Details
| Type of Product: |
Science Object |
| Publication Title: |
Coral Reef Ecosystems |
| Publication Date: |
3/28/2007 |
| Grade Level: |
Elementary School, Middle School, High School |
|
Description
Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the fourth of four Science Objects in the Coral Reef Ecosystems SciPack. It explores the natural and human causes of ecosystem stress. Human beings live near coral ecosystems and use them in a variety of ways. Increasing amounts of stress is brought on these ecosystems as humans continue to modify the surrounding environment as a result of population growth, technology, and consumption. Human destruction of habitats through direct harvesting, pollution, atmospheric changes, and other factors is threatening the stability and overall health of many coral reefs. Human activities may also exacerbate the impact of natural disturbances on coral reefs or compromise the ability of the reef to recover from events such as hurricanes, tsunamis, or disease.
Ideas For Use
Science Objects are two hour learning experiences teachers can use to enhance their understanding of a particular scientific concept. Teachers can access any topic “on demand” from the Internet. Topics are based on the science literacy goals in the national standards (NSES, Science for All Americans, Benchmarks, and the Atlas of Scientific Literacy) and tied to state standards.
Each Science Object provides an understanding of the science content by providing a structured set of learning experiences through simulations and practice assessments. Science Objects challenge teachers to explore and explain real world phenomena and are founded on the principle that learners must be challenged with a problem, observation, data, etc., in order to develop scientific understanding. Science Objects utilize the five phases of inquiry-based learning: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.
Learning Outcomes:
Coral Reef Ecosystems: Ecosystems in Crisis
- Describe ways in which human activities directly impact coral reef ecosystems (resource and recreational uses).
- Describe ways in which human activities indirectly impact coral reef ecosystems (by changing the physical conditions, pollution, changes in the water chemistry, etc.).
- Explain how human activity may decrease the reefs ability to recover from natural occurrences.
- Explain the effects of increased predation or disease on a reef ecosystem.
- Describe the effect of habitat loss on the reef ecosystem.
- Describe the effects of weather and climate change on a healthy and weakened reef ecosystem.
Additional Info
|
Science Discipline:
(mouse over for full classification)
|
Food web
Populations
Predation
Symbiosis
Trophic levels
|
| Intended User Role: | Elementary-Level Educator, Middle-Level Educator, Teacher |
| Educational Issues: | Inquiry learning, Professional development, Teacher content knowledge, Teaching strategies |
Technical
| Resource Format: | application/x-shockwave-flash, audio/mp3, image/gif, image/jpeg, text/html, video/quicktime |
| Installation Remarks: | Run the Science Objects System Check to ensure that your system is capable of viewing the simulations: http://ecommerce2.nsta.org/system_check/ |
| Requirements: | Requires Macromedia Flash Player and Apple Quicktime Player |
National Standards Correlation
This resource has 8 correlations with the National Standards.
[HIDE CORRELATIONS]
- Life Science
- Organisms and environments
- When the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce, and others die or move to new locations.
- Humans depend on their natural and constructed environments. Humans change environments in ways that can be either beneficial or detrimental for themselves and other organisms.
- Populations and ecosystems
- A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time.
- All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem.
- Populations of organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem.
- Food webs identify the relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem.
- Given adequate biotic and abiotic resources and no disease or predators, populations (including humans) increase at rapid rates.
- Lack of resources and other factors, such as predation and climate, limit the growth of populations in specific niches in the ecosystem.
State Standards Correlation
Use the form below to view which of your state standards this resource addresses.
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