Ecosystems- CLIL Unit

ECOSYSTEMS

This unit has been created following the CLIL methodology and is conceived for being applied in  2nd course of ESO for the subject of Natural Science.

Learning outcomes:

The learning outcomes of this unit are both related to Natural Sciences concepts and to the English language competences.

The learning outcomes refering to Natural Science are :

1. To analyse the components of ecosystems: the biocenosis and the biotope.

2. To distinguish between ecological niches and habitats

3. To learn about food chains and how to represent them

4. To recognise the main factors which influence terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

5. To learn about the major terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

 The language content includes useful expressions, as the folllowing:

Expressing contrast: They share the same habitat, but have different ecological niches. 

Reporting facts: Coral reefs are usually found near the coast.

Making impersonal statements: These ecosystems are found in standing water.

Defining: Terrestrial ecosystems are ecosystems where organisms can live on land.

Referring to quantity: Abundant rainfall, scant precipitation, little food, etc.

Methodology:

The methodology developed in this unit will be a CLIL methodology. That means that every activity will be preceed or followed by extra ressources, aimed to serve as anchoring ressources which will help the student to assimilate the content.

This unit is conceived  to be developed in 10 sessions. The development of the lesson includes a part where the teacher shows the new content and new vocabulary to the students using different resources and anchoring activities (videos, flascards, pictures, diagrams). The teacher can use the presentations as a lesson guide, and make the students participate actively through the explanation. (Brainstorming, asking for exemples..) 

After that, the student will develop the content using the new vocabulary and concepts through different activities, always guided by anchoring activities and examples. These activities will be done in groups or in pairs, in order to develop communication and organisational skills, and also individually, in order to assimilate effectively the new knowledge. Some of these activities are tasks where the students have to use Internet and their digital competences to create their answers.The student will collect their knowledeges in his notebook, and it will include a glossary or vocabulary list of the unit. The teacher will help the student to elaborate his glossary listing the new vocabulary in a clear way (using the blakboard, flashcards or whorksheets, for example).

Activities:

The main thread of the unit will be given by two presentations, which will include the links to the different web ressources and online tasks.The links to these presentations are:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ox1526mjRR2uX3E4YyNKR9ZXLa1Elk8IQiydfK_ijXU/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1I3yKld5w7DMgTBuc6gQSuvZgVWjaDhQi1IVbHeLgYtY/edit?usp=sharing

• Activity 1: What are ecosystems? Discussion, videos and definition
• Activity 2: Biocenosis or biotope? Definitions, vídeo, classifying pictures
• Activity 3: Analyzing an ecosystem: Interactive activity.
• Activity 4: Terrestrial ecosystems. Which factors influence in terrestrial ecosystems?. Discussion. Camparing pictures
• Activity 5: Biomes. Prezy pressentation. Flascards game: Identify the description with a biome.
• Activity 6: Aquatic ecosystems. Which abiotic factors influence in aquatic ecosystems. Discussion.
• Activity7: (Task) Webquest: Posidonia oceanica
• Activity 8: Ecosistems song: Listen, fill the gaps and sing it.
• Activity 9: Habitat and Ecological niche: Definitions and discussion
• Activity 10: (Task) What an animal!. Web research
• Activity 11: Trophic levels. Complete a c-map. Discussion. Interactive activity
• Activity 12: Draw a food web.
• Activity 13: Glossary with the terms of the unit

Evaluation criteria

Apart from the specific criteria related to Natural Sciences and language competences, the student will have to be able to:

Work in cooperative groups, use different language structures and new vocabulary, use moodle, use text editig software (Openoffice writer), use forum specific rules, make researches on the Internet.

Evaluation instruments

Observation: active participation, group cooperation, interest, attitude.

Rubrics: The tasks will be evaluated using specific evaluation rubrics.

Test: The students will pass a writen test at the end of the unit

Student's notebook and worksheets: All the written activities and the glossary will be reflected in the notebook, and the worksheets collected in a folder.