CHAPTER 15

OUR ENVIRONMENT
Day 1:
Grade: X
Duration: 40 mins
Topic: Ecosystem
Learning objectives:

 Students will be able to define and differentiate between biotic and abiotic components of an
ecosystem.
 Students will understand how biotic and abiotic components interact with each other within an
ecosystem.
 Students will describe the importance of these interactions for the stability and function of
ecosystems.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard/Blackboard & Markers/Chalk

 Projector (for any presentations, images, or videos)
 Printouts or a slideshow of ecosystems (forest, desert, ocean, etc.)
 Chart paper and markers (for group activity)
 Sample ecosystem (e.g., local pond, forest) for discussion or video link

Lesson Breakdown:

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

 Start with a question:

o "What is an ecosystem?"
o Follow-up with: "What do you think makes up an ecosystem?"
 Brief Explanation (3 minutes):
o Define an ecosystem: "An ecosystem is a community of living organisms
(biotic) interacting with each other and with their non-living (abiotic)
environment in a particular area."
 Engage the students:
o Show a picture of an ecosystem (e.g., forest, ocean, or desert) and ask students
to identify visible living and non-living things.

2. Instruction (15 minutes)

1. Biotic and Abiotic Components (8 minutes):

o Biotic Components (Living things):
 Define and give examples: plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, etc.
 Discuss their roles (producers, consumers, decomposers).
o Abiotic Components (Non-living things):
  Define and give examples: sunlight, temperature, water, soil, air, and
minerals.
 Discuss how abiotic factors shape the habitat for biotic components.
o Key Points:
 Emphasize that both biotic and abiotic factors are crucial for the
survival of organisms in an ecosystem.
2. Interaction between Biotic and Abiotic Components (7 minutes):
o How They Interact:
 Discuss how biotic components depend on abiotic components to
survive (e.g., plants need sunlight and water to grow; animals need
food and shelter).
 Discuss examples such as:
 Plants use sunlight (abiotic) to make food, which animals
(biotic) eat.
 Temperature and water availability influence where certain
animals and plants live.
o Illustrate through an example ecosystem:
 Use a forest or lake ecosystem to explain how sunlight, temperature,
and water (abiotic) influence plant and animal life (biotic).
 Describe how changes in abiotic factors (like a drought) can affect the
survival of biotic components.

3. Activity (10 minutes)

 Group Activity: Ecosystem Mapping (7 minutes)

o Instructions:
 Divide the class into 3 groups.
 Each group will be given a large sheet of paper and markers.
 Their task is to create a simple diagram of an ecosystem (forest, ocean,
or desert).
 Students must list at least five biotic and five abiotic components in
their ecosystem and draw lines or arrows to show how the components
interact with each other.
 Encourage creativity and critical thinking in how they show
interactions (e.g., a food chain or water cycle).
o Share: Each group will present their ecosystem diagram and explain the
interactions between biotic and abiotic factors.

4. Discussion (5 minutes)

 Review student diagrams:

o Ask questions like: "How do the animals depend on plants in your
ecosystem?" or "How does the temperature in your ecosystem affect plant
life?"
 Wrap-up Discussion:
o Discuss how ecosystems are balanced and how the removal or change of one
component (biotic or abiotic) can affect the entire ecosystem (e.g., pollution,
climate change).
 5. Conclusion (5 minutes)

 Recap the Key Points:

o Define biotic and abiotic components.
o Explain their interaction and importance in an ecosystem.
 Exit Ticket (1 minute):
o Ask each student to write down one biotic and one abiotic factor from an
ecosystem they like and how they interact.
 Homework Assignment (Optional):
o Assign students to research a specific ecosystem (e.g., tropical rainforest) and
write a brief description of its biotic and abiotic components and how they
interact.

Assessment:

 Informal assessment through participation in the group activity.

 Exit ticket will assess individual understanding of biotic and abiotic components.
 Group presentation will showcase the ability to apply concepts of interaction within
an ecosystem.

