Middle School: Disruptions in Ecosystems

The unit was developed as part of a collaborative project funded by the National Science Foundation to develop and evaluate a model instructional unit and professional development program and conduct research on teacher learning. The project partners are the American Museum of Natural History (lead partner, also leading the professional development), The Lawrence Hall of Science's SEPUP Program (instructional materials lead), and the University of Connecticut (research). The unit has undergone two rounds of classroom field-testing and expert review. It is currently undergoing a third field-test during the 2017–2018 school year. Based on this field-test and feedback from the EQuIP review, the unit will be revised and resubmitted for a final review in 2018.

Score: 7

Science Discipline: Life Science

Length: Unit

Year Reviewed: 2017

This middle school unit was designed to support the middle school NGSS related to Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics integrated with elements of related Earth science NGSS (Human Impact). The unit includes five chapters, each focused on a specific phenomenon related to ecosystem disruption, including questions around the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone and the invasion of zebra mussels in the Great Lakes and the Hudson River. © Regents of the University of California

Download The Materials

Disruptions in Ecosystems.zip

Peer Review Panel Feedback

NGSS EQuIP Unit feedback Disruptions in Ecosystems.pdf

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Reviews & Questions

question 12/12/17

volcsand

What standards does this Unit hit? And the other units?

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question 01/04/18

Achieve Admin

Sorry for the delayed response! All of the PEs and elements within the foundation boxes on the MS-LS2 standards page are targeted, along with MS-ESS3-3 and MS-ESS3-4 (and related elements from all three dimensions). Hope that helps!

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question 01/08/18

Thanks. And after I downloaded and opened up the materials I found the standards.

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question 03/05/18

Julia

I have teachers who would like to teach this unit, but the handouts for Chapter 4 are missing. Any idea how to get those?

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question 03/06/18

Achieve Admin

Hi Julia,

I've added the Chapter 4 handouts to the zip drive linked above. You should be able to find them in there now!

Let us know if you have any trouble. Thank you!

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question 03/14/18

Achieve Admin

If anybody is having a hard time accessing videos in this unit, here are some alternative links for a couple:

Grizzlies and Wolves Compete via National Geographic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeF25GJleA8

Symbiosis: Mutualism, Commensalism, and Parasitism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSmL2F1t81Q

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question 08/14/18

Dora Kastel

Video of all six Chapter 1 lessons can be found on the Teaching Channel. The series begins here https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/ecosystems-ngss-unit-overview.

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question 11/25/18

KUss

The teaching channel link doesn't work. It says "the dog ate it."

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question 02/14/19

Achieve Admin

Make sure you try it without the period!

https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/ecosystems-ngss-unit-overview

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question 11/01/18

Carrie

I have been using this material with my 7th grade science students. I have been having trouble finding a lot of mistakes. Are there plans to update the curriculum and fix the mistakes?

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question 11/01/18

Achieve Admin

Hi Carrie, can you give some examples of the mistakes you're finding? Thanks!

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question 11/01/18

Carrie

Here are several examples from Chapter 2:
p. 63 Analysis Question #1 - "food web or food web"? Should it be "food chain or food web"?

p. 67 Analysis Question 2 - the description is about a landslide, but then the question is about an ash cloud. Also the question, says "flow of matter" and "cycling of energy". It should be flow of energy and cycling of matter.

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question 11/01/18

Achieve Admin

Thanks Carrie! There are no plans to update this yet, but these are definitely good things to be aware of. We appreciate you letting us (and other users) know!

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question 11/04/18

djohnson

Do all 5 chapters need to be taught or can each chapter stand alone? Are there chapters that are pre-requisites to others?

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question 11/04/18

Achieve Admin

Hi Djohnson,

Thanks for the question! These chapters are intended to be taught together and in the order they're presented in. They build on each other purposefully. Hope that helps!

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question 11/05/18

djohnson

Yes, that's very helpful. Thank you for the speedy reply!

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question 11/25/18

Carrie

I am trying to access the video link at the beginning of Ch. 4 - I have clicked the link in the teacher materials for Ch. 4 and I get this message "YOU'VE DISCOVERED A NEW SPECIES!
Pagus notfoundii

Please try the navigation or search above, or start from the homepage." on the American Museum of Natural History's webpage.
Please help me find the correct video on their page.

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question 02/14/19

Achieve Admin

Hi Carrie,

Sorry for the delayed response. Are you trying to find the video clip, The Problem? If so, you can find it here: https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/river-ecology/curricular-materials.

If you ever have problems finding videos, googling the video title with AMNH can often help find the correct webpage. Hope that helps!

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question 02/07/19

Karen

On page 98 in the teacher guide, it references a handout for students to facilitate discussion. It's called "Developing Communication Skills" and is supposed to be a in "Teacher Resources" section. I can't find this section or this document. Ideas on where it's located?

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question 02/14/19

Achieve Admin

Hi Karen,

Based on the description of "sentence starters", it might be referring to the "Argument Tool" in the "Tools_rubrics (explanation and argument)" folder. Does that seem right?

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question 02/14/19

Karen

It does not appear so, as that is just a sheet for them to fill out when arguing two different claims and having scientific evidence to back it up. It's much like the Scientific explanation tool, but for two claims instead of one. I think this document is supposed to be more like how to have students discuss with each other, not necessarily argue to sides.

