you are here > Ecosystem Unit Assessments


Assessment Pieces

In this unit, there are five main assessment pieces that we be used to determine a final report card grade.

Assessment Piece #1: Interacting Populations Project

In this project, students will take part in a simulation of a population of deer. As their resources (e.g. food, water, and shelter) change, the students will observe and analyse the change in the population. Students will also be analysing a virtual population of rabbits as they progress through harsh winters and hot summers.

Find project outlines and assessment rubrics for the assignment below:

  • download "Part A: Oh Deer" HERE
  • download "Part B: Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow" HERE

To view the assessment rubric and criteria for this project, click HERE

Assessment Piece #2: Ecology Concept Check

This concept check covers material from the first portion of the unit. Terminology covered include: ecology, abiotic and biotic elements, organism, niche, population, community, ecosystem, immigration and emigration, and biodiversity.

The concept check will focus on the following concepts:

  • Definition of ecology
  • Abiotic versus Biotic Factors
  • Organization (organism ? population ? community ? ecosystem)
  • Calculating population rate
  • Reasons for population change
  • Concept of biodiversity

To try out a sample concept check, click HERE


Assessment Piece #3: Building a Food Web Project

In the first part of the unit, we learned about trophic levels and classifying organisms in food webs. In this project, each student will select one animal (each student must choose a different animal) and will develop a food web for their animal.

REQUIREMENTS:

Each food web MUST include their following:

  • A minimum of THREE organisms that are eaten by the organism
  • A minimum of THREE predators of the organism
  • A minimum of FOUR trophic levels
  • Classification (e.g. producer, primary consumer) for every organism in the web
  • Trophic levels for every organism in the food web
  • Arrows showing the flow of energy through the web

Each food web must be organized and displayed on a HALF of a piece of Bristol board.

Students are encouraged to include pictures of the organisms in their food web and to attempt to be specific regarding the organisms in their web (e.g. “cottontail rabbit” would be much more detailed than merely saying “rabbit”).

To view the assessment rubric and criteria for this project, click HERE

Assessment Piece #4: Analysing Food Webs Concept Check

This concept check covers material from the second portion of the unit. Terminology covered include: producer/autotroph, consumer/heterotroph, decomposer/detrivore, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, food chain/web, and trophic levels.

The concept check will focus on the following concepts:

  • Roles of producers/autotrophs
  • Roles of consumers/heterotrophs
  • Roles of decomposers/detrivores
  • Herbivore versus Omnivore versus Carnivore
  • Classifying organisms in a food chain/web
  • Trophic Levels
  • Transfer of energy in a food chain/web (origin = Sun)
  • Predicting outcomes of extinction within food webs

To try out a sample concept check, click HERE

Assessment Piece #5: Cycling and Succession Concept Check

This concept check covers material from the final portion of the unit. Terminology covered include: photosynthesis, decay, respiration, combustion, carbon cycle, run off, succession, primary succession and secondary succession.

The concept check will focus on the following concepts:

  • Carbon cycle (Photosynthesis, Decay, Respiration, Combustion)
  • Water cycle (Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Absorption, Run off, Accumulation)
  • Definition of succession
  • Primary succession versus secondary succession
  • Examples of primary and secondary succession
To try out a sample concept check, click HERE

Created by:
Ian Fischer
St. Joseph High School
Ottawa, Canada