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"Organisms and their Environment"
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Readability Levels:

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2009 - 2010

Table of Contents
	1. Class and Lab Safety	6. Chapter Review and Tests
	Staying Safe	Reviews, Tests
	2. The Scientific Process	7. Videos and Images, Podcasts, and PowerPoints
	Scientific Process	Videos and Images, PowerPoints, News
	3. Abiotic and Biotic Environments	8. Fun and Games
	Environmental Sciences, Abiotic, Biotic, Ecosystems and Biomes, BC'S Ecosystems, Aboriginal Knowledge	Fun Activities, Games
	4. Organisms in Ecosystems	9. Webquests and Tasks
	What are Organisms?, Populations and Communities, Sampling Ecosystems	Webquests, Tasks
	5. The Role of Organisms in Ecosystems	10. Miscellaneous Resources
	Producers and Consumers, Types of Consumers, Scavengers and Decomposers, Parasitism and Symbiosis, Mutualism and Commensalism	Doing Research, Misc., Translate, Careers

1. Class and Lab Safety

Staying Safe

1. Safety symbols - WHMIS: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)

2. Guideline for a safe lab (ScienceAware Communications, Inc.)

3. Safety contract: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)

4. Lab safety (University of Nebraska, USA)

5. Lab safety poster (genium.com)

6. Mr. Thackwray's lab safety rules (BCIT, BC, Canada)

7. Lab safety: PowerPoint presentation (Lisa Tiekan, Floresville Middle School, Texas, USA)

2. The Scientific Process

	1. Forming questions in science: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)		5. Observations and field studies: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)
	2. Developing a hypothesis: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)		6. Scientific Method: intro plus 12 minute video (howstuffworks.com)
	3. Using models: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)		7. Science investigations: 70 minute video - requires password (United Streaming)
	4. Gather and evaluate information: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)		8. The Scientific Process: PowerPoint (Tamara Thompson, Saint Martin's University, Lacey, Washington, USA)

3. Abiotic and Biotic Environments
Section 1.1 pages 6-15

Environmental Sciences

1. The Biosphere (geography4kids.com)

2. Biosphere - it's alive! (Miami Museum of Science, Florida, USA)

3. The biosphere (University of Florida, USA)

4. From niche to biosphere (backyardnature.net)

5. What is ecology? (backyardnature.net)

6. Ecology (wikipedia.org)

7. Ecosystem (wikipedia.org)

8. What is Environmental Science? (Newcastle University, UK)

9. Biogeology (wikipedia.org)

Abiotic

Textbook pages 6-8 (Kurzweil File. Requires Special Software.) MP3 audio file

1. Definition (University of British Columbia, Canada)

2. Definitions (dictionary.com)

3. Abiotic factors (Peace Wapiti School Division, Alberta, Canada)

4. Abiotic and biotic factors (Regents Prep, Oswego City School District, NY, USA)

5. Grasslands - abiotic components (Grasslands Conservation Council of BC, Canada)

6. Ecosystems - the role of abiotic factors: 15 minute video - requires password (United Streaming)

7. Abiotic factors - water or air or soil: HSW intro and 1 or 2 minute videos (howstuffworks.com)

8. Ecosystems - the role of abiotic factors: 15 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

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	Biotic	Textbook pages 9-11 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Definition (University of British Columbia, Canada)

2. Biotic (wikipedia.org)

3. Definitions (dictionary.com)

4. Biotic factors (Peace Wapiti School Division, Alberta, Canada)

5. Biotic associations at Race Rocks (racerocks.com)

6. Biotic and abiotic factors (thinkquest.org)

7. Grasslands - biotic components (Grasslands Conservation Council of BC, Canada)

8. Environment of organisms - abiotic and biotic factors: 3 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

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	Ecosystems and Biomes	Textbook page 12-13 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Introduction to ecology: ecosystems and biomes: 17 minute video - requires password (Discovery Education, USA)

