UNIT "THE ECOSYSTEMS" 1º ESO (LOMCE)

A continuación, presento una unidad "CLIL didactic unit "   preparada para ser aplicada en un aula de 1º de ESO ( LOMCE) para este curso, ya que con el cambio de temario, se ha introducido esta parte nueva: "Los ecosistemas"que se dejará de impartir en 2º de ESO en el curso próximo. 

Subject:         BIOLOGY & GEOLOGY                                            Teacher: Elena Torrecillas

Title of the Unit     ECOSYSTEMS                                                  Course / Level: ESO 1    

1. Learning outcomes  / Evaluation criteria	To know the parts of an ecosystem and explain their interactions. To describe terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem characteristics. To know the types of relationships between the living things. To understand the importance of the biodiversity for the planet.
2. Subject Content	The different parts of an ecosystem; the biocenosis and the biotope and how  they interact with each other. Ecosystems on land and in water. Biomes. Aquatic ecosystems. The adaptation to the ecosystem and the relationships between different organisms. Trophic dynamics; food chains and food webs. Make a graphic representation of an ecosystem Loss of Biodiversity.
3. Language Content / Communication
Vocabulary	Nouns: living beings, ecosphere, biosphere, ecosystem, biocenosis, biotope, hábitat, ecological niche, biotic, abiotic, soil, plankton, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, predator, photosynthesis, nutrients, coral, ant, crab, biomolecules, population, colonial, gregarious, simbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, inquilinism, Verbs: interact, survive, grow, depend on, use, absorb, reduce, keep out, recycle, adapt, Adjectifs:  warm, cleaned, smaller, higher, shallow, deep,.. Prepositions: out, through, by,….
Structures	Defining; Terrestrial ecosystems are ….. Referring to quantity;  little food,  abundant rainfall Comparatives, superlatives,   if…….then,   over half of,   what is……like? Expressing contrast; They share the same hábitat, but….different ecological niches  Energy hs a one-way flow, but matter has a cyclical flow Making impersonal statements; Biomass is represented in grams Reporting facts; Coral reefs are usually found near the coast.
Discourse type Language skills	Reading and listening of the unit points.  Listening videos Speaking; Giving opinions,  to discuss into a small group Writing: doing and correcting homework, on the board, assessment.
4.Contextual (cultural) element	The students usually  are into a city environment  and can know  public gardens, some of them  have pets, but they do not have a accurace knowledge of relationships stablished, for example,  between an animal and its habitat. All of this is new stuff for them and a bit difficult to understand. Nevertheless, they sometime listen or see on TV the negative effect of pollution, hunting, global warming over the wild life and understand that we should do any thing for avoiding it.
5. Cognitive (tinking) processes  & 6. Tasks	Session 1 Previous concepts; several oral questions about the ecosystems “What do they know/remember about nature”  introduction to the ecosystems   Video https://youtu.be/WuejxJttBqo Writing the new vocabulary (see pdf vocabulary at the end) Session 2  Analysing an ecosystem: components. Reading and listening the theory (class book) . Do this  interactive activity  (digital board) http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/facilities/multimedia/uploads/alberta/Ecosystem.swf     Session 3  (computer room)  World biomes: characteristics  Reading the information of this page http://mrnussbaum.com/biomes/  and  in pairs  do this  Webquest about biomes;  http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=220199 Session 4   Reading and listening of the clasbook notes about Habitats and ecological niches. Adaptation Relationships between organisms; Intra/interspecies. Population and competition. Play with flashcards related to relationships and definition in groups of 5-6. Session 5  Trophic dynamics:food chain and food webs. See and read the information of these videos https://youtu.be/MuKs9o1s8h8       https://youtu.be/Vtb3I8Vzlfg Do the activities about food webs:  choose For each food chain choose the correct  producer, consumer 1,2,3… Session 6  Graphic representation of an ecosystem  Flows of material and energy. Pyramids. See this presentation Session 7  Biodiversity. Loss of biodiversity. Discuss in pairs about the importance of the biodiversity for human beings. Session 8  Revising the unit. Do these activiities in the worksheets given by the teacher . Introduction to the final task; a presentation about wild species in danger.
FINAL TASK	Oral presentation about a wild species in danger. Written exam/ assessment
7. METHODOLOGY
Organisation and class distribution	Individual, in pairs and in small groups depending of the kind of activitty
Resources/ Materials	Classbook in L2 Workssheets related to contents giving by the teacher. Presentation/videos and interactive activities. Computers of the Plumier room (computer room)
Key competences	Linguistic competence Knowledgeof, and interaction with, the natural and physical environment Digital competence Social and civic competences Learning to learn Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship
8. Evaluation (criteria and instruments)	Criteria à see the point 1. Daily observation,oral participation, sometimes checking the notebooks. Homework and class activities (realisation). Take notes of  daily student job. Oral presentation Written exam