DRAFT

Grade 5
Goal 1

Ecosystems

July 2008
I. Grade Level: 5

II. Unit Title: Ecosystems

III. Unit Length: 9 weeks

IV.Major Unit Goal/Learning Outcomes:

The learner will be able to:
• list common ecosystems
• compare and contrast several ecosystems
• examine how organism function as producers, consumers, and
decomposers within a ecosystem
• consider how environmental factors affect an ecosystem’s
ability to support life
• evaluate how organisms interact within an ecosystem
• explain and debate how humans affect ecosystems
• establish how items are recycled in nature

V. Objective Chart and RBT Tags

Unit Title: Ecosystems Number of Weeks: 6-9
Number Competency or Objective RBT Tag
1.01 Describe and compare several common 2B
ecosystems (communities of organisms and
their interaction with the environment).
1.02 Identify and analyze the functions of organisms 4A
within the population of the ecosystem:
• Producers.
• Consumers.
• Decomposers.
1.03 Explain why an ecosystem can support a variety 2B
of organisms.
1.04 Discuss and determine the role of light, 4B
temperature, and soil composition in an
ecosystem’s capacity to support life.
1.05 Determine the interaction of organisms within an 4B
ecosystem.
1.06 Explain and evaluate some ways that humans 5B
affect ecosystems.
• Habitat reduction due to development.

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 •Pollutants.
• Increased nutrients.
1.07 Determine how materials are recycled in nature. 4A

VI. ELD/EC:

VII. Materials and Equipment

1.01
• Science notebook k
• An outdoor area similar to a field or patch of garden
• String
• Magnifying glass
• Thermometer
• Popsicle sticks
• Paper
• Small gardening tools
• Research materials that provide information about a variety of
ecosystems.
• Access to the internet
• Index cards (3 x 5)
• Markers, colored pencils, or a printer for photos and pictures.
• Book: A Desert Scrapbook, Dawn to Dusk in the Sonoran
Desert by Virginia Wright-Frierson
1.02
• Science notebook
• 1 set of ecosystem cards made in lesson 1.01 per group
• Computer lab with access to the internet
1.03
• Habitat map – 1 copy for group
• Habitat clues – 1 copy for group
• Post-it notes (3 x 3)
• Soda cans – 1 per student
• Six varieties of beans
• Four different colors of yarn
• Colored pencils or crayons
1.04 and 1.05
• Tri-Fold Project Foam Board (science fair board)
• Power Point

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 • Craft Supplies…glue, markers, etc.
• Animal Magazines
• Internet Access
1.06
• Plastic animals [Those can be found at dollar stores or drug
stores. They are normally in a tube.]
• Plastic house [Monopoly pieces would be good or if you can get
objects that represent housing, i.e. paper clip, ball.]
• Sheet of paper
Per Group
• A computer or
• 3 pictures (air, water, and land pollution)
• Information and pictures on Exxon Valdese
1.07
• Pictures of a prairie ecosystem for each group of students
(mouse, snake, hawk, plants), desert ecosystem, forest
ecosystem, etc
• A copy of Appendixes
• Computer
• Notebook

VIII. Big Ideas:

IX. Unit Notes:

Activity Examples: hands-on, centers, reading maps and building
models, small and whole group discussion, using student science
notebooks, technology: using computers for research, lecture, student
presentations, simulation games

July 2008 3
Flow Chart:

Ecosystems come in a variety of sizes. They can be as small as a puddle

of rain or as large as a continent. When any group of living and nonliving
things interact, it can be considered an ecosystem. Any type of ecosystem
is an open system in the sense that energy and matter are transferred in
and out of the system. Natural ecosystems are made of both abiotic factors
(air, water, rocks, energy) and biotic factors (plants, animals, and
microorganisms).
Within all ecosystems there are habitats that also vary in size. The habitat
is where the population lives. A population is considered any group of living
organisms of the same kind living in the same place at the same time.
When all of the populations interact, they form a community. Non-living
things interact with the community of living things to form the ecosystem.
Within the habitat, the needs of the organisms must be met. These needs
are food, water, temperature, shelter, oxygen, and minerals. If the needs of
the population are not met, that population will move to an area more suited
to its needs. The processes of competition, predation, cooperation, and
symbiosis occur because two differing populations cannot occupy the same
niche at the same time. This means habitats are specific to a population.

