ScienceSource 7 - Unit A

The Rouge River Valley - known to local Iroquois as Katabokokonk, the Rouge River is a very important part of this valley ecosystem in northeast Toronto:

• Rouge River Watershed - An important source of Ontario drinking water.
• Friends of the Rouge Watershed - many groups, including this one, are working to preserve this important ecosystem.

Unit Task: Your Ecological Footprint - how large is your ecological footprint?

• Ecological Footprint Quiz - answer the questions and your footprint can be measured.
• Ecological Footprint - good background information.

First Nations Peoples and the Environment - Aboriginal cultures were very aware that maintaining a healthy environment was vital to their survival.

• The Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER) - a First Nations website about current environmental challenges.

The Boreal Forest - images and information about living things found in Ontario.

Ecosystem Basics - this is an excellent video that covers the basics of ecosystems, including biotic and abiotic components.

Pond Ecosystem - - use the tools provided to affect and study a virtual pond (ExploreLearning login is required).

Basic Needs of Living Things - this is an excellent video that covers the basic requirements for all living things.

Biotic Elements Survive Without Oxygen - also known as anaerobes, oxygen can even be poisonous to them.

• Life in Extreme Environments - a very interesting article about some of the locations where living things use no oxygen.
• Microbial Life Without Oxygen - images and information about microscopic organisms that do not require oxygen to survive.

Interaction of Biotic and Abiotic Elements - do you know your biotic and abiotic elements? Find out by trying this puzzle.

Section 1.1 Quiz - need more practice? Try this online quiz.

Mount Tambora Eruption Hardly Known - - Indonesia is home to the world's largest-ever volcanic eruption — Mount Tambora in 1815, killing 100,000 people. But the disaster is little remembered, primarily because of lack of media.

The Year With No Summer - a whole season of darkness as a result of natural disaster.

• Extreme Earth: Year Without Summer - an encyclopedia of information
• 1816 - The Year without a Summer - this article describes the impacts of the huge 1816 eruption on Canada and other parts of North America.

Producers - when we think of producers, we usually think of green plants, photosynthesis and food.

• Plants and Life on Earth - the many roles of producers can be found here.
• The Flow of Energy Through Plants and Animals - it all begins with sunlight and plants.

Photosynthesis - photosynthesis is probably the most important process on Earth for allowing living things to survive.

• Photosynthesis - this is an AMAZING interactive about photosynthesis. Please be patient when it loads in your browser, it may take a few minutes. The whole interactive is a bit advanced, don't worry if you have trouble understanding the 2 sections focussing on chemistry (light reactions, calvin cycle)... you can skip those.

Photosynthesis Lab - - adjust the condition that affect photosynthesis and observe the results (ExploreLearning login is required).

Ecosystems, Communities, Populations, and Species - interactions between biotic and abiotic elements.

• Ecosystems, Communities, Populations, and Species - discover how scientists organize nature.
• Interactions Within Ecosystems - a worksheet (page 5) that imagines a world without fish in the Great Lakes region.

Ecosystems, Communities, Populations, and Species - try these activities to learn and better appreciate the organization and complexity of ecosystems.

• Life Systems: Grade Seven Interactions Within Ecosystems - this booklet, from the Toronto Zoo, examines all aspects of a stream ecosystem.

Vegetarianism - some people choose to consume only plants for their nutrition.

• Vegetarianism - vegetarianism has a rich history.
• Becoming a Vegetarian - a very complete discussion of being a teenaged vegetarian.

The Roles of Producers - do you know the roles of producers? Find out by trying this puzzle.

Section 1.2 Quiz - need more practice? Try this online quiz.

Producers, Consumers, Decomposers - in this excellent video, a wetland food chain is used to discuss producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Consumers - consumers must eat other things in order to get nutrients to survive.

• Herbivores and Carnivores - herbivores, carnivores and omnivores are discussed on this site.
• Consumers - exactly what are they?

Scavenger - beautiful photos of scavengers, as well an excellent explanation of their behaviour.

Food Chains - these activities help to further understand food chains.

• Food Chains - an interactive BrainPop presentation of food chains.
• Who's Coming to Dinner? - Ontario food chains in the boreal forest.

Prairie Ecosystem - - change populations and see how it affects the prairie ecosystem (ExploreLearning login is required).

Ocean Food Chains: Whales - how do the largest animals on Earth fit into their food chains?

• Whales and Food Webs - you might be surprised by a whale's food chain.
• Whale Food Chains - this page shows a comparison between toothed whales (orca) and baleen whales (blue).

Food Chain - - change the number of creatures in a species and see how it affects the food chain related to it (ExploreLearning login is required).

Ecosystem in a Jar - these activities are designed to test what components are necessary to create a healthy, stable ecosystem.

• Table Top Biosphere - this site provides a video summary and pdf instructions on creating a marine ecosystem in a jar.
• Bottle Biology - build an ecosystem and recycle plastic pop bottles.

Section 1.3 Quiz - need more practice? Try this online quiz.

Producers and Consumers - do you know about producers and consumers? Find out by trying this puzzle.

The Wainfleet Bog - a natural area found in southern Ontario that has been protected to save this unique ecosystem.

• The Wainfleet Bog - the official website from the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
• Wainfleet Bog Trail - the Wainfleet bog has a beautiful trail.

Unit Task: Your Ecological Footprint - how large is your ecological footprint?

• How Big is Your Environmental Footprint - by answering a few questions, your footprint can be measured.
• Find Your Foodprint - OK, you know about your footprint, but do you know your FOODprint? Try this short quiz to find out the ecological impact of your food habits.

Zoos and Ecosystems - although zoos preserve many species, some people argue that the animals should be kept in protected natural areas like parks.

• The Toronto Zoo and Conservation - excellent conservation efforts from the Toronto Zoo.
• Wildlife Conservation Society - an organization dedicated to conservation.

Zoos and Ecosystem Activities - try your hand at managing animals in the correct ecosystem:

• Biomes- this interactive feature includes climate and precipitation data for every biome (free PBS registration may be required).