Day 2:
Grade: X
Duration: 40 mins
Topic: Food chain and web
Learning objectives:

 Students will understand the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in an

ecosystem.
 Students will be able to create food chains and food webs to illustrate how energy
flows through an ecosystem.
 Students will analyze the transfer of energy between organisms in a food chain/web.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard/Blackboard & Markers/Chalk

 Projector (for slides or video)
 Printed handouts of food chains and food webs
 Chart paper and markers (for group activity)
 Pictures of different organisms (plants, herbivores, carnivores, decomposers)
 Simple energy flow diagram

Lesson Breakdown:

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

 Start with a question:

 o "What do you think happens when an animal eats a plant, or when one animal
eats another?"
 Brief Explanation (3 minutes):
o Define food chain and food web:
 Food Chain: A linear sequence of organisms through which energy
and nutrients are transferred as one organism is consumed by another.
 Food Web: A network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem,
showing the multiple feeding relationships.
 Engage the class:
o Show a simple diagram of a food chain (e.g., Sun → Grass → Rabbit → Fox).
Ask students if they can identify the producers, consumers, and decomposers
in this chain.

2. Instruction (12 minutes)

1. Components of a Food Chain (5 minutes):

o Producers:
 Define: Organisms like plants and algae that make their own food
through photosynthesis.
 Example: Grass, algae, and trees.
o Consumers:
 Define: Organisms that consume other organisms for food.
 Types of consumers:
 Primary consumers (herbivores): Eat producers (e.g., rabbits,
cows).
 Secondary consumers (carnivores): Eat primary consumers
(e.g., foxes, snakes).
 Tertiary consumers: Eat secondary consumers (e.g., hawks,
sharks).
o Decomposers:
 Define: Organisms like bacteria, fungi, and earthworms that break
down dead organisms and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
 Example: Fungi, bacteria, and earthworms.
2. Energy Transfer in a Food Chain (7 minutes):
o Explain how energy flows from one organism to another in a food chain.
 Producers capture energy from the Sun.
 Consumers gain energy by eating other organisms.
 Decomposers recycle nutrients from dead organisms back into the
ecosystem.
o Introduce the concept of energy loss: Only about 10% of the energy is
transferred from one trophic level to the next (90% is lost as heat or used for
other processes).
o Illustration: Show a simple food chain and explain the energy transfer:
Sun → Grass (producer) → Rabbit (primary consumer) → Fox (secondary
consumer) → Decomposers.

3. Activity (15 minutes)

 1. Creating a Food Chain (10 minutes):
o Instructions:
 Divide the class into 4 groups.
 Each group will be given a set of pictures or names of organisms (e.g.,
grass, rabbit, fox, fungi, etc.).
 Their task is to create a food chain on chart paper by organizing the
organisms in the correct order, from producer to consumer to
decomposer, illustrating energy transfer.
 The groups should label each organism as producer, primary
consumer, secondary consumer, or decomposer and draw arrows to
show the flow of energy.
2. Creating a Food Web (5 minutes):
o After completing the food chain, instruct each group to connect their food
chain to others (using more organisms, e.g., predators or prey), forming a food
web.
o Example: A rabbit may be eaten by a fox, but the rabbit may also be eaten by
a bird of prey. This creates interconnection in the web.

4. Discussion and Sharing (5 minutes)

 Group Presentations (3 minutes):

o Each group presents their food chain and food web, explaining the role of each
organism and how energy flows through their system.
 Class Discussion (2 minutes):
o Ask the class to reflect on:
 "How does energy transfer from one organism to another?"
 "What happens if one organism in a food chain or web is removed?"
 "How are decomposers important in a food web?"

5. Conclusion (5 minutes)

 Recap the Key Points:

o A food chain shows a linear path of energy flow, while a food web shows
multiple interconnected feeding relationships.
o Producers create energy, which is passed to consumers and decomposers.
o Only a small fraction (10%) of energy is passed to the next trophic level in a
food chain.
 Exit Ticket (1 minute):
o Ask each student to write one key concept they learned today on a piece of
paper (e.g., "Decomposers recycle nutrients" or "Energy decreases as it moves
up the food chain").
 Homework Assignment (Optional):
o Assign students to research a specific ecosystem (forest, ocean, or desert) and
create a food web for that ecosystem, identifying the producers, consumers,
and decomposers.