July 2008 4
Each population has it own habitat though several populations may share a
habitat.
Biomes are where several habitats intersect. Biomes are natural occurring
environments, although people can create controlled biomes. Within all
biomes, habitats, and ecosystems is an energy cycle. This energy cycle
determines which populations survive or die. Every living thing on Earth
needs energy and ultimately the sun is the source of all energy within an
ecosystem.
A food chain is how energy is passed, in the form of food, from one
organism to another. See lesson 1.02 for a good definition of the organisms
in the food chain. The organisms in the food chain are producers,
consumers, or decomposers. Some organisms make their own food
(producers), while others need to eat other organisms for food
(decomposers and consumers). A food chain is the path of food given from
the final consumer back to a producer. A food chain is one single path, but
in the real world there is not a straight path, but rather a web of paths. This
is because many animals do not consume only one type of plant or animal.
A food web is made up of interlocking food chains.
Water and energy are vital to the survival of an ecosystem, conservation is
needed. Most ecosystems conserve the resources naturally. An example
would be the exchange of carbon dioxide (given off from animals) and
oxygen (given off by plants). Another example is the waste of some species
becomes the food of another. When there are limited resources, the
conservation process is urgent and more visible. If the conservation efforts
do not succeed, then species can become endangered or even extinct.
Species become endangered with the available habitat can no longer
support the members of a population. When a habitat disappears and all of
the members of a population die, the species is considered extinct.
For a more detailed and specific explanation of food chains, webs, and
energy flow, go to:
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html#Energyflowthroughtheec
osystem3.

Resources:
o Project Wild. Western Regional Environmental Education Council.
o Ingram, M. Bottle Biology. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
o Onto the Desert, a Game of Survival. Ampersand Press.
o Food Chains and Food Webs,
http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm

July 2008 5
 o Food Chains,
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.usCURR/SCIENCE/sciber00/8th/energy/sc
iber/chains.htm
o http://www.cec.org/pubs_info_resources/publications/enviro_co
nserv/ecomap.cfm?varlan=english
o http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html
o Interesting Facts about Food Chains,
http://www.arcytech.org/java/population/facts_foodchain.html
o Onto the Desert, A Game of Survival. Ampersand Press, 1995.
o AIMS Education Foundation, Field Detectives, Investigations in
Playground Habitats.
o http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/287.html
o http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/
o http://www.mce.k12tn.net/animals/environments/lesson_plans.h
tm
o http://www.mariemontschools.org/halsall/buildbiome.htm
o http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/ecosystems.htm
o http://www.edc.uri.edu/lme/clickable-map.htm
o http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_map.htm
o http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
o http://library.advanced.org/11353/text/ecosystems.htm
o http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/
o http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html
o http://members.aol.com/bowermanb/ecosystems.html
o http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/ecosystems.htm
o http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/blackhawk/ecosys.htm
o http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/
o http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/
intro.html
o http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/index1.html
o http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0769052.html
o http://www.ultranet.com/~jkimball/BiologyPages/B/Biomes.html
o http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/tundra.html

X. Global Content

July 2008 6
Lesson 1: Ecosystems

Objective:
Objective 1.01
Language Objectives: LEP students will
- listen and demonstrate comprehension of A Desert Scrapbook
by responding to simple questions and statements.
- share what they saw and heard in the book by using appropriate
gestures, simple words, phrases, expressions, and illustrative
objects with prompting and modeling.
- demonstrate comprehension of ecosystem trade books through
graphic organizers, pictures or responding to simple questions
or statements.
- begin to compose simple sentences based on their
observations with support materials and organizational
strategies.