2. Life sciences biomes: 25 videos - requires registration (teachersdomain.org)

3. Ecosystems: American Field Guide videos (Oregon Public Broadcasting and pbs.org, USA)

4. Ecosystems: animation (brainpop.com)

5. Ecosystems (The BBC, U.K.)

6. What is an ecosystem? (BC Ministry of Forests and Range, Canada)

7. What are ecosystems? (pbs.org)

8. Ecosystem - definition (answers.com)

9. Canada's ecozones (McGill University, Quebec, Canada)

10. Three levels of biodiversity (McGill University, Quebec, Canada)

11. Introduction to Ecosystems: HSW intro and 2 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

Biomes

1. eLibrary biome page (Comox Valley School District, BC, Canada)

2. Biomes (BBC, UK)

3. Biomes of the World (Missouri Botanical Garden, USA)

4. World's biomes #1 (University of California Berkeley, USA)

5. Biomes - the concept (answers.com)

6. Biome basics (University of Richmond, Virginia, USA)

7. Biomes and ecosystems - review (BBC, UK)

8. The world's biomes: 3 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

9. Terrestrial biomes: 16 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

10. Marine biomes: 2 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

11. Freshwater biomes: 2 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

12. Biomes of the World: 23 minute video - requires password (Discovery Education)

13. Biomes - adaptations of organisms: 56 minute video - requires password (Discovery Education)

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	BC's Ecosystems	Textbook page 14 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. What is an ecosystem? (BC Ministry of Forests and Range)

2. Ecosystems of British Columbia: pdf (BC Ministry of Forests and Range)

Biogeoclimatic Zones in British Columbia

Zone Code	Zone Maps - (All information - Government of British Columbia)	Brief summary	Brochures in pdf format
AT	Alpine Zone	AT	AT
BC	Bunchgrass - Endangered Species	BC	BC
BWBS	Boreal White and Black Spruce	BWBS	BWBS
CDF	Coastal Douglas-fir - Endangered Species	CDF	CDF
CWH	Coastal Western Hemlock	CWH	CWH
ESSF	Engelmann Spruce -- Subalpine Fir	ESSF	ESSF
ICH	Interior Cedar -- Hemlock	ICH	ICH
IDF	Interior Douglas-fir	IDF	IDF
MH	Mountain Hemlock	MH	MH
MS	Montane Spruce	MS	MS
PP	Ponderosa Pine	PP	PP
SBPS	Sub-Boreal Pine -- Spruce	SBPS	SBPS
SBS	Sub-Boreal Spruce	SBS	SBS
SWB	Spruce -- Willow -- Birch	SWB	SWB

Provincial map of all of the biogeoclimatic zones

3. What are Canada's Ecozones? (Natural Resources Canada)

4. Ecoregions of Saskatchewan (Government of Saskatchewan)

5. Forested ecozones of Canada (Atlas of Canada)

6. Selected terrestrial ecozone fact sheets:- Pacific Maritime - Montane Cordillera - Boreal Cordillera - Boreal Plains - All 16 fact sheets

7. Canada's wetlands (Natural Resources Canada)

8. Canada's ecozones (Environment Canada)

9. Ecozones of Canada (Environment Canada)

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	Aboriginal People and Ecology	Textbook page 14 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Learning through stories (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

2. Circle of stories: click on "Launch Stories" at top right (pbs.org)

3. Definition of indigenous knowledge (UNESCO)

4. Getting started in oral traditions research (Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Northwest Territories, Canada)

4. How Organisms Interact in Ecosystems
Section 1.2 pages 16-22

What are Organisms

1. Organisms (simple.wikipedia.org)

2. Definitions of organisms (answers.com)

3. Organism (wikipedia.org)

4. Ecology and grouping organisms - review (BBC, UK)

5. Adapt to fit - review (BBC, UK)

6. Environment Organisms - abiotic and biotic factors: 2.5 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

7. Organisms: 15 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

8. Organisms in their Environment: 74 minute video - requires password (Discovery Education)

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	Populations and Communities	Textbook page 16-17 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Counting populations: PowerPoint presentation - slow to load (Mary Poarch, Alamo Heights Junior School, Texas, USA)

2. Population dynamics (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

3. Populations (geography4kids.com)

4. Populations #2 (econguru.com)

5. Population growth (Maricopa Community Colleges, Arizona, USA)

6. Population dynamics: 15 minute video requires RealPlayer (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

7. Population and habitat: 3 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

8. Animal communities: 3 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

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	Ecosystems: Sampling Populations	Textbook page 19-21 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Ecological sampling methods (Offwell Woodland & Wildlife Trust, UK)

