Teacher Support Materials

STEP 1
(5 minutes)

Watch the video on Step 1 of the investigation. (2:33 min.) Define food web.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 1

Direct students’ attention to the following before beginning the video:

In this video you’ll be introduced to the phenomenon of change in the Uinta Mountains. Listen carefully for what the forest means to all the organisms living there and how to examine the affects change may have on them. Dr. Mitch will also share how he uses models to study phenomena like this.

STEP 2
(10 minutes)

Drag and drop populations of organisms from the food web into the energy pyramid model.

Define energy model, producers, consumers, and decomposers.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 1

Based on your learning goals review producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers either before students being their work or after students have worked for a few minutes.

Key Vocabulary: food web, energy model, producers, consumers, and decomposers

Watch the video on Step 3 of the investigation. (1:31 min.)

Define biotic factors and abiotic factors.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 1

Direct students’ attention to the following before beginning the video:

In this video you’ll learn about the difference between biotic and abiotic factors. You’ll also hear how changes to these factors can affect populations of organisms.

Select a change for your Energy Pyramid Model, examine the changes in your Energy Pyramid Model and Population Chart, and record your results in your Research Assistant Notebook.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 2

You may elect to use the first model for guided instruction before having students move forward on their own. Discuss looking for patterns in the results. A change that affected all organisms, no organism, one trophic level and not another.

This is a good time to get a baseline reading of students’ observation and comparisons skills.

Key Vocabulary: biotic factors and abiotic factors

What have you learned about the effect of different types of changes on the populations in this ecosystem? Answer the reflection questions then click “submit” to compare our answers.

Depending on your learning goals, you may want to use this Reflection page to facilitate group sharing and discussion about student observations. Did students see patterns in the biotic and abiotic changes? Can they transfer this information to apply it to another scenario?

STEP 6
(5 minutes)

Watch the video on Step 6 of the investigation. (2:04 min.)

Define limiting factors.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 2

Direct students’ attention to the following before beginning the video:

In this video you’ll learn about how limiting factors affect populations in different ways. Listen for what resources every living organisms needs to survive.

STEP 7
(15-20 minutes)

Take a look at how each of these four organisms is affected by precipitation and temperature. Then make predictions about what their limiting factors might be and how changes to temperature and precipitation might affect them. Finally, you’ll compare your prediction with the predictions from our simulator.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 3

Encourage students to consider what other limiting factors are for an organism, like ourselves. Do this as a way to check for understanding and reinforce this vocabulary.

Have students work on the reading portion of this in pairs or as a larger group based on reading and note- taking skills. Analyze one of the changes as a class before students do this with their partner.

Key Vocabulary: limiting factors

STEP 8
(5 minutes)

Watch the video on Step 8 of the investigation. (2:20 min.)

Direct students’ attention to the following before beginning the video:

In this video you’ll hear about how scientists are able to make reliable predictions about precipitation and temperature based on historical data and models. Listen for how we can use this information to make predictions about populations of organisms in a changing ecosystem like the Uinta Mountains.

STEP 9
(15 minutes)

Identify patterns in future models of temperature and precipitation. Then choose three years to focus on as you make your predictions about the future of this forest in the Uinta Mountains.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 4

Discuss predictive models and how they can be used to predict possible, future outcomes.

If needed, have students make a quick predictive model of a classroom procedure. How expectations in the past will likely lead to expectations in the future. Or how past behavior will likely predict future behavior.

Key Vocabulary: predictive models

Choose an organism to learn more about possible impacts to their populations based on future models for temperature and precipitation.

Support students in their analysis, as needed, to make connections between the organisms limiting factors and the models.

STEP 11
&
STEP 12
(20 minutes)

You will use the case study from Steps 9 & 10, the data from predictive models of temperature and precipitation, and other evidence you gathered throughout the investigation to develop an evidence- based argument to explain what the future may look like for populations of the organism you chose and the forest they live in.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 5

Guide students, as needed, through completing this form outline. Depending on your learning objectives have students expand on this in paragraph form in their notebooks.

Note: This is just one suggestion for the communication section and is closely aligned with the ELA Speaking and Listening standards. Select a communication strategy that best aligns with your learning goals. Regardless of your approach we recommend using the “Student Rubric for Presenting Arguments” located under the “Teacher Support” tab of the website.

STEP 13
(15 minutes)

Use this chart to help you better understand causation vs. correlation.

Consider the changes to your case study organism. Are they caused by the abiotic factors or just correlation to the abiotic factors?

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 6

Have students work in pairs or small groups. Have each student select a different “causation” and “corresponding” effect to share with their group.

Key Vocabulary:

• Causation indicates changes in A results changes in B.
• Correlation indicates a relationship between variables.

STEP 14
(45-60 Minutes, Varies)

Design and communicate a plan to support the population you studied.

What can you do to identify and protect ecosystems at risk for faster-than-normal change? Make a list of action items that you can do to help protect the ecosystem and the population you studied. Will you write a letter to your local representative? Will you plant more food sources? Develop shelters? Educate your community? Something else? Be creative and use your talents.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT NOTEBOOK (RAN): page 7

Encourage students to reference the evidence they collected in the previous steps.

What can they do to help support this or other chosen ecosystem? Is it realistic?

STEP 15
(5 minutes)

Watch the video on Step 14 of the investigation. (4:02 min)

Direct students’ attention to the following before beginning the video:

In this video you’ll learn about how limiting factors affect populations in different ways. Listen for what resources every living organisms needs to survive.