Change Topics Unit Part 6: Ecological Succession Lesson Bundle

This unit consists of 8 lessons of about 50 minutes and 19 page work bundle. The work bundle chronologically follows the entire set of interactive slideshows (hundreds of amazing slides). Students record fill-in notes on the red slides, answer questions, conduct hands-on activities, includes video links, built-in assessments, games, and much more. The slideshows are engaging and interactive throughout. Everything can be uploaded to Google Classroom if you wish.

Extremely Brief Description of Unit - Each lesson is about 50 minutes and corresponding work bundle pages that will be completed through the slideshow.

Lesson #1 Ecological Succession: This slideshow begins having the students brainstorm what would happen to a city street in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 50 years, 100 years, and 1000 years if people disappeared. A series of slides then show visuals of a street scene changing over time into a forest. The slideshow then visits Pripyat in the Ukraine to show what happens to city after people leave (Chernobyl Disaster). There's plenty of questions form the students, and amazing visuals and video are provided. Weathering is discussed and how soil is formed. Ecological Succession is then defined as the gradual replacement of one community of living things by another community (Red Slide = Important Notes). Another series of slides shows this gradual change in a step by step process.

Lesson #2 Primary Succession: Primary Succession is then described as succession in an area with no previous life supported (bare rock). Secondary Succession is then described as succession in an area that previously colonized life but is now disturbed. Student then navigate some visuals to demonstrate understanding. A neat picture shows a forest with three different logging disturbances and the secondary growth after each. Reasons why regrowth in secondary succession is usually faster are described with visuals. Student's use the information they gathered in their work bundle to complete a Venn Diagram that shows the similarities and differences between primary and secondary succession. Plant and Animal Succession are then described with visuals. The order of plant succession in a temperate forest is described in a step by step / stage by stage process. A visual accompanies each stage of succession. A slide shows how the notes should be organized and the use of tabs / indents. Students also sketch each stage in their work bundle adding in plants to match the visuals provided in the slideshow. A graph at the end helps to reinforce the gradual replacement.

Lesson #3 Fire Ecology Lesson (50 Minutes): The lesson starts off with a video link that shows some of devastating wildfires and damage caused. the question of whether forest fires are good or bad is presented and the students answer without much knowledge of the subject. Fire adaptation in the plant world is described, and examples such as the serotinuous cone described. Plant regeneration after a fire is described. A case of the study of 1988 Yellowstone wildfires is shown and regeneration of the park afterwards. The "Let it Burn" philosophy is described and and students need to answer some questions afterwards on the slides which corresponds to their work bundle. The wild career of smoke jumpers is described with some visuals of the work requirements which often includes jumping out of a plane into a wildland fire area. An amazing video link (12 min) visit a state park in California and describes the damage caused and regeneration afterwards. A nice set of slides summarize wildland fires. This lesson summarizes that fire is an important and inevitable part of America's Wild Lands. That is now widely recognized that we must restore fire to many areas from which it has been excluded, and wild land fires can produce both benefits and damages - to the environment and to people's interests. Also, by working together, people can maximize the benefits of Wild Land fire and minimize the damages, including threats to public health. The students revisit the question from the beginning of the lesson on whether forest fires are good or bad. Most students now see the good and bad of forest fires and see how important fire is to the management of America's wildlands. This is a really nice lesson that tackles this important and challenging subject.

Lesson #4 Succession Review, Quiz, and Wrap-Up: This lesson beings with a bit of review with visuals. Students need to complete a puzzle in the slideshow to put the stages in the correct order. A visual quiz 1-10 is then provided that shows a picture of a stage of plant succession. Students must record the correct name of that stage (Ex. Sun-Loving Trees, Ex. Old-Field Community). Students usually do very well on this quiz because of the step by visuals they have seen many times so far in the slideshow. The answers are provided after the quiz. The question is previewed one last time before the answer is revealed so the teacher can call upon students. The essence of succession is then described about how each species changes its environment and thus causes its own demise. Two guess the pictures hidden beneath the boxes conclude the slideshow. Some box games and video links conclude.

Lesson #5 Optional Project: A neat field study project that has students collect data from various communities of ecological succession is provided with instructions and data collection sheet. I am lucky to to have a many great examples of the various communities close to my school. Simulated data is provided for those who can't visit the stages.

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Lesson #6 Aquatic Succession: Aquatic Succession is then described in a step by step approach. A description of how change over time increases biomass, biodiversity, % population and more are described. Students then sketch three ponds with different levels of productivity. the first is Olgiotrophic and the pond is clear, next is mesotrophic with medium productivity, and the last is eutrophic with high productivity. Students then sketch some visuals how a lake can get too much nutrients. This leads nicely into eutrophication which is described. Students take a built-in quiz which requires them to answer oligiotrophic, mesotrophic, or eutrophic. The answers are provided so students can self assess. Some box games conclude for a nice review.

Lesson #7 Crossword Puzzle and Review Game. A crossword puzzle is provided. The teacher can remove the word bank to make the puzzle more challenging. A 20 question review game with bonus and final question has the students use their work bundle to review. This review game is a nice review and assessment of learning.

Lesson #8 Review Game Answers and Assessment of the Work Bundle. The review game has an answer version that allows the students to self assess. The question is presented before the answer is revealed so the teacher can call upon students. An answer version to the work bundle is also provided so the teacher can show on teh screen and the students can self assess.

This is a fantastic unit that you and your students will enjoy.