Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

• This instructional video introduces students to ecosystems, disruptions to ecosystems, biodiversity, and the concept of resiliency, providing a number of specific examples.
• The first 4 minutes and 29 seconds are suitable for upper elementary and higher students to watch and the last segment provides teaching tips for all grade levels.
  

Positives

• The first part of this video is a great introduction to ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural selection.
• The content is brief and easy-to-understand, with engaging images to complement the narrative.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be familiar with the terms ecosystem, population, species, invasive, and adaptation.
• Stopping the video at 4 minutes and 29 seconds is suggested for student viewing.
  

Differentiation

• Cross-curricular connections could be made with geography, social studies, and economics classes when discussing the differing natural resources available in different parts of the world and how reliant people are on the ecosystem services and resources (such as regulating the water cycle, filtering water, food, wood, etc.) provided in their area.
• The topic of ecosystems can connect to lessons about sustainability, development, natural resource management, and a circular economy that does not require perpetual growth.
  
• Other resources related to this topic include: Biodiversity and Humans, Are We Living in the Sixth Extinction, Migrations in Motion, and Temperature and Precipitation as Limiting Factors in Ecosystems.
  

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.