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SPECIAL EDUCATION7th GRADE SCIENCE

Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)

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Students should complete the following modified materials for the 7h Grade Science course, including the embedded assessment items. Succession and Ecosystem StabilityUnderwater volcanoes and the ecosystems they createReturn of the top predatorNew Zealand's environment is in trouble and many animals are at risk


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)Underwater volcanoes and the ecosystems they create By National Geographic Society, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.04.20

Image 1. A volcanic eruption in the South Pacific Ocean created a new island in Tonga. This unnamed land mass is the newest island on Earth and is already home to a small number of plants and animals. Photo: Edwina Pickles/The Sydney Morning Herald/Fairfax Media via Getty Images

A volcano is a special kind of opening in the ground. It lets burning hot material underground escape to the surface. When this happens, it causes an eruption.

The hot material is melted rock called lava. Sometimes it explodes into the sky. Other times it flows out calmly.

There are thousands of islands around the world. Many of them were formed by submarine volcanoes. These are volcanoes below the surface of the ocean. Image 2. Shield volcanoes are created almost entirely from flowing lava. It pours out of vents in all directions and builds up over time. Graphic: Newsela staff

Submarine volcanoes are not like volcanoes on land. They erupt into the water instead of air. For this reason, they do not usually have explosive eruptions. The water above them creates high pressure. This pushes down on the volcanoes. When they erupt, the lava flows out gently. It leaks out along the seafloor.

Underwater Mountains


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)Charles Mandeville is a scientist. He works for the United States Geological Survey (USGS). He used to study submarine volcanoes.

Two things cause submarine volcanoes to form islands, Mandeville says. One is the supply of lava. The other is tectonic plates. Earth's top layers are the crust and the mantle. They are divided into 15 major plates. These plates are always moving very slowly. Lava sometimes rises up through the gaps between them.

Most volcanic islands are created by lava flows on the seafloor. These flows cool and harden into rock. Over time, the rock grows higher and higher. It becomes an underwater mountain. Some of the mountains become islands.

Volcanic Island Ecosystems

An ecosystem is like a community. It is made up of all the living and nonliving things in an area, including plants and animals. Volcanic islands have surprisingly lively ecosystems. These ecosystems evolve over millions of years. Life on volcanic islands starts with tiny organisms called bacteria. They are the most basic forms of life.

Species from nearby landforms also help to develop the ecosystem. Passing birds might stop to nest on the new island. They might bring seeds from other islands. Plant life can float through the ocean to end up on the island's shores.

Creatures on volcanic islands evolve in isolated environments. As a result, many organisms are considered to be endemic species. That means they are native to a particular area. They are not found anywhere else in the world. The finches endemic to the Galapagos Islands are one famous example of this. These birds are found only in the isolated Galapagos Islands.

World's Youngest Island

New islands are forming all the time. One of the newest is part of the country of Tonga. It is made up of 170 islands. Tonga is located in the South Pacific Ocean. In 2009, there was a large volcanic eruption. It caused a new island to form. Another eruption connected the island to the nearby island of Hunga Ha'apai.


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)Before the eruption, many plants and animals lived on Hunga Ha'apai. Then the eruption covered the island in ash. That destroyed its ecosystem. It is not clear if large animals will return to the island. Image 3. Lava from Kilauea Volcano flows into Pacific Ocean along Kapoho coast, on the east side of Hawaii's Big Island on May 31, 2018. Photo by: Don Smith/Getty Images

Fast Facts:

Heat Wave

There are different kinds of bacteria. One kind is called autotrophic. These bacteria live by making their own food. A large number of autotrophic bacteria live near submarine volcanoes. They can survive in extreme heat.

Survival Mode

Charles Mandeville at USGS says wind and waves are wearing down the new island. They are trying to make it go back below the sea. Only one thing can save the island. More lava is needed to build back the land that has worn away.

Quiz 1. Which question is answered in the section "Volcanic Island Ecosystems”?

