Quick Look
Grade Level: 7 (6-8)
Choose From: 4 lessons and 5 activities
Subject Areas: Biology, Life Science, Science and Technology
Quick Look
- Grade Level:
- 7 (6-8)
- Choose From:
- 4 lessons and 5 activities
- Subject Areas:
- Biology
- Life Science
- Science and Technology
Summary
This unit covers the processes of photosynthesis, extinction, biomimicry and bioremediation. In the first lesson on photosynthesis, students learn how engineers use the natural process of photosynthesis as an exemplary model of a complex yet efficient process for converting solar energy to chemical energy or distributing water throughout a system. In the next lesson on species extinction, students learn that it is happening at an alarming rate. Students discover that the destruction of habitat is the main reason many species are threatened and how engineers are trying to stop this habitat destruction. The third lesson introduces students to the idea of biomimicry—or looking to nature for engineering ideas. And, in the fourth and final lesson, students learn about a specialty branch of engineering called bioremediation—the use of living organisms to aid in the clean up of pollutant spills.Engineering Connection
In today's world, engineers are challenged to design energy-efficient systems for heating buildings and creating fuel-efficient vehicles. The photosynthetic process serves as an excellent model for engineers when imagining highly efficient engineering designs—they study it to aid in their creations.
Engineers can prevent extinction by developing ways to preserve diverse biological habitats. Through their passion for protecting the environment and their use of the engineering design process, engineers have developed creative solutions, such as materials that mimic the qualities of wood to be used instead of rainforest timber, a way to lessen the harmful effects starfish have on coral reef, and ways to lesson global warming, which adversely affects coral reef.
We know that engineers design products that are essential to our health, happiness and safety. To meet these human needs, engineers often look to nature for examples of efficient design solutions and inspiration for creative and elegant design ideas. This approach, called biomimicry, is becoming a commonly used practice throughout the engineering world to aid in the creation of innovative engineering designs.
Bioremediation is a specialtly of the environmental engineering field. It is a commonly used practice that takes advantage living organisms to help rid our environment of toxic or harmful pollutants.
The field of engineering is truly connected to the life sciences and engineers are engaged in many life processes that aid our well being, as these many intriguing examples show.
Educational Standards
Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science,
technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.
All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN),
a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).
In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics;
within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.
Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.
All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).
In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.
NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards - Science
| NGSS Performance Expectation | ||
|---|---|---|
|
MS-LS1-5. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. (Grades 6 - 8) Do you agree with this alignment? |
||
| Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation | ||
| This unit focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS: | ||
| Science & Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
| Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from sources (including the students' own experiments) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Alignment agreement: | Genetic factors as well as local conditions affect the growth of the adult plant. Alignment agreement: | Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability. Alignment agreement: |
| NGSS Performance Expectation | ||
|---|---|---|
|
MS-LS2-5. Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. (Grades 6 - 8) Do you agree with this alignment? |
||
| Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation | ||
| This unit focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS: | ||
| Science & Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
| Evaluate competing design solutions based on jointly developed and agreed-upon design criteria. Alignment agreement: | Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth's terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem's biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health. Alignment agreement: Changes in biodiversity can influence humans' resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on—for example, water purification and recycling.Alignment agreement: There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet the criteria and constraints of a problem.Alignment agreement: | Small changes in one part of a system might cause large changes in another part. Alignment agreement: The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions. Thus technology use varies from region to region and over time.Alignment agreement: Scientific knowledge can describe the consequences of actions but does not necessarily prescribe the decisions that society takes.Alignment agreement: |
| NGSS Performance Expectation | ||
|---|---|---|
|
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions. (Grades 6 - 8) Do you agree with this alignment? |
||
| Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation | ||
| This unit focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS: | ||
| Science & Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
| Define a design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process or system and includes multiple criteria and constraints, including scientific knowledge that may limit possible solutions. Alignment agreement: | The more precisely a design task's criteria and constraints can be defined, the more likely it is that the designed solution will be successful. Specification of constraints includes consideration of scientific principles and other relevant knowledge that is likely to limit possible solutions. Alignment agreement: | All human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term consequences, positive as well as negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. Alignment agreement: The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions.Alignment agreement: |
More Curriculum Like This
In this lesson, students are asked to consider why extinction is a problem that we should concern us. They are taught that destruction of habitat is the main reason many species are threatened. The lesson explores ways that engineers can help save endangered species.
Students learn about a special branch of engineering called bioremediation, which is the use of living organisms to aid in the clean-up of pollutant spills. Students learn all about bioremediation and see examples of its importance. In the associated activity, students conduct an experiment and see ...
Students gain an understanding of the parts of a plant, plant types and how they produce their own food from sunlight through photosynthesis. They learn how plants play an important part in maintaining a balanced environment in which the living organisms of the Earth survive. This lesson is part of ...
Students are introduced to the concepts of biomimicry and sustainable design. As students focus on applying the ecological principles of the previous lessons to the future design of our human-centered world, they also learn that often our practices are incapable of replicating the precision in which...
Unit Schedule
- Day 1: Photosynthesis – Life's Primary Energy Source lesson and Corn for Fuel?! activity
- Day 2-3: Corn for Fuel?! activity
- Day 4: Extinction Prevention via Engineering lesson and News Flash! activity
- Day 5: News Flash! activity
- Day 6: Copycat Engineers lesson and Live like an Animal activity
- Day 7-8: Live like an Animal activity
- Day 9: Design Inspired by Nature activity
- Day 10: Clean It Up! lesson and Sugar Spill! activity
- Day 11: Sugar Spill! activity
Copyright
© 2009 by Regents of the University of ColoradoContributors
See individual lessons and activities.Supporting Program
Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado BoulderAcknowledgements
This digital library content was developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program in the College of Engineering and Applied Science under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Last modified: May 7, 2019
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