LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Biology

Goal 5: The learner will develop an understanding of the ecological relationships among organisms.

Objective 5.02. Analyze the flow of energy and the cycling of matter in the ecosystem.

  • Relationship of the carbon cycle to photosynthesis and respiration.
  • Trophic levels - direction and efficiency of energy transfer.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

Resources on the web

What goes around comes around!
In this lesson students will model the cycles of matter by creating an ecosystem in a jar. They will also give research based oral presentations on the carbon, water and nitrogen cycles. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Science)
Provided by: Utah Education Network
Using Venn diagrams to compare two ecosystems
The following activity helps students identify and describe differences between two related ecosystems. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 and 9–12 Science)
Provided by: National Geographic
Spaceship Earth
In this lesson, students will develop an understanding of our planet as a system by designing a very-long-duration space mission in which the life-support system is patterned after that of Earth. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6 and 9–12 Science)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Biomagnification in the Great Lakes ecosystems
This lesson will focus on biomagnification as it relates to the ecosystems of the Great Lakes region in the mid-western United States. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Science)
Provided by: National Geographic