Option G: Ecology & Conservation
Before we start the unit, review these topics:
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New content:
Communities, Ecosystems and Biomes (5.1, G1 & G2) (Essential Biology)
Populations (5.3) (Essential Biology)
The Greenhouse Effect and the Ozone Layer (5.2 & G3 part) (Essential Biology)
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Option C Core Content (IBBio Guide Here)
- C1: Species and Communities (BioKnowledgy – OLD Essential Biology)
- C2: Communities and Ecosystems (BioKnowledgy – OLD Essential Biology)
- C3: Impacts of Humans on Ecosytems (BioKnowledgy – OLD Essential Biology)
- C4: Conservation of Biodiversity (BioKnowledgy – OLD Essential Biology)
AHL Content (IBBio Guide here)
- G5: Population Ecology (HL) (BioKnowledgy – OLD Essential Biology)
- C6: Nitrogen & Phosphorous Cycles (link to BioKnowledgy)
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BioCamp: Might be useful in planning a simple Bio fieldtrip
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Top Watching:
- The 11th Hour (with action support website):
- BBC’s State of the Planet (with useful support website):
Home: The complete, beautiful Yann-Arthus Bertrand documentary:
i-Biology 
Where can I find resources to teach G.4 of IB curriculum ?
Done.
Hi Stephen,
do you think opt G (or Topic 5) can be used for actual design practicals? My worry is that the students cannot actually manipulate the variables so it ends up being a ‘survey’ which the exam report warns against. For example oxygen conc on diversity doesn’t allow you to control the other variables but merely monitor them and oxygen would just be measured in different locations….
Any thoughts?
Hi Karen,
I have always used them as Design labs, and though I haven’t had negative feedback for it, will be using Ecology for more focused DCP/CE labs from now on. This is for a couple of reasons:
– to maximise the use of time on a field study trip (get them out quicker)
– to make the best use of our limited equipment
– to ensure that students will get sufficient relevant data to work with when we get back to school
I will still be asking students to complete an outline of the variables and how they selected their values, even though they might be given more direction in the method than may allow it to be assessed for Design.
An example:
“Compare the distributions of lichen colonies on different aspects of trees. Identify the independent, dependent and controlled variables, and decide on an appropriate method of data presentation and statistical analysis. Include this information in the write-up, which will be assessed for DCP and CE.”
Hi!
Thank you so much for your site it is an unbelievably helpful resource. I was wondering if and when the Essential Biology sheets for Ecology and Ecology and Conservation going to be reposted? My students love them and they use them quite often.
Hi Carrie,
I haven’t used them in a while and have moved schools (and computing platforms). I’ll try to find them on my hard drive and repost them.
Good luck!
Stephen
Hello Stephen,
Our school just moved to a new 25 acres campus, and so I was going to give them an IA lab involving an ecological survey, specifically ties to option G. Glad to hear you have not had problems with moderations with investigations like this. I will concentrate on having think about variables and data presentation, but other than that, might you have any other suggestions?
Thanks!
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
What an exciting opportunity! My guys were fine, but they do need to appreciate the sources of error and uncertainty. I didn’t have an examining class this year, so I definitely recommend checking out the most recent examiners’ reports.
Good luck!
Stephen