Remember the Axolotl

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  General Lesson Plan

• Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?

  
  

  Students will be able to analyze the effect of the introduction of a non-native species on the limiting factors of an ecosystem.

   

• Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?

  
  

  Students should know the limiting factors present in any ecosystem, as well as the following vocabulary terms:

  • abiotic
  • biotic
  • carrying capacity
  • predator
  • prey
  • sybiosis
  • commensalism
  • mutualism
  • parasitism

   

• Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?

  
  
  • According to the text, how are food web studies useful in understanding changes in ecosystems?
    They can show how predator-prey relationships influence populations.
  • What textual evidence supports the statement that the ecosystem of Lake Xochimilco has been impacted by human activities?
    The lake is the last surviving part of wetlands that used to cover the basin where Mexico City is now located.
  • Explain what has happened to the axolotl.
    The axolotl has been placed on the critically endangered species list because its population has been dramatically decreased in recent years.
  • What factors do you believe contributed to the decline of the axolotl?
    introduction of non-native/exotic species like the carp and the tilapia; the fact that Mexico City is now located where the axolotls once lived
  • How did the addition of carp and tilapia change the ecosystem?
    carp increase the turbidity or murkiness of the water; tilapia reduce water quality; there could be an overlap in the diets and habitats between the non-native species and the native species, which could negatively impact the native species
  • How does knowing what is in the stomach of an organism provide information about the food web of its ecosystem?
    You will know what the organism eats, which can tell you were it is in the food web. This can also indicate the effect of the non-native or exotic species on the native species, and this knowledge can help with efforts to try to restore the ecosystem to a healthier state.
  • Based on the information in the introduction, predict what other information may be included in the study.
    Answers will vary but may include "data supporting the claims in the introduction" or "how the researchers got their information."

  
  The answers to these questions will be found in the text and may vary depending on student ability level.

   

• Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?

  
  

  Hook question: "Why are pythons so bad for the Everglades?"

  1. Start the lesson with images of the axolotl, which can be found through a Google search; choose your favorite ones. Then ask the students if they have ever seen this animal before. Next, show students the followingYouTube videos to give them more background information on the axolotl and its endangered status:
     • Reuters: "" (1:59)
     • ZSL - Zoological Society of London: "Axolotl - Curious Creatures" (1:24)
  2. Break students into groups of 3 or 4 and give each group one piece of paper and one pencil. Ask them to answer the following question: "Identify someabiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem of the axolotl."
     • Give the students 1-2 minutes to think of answers to the question. Then instruct the first student to write an answer on the paper and then pass the paper to the next student in the group, who will then write another answer. Play will continue around the group until time is called, usually 2-3 minutes.
     • After time has been called, the teacher should create a two-column chart on the board labeled "Biotic Factors" and "Abiotic Factors." Ask each group to add one of their answers to the chart. Continue until all answers have been added to the chart. Review each answer and verify that it is in the appropriate column.
     • Ask the students to identify which of these factors would be considered limiting factors of the axolotl's ecosystem.
  3. Introduce the text that will be used for the close reading activity and the CIS module. Students will read the introduction (5 paragraphs) of the following scientific article, which is freely available via the Vander Zaden Lab - Center for Limnology at the University of Wisconsin:

     Luis Zambrano, Elsa Valiente, and M. Jake Vander Zanden. "Food web overlap among native axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) and two exotic fishes: carp (Cyprinus carpio) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Xochimilco, Mexico City." Biological Invasions September 2010, Volume 12, Issue 9, pp 3061-3069.

   

• Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?

  
  

  Students will complete the axolotl study Close Reading and Vocabulary activities.

  Note: After students complete each of the three text readings and the associated Close Reading Activities, they will also complete a CIS Module activity before proceeding to the next reading of the text. See the CIS Module activities in the Independent Practice.

  Vocabulary Study
  The following words will be used as a vocabulary lesson in conjunction with the Axolotl Study Close Reading activity:

  • Exotic
  • Biodiversity
  • Perturbed
  • Detrimental
  • Biomass
  • Trophic
  • Viability

  Directions:

  1. Pass out a copy of the close reading text and the Close Reading/Vocabulary worksheets to each student.
  2. The teacher will ask students to highlight each of the vocabulary words as well as any additional words they don't understand as the text is read aloud. Add these words to the vocabulary chart.
  3. Have the students use context clues to add more information to their chart.
  4. Students will share with their shoulder partner and revise their chart based on their discussion.
  5. The teacher will provide additional information not gleaned from the context clues and the students will add to their charts as necessary.
  6. Students will create a mnemonic device or picture to help them remember the meaning of the words.

  For more information, see the attached Axolotl Study Vocabulary Lesson.

  Close Reading Activity
  First Read

  • The teacher reads paragraph 1 of the introduction aloud and asks students to underline words they do not understand. The teacher will then ask students to add these words in the vocabulary section of the worksheet, then write a one-sentence summary of the paragraph in the paragraph summary section of the worksheet. Complete the same procedure for paragraphs 2-5.
  • Students work with their shoulder partner to complete the Vocabulary Study.
  • Students complete the CIS Module First Reading activity (see Independent Practice).

