Home Plan - [ELA2-L7-U5-LC1-5 Aliens from Earth]

The document discusses the importance of ecosystem balance and emphasizes the damage that invasive species like rabbits in Australia, starlings in the United States, and zebra mussels have caused as a result of human activity. It also focuses on the uncontrolled spread of kudzu in the southeastern U.S., which outcompetes native plants and damages forests. Emphasizing the importance of protecting habitats from invasive species, the section provides steps for individuals to help prevent further ecological imbalances, alongside lesson objectives related to ecosystem balance and problem-solving skills.

Contents

• Pages 1—17: Ecosystem balance importance
• Pages 18—23: Invasive kudzu damages ecosystems.

This section of the document discusses the importance of maintaining the balance of ecosystems. It emphasizes how healthy ecosystems need a variety of organisms and a balance between predators and prey. It mentions how alien invaders, which are non-native species, can disrupt the balance of an ecosystem and pose a threat. The text provides examples like rabbits in Australia, starlings in the United States, and zebra mussels that have caused problems in ecosystems due to human activities such as transportation and trade. The document also mentions the impact of human activities on ecosystems and how they have accelerated the pace of alien invasions. It highlights the challenges of controlling and managing invasive species that can harm native flora and fauna.

Kudzu, a fast-growing vine introduced to the southeastern United States for its aesthetic appeal, has spread uncontrollably, outcompeting native plants and severely damaging forests. Despite good intentions, its rapid growth rate has led to ecological imbalances. The warm climate in the South is more suitable for kudzu than its native Japan. The document also emphasizes the importance of protecting habitats from invasive species, providing steps individuals can take such as not releasing exotic pets, not disturbing natural areas, and not transporting harmful seeds or animals. The section includes various lesson objectives related to ecosystem balance, academic vocabulary, problem-solving skills, making inferences, and developing research questions about species of interest.