ECO Lesson

This lesson is based on a summarized Morgan Stanley article about the ECO system’s threat. The following tools were used for creating this lesson:

1. ChatGPT Prompt
2. Text to Voice – Voice Over (ElevenLabs)
3. Image, Sound and Video Resources (Pixabay and Pexel)
4. Video Editing (CapCut)
5. Video Quiz (Edpuzzle)
6. Evaluation Prompts (ChatGPT)
7. Graphic Design (Microsoft Designer)

Click here to access software resources

ECO Lesson

An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life. Ecosystems contain biotic or living, parts, as well as abiotic factors, or nonliving parts. Biotic factors include plants, animals, and other organisms. Abiotic factors include rocks, temperature, and humidity.

For thousands of years, people have interacted with ecosystems. Many cultures developed around nearby ecosystems. As human populations have grown, however, people have overtaken many ecosystems.

The tallgrass prairie of the Great Plains, for instance, became farmland. As the ecosystem shrunk, fewer bison could survive. Today, a few herds survive in protected ecosystems such as Yellowstone National Park.

In the tropical rain forest ecosystems surrounding the Amazon River in South America, a similar situation is taking place. The Amazon rain forest includes hundreds of ecosystems, including canopies, understories, and forest floors. These ecosystems support vast food webs.

Forest floor ecosystems support a wide variety of flowers, which are fed on by insects like butterflies. Butterflies, in turn, provide food for animals such as spiders in forest floor ecosystems.

Human activity threatens all these rain forest ecosystems in the Amazon. Thousands of acres of land are cleared for farmland, housing, and industry. Countries of the Amazon rain forest, such as Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador, are underdeveloped. Cutting down trees to make room for crops such as soy and corn benefits many poor farmers. These resources give them a reliable source of income and food. Children may be able to attend school, and families are able to afford better health care.

Rebounding Ecosystems
Ecosystems can recover from destruction, however. The delicate coral reef ecosystems in the South Pacific are at risk due to rising ocean temperatures and decreased salinity.

Without the reef structure, the ecosystem collapses. Organisms such as algae, plants such as seagrass, and animals such as fish, snakes, and shrimp disappear.

Individual people, cultures, and governments are working to preserve ecosystems that are important to them. The government of Ecuador, for instance, recognizes ecosystem rights in the countrys constitution. The so-called Rights of Nature says Nature or Pachamama [Earth], where life is reproduced and exists, has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution. Every person, people, community or nationality, will be able to demand the recognitions of rights for nature before the public bodies. Ecuador is home not only to rain forest ecosystems, but also river ecosystems and the remarkable ecosystems on the Galapagos Islands.

By Morgan Stanley

Prompt for a Lesson Plan (ChatGPT)

You are an expert [grade and subject] teacher. Design a lesson plan for our unit on [subject] based on the 5E instructional model, which motivates students to Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. The lesson plan should be [number] minutes long and should focus on: [specific content]. The lesson plan should be aligned to [standards] for [grade level] and should include: a list of key vocabulary; a lesson outline that includes a closure with a synthesis or summary of student learning; options for differentiation; and an assessment of learning

Output

Lesson Plan

Objective:

• Students will understand the concept of ecosystems, their components, and the impact of human activities on them.
• Students will explore the delicate balance between human needs and ecosystem preservation.
• Students will learn about efforts to rebound ecosystems and the importance of legal recognition for preservation.

Materials:

• Smart screen or projector slides.
• Printed and soft copies of the article for each student, including audio files.
• Internet connection on a laptop or desktop computer.

Introduction (15 minutes):

1. Welcome and Engage: Greet the students and ask them if they know what an ecosystem is. Encourage them to share their thoughts.
2. Overview of the lesson: Explain that today’s lesson is about ecosystems—their definition, human impact, threats, and efforts for preservation
3. Introduction to Ecosystems (15 minutes):

• Present and discuss the definition of ecosystems.
• Engage students with questions: What do they think living and non-living components are? give examples.

Activity 1: Group Discussion (20 minutes):

Human Impact on Ecosystems:

• Discuss historical interactions between humans and ecosystems.
• Divide students into small groups and ask them to discuss examples of human impacts on ecosystems.

Threats to Amazon Rainforest Ecosystems:

• Discuss deforestation in the Amazon.
• Provide printed copies of the article.
• Ask students to read the article and explain the consequences of deforestation.

