Emily

Sanders
Quad Text Set: Ecosystems, ocean, marine life
Grade-Level Target Audience: 6
th Grade
Essen?al Ques?ons
What shapes an eco-system? How do bio<c and abio<c factors inuence an ecosystem? What
interac<ons occur within communi<es?
State/na?onal Standards Connec?ons
6.LS4: Biological Change: Unity and Diversity 1) Explain how changes in biodiversity would impact
ecosystem stability and natural resources.
6.LS2: Ecosystems: Interac<ons, Energy, and Dynamics. 2) Determine the impact of compe<<ve,
symbio<c, and predatory interac<ons in an ecosystem. 6) Research the ways in which an ecosystem
has changed over <me in response to changes in physical condi<ons, popula<on balances, human
interac<ons, and natural catastrophes.
Target Text: E arth Science textbook.
Numeric reading level: Flesch-Kincaid 9.6
Students will explore C
hapter 4, Ecosystems and Communi6es in excerpt form. They will
interact with sec<on 4-2, Ecosystems and communi<es, What shapes an ecosystem? Some paragraphs
will be a read-aloud and some parts will be shared reading. This will be used as their target text to
ini<ate a deeper understanding of ecosystems and how they work.
Miller, K. (2006). 4-2 What Shapes an Ecosystem? In J. Levine (Ed.), P
ren6ce Hall Biology (pp. 90-97).
Pearson.
Biology Textbook
h\p://ocas.pearsonschool.com/ph/cd/0-13-115540-7/?token=53616c7465645f5f638771ac05c2e0a74
545733bd0cb3115b7bfa71e27f2657b1cb1a3284e91597a9c4f992b121414f924546c00f8e8ee4ed7d71
6921064911
Visual, video, or mul?modal text to ac?vate or build background knowledge: Teen: Shark slid o
and took my arm with it
This six-minute interview video with Anderson Cooper will be used to associate marine
ecosystems and ac<vate prior knowledge. Students will watch a brief video of a teenager who was
bi\en by a shark o the North Carolina coast. Students should form appropriate ques<ons while
watching the video. It should engage them and give them a visual representa<on.
h\p://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/07/14/north-carolina-shark-a\ack-vic<m-treschl-dnt-ac.cnn
Teen: Shark 'slid o and took my arm with it'




Informa?onal text to provide background knowledge and opportuni?es for dieren?a?on:
W
hat's the Big Idea about Marine Biology? Creatures and Ecosystems of the Ocean
Numeric reading level: 940L
T his passage provides informa<on that will extend the students background knowledge. It is
also a text that provides dieren<a<on because it is actually a kh grade level text. It will reach those
students that are below grade level. Students will read on their own and explore marine life
ecosystems that are related through the en<re quad set and akerwards they will interact with an
online lab.
American Museum of Natural History. 2014. What's the Big Idea about Marine Biology? Creatures and
Ecosystems of the Ocean.
Whats the Big Idea about Marine Biology Creatures and Ecosystems
hFps://d3jc3ahdjad7x7.cloudfront.net/0ezjlqxcV2wzBTmOwXuNePcVSbs2cSvn9mzarUkRC9P6CYr4.pdf

Contemporary, real-world text for extending and connec?ng: More shark bites happen, but each
persons risk actually goes down
Numeric reading level: 820L
This short news ar<cle provides a real-world text that will extend and connect students
learning. This text will allow students to explore why there is an increase in shark bites due to change
in ecosystems. It connects with the standard and an essen<al ques<on by highligh<ng how shark bites
have changed over <me due to changes in physical condi<ons, popula<on balances, and human
interac<ons.
Newsela | More shark bites happen, but each person's risk ... (n.d.).
h\ps://newsela.com/ar<cles/shark-bites/id/11189/
Newsela | More shark bites happen, but each person's risk actually ...