Secondary Science Syllabus

Substrand: "7.12 Ecosystems"

Subject: Secondary Science Year: 7
Strand 1: Life and living

Substrand: "7.12 Ecosystems" (8 periods)

This sub-strand deals with the ecosystem. Life of an organism depends on other organisms and their physical environment. Success of organisms in the environment depends on how well an organism is adapted to the environment. Many organisms have developed over time many features that allow them to survive successfully in their environment. In an ecosystem, food is the source of nutrients to organism. Nutrients pass from organism to the other through the food chain.

General Learning OutcomesSpecific Learning OutcomesSuggested Assessment Events

Learner's should:

Learner's should:

Learner's should:

7.12.1 know that an ecosystem is made up of living and non-living things that interact with each other in a particular area (k)

7.12.1.1 identify examples of local ecosystems in your community eg; mangrove, forest, river, coral reef and ocean
7.12.1.2 identify examples of other ecosystems example; deserts and grassland
7.12.1.3 give an example of an organism interacting with:

  • i. a living things a. a cow feeds on a grass b. birds nesting in branches of the mangrove trees
  • ii. non-living things a. fish breath air in water b. chicken drinks water

7.12.2 know that the different levels within a biosphere and biomes (k)

7.12.2.1 identify levels of the biosphere and the biomes

7.12.3 know abiotic factors that influence survival of organisms within an ecosystem (k)

7.12.3.1 give common examples of organism, and identify abiotic factors that influence their survival. i. mangrove tree- salinity, nutrients, ii. bonito- ocean, salt water, temperature iii. hard coral- sunlight, algae, current iii. mosquito – water, air

7.12.4 understand how energy is transferred in food chains and food webs in an ecosystem (u)

7.12.4.1 draw and describe food- chains and food-webs in the following ecosystems; mangrove, coral reef, deep-sea, and rain forest
7.12.4.2 identify the origin of the energy and describe the energy flow in the food chain or food web

7.12.5 understand that there are different types of interactions between organisms (u)

7.12.5.1 identify and explain different types of interactions between living organisms

7.12.6 be able to show plant and animal distribution in the ecosystem (s)

7.12.6.1 conduct a survey and map out the distribution of plants and animals in one of their local ecosystem

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