(A) Where can the oldest volcanic island ecosystems be found?(B) When did volcanic islands first start to form on the Earth?(C) What type of living things first grow on a volcanic island?(D) How many living things make up a volcanic island ecosystem?


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)2. Read the introduction [paragraphs 1-4].Select the sentence from the section that explains how submarine volcanoes are different from land volcanoes.

(A) A volcano is a special kind of opening in the ground.(B) It lets burning hot material underground escape to the surface.(C) Submarine volcanoes are not like volcanoes on land.(D) They erupt into the water instead of air.

3. How do wind and waves affect volcanic islands?(A) They help build the island, so the volcano keeps growing.(B) They keep animals away, so few organisms grow there.(C) They bring more life to the island, so more plants grow.(D) They wear away the island, so the surface disappears.

4. According to the section "World's Youngest Island," WHY did Hunga Ha’apai’s ecosystem get destroyed?

(A) because the volcano scared away the animals(B) because the island became covered with ash(C) because it connected with another big island(D) because the animals moved to the new island

Return of the top predator By National Geographic Society, adapted by Newsela on 04.27.20

Image 1. Overhunting of North American gray wolves led to negative environmental effects that cascaded through the ecosystem. Photo: Michael S. Quinton/National Geographic

In the 1800s, people hunted and trapped animals for their fur. Many people profited from the fur trade. Fur clothing was in high demand all over the world. In North America, people traveled farther and farther west in search of animal fur.


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)However, the fur trade had a huge effect on wildlife. It affected populations of hunted animals, like sea otters. But it also affected entire food chains. A food chain is a group of organisms linked together in the order of the food they eat. Animals can be part of many different food chains. The chains connect to form a food web.

The fur trade took a toll on sea otters and also affected their entire food web. People hunted sea otters to the point of near-extinction. Sea otters are a top predators or apex predator. Top predators sit at the top of the local food chain. They hunt other animals for food.

The removal of sea otters from their environment had a negative effect. This effect trickled down through the ecosystem. Due to the lingering effects on the food web, sea otter populations have since had a hard time bouncing back. This is just one example of how humans have changed ecosystems.

In many ecosystems, overhunting has caused problems. It has left top predators unable to regain their position in the ecosystem.

A Loss In Sea Otters Changed An Entire Ecosystem

In the 1700s, more than 10,000 sea otters lived off the California coast. Due to overhunting, fewer than 100 were left by the early 1900s. With hardly any otters left, the ecosystem began to change.

Sea otters eat sea urchins. Without any otters to eat them, the sea urchin population went way up. The sea urchins ate kelp, which is a type of seaweed. Many fish and other animals used the kelp forests for shelter. Without the kelp forests, these animals were forced to leave.

Without the otters, the entire ecosystem became a lot less diverse. It also resulted in a trophic cascade. This can happen when a top predator is removed from an ecosystem. It affects the prey population and other organisms in the food web. When a top predator is removed, everything else will be affected in some way. Image 2. A sea otter floats on its back. Due to over-hunting, the sea otter population off the California coast dropped from more than ten thousand in the 1700s to less than one hundred by the early 1900s. When the otter population dropped during the fur-trade era, it initiated a cascade of events that altered the region's food web. Photo: Marshal Hedin/Wikimedia

With Fewer Wolves, The Elk Population Exploded


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)Something similar happened with wolves in the 1900s. Settlers hunted large animals like bison and elk, but wolves hunted these same animals. The hunters and wolves competed. The wolves had fewer big prey to catch, so the hungry wolves started to attack livestock. Ranchers hunted the wolves to protect their animals.

The loss of wolves led to an elk population explosion. The elks ate too many plants, including young trees. The loss of these plants hurt beaver and bird populations. Without enough plants to hold the soil together, the river banks crumbled.

