Name: Kristine
Calderon
Title of
Lesson: Effects of
Pollution on Plants
Date of
Lesson: unknown
Length of
Lesson: 50 minutes
Description
of the
Class: High School Biology Class
Name: Biology
Grade
Level: High School
Honors
or Regular: Unknown
Source of the Lesson: Jennifer Wesolowski
TEKS
Addressed: High School Biology and
Environmental
Systems
(1) Scientific processes. The student, for
at least 40% of instructional time, conducts field and laboratory
investigations using safe, environmentally appropriate, and ethical
practices.
The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate
safe
practices during field and laboratory investigations; and
(B) make
wise choices
in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling
of
materials.
(12) Science concepts. The student knows
that interdependence and interactions occur within an ecosystem. The
student is
expected to:
(B) interpret
interactions among organisms exhibiting predation, parasitism,
commensalism,
and mutualism;
(C) compare
variations, tolerances, and adaptations of plants and animals in
different
biomes;
(E) investigate
and
explain the interactions in an ecosystem including food chains, food
webs, and
food pyramids.
(4) Science concepts. The student knows the
relationships of biotic and abiotic factors within habitats,
ecosystems, and
biomes. The student is expected to:
(A) identify
indigenous plants and animals, assess their role within an ecosystem,
and
compare them to plants and animals in other ecosystems and biomes;
(C) evaluate
the
impact of human activity such as methods of pest control, hydroponics,
organic
gardening, or farming on ecosystems;
(D) predict
how the
introduction, removal, or reintroduction of an organism may alter the
food
chain and affect existing populations; and
(E) predict
changes
that may occur in an ecosystem if biodiversity is increased or reduced.
The
lesson teaches
students to recognize common forms of pollution and its effects on the
soil and
plant life in the Barton Springs area.
Students would learn it is important to monitor the vegetation
of the
springs to the spring's health.
Students will how plants are affected by pollution and how this
in turn
can affect the entire ecosystem.
By
using the Internet, students will be able to recognize common plant
species
found around Barton Springs and identify the kinds of pollution that
can harm
these species.
Computers
with Internet connections
IV.
Safety
Considerations
None
V.
Supplementary
Materials, Handouts
Plant
field guides and references on soil in Austin Area
|
Engage: Learning
Experience Show
students slides of different species of Barton springs plants and give
brief description of what conditions these plants need to live.
Questions Why do you
find this plant more common near water than farther away from water? What effect do legumes have on the soil? Can plants be used to help detoxify certain
chemicals? How does monitoring plants help
us assess the health of the environment? |
Hoped
for student response Students
are attentive while seeing pictures of plants and hearing about some of
the neat things plants do. They discuss
the relationships among plants and how they support animal life. Students search for solutions to pollution,
perhaps by using certain plants to detoxify soil or to somehow
discourage littering.
Expected student responses Students
can explain different forms of plants and their role in the
environment, but might not quite understand how plants are capable of
changing the environmentπs soil, light, water, and nutrient conditions. |
Note student
responses and
whether they participate and seem interested.
|
Explore: Learning
Experience(s) Students
go on Internet to learn more about the most abundant plant species and
how these plants change their environment. Students
also learn what plants are sensitive to pollution (such as maidenhair
fern) and what chemicals are toxic to these plants.
Questions How can
this item harm this plant? How dies this
species change the environment? Is there a
way for plants to help detoxify soil? If
so, which plants and what substances do they detoxify? |
Hoped
for student response Everyone
is involved and working together looking up info on the Internet and
writing down notes and possible solution ideas to pollution.
Expected student responses Students
gain insight about plantsπ roles in environment. They
can understand how plants change the environment, but fail to see how
such subtle changes can make a big difference. |
Circulate to
different
students and group of students and ask questions and note the quality
of
answers. Notice if students are
backing up their inferences with specific information they learned
about
pollutants and plants.
|
Explain: Learning
Experience(s) Students
share their pollution problems and describe how it harms certain
targeted plant species. Students receive
feedback from classmates on whether their pollution solutions are
feasible.
Questions Is your
solution realistic and feasible to implement? Why/why
not? How would such a solution be enforced? How would you get support? |
Hoped
for student response Students
discuss and debate the causes and solutions to pollution using the
knowledge they learned on pollution and plants that live near the
springs.
Expected student responses Students
may all have similar responses and very unrealistic ideas but are
starting to see possible problems to their solutions. |
Jot down ideas
from students
and determine whether those ideas were well researched and logical. Also note the quality of discussion,
questions, and responses.
|
Extend/Elaborate: Learning
Experience(s) Explain
how plants (like cat-tails) are sometimes used to detoxify sewerage
(Hornsby Bend), but also bring up problems that may occur if they were
to introduce an exotic species to do the detoxification.
Questions What
solutions do you have for using plants as pollution cleaners? How do plants detoxify soil?
What could happen if you introduce a new plant species to
do the detoxification job? |
Hoped
for student response Students
come up with solutions and begin to see how complicated conservation
can get. They start to get the idea that
every action taken to clean the environment has a consequence and that
extensive research is need to make sure there are no unwanted side
effects.
Expected student responses Students
explain how plants can be used to clean the environment, but are aware
that introducing certain species or planting more of a residential
species can have some negative effects. |
Evaluate
Notice the
quality of
discussion and evaluate the examples students give about promoting
conservation.
Give a take home assignment that asks the students to evaluate how to prevent chemical pollution specifically. (This will allude to the Green Chemistry theme they will be working on throughout the project. Have students write down the pros and cons for the idea and explain their reasoning.