Biology, Grade 9

This grade 9 Biology unit focuses on the inquiry question, “How do our activities affect the environment and what can we do to limit our negative effects?”The purpose of this month-long unit is to provide the big picture and roadmap for a more holistic and thematic approach to the traditional NGSS unit of the History of the Atmosphere. By studying what is normal in energy cycling, we can also appreciate what can impact changes. Following this progression will cycle students back to how the unit started with fires, giving students the opportunity to recognize an unfortunate positive feedback loop and its consequences. The students will develop and revise their models as they progress through model-making; reading graphs, charts, and maps; using other texts and internet searches, growing plants; doing an actual and virtual lab; watching videos; performing calculations; and engaging in an article read. This unit supports the NGSS Science and Engineering foci of Cycling of Matter, Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration and History of Earth’s Atmosphere and Geosphere. This helps students relate photosynthesis and cellular respiration to themselves and understand the importance of the processes. This unit draws on the Reading Apprenticeship instructional framework and classroom routines including Thinking Aloud, partner sharing, Talking to the Text, questioning, and identifying key/noteworthy ideas.