Symbiosis Lesson Plan: Broader scope

Overview
The lesson you will view today will be a shortened version of the actual lesson I would teach.
Because of the inquiry and holistic nature of my teaching, this topic would require at least two days of class
time. In addition, the topic draws on many other components in the ecology unit as well as other biological
topics. Therefore, I wanted to give you a context for how this topic fits into the broader unit of ecology as well
as additional activities that will serve to paint a clearer picture for the students.
Ecology Introductory Activity
The first day of the unit will be spent covering a dramatic reading of The Day the Cats Parachuted over
Borneo. This drama is based on a childrens story which is based on actual events. It shows the true
interconnectedness of nature.
Students will start by trying to figure out the sequence of events that occurred on the island of Borneo
after the World Health Organization dropped the pesticide DDT to fight the spread of malaria. I will have
the students draw or write out these events directly onto their tables using Crayola dry erase crayons.
Next, students will choose which part they will play. When it is their turn, they will come up to the front
of the class to read their part in the play as I show a PowerPoint of the images from the actual
childrens book.
This activity introduces the idea of symbiosis even though it will not be explicitly stated. Mosquitos have
a parasitic symbiotic relationship with humans. When I actually teach symbiosis, I will be able to refer
back to this opening activity to further explain the material as well as deepen their understanding of
ecosystems.
Ecology Unit Project
On the second day of the Ecology unit, students will work to build an eco-column, which is a selfsustaining ecosystem housed in plastic bottles.
They will collect the organisms during a field trip on campus grounds as well as use a Beta fish from a
local pet store.
Students will make observations and record data about the eco-columns on a daily basis during this
unit.
Students will use the eco-columns to understand nutrient cycles and see first-hand how water, carbon,
oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen cycle through an ecosystem.
The nitrogen cycle will be referenced during the lesson symbiosis. Students will have prior knowledge
of how nitrogen cycles so that they will better understand how the bacteria take nitrogen gas out of the
soil and convert it to ammonia (nitrogen fixation) for the clover legume.
Ecology Unit Assessment
Students will be tested on this material using the web 2.0 tool called Storyjumper.
Storyjumper is an online program that allows students to create a childrens book. This program was
designed for classroom use, so it is extremely engaging and user-friendly.
Students learned most of the material in this unit through storytelling. We talk about the drama that
occurred in Borneo and they watch the drama unfold in their eco-columns! We also talk about the book
Silent Spring, which was instrumental in ridding the developed world of the pesticide, DDT. Therefore, I
like to offer an alternative assessment in at least one of my units where students can explain what they
have learned in a more creative way.
I have used this assessment method in the past and it has been extremely successful. In order to
create a story using the concepts they learned, not only do they need to understand the concepts in the
unit, but how they function and relate to one another.

Symbiosis Lesson Day 1: Observation, collection, and microscopy

1. Locating the lichen and clover

2. Specimen observation and data collection

3. Microscopy