Lesson with Assessment Rubric

Tyler Rose
Apr 24, 2024
5 min read

Chicago’s Ecosystem Assessment

Name_______________________ Final Grade ____ /200

HR#____________

Due Date 5/12/2023

We are going to be discussing how ecosystems work in the world and we should be able to see this in our own concrete jungle. The goal of this project is to see no matter where in the world we are, as long as there are organisms surviving there is an ecosystem that is also thriving.

You will be choosing one organism that can be found in Chicago. How you’ll decide this is by taking a photo with a smart device such as a tablet or smartphone. Yes I’m asking you to use your cellphone for school work, and or a family member or friends. Using an app you will capture a photo of the organism in its habitat you wish to study. I like using the app SEEK by Inaturalist but there are many that do similar tasks. Google Lens, Gardenia, SmartPlant, iPflanzen and Plantifier; these are just a few of the apps that you can use. You can also go old school and capture a photo of the organism, use an encyclopedia for all the information. Either way something must be uploaded into the google drive folder I provided for your homeroom. Please label this file with your name.

You might be lucky and walking by and your dream organism is right in front of you. Maybe you’ll have to set up for a short while until it comes by your path. Or maybe you’ll go off the beaten path and find something very unique hidden under a rock. I personally enjoy going to West Ridge Nature Park on the far north side and watching the small coyote pups chase the deer around the cemetery. Don’t be afraid to head out into nature and let Chicago surprise you.

This assignment is going to require you to go above and beyond. I will want to see originality above all. You will be researching your organism using whatever information sources you can find. I will then want you to put the information in your own words. Basically imagine that you are at the park with an annoying friend who wants to know way too much information about a specific organism that you both observe.

Where to go: Chicago surprisingly has some of the best parks in the world, full of wildlife and programs to ensure that the communities thrive and grow. If you’re near our wonderful school you could go down to McKinley Park and check out the Palmisano Park Natural Area. Maybe you want to take a quick trip down to Willow Springs Woods, Beaubien Woods, LaBagh Woods, or The Morton Arboretum; all of these areas are quickly accessible via the highway and make a wonderful weekend getaway. If leaving the neighborhood is not an option for you, I think it’s possible to do this assignment in your own alleyway, yard, sidewalk, but it might take a little more effort on your part with being creative.

Organism: these can be a plant, animal, bird, insect, fish, reptile, amphibian.

My organism is a: ______________________________

The genus name is :______________________________

Relatives of this organism are (name 3):

______________________________, ______________________________, and

______________________________

Physical description of organism: (what does it look like? Is it hard? Is it soft? Is it dry? And plenty more) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are humans happy, sad, or neutral when they see this organism in the city?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Is it native to Chicago? __________ if no then where is it originally from? How the heck did it get here? (Tip: research the origin of the species!) ____________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the trophic level of this organism? __________________________________________

Where (location) did you observe this organism? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What time of day did you observe this organism at? _____________________________

What stage of this organism's life cycle is it in?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does this organism's diet consist of? ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

How long does this organism live for?

____________________________________________________________________________

How large of a population does this organism live in?

____________________________________________________________________________

Does this organism have any defense mechanism? Or what do they do to stay safe?

____________________________________________________________________________

How do humans harm this organism? What have these organisms done to adapt to this?

____________________________________________________________________________

How does this organism reproduce?

____________________________________________________________________________

How big is this organism? Give it in average measurements and then give a comparison of a common object.

____________________________________________________________________________

Does this organism pose a threat to the environment?

____________________________________________________________________________

Does this organism have any predators in Chicago?

____________________________________________________________________________

Did this organism have a natural predator that has been removed from the area?

____________________________________________________________________________

Does this organism survive all year or is there a certain season in which it thrives? Does it hibernate?

____________________________________________________________________________

If this organism is a plant, is it a perennial? _______________

Does this organism host other organisms? If so then what?

____________________________________________________________________________

Synurbization of an organism refers to how the organism adapts to its environment of being around humans. How does this organism differ from its relatives who do not live in non-human environments? I’m looking for specific adaptations. Diet changes, behavior changes, it’s home, and anything else you can think of.

____________________________________________________________________________

Is this organism invasive and harmful to our society? Is it legal to kill? Are we trying to get rid of it? Are there programs set in place by the city to kill it or control its population? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Was this organism introduced into our ecosystem to help with the population of other organisms?

Is the organism harmful to humans? How so?

If you found this organism in a forest preserve or a city park, could it survive in Chicago without this area? If they turned McKinley Park into a parking lot could your organism still survive?

Reflection:

Are you surprised by what you’ve found? Are you pro your organism?

Screenshot and upload the app to the google drive folder I have provided to your google classroom.

Finally include a piece of art that describes the organism and how you see it in the environment.

This can be a video you animated, a story, a comic you wrote. a poem you create, a sculpture, or any other artistic interpretation of the organism you created. No tracing or copying any material, this is for you to be creative and make something of your own. This can be a physical copy or digital.

Final thoughts: I will fail you if you cheat, and worst of all you will have to live with the guilt for the rest of your life. This is meant for you to see our city in a different light, it’s supposed to be fun. I don’t need you to tell me what you learned on wikipedia

	ANSWERS	Art	Time/ Complete	Total Points
A 180-200	Student went above and beyond with their answers and added details that was not expected of them. Student showed how they learned something new. 60-66 pts	Student went above and beyond. I will be blown away by the presentation and effort put into this. 60-66 pts	Handed in assignment early or on time. File uploaded with name and homeroom number. Includes photo and screenshot of app used 60-66 pts
B 160-179	Student gave answers in their own words. 53-59 pts	Students completed a piece of artwork. Some creativity. Maybe a drawing of the organism 53-59 pts	Handed in on time. File uploaded with screenshot 53-59 pts
C 140-159	Student put some of the answers in their own words. 46-53 pts	Student puts little to no effort into it. Maybe a drawing of the organism 46-53 pts	Handed in a day late. File uploaded with no name 46-53 pts
D 120-139	Student copied from an app or website and did not put them in their own words 46-40 pts	Scribbled something quickly to get it over with. Rushing through. 46-40 pts	Handed in 2 or more days late. Name uploaded or sent to my email. 46-40 pts
F 0-119	Short “yes/ no style” answers or nothing 39-0 pts	Nothing is done or copied directly from the internet. Cheating is the appropriate word for this. 39-0 pts	Student was reminded by the teacher to hand it in. Nothing uploaded to google drive. 39-0 pts
Points				Total______/200

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Lesson with Assessment Rubric

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