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Summary: To apply conceptual knowledge, to arrive at conclusions and to dare make predictions
1. Each organism is adapted for a particular way of life. In this way many organisms are able to live together without having to compete for food
2. Organisms are changing continually in an effort to improve their adaptation to the environment.
3. Changes in the environment.
4. The temperature is rising.
5. No. Some will probably become extinct.
6. They will have to adapt to the changes. Their ability to adapt will depend on the degree and tempo of changes in the environment.
The extinction of the dinosaurs: Discuss drastic changes such as the arrival of the ice age with the learners and mention the speed with which it occurred, etc. Encourage them to collect information and to bring it to the class.
Human beings can contribute to it through disruption of the natural balance, e.g. by destroying forests, pollution, and extermination of particular animal species.
You now know that a large variety of plants and animals occur in ecosystems. Try to answer the following questions:
1. Why is there a variety (diversity) of plants and animals (why do plants differ from one another and why do animals differ from one another)?
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2. Will the plants and animals that are alive today remain unchanged forever or will they gradually change? Explain your answer.
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3. What causes plants and animals to change?
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4. Name one non-living factor that currently is busy changing and that eventually will cause the nature of ecosystems all over the world to change.
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5. Will all the plants and animals survive the change? _________________________
6. What will the plants and animals have to do to survive the change?
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Plants and animals differ from one another because they have adapted to survive under specific conditions. If the conditions change permanently, the plants and animals must adapt to the change. The species that succeed in changing survive the change. Species that cannot change die out.
Dinosaurs are examples of extinct animals.
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Try to determine what change caused the dinosaurs to become extinct.
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Can people contribute to a permanent change in conditions on earth? Describe.
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Learning Outcome 2:The learner will know and be able to interpret and apply scientific, technological and environmental knowledge.
Assessment Standard 2.3: We know this when the learner interprets information;
Assessment Standard 2.4: We know this when the learner applies knowledge in a variation of a known situation.
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This work is licensed by Siyavula User under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 3.0), and is an Open Educational Resource.
Last edited by Siyavula User on Mar 6, 2009 1:05 am -0600.