Cynthia Ruiz

CA

Teaching Through Trade Books: Exploring Ecosystems

Sun, Feb 03, 2019 3:04 PM
Discover Ecosystems in your Backyard

The article explores the complex relationship of living things to their natural environment and to each other. The activities can help the students appreciate the interrelationships and interdependencies within communities. To learn about the ecosystem students will learn about the relationships of living things to each other and their natural environment. The books are part of a series that explores the relationships and the interdependencies of the natural environment. According to the National Science Education Standards, students in grades K–4 should be developing understandings of the way organisms live in diverse environments and depend on varying resources. Upper elementary students need to understand that ecology centers both on the various components of nature as well as how the components work together as a whole. Students also need to know that the interactions that take place in a desert ecosystem, for ex- ample, share some basic similarities but are also different from those in other ecosystems. This article gives lesson to help the students understand ecosystems. Great lessons for elementary level.

Our World Without Decomposers: How Scary!

Sun, Feb 03, 2019 12:40 AM
The Role of Decomposers

This article explains the advantages of the decomposers since most students only see the negativity of bacteria or fungi. They may only view bacteria in a negative light which causes disease and not appreciate its beneficial role in recycling nutrients in an ecosystem. Students likely see fungi similarly, since they are commonly described as poisonous. The students explore a park with forests, meadows, streams, and wet- lands. Students begin to appreciate the role of diverse varieties of fungi in beneficial natural cycles. The students explore the world without decomposers. Students use scientific reasoning to portray their ideas about decomposers either in the caption or in the cartoon itself. The students create cartoons to show the world without decomposers. They learned that there would be no jobs for bugs or slugs. There would be dead trees everywhere and less oxygen to breathe because of dying producers. Herbivores wouldn’t get enough food. Scavengers would survive by eating dead animals. This article explains the importance of the decompsers.

Mountains Majesty: Ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains

Sun, Feb 03, 2019 12:03 AM
Rocky Mountain and Ecosystem

This article introduces the reader to some of the different ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains and the challenges the Bureau of Land Management has with protecting these diverse land resources. The article has great visuals, background information, and images that could be used by teachers for instruction. This would be great to use while teaching the ecosystems. The article gives examples of plants and animals that can live in the Rocky Mountains. The article explains that fire is a natural part of the forest ecosystem and many plants have to adapt to the fire. The article explains that there is a challenge for land managers to ensure suitable habitat for large and migratory wildlife species. There is a concern for more water since the area’s population growth which most come from mountain streams and rivers. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is an example. At 7.3 million hectares, it is the largest intact temperate eco- system in the world, containing two national parks, seven national forests, and 12 wilderness areas, as well as private land, much of it under intense development pressure. The Rocky Mountains contain valuable minerals and energy resources that contribute to America’s economy, energy independence, and quality of life. This article is great to help the students learn about the ecosystems.