Assessment:

 Informal assessment through group activity participation.

  Exit ticket will gauge individual understanding of food chains and energy transfer.
 Group presentation of food chains and food webs will showcase collaborative
understanding.

Day 3:
Grade: X
Duration: 40 mins
Topic: Ozone depletion

Learning objectives:

Students will understand the formation and properties of ozone and identify effective strategies to
protect it from depletion.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard & markers

 Projector (optional)
 Printed handouts with key concepts (optional)
 Video clip (optional) showing ozone depletion or its effects
 Diagrams/Visuals of the ozone layer and ozone cycle
 Interactive quiz (optional)

Lesson Breakdown:

1. Introduction to Ozone (5 mins)

 Hook: Begin with a question: “Why do we hear so much about the ozone layer? What is its role
on Earth?”
 Brief overview:
o Ozone (O₃) is a gas composed of three oxygen atoms. It is found in two layers: the
stratosphere (ozone layer) and troposphere.
o In the stratosphere, ozone plays a crucial role in protecting life on Earth by absorbing the
majority of harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
o In the troposphere, ozone can be harmful as a pollutant.

Key Properties of Ozone:

o Ozone absorbs UV radiation, preventing skin cancer and other health issues.
o It is created and destroyed naturally in a cycle in the stratosphere.

2. Ozone Formation and Depletion Cycle (10 mins)

 Explain the Ozone Formation Cycle:

o Ozone formation: UV light from the sun splits an oxygen molecule (O₂) into two
oxygen atoms (O). These atoms react with another O₂ molecule to form ozone (O₃).
o Destruction of Ozone: Ozone absorbs UV light, breaking into O₂ and O. This cycle is
natural and balanced under normal conditions.
 o Visual aid: Use diagrams to show how the ozone-oxygen cycle works.

Ozone-oxygen cycle (formation and destruction):

o UV radiation breaks O₂ molecules into O atoms.

o These O atoms combine with O₂ to form O₃ (ozone).
o Ozone absorbs UV radiation, breaking into O₂ and an O atom.

Impact of Human Activities:

o Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and other chemicals destroy ozone molecules,

especially in the Polar Regions, creating the "ozone hole."
 Class discussion:
Ask students to consider how human activities like the use of CFCs in aerosols or
refrigerants affect ozone.

3. Effects of Ozone Depletion (5 mins)

 Explain the Consequences of Ozone Depletion:

o Increased UV radiation leads to more cases of skin cancer, cataracts, and weakened
immune systems.
o Impact on ecosystems: UV radiation harms marine life, particularly plankton, which
disrupts the food chain.
o Effect on agriculture: UV radiation can damage crops and reduce agricultural
productivity.

Quick visual: Use images or short video clips showing the effects of UV radiation on humans and
the environment.

4. Protection of the Ozone Layer (10 mins)

 Group Brainstorm: Divide students into small groups and have them brainstorm
ideas to protect the ozone layer. After 3-4 minutes, ask each group to share their ideas.

Key Protection Strategies:

1. Ban or limit the use of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances

(ODS): Highlight the success of the Montreal Protocol (1987) in phasing out
the use of CFCs globally.
2. Promote alternatives to ozone-depleting chemicals: Use substances that do
not harm the ozone layer, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
3. Use of UV-blocking technologies: Encourage the use of UV-blocking
sunglasses, lotions, and windows.
4. Public education and awareness: Continue educating the public about the
importance of ozone protection and the dangers of ODS.
 Class discussion:
Discuss the importance of international agreements, like the Montreal Protocol, in
global efforts to protect the ozone layer.
 5. Wrap-up and Recap (5 mins)

 Review key concepts:

o Ozone forms and breaks down naturally in the stratosphere.
o Human activities have led to ozone depletion, especially due to CFCs and
other harmful chemicals.
o Protecting the ozone layer is essential to prevent harmful UV radiation from
reaching the Earth.
o The Montreal Protocol has been successful in reducing the use of harmful
chemicals.
 Questions for Reflection:
o Why is it important to protect the ozone layer for future generations?
o How can each of us contribute to ozone protection?
 Homework (optional): Research and write a short report on how the ozone layer has
recovered over the past few decades due to international efforts.

