Lesson #8:

Water Pollution

&

Biomagnification

Learning Target

Students will be able to discover how pesticides and heavy metals build up in organisms as you increase trophic level.

Standards

HS-LS2-7.

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity

Reminders

Test on Human Impact Thursday, November 5th

Part 1:

Warm-Up

Check for Understanding #1

(5 min)

Check for Understanding: Carbon Cycling and Climate Change

The model shows the movement of carbon between Earth's spheres in billions of tons per year.

Based on the quantitative data in the model, which prediction is best supported if human activities continue to increase the rate of fossil fuel combustion?

(A) Carbon dioxide concentrations will decrease because the oceans absorb carbon at a greater rate than they release it.

(B) Atmospheric carbon dioxide will remain stable because photosynthesis and ocean absorption completely offset emissions from fossil fuel combustion.

(C) Atmospheric carbon dioxide will increase because fossil fuel combustion adds carbon to the atmosphere faster than natural processes can remove the excess, contributing to rising global temperatures.

(D) Carbon dioxide concentrations will decrease because increased atmospheric carbon causes plants and oceans to immediately absorb all additional emissions.

Part 2:

Real-World Connection

(2 min)

Part 3:

Get the Gist

Graphic Organizer

(10 min)

Biomagnification_Cause_Effect_Three_Groups (1).pdf

Part 4:

Self-Assess Success Criteria

Check for Understanding #2

(5 min)

Self-Assessment: How Well Do I Understand Biomagnification?

How confident are you in your ability to explain how pollutants move through a food chain, why their concentrations increase, and how they affect organisms and humans?

(A) I can teach it! I can independently explain biomagnification, describe each step, and predict how pollutants affect organisms at different trophic levels.

(B) I mostly understand! I can explain how biomagnification occurs, but I may need some help explaining its effects.

(C) I'm still learning! I understand parts of biomagnification, but I need support explaining how pollutants increase through a food chain.

(D) I need more help! I am not yet able to explain biomagnification and need additional instruction or examples.

Part 5

Independent Writing

Peer Feedback

(10 min)

At LEAST five sentences in your own words.

Part 6

CFU #3

(10 min)

Based on information provided in the Antarctic food web, one reason blue whales may contain a lower concentration of PCBs than killer whales is that blue whales

(A) eat krill, which have a lower accumulation of PCBs than penguins and elephant seals

(B) eat only plants that contain PCBs

(D) do not live as long as killer whales, and therefore their PCB concentration is lower

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