Reintroduction Can Help Ecosystems

Scientists have learned more about what happens when top predators go missing. They have tried to bring some top predators back. For example, the National Park Service reintroduced wolves into Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s. The wolves had a big effect on the ecosystem and food web. The elk population decreased. With fewer elk, there was a lot more plant growth. Small animal populations increased, too.

In Yellowstone, the reintroduction of predators has been largely successful. In the case of the sea otters, bringing back the predators has been more complicated.

In central California, there are now almost 3,000 sea otters. However, the otters have not expanded their range. Ecosystem changes may be to blame. When the sea otters vanished, the kelp forests disappeared. When otters today swim into these empty areas, sharks can spot and catch them.

The Results Are Not Always Successful

In other cases, the reintroduction of top predators has had less successful results. For example, people reintroduced brown bears in the Pyrenees mountain range in Europe. They ended up attacking livestock.

This shows that trophic cascades are complicated. Predators can affect ecosystems and food webs in unpredictable ways. Reintroducing top predators might not always solve an ecosystem's problems. Quiz1. What are the MAIN ideas developed in the article?

(A) A food chain is a group of organisms linked together in the order of the food they eat. Animals can be part of many different food chains that form a food web.(B) Removing a top predator can change the food web of an entire ecosystem. Changes can make it hard to predict what will happen when top predators are reintroduced.


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)(C) Many animals in the 1900s were hunted by settlers for their furs and coats. Two examples of animals that almost died out because of hunting are otters and wolves.(D) Sea otters taken from their ecosystems can have a hard time returning. Otters that try to swim back into these places can be easily spotted and caught by sharks.

2. Which sentence best supports the MAIN ideas of the entire article?(A) By the early 1900s, fewer than 100 were left.(B) Without the kelp, the fish had to leave the ecosystem.(C) Many changes happen when a top predator is taken away.(D) The elk ate too many plants, including young trees.


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)3. Read the article's introduction [paragraphs 1-4] and the final section, “The Results Are Not Always Successful.”What is one connection between these two sections?

(A) The introduction shows problems that happen when a top predator is removed from an ecosystem, and the final section shows that returning them is not always a solution.(B) The introduction compares how different top predators are important to their ecosystems, and the final section contrasts the top predators with the prey animals they eat.(C) The introduction explains what caused settlers to start wanting coats made out of otter fur, and the final section explains how this affects otter populations in California today.(D) The introduction provides definitions of food chains and food webs, and the final section provides stories about brown bears in the Pyrenees mountain range in Europe.

4. This article is mostly organized using cause and effect structure.WHY do you think the author chose to organize the information this way?

(A) to illustrate why scientists are trying to reintroduce some top predators to ecosystems(B) to describe the differences between the ecosystems that include otters and wolves(C) to argue that people should be allowed to hunt only small prey animals in an ecosystem(D) to compare the number of top predators in ocean ecosystems with forest

ecosystems

5. Read the following paragraph from the section "Reintroduction Can Help Ecosystems."Scientists have learned more about what happens when top predators go missing. They havetried to bring some top predators back. For example, the National Park Service reintroduced wolves into Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s. The wolves had a big effect on the ecosystem and food web. The elk population decreased. With fewer elk, there was a lot more plant growth. Small animal populations increased, too.

Which statement summarizes the paragraph?(A) Top predators that disappear and come back can change the number of plants in our national parks.(B) The National Park Service reintroduced wolves into Yellowstone in the 1990s to see what would happen.(C) Reintroducing top predators like wolves can be tricky for scientists who mostly want to protect elk populations.(D) Bringing wolves back to Yellowstone shows how top predators can help to balance an ecosystem's food web.


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)New Zealand's environment is in trouble and many animals are at risk By Eleanor Ainge Roy, The Guardian, adapted by Newsela staff on 01.13.20

In this 2017 photo, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve native species keeper Bethany Brett holds Mohua, a female great spotted kiwi in her enclosure in Christchurch, New Zealand. People across New Zealand are embracing an environmental goal so ambitious it has been compared to putting a man on the moon: ridding the entire nation of every last stoat, possum and rat. The idea is to give a second chance to the unusual birds that ruled this South Pacific nation before humans arrived 800 years ago. Photo: Mark Baker for AP.

