Humans, the Environment, and the Great Plains
Mitakuye Oyasin! With all things we shall be as relatives!
Background:
The Lakota (Sioux) have an ending to all their prayers that you
will see as a banner at the top of the
Future unit of this web site.
Environmental studies understands this concept very well. Groups of
living and non-living organisms interacting with each other and the
environment make up an ecosystem. Thus, an ecosystem is an area in
which all biotic (living) and abiotic (non living) things interact.
Objective:
Following completion of this lesson, students should be able to :
- Determine, delineate, and observe an ecosystem.
- Analyze the role of two abiotic factors in the ecosystem.
- Analyze the role of three living organisms in the ecosystem.
- Discuss the balance between producers and consumers.
- Describe a possible food chain using organisms in the
ecosystem.
- Describe possible competition for resources between two living
things in the ecosystem.
- Discuss the role of one organism as it relates to the life
cycles of other organisms.
Plan:
- Have students discuss what Mitakuye oasin! means and
how it is like an ecosystem.
- Each student will determine his or her area in an ecosystem.
This activity is best done on a field trip to a local park or a
farm.
- Have students observe various aspects of the ecosystem
independently. Each student will observe his/her portion of the
ecosystem using all five senses for at least five minutes before
listing observations.
- Making a grid, each student will list five observations
down the left side of the grid. The same five observations should
then be listed along the grid bottom. In the grid boxes, describe
a way each of the five items on the side interacts with items
along the bottom.
- Finally, have each student carefully observe his/her grid for
interrelationships. Then have them construct a hypothetical food
chain.
Testing, Grading, and Evaluation:
Students should address the following questions:
- What would application of a herbicide do to the ecosystem?
- What would application of a pesticide do to the ecosystem?
- How would introduced material (such as garbage) influence the
ecosystem?
- How would fluctuations in water offset the ecosystem?
When addressing the above questions, focus on the various
ecosystems present in the northern Great Plains. How might
prehistoric environments have been affected - would it be any
different? Finally, discuss issues like competition for resources,
growing populations, erosion of farmlands, flooding, etc. Discuss how
each affects the other (i.e. the domino effect.)
Adapted from Lesson Plan by Carolyn Stevens, Fillmore
Middle School, Fillmore, Utah
Primary Course: Social Studies
Applicable Grades: 5 - 7
Related Courses: Science, Biology
Time Required: Two 45-minute sessions
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