Norfolk Public Schools
Science Learning in Place Plan: Science 6 Honors Lessons
Week 4: April 6 – 10, 2020
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Important Resources
Assignments:
• Read the article entitled,
“Human Impact on
Ecosystems”
o Highlight or Underline key
definitions or phrases in the
passage
o Research and record any
words you do not know the
definitions (dictionary,
online, phone, ask family,
etc)
Important Resources
Assignments:
• Reread the article entitled,
“Human Impact on
Ecosystems”
• Answer the questions on the
“Human Impact on Ecosystem
Analysis Questions”
Important Resources
Assignments:
• Read “Death of a Sea” on
pp.499
• Answer the following:
o Extend (18-20)
o Identify the Independent
Variable(Cause) and the
Dependent Variable(Effect)
in the death of a sea.
Important Resources
Assignments:
• Review this week’s articles
• Write an essay using the
articles you read this week to
explain to your family what
you think are the three actions
humans can take to protect
our natural resources.
Important Resources
Assignments:
• Review this week’s articles
• Answer the four questions
on Lesson Review and justify
each.
Week 5: April 13 – 17, 2020
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
S p r i n g B r e a k
Week 6: April 20 – 24, 2020
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Energy
Assignments:
• Read the article entitled,
“Renewable & Nonrenewable
Sources of Energy”
o Highlight or Underline key
definitions or phrases in the
passage
o Research and Record any
words you do not know the
definitions (dictionary, online,
phone, ask family, etc)
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Energy
Assignments:
• Read the article entitled,
“Renewable & Nonrenewable
Sources of Energy”
• Complete the worksheet to
compare and contrast
renewable and non-renewable
sources of energy.
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Energy
Assignments:
• Read “The Northeast Blackout
of 2003” on pp.433
• Answer the following:
o Extend (16-18)
o Identify the Independent
Variable(Cause) and the
Dependent Variable(Effect)
in The Northeast Blackout
2003.
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Energy
Assignments:
• Review this week’s articles
• Write an essay to explain the
seven (7) ways that you can
reduce your own personal
consumption of energy.
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Energy
Assignments:
• Review this week’s articles
• Answer the four questions
on Lesson Review and justify
each.
Human Impact on Ecosystems
Human activity is a major threat to the planet's biodiversity. This is because human population growth thus far
has been exponential, meaning that its growth rate stays the same regardless of population size. This makes the
population grow faster and faster as it gets larger.
Populations may grow exponentially for some period, but they ultimately reach a carrying capacity when they
become limited by resource availability. Humans, however, have continued to work around carrying capacity as
they develop new technologies to help support the ever-growing population.
This threatens biodiversity because the more humans there are, the more this displaces other species and
reduces species richness.
Deforestation for resource mining or urbanization can displace
native organisms. Destruction of forest in
Madagascar. Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0.
Human-mediated causes of biodiversity loss
• Land-use change: Humans may destroy natural landscapes as they mine resources and urbanize areas. This
is detrimental, as it displaces residing species, reducing available habitats and food sources.
• Pollution: Pollution can occur from the runoff or disposal of chemical substances, or from energy sources
(noise and light pollution).
• Introduced species: Humans may intentionally, or unintentionally introduce a non-native species into an
ecosystem. This can negatively effect an ecosystem because the introduced species may outcompete native
organisms and displace them.
• Resource exploitation: Humans constantly consume resources for their own needs. Some examples include
the mining of natural resources like coal, the hunting and fishing of animals for food, and the clearing of
forests for urbanization and wood use.
Extensive overuse of nonrenewable resources, like fossil fuels, can cause great harm to the environment.
Recycling products made from nonrenewable resources (such as plastic, which is made from oil) is one way to
reduce the negative impacts of this resource exploitation. In addition, the development and use of renewable
resources, like solar or wind energy, can help decrease the harmful effects of resource exploitation.
Climate change and biodiversity
The current climate change Earth is facing is caused by the increase in global temperatures. Human activity is
changing Earth's atmosphere faster than it has ever changed during its history.
The burning of fossil fuels in industry and by vehicles releases carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
The burning of fossil fuels and the growth of animal agriculture has caused large amounts of greenhouse gases
(such as carbon dioxide and methane) in the atmosphere. Higher concentrations of greenhouse gases trap more
heat in the biosphere and result in global warming. In turn, this drives climate change.
The atmospheric concentration of CO
2
has risen steadily
since the beginning of industrialization.
When climate change affects an environment so much that it is unable to sustain organisms, they must adapt,
relocate, or face extinction. Because of this, climate change can have a huge effect on biodiversity.
Conservation
Conservation efforts work to protect species and the places in which they live. There are many different kinds of
conservation efforts. Species protection is one way to help combat extinction. Although extinction is a natural
process, it is occurring at a much faster, much higher rate than normally expected.
The creation of local, national, and international legislation can help prevent the loss of endangered species. In
addition, captive-breeding programs may help protect endangered species by maintaining a healthy population of
endangered species in captivity. Habitat protection, preservation, and restoration is essential in protecting
biodiversity. This ensures that the protected species have places to live that can support them.
