Kansas Lesson Plan
Ecosystems
Students discover that topsoil is a nonrenewable resource and use an apple to represent how Earth's land resources are used. Through critical thinking, students study agricultural land use, consider the sustainability of current land use practices, including the use of land to feed and graze livestock animals, and review the impact of land use on ecosystems.
Suggested Grade Level
9-12
Time
60 minutes, with additional time needed to complete the assessment
Subjects
Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems, Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, Human Sustainability, Language Arts, Mathematics
Objectives
- Explain land use
- Explain the impact of human activities on ecosystems
- Identify sustainable agricultural practices that support healthy ecosystems
- Gather information and write an informed essay on an ecological topic