New Zealand's environment is at risk, a new report says. A high number of species have died out. Half of the country's waterways are polluted. Meanwhile, dairy farms and construction are causing even more damage.

New Zealand's government claims the country is clean, green and pure. Millions of tourists visit the island nation every year. Environment Aotearoa is a new report on New Zealand's environment. It tells a different story.

More Species Are At Risk Of Dying Out

New Zealand has a huge number of dangerous species that were brought from somewhere else. At least 75 animals and plants have died out since humans settled there, the report said. Birds are among the worse off.

New Zealand has some birds that do not fly. The kiwi is one of them. The is another. Invading rats from other countries have killed the birds. About 90 percent of seabirds are at risk of extinction. They will be gone forever. For shorebirds, that figure is 80 percent.


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)Almost two-thirds of the ecosystems are failing. Over the last 15 years, the extinction risk grew higher for 86 species. In contrast, just 26 species are more secure.

The Damage Is Permanent

Kevin Hague is with the conservation group called Forest and Bird. He said the government has denied the problem existed. It put off coming up with any solutions. The report showed the effects of wasting time.

The country is losing species and ecosystems faster than anywhere else in the world, he said. New Zealanders are "harming our natural world." The damage cannot be undone.

David Parker is the minister for the environment. He said the report was not a surprise. It showed that the government must take action.

Water quality is another area on which the government is focusing. Jacinda Ardern is New Zealand's prime minister. She has promised to make rivers and lakes clean enough to swim in again.

That could be challenging.

Polluted Water Is A Big Problem

Almost 60 percent of wells were polluted. High levels of E. coli bacteria were found in them. Water quality in more than half of the lakes is poor. Three-quarters of native freshwater fish are at risk of extinction. One-third of freshwater insects are also in danger of dying out.

James Shaw is the minister for climate change. He said global warming is starting to affect the country. The sea levels are rising. Land temperatures are increasing. The ocean is warming.

"We must not waste any more time," Hague said. New Zealand must protect its environment, not trash it, he said.

Quiz 1. Read the section "The Damage Is Permanent."


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)Select the paragraph from the section that explains how the government has made the environmental problems in New Zealand worse.(A) Kevin Hague is with the conservation group called Forest and Bird. He said the government has denied the problem existed. It put off coming up with any solutions. The report showed the effects of wasting time.(B) The country is losing species and ecosystems faster than anywhere else in the world, he said. New Zealanders are "harming our natural world." The damage cannot be undone.(C) David Parker is the minister for the environment. He said the report was not a surprise. It showed that the government must take action.(D) Water quality is another area on which the government is focusing. Jacinda Ardern is New Zealand's prime minister. She has promised to make rivers and lakes clean enough to swim in again.

2. Which question is answered in section “More Species Are At Risk Of Dying Out”?(A) What is causing plant and animal species in New Zealand to die out?(B) What is an ecosystem?(C) How many species have been lost in New Zealand?(D) How can birds be protected from dying out?

3. Read the following selection from the section "More Species Are At Risk Of Dying Out."Over the last 15 years, the extinction risk grew higher for 86 species. In contrast, just 26 species are more secure.

Which word could replace "secure" WITHOUT changing the meaning of the sentence?(A) threatened(B) uncertain(C) safe(D) known

4. Read the selection from the section "Polluted Water Is A Big Problem."James Shaw is the minister for climate change. He said global warming is starting to affect the country. The sea levels are rising. Land temperatures are increasing. The ocean is warming. What does the word "minister" mean?(A) a religious leader(B) someone who fights to protect the environment(C) a leader in the government(D) a scientist who does research on the environment


Weeks 7 & 8 – (May 18–29)

· web viewtwo things cause submarine volcanoes to form islands, mandeville says. one is the...

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