Grade-Level Expectations
1. Analyze and interpret how biotic and abiotic factors interact within a given ecosystem.
2. Design and conduct a scientific investigation to explore the porosity and permeability of soils and their ability to support different plan life.
3. Defend the statement, "The sun is the main source of energy on Earth."
4. Express in general terms how plants and other photosynthetic organisms use the sun's energy.
5. Investigate and report on the effects of abiotic factors on a plant's ability to photosynthesize.
6. Compare and contrast how energy and matter flow in Connecticut ecosystem emphasizing the interactions among producers, consumers, and decomposers.
7. Identify local examples of predator-prey relationships, and justify the impact of each type of population on the other.
8. Create and interpret graphs that illustrate the fluctuation of populations over time.
9. Distinguish a food chain from a food web and identify local examples of each.
10. Explain the impact of environmental conditions such as climate, elevation, topography or water quality on food chains.
11. Predict what will happen to a population based upon current trends (fires, disease, overhanging, development) and defend the prediction.