2. Sampling methods (CISEO, University of Arizona, USA)

3. Populations and sampling (saburchill.com)

4. How do I analyze ecosystems? (University of Hamburg, Germany)

5. Annual Christmas bird count (Lester B. Pearson College, BC)

6. Statistics and date analysis: video - requires password (Discovery Education)

7. Working with distributions: 26 minute video - requires password (Discovery Education)

5. The Role of Organisms in Ecosystems
Section 1.3 pages 23-29

Producers and Consumers

Textbook page 23 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Producers and consumers (Royal Saskatchewan Museum)

2. Producers, consumers and scavengers (library.thinkquest.org)

3. Producers and consumers (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

4. Anoth link in the food chain (geography4kids.com)

5. Predator vs prey - compete or die - review (BBC, UK)

6. Ecosystem relationships: predators and prey: 3 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

7. North American consumer and predators and prey: 18 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

8. Simple Science - producers and consumers: 9 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

9. Producers, consumers and decomposers: requires password (United Streaming)

10. Producers and herbivores: 15 minute video requires RealPlayer (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

11. Biology of water - the ocean realm: requires password (United Streaming)

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	Types of Consumers	Textbook page 23 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Herbivores (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

2. Herbivore (simplewikipedia.org)

3. Herbivore (wikipedia.org)

4. Herbivorous (The BBC, U.K.)

5. Carnivores (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

6. Carnivore (simplewikipedia.org)

7. Carnivore (wikipedia.org)

8. Carnivorous (The BBC, U.K.)

9. Omnivores (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

10. Omnivore (answers.com)

11. Omnivore (wikipedia.org)

12. Bears as predators and omnivores: 1.5 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

10. Herbivores and carnivores: requires password (United Streaming)

11. Herbivores and carnivores: 15 minute video requires RealPlayer (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

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	Scavengers	Textbook page 25 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Scavengers (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

2. Animals that scavenge (factmonster.com)

3. Marine scavengers (Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, BC, Canada)

4. Scavenger (wikipedia.org)

5. Carrion - the food of scavengers (treesforlife.org.uk)

6. Decomposers and scavengers: 15 minute video requires RealPlayer (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

7. Mammals of North America - predators and prey: 18 minute video requires password (United Streaming)

8. Serengeti scavengers: 2 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

9. Scavenger ants: 2 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

Decomposers

1. Decomposers (New Hampshire Public Television, USA)

2. Decomposers (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK)

3. Decomposition in the forests of Canada (Natural Resources Canada)

4. Marine decomposers (Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, BC, Canada)

5. Decomposer (wikipedia.org)

6. Decomposers: video requires registration (teachersdomain.org)

7. Food chains and webs - decomposers: 21 minute video requires password (United Streaming)

8. Rotten but not forgotten - the decomposing swamp: 3 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

9. Decomposition and the carbon cycle: 1 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

10. All living things will die: 1 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

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	Parasitism	Textbook page 28 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Parasites (Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Canada)

2. Life cycle of some parasites (National Geographic Society, USA)

3. Parasite (wikipedia.org)

4. Giardia - beaver fever: pdf (BC Health Files, Government of BC, Canada)

5. Head lice: pdf (BC Health Files, Government of BC, Canada)

6. Swimmer's itch: pdf (BC Health Files, Government of BC, Canada)

7. Parasites in pets (novartis.com)

8. Games parasites play

9. Parasites and human health (Centers for Disease Control: CDC, USA)

10. Parasites - how they live: 22 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

11. Parasitic mind control: 2 minute video (National Geographic, USA)

12. Malaria and protozoa: 3 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

13. Malaria (United Nations - World Health Organization)

Symbiosis

1. Symbiosis #1 (megalink.net)

2. Forest symbiosis (treesforlife.org.uk)

3. Symbiosis #2: scroll down for details (answers.com)

4. Symbiosis #3 (wikipedia.org)

5. Three types of symbiosis: 2.5 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

6. Symbiosis: 10 minute video segment - requires password (United Streaming)

7. Science of the sea - living together: 15 minute video - requires password (United Streaming)

8. Symbiosis: video (YouTube)

9. Symbiosis: 3 minute video (National Geographic, USA)

10. Ancient farmers of the Amazon: 5 minute video (pbs.org, USA)

Mutualism

Textbook pages 28 and 29 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file

