Lesson Plan | Traditional Methodology | Ecology: Ecological Relationships

Objectives

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to provide a clear and comprehensible overview of what will be addressed in the class. By outlining the main objectives, students will understand the importance of the topic and the skills they should develop throughout the lesson. This stage prepares students to focus on the most relevant information and facilitates their following of the explanatory content that will be presented.

Main Objectives

1. Recognize and identify the main types of ecological interactions between living beings.

2. Differentiate between harmonious and disharmonious ecological relationships.

3. Classify ecological interactions as intraspecific or interspecific.

Introduction

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to engage students from the very beginning of the lesson, sparking interest and curiosity about the theme. By providing an initial context and curiosities, a conducive learning environment is created, where students are more receptive and motivated to understand ecological relationships. This prepares the ground for a more detailed exposition that will follow, facilitating comprehension and retention of the content.

Context

To start the lesson on Ecology: Ecological Relationships, explain to the students that in an ecosystem, all living beings are interconnected by a complex network of interactions. These interactions can be between individuals of the same species or different species, and they can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral to those involved. Highlight that understanding these relationships is essential to comprehend how ecosystems function and how species coexist and influence one another.

Curiosities

Did you know that some plants can 'ask for help' from others when they are being attacked by herbivores? They release chemical substances into the air that alert neighboring plants to activate their defenses. This type of communication is a fascinating example of ecological relationship and shows how living beings can cooperate to survive.

Development

Duration: (50 - 60 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to detail the main types of ecological interactions, providing students with a clear and structured understanding of ecological relationships. Through the explanation of concepts, practical examples, and reflective questions, students will be able to recognize and differentiate the various forms of interaction between living beings, as well as identify the implications of these relationships for ecosystems.

Covered Topics

1. Intraspecific Relationships (between individuals of the same species): Colony: A group of individuals living together in an organized manner, with a division of labor, as seen in ant and bee colonies. Society: Individuals of the same species living together in an organized way, but without a division of labor, as in flocks of birds and schools of fish. 2. Interspecific Relationships (between individuals of different species): Mutualism: A relationship where both species benefit, such as in mycorrhizae (fungi and plant roots). Commensalism: One species benefits while the other is unaffected, such as remoras that attach to sharks to feed on leftover food. Parasitism: One species benefits at the expense of another, such as ticks on mammals. 3. Harmonious Relationships (benefit or neutrality for those involved): Simbiogenesis: An intimate and dependent relationship between two species that results in new organisms, such as eukaryotic cells that emerged from the union of prokaryotic cells. Protocooperation: Species interact and mutually benefit but do not depend on each other for survival, such as birds that remove parasites from large mammals. 4. Disharmonious Relationships (harm to one of those involved): Competition: Dispute between individuals for limited resources, which can be intraspecific or interspecific, such as plants competing for light. Predation: One species captures and kills another for food, such as lions hunting zebras. Amensalism: One species is harmed while the other is unaffected, such as fungi releasing antibiotic substances into the soil, inhibiting the growth of other plants.

Classroom Questions

1. Explain the difference between mutualism and commensalism, giving an example of each. 2. Describe how competition can affect population dynamics in an ecosystem. 3. What is the main difference between intraspecific and interspecific relationships? Give an example of each type of relationship.

Questions Discussion

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to review and consolidate the knowledge gained by students during the lesson by promoting active and reflective discussion on the presented questions. By engaging students with questions and reflections, the teacher can assess student understanding, clarify doubts, and deepen the discussion on ecological relationships. This stage is essential to ensure that students have a solid and integrated understanding of the content addressed.

Discussion

• Explain the difference between mutualism and commensalism, giving an example of each.

• Mutualism is a relationship in which both species involved benefit. An example of mutualism is the relationship between mycorrhizae, where fungi associate with plant roots, assisting in nutrient absorption while obtaining carbohydrates from the plant. Commensalism, on the other hand, is a relationship where one species benefits and the other is unaffected. A classic example of commensalism is the relationship between remoras and sharks, where remoras feed on the shark's leftover food without harming it.

• Describe how competition can affect population dynamics in an ecosystem.

• Competition can significantly impact population dynamics in an ecosystem. When individuals compete for limited resources such as food, water, or space, competition can lead to a decline in the population of one or both species involved. In extreme cases, one species may be completely excluded from the ecosystem. Competition can also result in selective pressures favoring individuals with traits that allow better access to available resources.

• What is the main difference between intraspecific and interspecific relationships? Give an example of each type of relationship.

• Intraspecific relationships occur between individuals of the same species, while interspecific relationships occur between individuals of different species. An example of intraspecific relationship is the formation of ant colonies, where individuals of the same species work together in an organized way. An example of interspecific relationship is parasitism, such as ticks feeding on the blood of mammals, harming them in the process.

Student Engagement

1. How do you think the removal of a predatory species could affect an ecosystem? 2. Can you identify an example of mutualism or commensalism in your surrounding environment? 3. What are the possible consequences of interspecific competition for two species occupying the same ecological niche? 4. How can harmonious and disharmonious relationships influence the biodiversity of an ecosystem? 5. What behavioral or physical adaptations do you think may arise in species due to disharmonious relationships?

Conclusion

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to review and consolidate the main points addressed in the lesson, ensuring that students have a clear and integrated understanding of the content. By summarizing and connecting theory with practice, the importance of the topic and its relevance to daily life is reinforced, in addition to preparing students for future discussions and applications of the knowledge acquired.

Summary

• The main types of ecological relationships: intraspecific (colony, society) and interspecific (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism).
• Difference between harmonious (symbiogenesis, protocooperation) and disharmonious (competition, predation, amensalism) relationships.
• Impact of ecological relationships on the dynamics of ecosystems and the coexistence of species.

The lesson connected the theory of ecological relationships with practical real-world examples, such as the relationship between mycorrhizae and plants (mutualism) or between sharks and remoras (commensalism). This helped illustrate how these interactions occur in nature and their implications for ecosystems, making the content more tangible and understandable for students.

Understanding ecological relationships is essential to recognize how ecosystems function and how species coexist and influence each other. For example, knowing that plants can 'ask for help' from others when attacked by herbivores is a fascinating curiosity that shows the complexity of interactions in nature and the importance of cooperation between species for survival.