Activity Concepts: A variety of ecosystems can be set up in your classroom

using terrariums and “Ecocolumns”. Information about these various set
ups can be found in the resources section in this unit. This lesson focuses
on an activity where students make observations about the plants, animals,
weather, and geology that are found within different ecosystems. After
making these observations using a chart, they will design cards and make
a game to play to learn more about their chosen ecosystem. This lesson
has a literacy connection where students can read various trade books that
are set in specific ecosystems or non-fiction reference books that focus on
a specific ecosystem.

Process Skills: observing, classifying, inferring, communicating, and

collecting data

Materials:
• Science notebook
• An outdoor area like a field or patch of garden.
• String
• Magnifying glass
• Thermometer
• Popsicle sticks

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 • Paper
• Small gardening tools
• Research materials that provide information about a variety of
ecosystems.
• Access to the internet
• Index cards (3 x 5)
• Markers, colored pencils, or a printer for photos and pictures.
• Book: A Desert Scrapbook, Dawn to Dusk in the Sonoran Desert by
Virginia Wright-Frierson

Engage:
• Have students group together in pairs.

ELL modification: Make sure ELLs are paired with native English
speakers for this activity.

• Take students outside and locate a small patch of land for them to
examine.
• Use string to partition a segment that is 12 inches by 12 inches for
each pair of students.
• Students will record observations about this ecosystem in their
science notebook. Remind them to include all living and non-living
things.
ELL modification: Instruct students to draw a T-chart in their
notebooks with Living and Non-living as the headings. Allow Novice
students to record their observations by drawing pictures. Allow
Intermediate students to use a combination of pictures, words, and
phrases.
• Record the temperature in the ecosystem.
• Turn over a small patch of the turf. Observe what's beneath the
surface.
• As they observe they need to consider the variety of living and non-
living things in their ecosystem.
• Have them look for how the survival needs are being met in this
ecosystem. Air? Food? Water? Sunlight? Shelter?
ELL modification:
- Option 1: Lead this whole group with a graphic organizer
(pie chart, bubble map) and record students’ contributions.
- Option 2: Copy Appendix 1 (A or B) and staple into
students’ Science July 2008
notebooks for them to complete with 8
partners.
Explore:
1. Tell students that you are going to read them a story about a special
place. Have them jot down the different things that they observe in
the pictures or hear about in the story that may make this place
special.

ELL modification: Try to locate several copies of this book.

Distribute the books among small groups of ELLs along with sticky
notes. Allow them to mark the pictures in the book that make the
place special with sticky notes. Later, when sharing with the class,
they can easily find and show the different things that they saw. A
partner, teacher or volunteer can help them write the name of what
they saw on the sticky note, which they can then place on a category
chart. Example:
Observations
Plants Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Insects Geology

2. Read A Desert Scrapbook, Dawn to Dusk in the Sonoran Desert by

Virginia Wright-Frierson
3. Once you finish reading, allow students to share the different things
that they saw or heard.
4. After listening to what the students share, ask them what types of
categories that they can come up with using their observations.
[ Possible categories: plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians,
insects, geology, weather]

Explain:
1. Choose one particular ecosystem for each group of students to
research. [This can be done in a variety of ways. There are great
trade books such as Jean Craighead George’s novels that are set in
a particular ecosystem. A favorite is The Talking Earth, set in the
Everglades. You can also use books about specific ecosystems, or
research on the internet.]
2. Use the Flora/Fauna chart [found at end of this lesson] and have
students copy this into their science notebook.

July 2008 9
 3. As students research the chosen ecosystem, they will compile a list
of the plants, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects,
weather, landforms, and bodies of water found in the ecosystem.
4. [This can be done throughout the year using different ecosystems so
students have a chance to make comparisons of a variety of
ecosystems.]
5. