OpenSciEd Biology + Earth & Space Unit 2: Matter & Energy in Organisms & Ecosystems Student Edition

OpenSciEd High School addresses all high school NGSS standards. This comprehensive science curriculum empowers students to question, design, investigate, and solve the world around them. 

• Phenomenon Based - Centered around exploring phenomena or solving problems
• Driven by Student Questions - Storyline based on students’ questions and ideas 
• Grounded in Evidence - Incremental building and revision of ideas based on evidence 
• Collaborative - class and teacher figure out ideas together
• Equitable - Builds a classroom culture that values ideas and learning of all

The OpenSciEd model uses a storyline approach, introducing phenomena that anchors storylines developing disciplinary core ideas, concepts, and science/engineering practices. Students are encouraged to dive deep into key points and solve problems through five activities. 

B.2 Ecosystems: Matter & Energy What causes fires in ecosystems to burn, and how should we manage them?

This unit is designed to help students build a deeper understanding of the flow of matter and energy within ecosystems and the cycling of carbon on a global scale due to increased fires. Students read about mysterious arctic fires popping up near the burn scars of old fires and do a visual inquiry to obtain more information about what is happening with matter and energy in these arctic fire systems. To figure out how these fires can burn under ice and release so much carbon dioxide, students explore the interactions between peat, permafrost, decomposers, the sun, and other components of the system by investigating burning fuels, measuring the rate of decomposition and photosynthesis under different conditions. Students are motivated to see if they can generalize this phenomenon to other systems and the effect of increased carbon dioxide on the atmosphere. Students quantitatively model how matter and energy flow through different earth systems and different levels within an ecosystem. Finally, students use what they have figured out about positive feedback effects to design solutions to disrupt that flow of matter and energy in communities they care about.