experiments carried out by others, or any
question that challenges students to analyse and
examine the information and allows them to
outline arguments about its validity and/or quality
using their knowledge and understanding of science.
Summative assessment
Outline of summative assessment task(s)
including assessment criteria:
The students will make a food web from a
given biome to show the ecological
relationships that exist between
organisms.
PreAp students will also write an essay on
the resources organisms need in order to
survive in their particular biome.
Relationship between summative
assessment task(s) and statement of
inquiry:
The food web ( one world essay)
assessment will show a visual model of
the transfer of energy between organisms
are interdependent upon each other.
The model will also show how one
organism affects another.
In order to reach the aims of sciences, students
should be able to:
i.
ii.
explain scientific knowledge
apply scientific knowledge and understanding
to solve problems set in familiar and unfamiliar
situations
iii.
analyse and evaluate information to make
scientifically supported judgments.
Approaches to learning (ATL)
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☐ Communication Skills
☒ Research Skills
☐ Self-Management Skills
☐ Social Skills
☒ Thinking Skills
Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry
Content
TEK 8.11A - describe producer/consumer,
predator/prey, and parasite/host relationships
as they occur in food webs within marine,
freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems.
TEK 8.11B - investigate how organisms and
populations in an ecosystem depend on and
may compete for biotic and abiotic factors such
as quantity of light, water, range of
temperatures, or soil composition.
Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Create/analyze food web and
role/relationships of organisms.
 Recognize the type of relationship
between organisms.
 Recognize the affects of competition.
 Distinguish between biotic and abiotic
factors in an environment.
Lecture/Presentation – PPT. on Food chains/Food Webs
Learning experiences
The students will see an example of a previously completed project.
Students will be given a rubric to guide expectations for the project.
To answer the Unit question the students will create a food web and a poster of a biome that shows energy being
transferred from one organism to another in a food web.
Students will also create an Energy pyramid from their biome.
Teaching strategies
Role-Play/Games – Limiting Factors Play
Independent study – Research in the computer lab
Small group - Transfer of Energy Lab
Demonstration/ Large group discussion - Freddy the Fish Activity
By using such a variety of teaching methods we will cater to the learning needs of all students.
Formative assessment
Textbook Ch. 10 sec. 4
Gateway Packet on Ecological Relationships
Differentiation
PreAP students will create a food web and a biome in a box that shows energy being transferred from one
organism to another in a food web, but also details location of biome, biome clilmate, as well as design the box to
resemble their biome.
Whereas, regular classes will only create a food web poster that shows energy being transferred from one organism
to another in a food web.
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
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Resources:
Computer Lab will be used for research. Gymnasium will be used for our Limiting factors role-play activity and transfer of energy
lab. Classroom computer projector for powerpoint instruction.
Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry
Prior to teaching the unit
Be sure to schedule computer lab early.
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
During teaching
After teaching the unit
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