Activity 3:  Critical Thinking (20 minutes):

• Balancing Act: Human Needs vs. Ecosystem Preservation
• Discuss the conflict between human development and conservation.
• Engage students in a class discussion on the impact of education, healthcare, and income on local communities.

Group Presentation:

Each group presents their findings. Discuss the countries involved and why they might face the dilemma of clearing land.
Closure (15 minutes):

Rebounding Ecosystems and Ecuador’s Approach:

• Discuss the challenges faced by coral reef ecosystems and Ecuador’s approach.
• Conclude with a class discussion on the importance of preserving ecosystems.

Reflection and Evaluation:

• Ask students to reflect on what they’ve learned.
• Assign Project: Write a short paragraph on what they can do to contribute to the ecosystem presentation.

Assessment:

• Participation in class discussions.
• Group presentations on case studies
• Project-Based Assignment

Prompt for presentation (ChatGPT)

You are an expert teacher and instructional designer. Create the content for a slide deck on [sustainable energy/sciences] for my [level 4] class. The slides should be formatted with a header and then a set of bullets for each slide. Change the variety of each slide including questions for students and activities. The last slide should include text for a formative assessment. Also include a description of any image that should be included on the slide.

Output

PRESENTATION:

Slide 1: Title
Title: Understanding Ecosystems
Subtitle: The delicate balance of life in geographic areas

Slide 2: Introduction to Ecosystems

• Definition: An ecosystem is a geographic area where living organisms, weather, and landscape interact.
• Components: biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) factors

Slide 3: Human Impact on Ecosystems

• Overview: Historical interaction between humans and ecosystems
• Examples: Transformation of the tallgrass prairie into farmland and the impact on the

Slide 4: Threats to Amazon Rainforest Ecosystems

• Description: Human activities leading to deforestation in the Amazon
• Consequences: disruption of food webs, loss of biodiversity.
• Countries involved: Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

Slide 5: Balancing Act: Human Needs vs. Ecosystem Preservation

• Dilemma: The conflict between human development and ecosystem conservation
• Benefits for Farmers: Economic reasons for clearing land
• Impact: How it affects education, healthcare, and income for local communities

Slide 6: Rebounding Ecosystems: The Case of Coral Reefs

• Challenge: Coral reef ecosystems are at risk due to rising ocean temperatures.
• Consequences: collapse of the reef structure and loss of marine life.
• Solutions: efforts by individuals, cultures, and governments to preserve ecosystems.

Slide 7: Ecuador’s Approach to Ecosystem Preservation

• Legal Recognition: Ecuador’s inclusion of ecosystem rights in the Constitution
• “Rights of Nature”: Nature has the right to exist, persist, maintain, and regenerate.
• Diversity: Highlight Ecuador’s rainforests, river ecosystems, and the Galapagos Islands.

Prompt for video script (ChatGPT)

Create a video script with narration based on the ECO Threat lesson, referencing the presentation and article.

Output

Video Quiz (ChatGPT-Edpuzzle)

Prompt ChatGPT for questions

Create open-ended questions and answers for the ECO Threats video script lesson.

Output

Q&A FOR VIDEO

1. Question: Introduction to Ecosystems

Q: According to the narrator, what creates the delicate balance in ecosystems?

A: The delicate balance in ecosystems is created by the dance of living organisms, weather, and landscape.

2. Question: Human Impact on Ecosystems

Q: What is highlighted in Slide 3 regarding human interactions with ecosystems?

Slide 3 highlights the historical interaction between humans and ecosystems, using examples such as the transformation of the tallgrass prairie into farmland and its impact on the Amazon rainforest.

3. Question: Balancing Act – Human Needs vs. Ecosystem Preservation

Q: What does Slide 5 reveal about the dilemma discussed in balancing human needs and ecosystem preservation?

A: Slide 5 reveals the dilemma between human development and preserving ecosystems. It explores the economic reasons for clearing land and the impacts on education, healthcare, and local communities.

4. Question: Rebounding Ecosystems: The Case of Coral Reefs

Q: What challenges do coral reef ecosystems face, as mentioned in Slide 6?

A: In Slide 6, coral reef ecosystems face the challenge of rising ocean temperatures, which threatens their existence, leading to the collapse of the reef structure and the loss of marine life.

