Processes” strand introduces the concept that plants (3.4) and animals (4.4) satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. It is intended that students will actively develop scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic skills, and the nature of science (LS.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard. Essential Understandings The concepts developed in this standard include the following: Organisms may exist as members of a population; populations interact with other populations in a community; and communities together with the physical environment form ecosystems. Changes that affect organisms over time may be daily, seasonal, or long term. Plants may respond to light by growing toward it or away from it, a behavior known as phototropism. Animals may respond to cold conditions with a period of lowered metabolism, a behavior known as hibernation. Organisms may respond to adverse conditions with a period of lowered or suspended metabolism, a behavior known as dormancy. A variety of environmental factors may cause the size of a population to increase or decrease. (This requires students to brainstorm examples of factors and predict the possible effects.) Long-term changes may affect entire communities and ecosystems. Such changes include the addition of excess nutrients to the system (eutrophication), which alters environmental balance; dramatic changes in climate; and catastrophic events, such as fire, drought, flood, and earthquakes. Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will relate the responses of organisms to daily, seasonal, or long-term events. differentiate between ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms. predict the effect of climate change on ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms. predict the effect of eutrophication on ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms. compare and contrast the factors that increase or decrease population size.
Processes” strand introduces the concept that plants (3.4) and animals (4.4) satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. It is intended that students will actively develop scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic skills, and the nature of science (LS.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard. Essential Understandings The concepts developed in this standard include the following: Organisms may exist as members of a population; populations interact with other populations in a community; and communities together with the physical environment form ecosystems. Changes that affect organisms over time may be daily, seasonal, or long term. Plants may respond to light by growing toward it or away from it, a behavior known as phototropism. Animals may respond to cold conditions with a period of lowered metabolism, a behavior known as hibernation. Organisms may respond to adverse conditions with a period of lowered or suspended metabolism, a behavior known as dormancy. A variety of environmental factors may cause the size of a population to increase or decrease. (This requires students to brainstorm examples of factors and predict the possible effects.) Long-term changes may affect entire communities and ecosystems. Such changes include the addition of excess nutrients to the system (eutrophication), which alters environmental balance; dramatic changes in climate; and catastrophic events, such as fire, drought, flood, and earthquakes. Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will relate the responses of organisms to daily, seasonal, or long-term events. differentiate between ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms. predict the effect of climate change on ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms. predict the effect of eutrophication on ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms. compare and contrast the factors that increase or decrease population size.