Ultimately, saving one habitat can have a cascading effect, and help to protect an entire ecosystem. Scientists have
determined several biodiversity hotspots, which are high priority in protecting.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
• The extinction rate is currently 1,000-10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. Some people
think that extinction is not a relevant issue, but it is actually more relevant than ever! Historically, the natural
extinction rate is between 1-5 extinctions per year. Human impact has caused this rate to jump to a
significantly higher rate, offsetting the balance of biodiversity.
• The greenhouse effect is not all negative. Although we talk about greenhouse gases producing a negative
impact (global change), the greenhouse effect serves a natural purpose: maintaining the warmth that sustains
life on Earth. The problem arises when too much heat is trapped, causing a rise in average global temperature.
• An individual person can have an effect on biodiversity. Although biodiversity loss may be a large-scale
problem, reducing threats to biodiversity can begin with a single individual. Smaller efforts, such as reusing or
recycling items, or even purchasing sustainable foods, can have a culminating effect. That is, if each person did
these things, even just a little, they would add up and help reduce biodiversity loss!
Importance of Resources Lesson Review
Directions: Justify your answers to the following questions:
1. Which of the following would be least harmful to an endangered species?
A. Harvesting local natural resources
B. Releasing excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
C. Introducing a competitor species into the local habitat
D. Reducing the human population
2. How might an introduced species threaten biodiversity?
A. It may not be able to survive in its new habitat.
B. It may compete with native species for resources.
C. It may breed with native species and produce new species.
D. It may become prey for native species.
3. Which of the following would help ensure the natural survival of the mulgara population?
A. Removing all other animal species from the habitat
B. Introduce another small carnivorous species to mate with the mulgara
C. Clear the habitat of plant life and build mulgara shelters
D. Limit human activities in the mulgara habitat
4. Which human activity would have the largest negative effect on biodiversity?
A. Regulating industrial pollution
B. Passing legislation to protect an endangered species
C. Developing wildlife sanctuaries
D. Reproducing at an uncontrolled rate
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Sources of Energy
You have learned about the different types of energy such as chemical, mechanical,
radiant and nuclear. You have also learned that energy can be changed from one form to
another. A major energy transformation in our lives is the one that changes various energy
sources into electricity. Energy sources can be either renewable or nonrenewable.
Renewable energy sources are those that can be replaced in a relatively short period of
time. Examples of renewable resources are solar energy, wind energy, biomass and
hydropower. Nonrenewable energy sources cannot be replaced as they are used. They take
millions of years to form. Examples of nonrenewable energy sources are the metal uranium
used as the nuclear energy source and fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil. A fossil fuel
is formed from the buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago.
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Sources of Energy
How are Renewable and Non-Renewable resources similar?
How are they different?
Directions: Use the reading above, word bank below, and your own research to fill in the Venn diagram
Word Bank
Can be replaced
Produces electricity
Gives us power
Cannot be replaced
Sunlight
Fossil fuels
Oil
Natural gas
Water
Does not cause pollution
Wood
Coal
Energy resource
Causes pollution
Wind
Both
Resources and Energy
Name _________________________________________ D ate __________________ Period ___________
With the help of a partner, think of a definition for resource:
Resource: __________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ _________________________
Working individually, complete the following Venn diagram for renewable and nonrenewable resources:
RENEWABLE NONRENEWABLE
Complete the following statement:
Renewable resources are replenished ____________________________________ _______________ while,
nonrenewable resources cannot be replenished ______________________________________________.
Energy consumption in the United States is extraordinarily high. Despite having only 4.5% of the world's
population, Americans consume over 26% of the world's energy. What are 7 ways that you can reduce your
own personal consumption of energy? Write complete sentences.
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________________________
6. _____________________________________________________________________________________
7. _____________________________________________________________________________________
Lesson Review
Directions: Justify your answers to the following questions:
1. Renewable resources are those that –
A. cannot be replaced after they are used up.
B. can be replaced after 100 years
C. can be replaced after a short amount of time
D. cannot be used to create energy
3. Examples of renewable resources are –
A. oil and natural gas
B. wind and solar
C. coal and biomass
D. water and fossil fuels
2. Nonrenewable resources are those that –
A. cannot be replaced after they are used up.
B. can be replaced after 100 years.
C. can be replaced after a short amount of time.
D. cannot be used to create energy
4. Examples of nonrenewable resources are -
A. oil and natural gas
B. wind and solar
C. coal and biomass
D. water and fossil fuels
Read the statements below and determine whether each is an example of renewable or nonrenewable:
Nuclear _________________________________
Sunlight _________________________________
Geothermal _________________________________
Natural Gas _________________________________
Oil _________________________________
Corn _________________________________
Energy consumption in the United States is extraordinarily high. Despite having only 4.5% of the world's
population, Americans consume over 26% of the world's energy. What are 7 ways that you can reduce
your own personal consumption of energy?
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________ ______________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________________________
6. ____________________________________________________________________________ _________
7. _____________________________________________________________________________________