5. Question: Ecuador’s Approach to Ecosystem Preservation

Q: What is unique about Ecuador’s approach to ecosystem preservation, as discussed in Slide 7?

A: Ecuador’s unique approach, as discussed in Slide 7, involves the legal recognition of ecosystem rights in their constitution, embracing the “Rights of Nature.” The country is highlighted for its diverse ecosystems, including rainforests, river ecosystems, and the

Galapagos Islands.

6. Questions for the Closing Remarks

Q: According to the narrator’s closing statement, what is the key message about understanding ecosystems?

A: the key message is that understanding ecosystems is not just about knowledge; it’s about

recognizing our role as stewards of this delicate balance. The narrator encourages working together to ensure the preservation of these wonders for generations to come.

Assessment (ChatGPT)

Prompt for ChatGPT for a Project-Based Assignment

Generate [1] formative project-based assessment related to [sustainable energy] for [ level 4 and science] students.

Output

Project Assignment: Understanding and Preserving Ecosystems

 Objective:
To research, analyse, and present the impact of human activities on ecosystems, along with potential measures for ecosystem preservation.

Task: Research and Analysis
Choose an ecosystem (rainforest, coral reef, prairie, etc.) to focus on. Investigate the biotic and abiotic factors that constitute the chosen ecosystem. Explore the historical interaction between humans and the chosen ecosystem. Identify and analyse specific threats that the ecosystem is currently facing.

Create a visually engaging presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides) that communicates your findings. Address the impact of human activities on the chosen ecosystem, using examples from the provided article. Discuss the consequences of these activities on biodiversity, food webs, and the overall health of the ecosystem. Explore potential solutions and preservation efforts for the chosen ecosystem.

Written Report:
Write a comprehensive report summarizing your research and findings. Include a discussion on the current state of the ecosystem, the threats it faces, and the importance of preserving it. Propose strategies and actions that individuals, cultures, or governments can take to contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem.

Prompt for a Rubric (ChatGPT)

Rubric Prompt

You are an expert teacher and curriculum writer, skilled in assessing student work. Create a rubric for my [grade level and subject] class studying [topic]. My students are completing [assignment title], in which they [assignment description]. Format the rubric as a chart and include a 5-point scale.

Output

ECO Lesson

An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life. Ecosystems contain biotic or living, parts, as well as abiotic factors, or nonliving parts. Biotic factors include plants, animals, and other organisms. Abiotic factors include rocks, temperature, and humidity.

For thousands of years, people have interacted with ecosystems. Many cultures developed around nearby ecosystems. As human populations have grown, however, people have overtaken many ecosystems.

The tallgrass prairie of the Great Plains, for instance, became farmland. As the ecosystem shrunk, fewer bison could survive. Today, a few herds survive in protected ecosystems such as Yellowstone National Park.

In the tropical rain forest ecosystems surrounding the Amazon River in South America, a similar situation is taking place. The Amazon rain forest includes hundreds of ecosystems, including canopies, understories, and forest floors. These ecosystems support vast food webs.

Forest floor ecosystems support a wide variety of flowers, which are fed on by insects like butterflies. Butterflies, in turn, provide food for animals such as spiders in forest floor ecosystems.

Human activity threatens all these rain forest ecosystems in the Amazon. Thousands of acres of land are cleared for farmland, housing, and industry. Countries of the Amazon rain forest, such as Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador, are underdeveloped. Cutting down trees to make room for crops such as soy and corn benefits many poor farmers. These resources give them a reliable source of income and food. Children may be able to attend school, and families are able to afford better health care.

Rebounding Ecosystems
Ecosystems can recover from destruction, however. The delicate coral reef ecosystems in the South Pacific are at risk due to rising ocean temperatures and decreased salinity.

Without the reef structure, the ecosystem collapses. Organisms such as algae, plants such as seagrass, and animals such as fish, snakes, and shrimp disappear.

Individual people, cultures, and governments are working to preserve ecosystems that are important to them. The government of Ecuador, for instance, recognizes ecosystem rights in the countrys constitution. The so-called Rights of Nature says Nature or Pachamama [Earth], where life is reproduced and exists, has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution. Every person, people, community or nationality, will be able to demand the recognitions of rights for nature before the public bodies. Ecuador is home not only to rain forest ecosystems, but also river ecosystems and the remarkable ecosystems on the Galapagos Islands.

By Morgan Stanley