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question 02/14/19

Achieve Admin

Ah -- sorry I can't be more helpful! I'd recommend reaching out directly to the developer (SEPUP, Lawrence Hall of Science) of this unit to see if they can point you in the right direction. You can reach them at sepup@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-8718.

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question 03/11/20

Dora Kastel

Try this link to get the pdf for the Developing Communication Skills handout: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xLZA7l9p2-U1p6bzdZQXpTdGs/view?usp=sharing

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question 02/14/19

lisij

I'm currently using the resources in the zip file with my 6th grade class. I'm wondering if it is possible to buy copies of the student book as it can be difficult at times working from a digital file. I'm interested in buying two class sets to share among 6 classes.

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question 02/14/19

Hi Lisij, I would encourage you to reach out directly to the developer (SEPUP, Lawrence Hall of Science) of this unit to see if they're selling physical copies. You can reach them at sepup@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-8718. Hope that helps!

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question 02/14/19

Karen

We had them sent off to a print center for students who have hard copy of notes in their IEP or 504s. Otherwise, they use digital and can print at home (we do one chapter at a time, so it's not overwhelming).

Grade

Class Size

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Suburban

Was this material easy to implement?

Were the students engaged in this material?

Was this material appropriate for diverse learners?

Mins:

Write a review of the materials

Engaging, exciting materials, that requires all students to think at a high-level. Really encourages group work and discussion.

Make a suggestion

Preview materials - there are many typos and easy to catch errors.

question 02/17/19

Karen

I am having difficulty opening up the lessons for Wolves in Yellowstone. I can get the lesson break down, but can't open it.

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question 04/05/19

R. West

On Chapter 3 lesson 2, are the activity cards for Games A and B all supposed to say the same things? Looks like all "character cards" for A are "You captain an ocean trawler..." and B are "you are a line fisher..."

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question 03/11/20

Dora Kastel

Yes, that is how it was designed - for all 4 students in the group to have the same character card.

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question 06/06/19

K. Belasco

Is there a pacing guide included in the teacher resources for this unit? I looked but couldn't seem to find one.

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question 08/16/19

Unfortunately, we don't have any materials beyond what is included in the zip folder. Apologies!

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question 07/21/19

SLT

Have the materials been translated to other languages?

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question 08/16/19

Achieve Admin

The materials have not been translated into other languages that we know of. Sorry I can't be more helpful!

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question 09/12/19

Debra

Disruptions in Ecosystems Chapter 1 - Investigation 1.1 states that "Students read and discuss the story of wolves in Yellowstone". The text in the Student Book" . Where is this book found? I've downloaded the unit and all of the handouts, I did not find an article or a book title for this section. What is the name of the article, can I find it on the internet, or do I have to purchase a particular book?

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question 03/11/20

Dora Kastel

I believe this is referring to the text on page 7-8 of the student book, and is called "Wolves in Yellowstone." There is also some additional text on page 4 that might be useful, as well as the video. All of these things added together should provide students with enough context to "discuss the story."

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review 09/24/19

Grade

Class Size

School Setting

Urban

Was this material easy to implement?

Were the students engaged in this material?

Was this material appropriate for diverse learners?

Hrs:

Write a review of the materials

I have pretty much finished using chapters 1 and 2 with my urban Phoenix 10th-grade biology students. They are often not familiar with, interested in, or engaged with the ecology scenarios I have shared with them in the past. They have been engaged and interested in these materials. Only two of my 150 students have been to Yellowstone. I use this to introduce all of my students to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem at the same time, putting all of my students on equal footing. Yellowstone National Park, among other sources, has a plethora of resources to share with our students and draw them in. The arrangement of concepts in chapters 1 and 2 confused me at first. As I assimilated how the materials are arranged, they make good sense. It works for my students.

Make a suggestion

I have a number of suggestions beginning with the choices of organisms in the food chain. I lived and worked in the GYE for nine years. There are more realistic and useful food chains you could introduce and utilize. Are you interested? I have many ideas.

question 09/26/19

smaurice

Many of the links provided are not working links. Can these please be updated?

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question 09/26/19

Achieve Admin

Hi Smaurice, Sorry to hear that. We do hope to post an updated version of this unit soon! In the meantime, I'd recommend reaching out directly to the developer (SEPUP, Lawrence Hall of Science) of this unit to see if they can point you to some updated links. You can reach them at sepup@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-8718.

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question 01/12/21

CJ White

Would love to use this with virtual learning as I have used in class for past few years. All students in district are limited to google docs. I have not been successful in converting with formatting. Can the authors perhaps provide a version that will lend itself to be used in google docs for virtual learning?

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question 04/07/21

Jeanne

I do not see the video links for Chapter One lesson 1.3. Are these included, or are we to search up links that show these types of animal behaviors? Is there any way to get a hard copy of some of these materials? Printing them all out is sort of a project, though I like the content!

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question 04/08/21

NextGenScience

Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for your feedback. I'd recommend reaching out directly to the developer (SEPUP, Lawrence Hall of Science) of this unit to see if they can point you in the right direction. You can reach them at sepup@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-8718 or view more here: https://sepuplhs.org/middle/disruptions-in-ecosystems/index.html

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question 05/14/23

Marina

I feel like its a great material but honestly it is verrrrrryyyyyy long. In my school we usually have only 3-4 weeks to teach all of Ecology, and one lesson alone is 4 weeks long, using a 45 min class. If possible please incorporate smaller time framed lessons that gets the message across effectively and efficiently. Thanks

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