  Second Read
  Students reread the introduction, focusing their reading on these text-dependent questions:

  • According to the text, how are food web studies useful in understanding changes in ecosystems?
    They can show how predator-prey relationships influence populations.
  • What textual evidence supports the statement that the ecosystem of Lake Xochimilco has been impacted by human activities?
    The lake is the last surviving part of wetlands that used to cover the basin where Mexico City is now located.
  • Explain what has happened to the axolotl.
    The axolotl has been placed on the critically endangered species list because its population has been dramatically decreased in recent years.
  • What factors do you believe contributed to the decline of the axolotl?
    introduction of non-native/exotic species like the carp and the tilapia; the fact that Mexico City is now located where the axolotls once lived
  • How did the addition of carp and tilapia change the ecosystem?
    carp increase the turbidity or murkiness of the water; tilapia reduce water quality; there could be an overlap in the diets and habitats between the non-native species and the native species, which could negatively impact the native species
  • How does knowing what is in the stomach of an organism provide information about the food web of its ecosystem?
    You will know what the organism eats, which can tell you were it is in the food web. This can also indicate the effect of the non-native or exotic species on the native species, and this knowledge can help with efforts to try to restore the ecosystem to a healthier state.

  The teacher will lead a class discussion of the text-dependent questions.

  Students complete the CIS Module Second Reading activity (see Independent Practice).

  Third Read
  Students reread the introduction, focusing their reading on the following text-dependent questions:

  • What in the text indicates that this is a true scientific study?
    used scientific names of organisms, used scientific words or academic words, used citations to tell where they got their background information
  • What words were used to indicate the severity of what has happened to the axolotl?
    critically, endangered, negative consequences, dramatic decline, restoration
  • Based on the authors' word choices, what is the purpose of the text?
    the academic language indicates that the purpose is to communicate background information that will provide context and support to the findings of the study
  • Based on the information in the introduction, predict what other information may be included in the study.
    Answers will vary but may include "data supporting the claims in the introduction" or "how the researchers got their information."

  The teacher will lead a class discussion of the text-dependent questions.

  Students complete the CIS Module Third Reading activity (see Independent Practice).

   

• Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the lesson?

  
  

  Students will complete the CIS Module as they work through the Close Reading Activities.

  First Read – Guiding Question

  • Which factors affecting the ecosystem of the axolotl contributed to their placement on the critically endangered list?

  Code the reading accordingly:

  • F: amount of food available
  • P: predators
  • W: water quality
  • S: space available

  Have students explain their text coding rationale to each other in their groups.

  
  Second Read - Directed Note-Taking

  Essential Question:

  • Which factors were most significant in the decision to place the axolotl on the critically endangered species list?

  Students work in groups to identify factors that contributed to the axolotl's classification on the endangered species list. Students then use text evidence to decide which factors they think were most significant in this decision.

  
  Third Read - Question-Generation to Deepen Comprehension

  • As students complete the third read, they will write down any "how" or "why" questions that they still have about the text.

   

• Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?

  
  

  Final response to the Essential Question:

  Students complete a RAFT paper in response to the Essential Question, "Which factors were most significant in the decision to place the axolotl on the critically endangered species list?"

  • Role: a scientist requesting publication of a research document
  • Audience: a scientific journal
  • Format: informational essay using the evidence from the text to answer the essential question
  • Topic: (student response to the essential question)

  
  Opinion Proof:

  Students will write an opinion proof, using text evidence to answer the following question:

  • How would have the future of the axolotl been different if the exotic fish species had never been introduced into their ecosystem?

  
  The RAFT Paper and Opinion Proof are strategies from ReadingQuest.org, which has more information and templates for each.

  • Opinion Proof

   

• Summative Assessment

  
  

  The final writing assignment will tie the reading and vocabulary back to the lesson objective.

  Rubric for the Assessment of the Final Writing Assignment:

  4. Uses the appropriate format, identifies all four limiting factors, and provides evidence from the text to explain how the introduction of the exotic species affected those factors. Uses academic vocabulary to make inferences regarding what the fate of the axolotl would have been if the exotic species had never been introduced.
  3. Uses the appropriate format, identifies all four limiting factors, and provides evidence from the text to explain how the introduction of the exotic species affected those factors.
  2. Uses the appropriate format, identifies all four limiting factors, but does not provide evidence from the text to explain how the introduction of the exotic species affected those factors.
  1. Does not use the appropriate format or does not identify all four limiting factors; does not provide evidence from the text to explain how the introduction of the exotic species affected those factors.

   

• Formative Assessment

  
  

  The writing assignments in the Comprehensive Instructional Sequence Module will give the teacher an indication of the students' level of understanding.

   

• Feedback to Students

  
  
  • The teacher will move through the room during student discussions and ask guiding questions to ensure that students are on the right track.
  • The close reading and vocabulary answers will allow the teacher to give feedback before students begin the final writing assignment.