Assessment:

 Quiz (optional): At the end of the lesson, give a short quiz with multiple-choice or
short-answer questions to test students’ understanding of ozone formation, depletion,
and protection.

Day 5:
Grade: X
Duration: 40 mins
Topic: Managing garbage
Learning objectives:

1. Define biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.

2. Identify and classify various waste products as biodegradable or non-biodegradable.
3. Understand the environmental impact of both types of waste.
4. Suggest ways to manage waste sustainably.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard/Chalkboard and markers

 Projector (for visual presentation)
 Printed or digital images of various waste items (e.g., plastic bags, food scraps, paper, glass
bottles)
 Two containers or boxes (for classification activity)
 Handouts with definitions and examples of biodegradable and nonbiodegradable materials
 Internet connection (optional) for a short video
Lesson Structure:

1. Introduction (5 mins)

 Objective: Introduce the key concepts.

 Start by asking students: "What happens to waste when we throw it away?" and "Does all waste
disappear over time?"
 Write the terms Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable on the board.
 Provide definitions:
o Biodegradable Waste: Waste that can be broken down naturally by microorganisms (e.g.,
bacteria, fungi).
o Non-biodegradable Waste: Waste that cannot be easily broken down by natural processes and
stays in the environment for a long time (e.g., plastic, metal).

2. Direct Instruction (10 mins)

 Objective: Discuss examples of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste and their

environmental effects.
 Biodegradable Materials:
o Examples: Food scraps, paper, yard waste, cotton, wood.
o Environmental impact: Break down quickly, enriching the soil.
 Non-biodegradable Materials:
o Examples: Plastics, glass, metals, electronics.
o Environmental impact: Take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose; contribute to pollution
and landfill overflow.
 Show images or slides of different waste materials and ask students to identify if they are
biodegradable or nonbiodegradable.
 Discuss the consequences of improper disposal, e.g., plastic in oceans, decomposition of food
waste producing methane, etc.

3. Interactive Activity (10 mins)

 Objective: Engage students in classifying waste products.

 Prepare two large containers labeled "Biodegradable" and "Nonbiodegradable".
 Show students a series of images (or physical waste items) and have them decide whether the item
is biodegradable or nonbiodegradable.
 Students will take turns placing the images/items into the correct containers.
 Discuss each classification choice briefly as a class.
 4. Group Discussion (5 mins)

 Objective: Reflect on the environmental impact of waste.

 Divide students into small groups and ask them to discuss these questions:
o Why do you think biodegradable materials are better for the environment?
o What is the biggest problem caused by nonbiodegradable waste?
o What are some ways to reduce nonbiodegradable waste?
 After 3-4 minutes of discussion, ask each group to share their thoughts.

5. Video and Reflection (5 mins)

 Objective: Reinforce concepts and provide real-world context.

 Show a short, engaging video (2-3 minutes) about the environmental effects of waste, particularly
nonbiodegradable waste like plastics in oceans, landfills, etc. (For example, a short clip from a
documentary or a YouTube video).
 After the video, ask students to reflect on what they learned and how it relates to their own waste
disposal practices.

6. Conclusion (5 mins)

 Objective: Summarize key takeaways.

 Review the main points of the lesson: What makes a material biodegradable vs nonbiodegradable,
and the importance of proper waste management.
 Discuss a few solutions:
o Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
o Composting biodegradable waste
o Alternatives to plastic (e.g., biodegradable packaging)
 Assign a short reflection task for homework: “Think of three ways you can reduce your personal
waste and explain why they are good for the environment."

Assessment:

 Formative: Participation in the interactive classification activity and group discussion.

 Summative: Homework reflection task.