1. Examples of mutualism #1: PowerPoint presentation (Bloomsburg University, Pennsylvania, USA)

2. Examples of mutualism #2 (neararctica.com)

3. Mutualism in the forest (Florida Community College, USA)

4. Mutualism: scroll down for details (answers.com)

5. Ant and plants are in it together (Today Show, MSNBC, USA)

6. Mutualism (wikipedia.org)

7. Teams - fast plants and pollination: 15 minute video segment - requires password (United Streaming)

8. Pollination ecology in tropical figs - a case of mutualism: 26 minute video - slow to load (Iziko Museums of Cape Town, South Africa)

Commensalism

1. Hitchhikers on the reef (underwaterphotos.com)

2. Examples of commensalism #2 (neararctica.com)

3. Commensalism: scroll down for details (answers.com)

4. Commensalism (wikipedia.org)

5. Marine examples of biotic associations at Race Rocks (Lester B. Pearson College, BC)

6. Commensalism (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)

7. Commensals: 1 minute video (howstuffworks.com)

6. Section Summaries and Chapter Review
Textbook pages 31 - 33

	Reviews
	1. Section 1.1: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)	Textbook page 15 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file
	2. Section 1.1: online (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)
	3. Ecosystems and resources (BBC, UK)


	4. Section 1.2: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)	Textbook page 22 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file
	5. Section 1.2: online (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)
	6. Organisms in their environment - video quiz: 1 minute video (howstuffworks.com)
	7. Organisms and environment - video quiz: 2 minute video (howstuffworks.com)
	8. Adaptations of organisms - video quiz: 2 minute video (howstuffworks.com)


	9. Section 1.3: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)	Textbook page 30 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file
	10. Section 1.3: online (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)
	11. Matching exercise (cgz.e2bn.net)



	Tests
	1. Chapter test: pdf (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)	Textbook pages 4 - 33 (Kurzweil Files) MP3 audio file
	2. Principles of Ecology quiz (quia.com)
	3. Interactions and ecosystems quiz: pdf (edquest.ca)
	4. Ecosystem quiz (pbs.org, USA)
	5, Ecosystems quiz (softschools.com)

7. Videos and Images, PowerPoints, News

Videos and Images Your suggestions are needed and welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. Investigating ecosystems and biomes: 74 minute video - requires password (Discovery Education)

2. Life sciences biomes: 25 videos - requires free registration (teachersdomain.org)

3. Ecosystems: American Field Guide videos (Oregon Public Broadcasting and pbs.org, USA)

4. "Environment" - CBC Digital Archives: 370 videos and radio reports (The CBC, Canada)

5. BBC Wildlife Finder - video archieve from Sir David Attenborough's shows: videos do not, as yet, work in all countries (The BBC, U.K.)

6. Environment resources: videos and other resources (Idaho Public Television, USA)

7. Images, audio and video clips (Davis Unified School District, California, USA)

8. Biomes photos (University of Arizona)

9. Digital library system (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

10. Digital image library (nbii.gov, USA)

PowerPoints Your suggestions are needed and welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. The Scientific Process: PowerPoint (Tamara Thompson, Saint Martin's University, Lacey, Washington, USA)

2. Ecology (Catherine White, worldofteaching.com)

3. Ecosystems (Catherine White, worldofteaching.com)

4. Animal adaptations (Hina Hashmi, worldofteaching.com)

5. Symbiosis (worldofteaching.com)

6. Using PowerPoint in the classroom (actden.com)

News

1. CBC News - Science and Technology (The CBC, Canada)

2. Quirks & Quarks (The CBC, Canada)

3. Science and Nature - Animals (The BBC, U.K.)

4. Earth magazine (earthmagazine.org)

5. Discovery - Earthlive (Discovery Channel, USA)

6. Science Daily - Earth and Climate news (sciencedaily.com)

8. Fun Activities and Games

Fun Activities Review in progress. Your suggestions are welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. Interdependance and adaptation (bbc.co.uk)

3. Eat or be eaten (quia.com)

4. Chain reaction - build a food chain (ecokids.ca)

5. Consumer consequences (National Public Radio, USA)

6. Ecologic (Powerhouse Museum, Sidney, Australia)

7. Wildlife filmmaker (National Geographic Society, USA)

8. Storytelling: the wolf who stepped out of the forest (North Dakota Council on the Arts, USA)

Games Review in progress. Your suggestions are welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. The Lorax's save the tree game (seussville.com)

2. Ocean adventures (pbs.org, USA )

3. Park wardens - interactive centre (parkwardens.com)

4. Adventure ecology (adventureecology.com)

5. Games and activities (Eco Kids Canada)

9. WebQuests and Tasks

WebQuests Review in progress. Your suggestions are welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. Journey North - wildlife migration and seasonal change (learner.org)

2. Biome in a bag (PBS Kids)

3. Land and water biomes (Jaimee Buckley, York County Schools, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA)

4. Ecology webquest (Mrs. LaCombe-Burby, Old Town, Maryland, USA)

5. Ecology webquest (Michael Beans)

6. Our indigenous garden: on the aboriginal use of native plants (University of Sydney, Australia)

Tasks Review in progress. Your suggestions are welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. Take the challenge - ecosystem (University of Alberta, Canada)

2. Biotic and abiotic factors: pdf (teachingtreasures.net)

3. Biome challenge (quia.com)

4. Boy Scouts "Merit Badge" workbook for Environmental Science (usscouts.org, USA)

5. Investigation of Ecosystems: 3 challenges in pdf format and info for marking (Natural Resources Canada)

6. A question of balance: 2 challenges in pdf format and info for marking (Natural Resources Canada)

7. Climate change: challenges in pdf format and info for marking (Natural Resources Canada)

8. Ecological sampling exercise (Offwell Woodland & Wildlife Trust, UK)

9. Population sampling exercise (biologycorner.com)

10. Miscellaneous Resources

Doing Research

1. How to do research: the CMS approach see left side of page (Avi Luxenburg, Comox Valley School District, BC, Canada)

2. The research process (Oregon School Library Information System, USA)

3. Primary vs. secondary sources (Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA)

4. Using Citation Machine (Avi Luxenburg, NIDES, BC, Canada)

5. Writing sentences (actden.com)

6. Writing paragraphs (actden.com)

7. Writing essays (actden.com)

8. How to write an essay (Avi Luxenburg, Comox Valley School District, BC, Canada)

9. Guide to writing a basic essay (Kathy Livingston)

10. Science Fair project guide (sciencebuddies.org)

11. Science Fair - the display (Science Fair Foundation of BC, Canada)

12. Exhibits for Science Fairs (Ohio State University, USA)

Misc. Resources Review in progress. Your suggestions are welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. Ecology glossary (University of California, Berkeley, USA)

2. Glossary of ecology terms (Joseph Dougherty)

3. The Outdoor Classroom Newsletter (evergreen.ca)

3. Race Rocks ecosystems (racerocks.com)

5. BC Outdoor Wilderness Guide (BC Adventure)

6. Vancouver Aquarium (Vancouver Aquarium)

7. Ducks Unlimited Canada (www.ducks.ca)

10. Survival of the fittest - review (BBC, UK)

Translate

1. Babel Fish (Yahoo)

2. Google Translate (Google)

Careers Review in progress. Your suggestions are welcome to s.savard @ sd71.bc.ca

1. Environmental scientist (bls.gov.com)

2. Careers for Geoscientists: 42 minute video (earthscientistworld.org)

3. Environmental career guide (khake.com)

4. Environmental career opportunities: commercial site - gives ideas (ecojobs.com)

5. Careers in environmental science (University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada)

6. Environment careers (Eco Canada)

7. Vancouver Island University - Earth Science program (VIU, BC, Canada)

8. Vancouver Island University - Aboriginal environmental technician certificate (VIU, BC, Canada)

9. University of British Columbia - Environmental Science (UBC, BC, Canada)

10. University of Victoria - School of Environmental Studies (UVic, BC, Canada)

11. British Columbia Institute of Technology - Environmental Engineering Technology (BCIT, BC, Canada)

Originally created by Stewart Savard, with suggestions and help from Amy Collins, Karen West, Heather Campbell, March 2006.
Updated October 2009.
CSS Styles by Josh Porter SD71.

Many sites listed above were identified from work done by Ken House.
All rights to look and feel reserved.

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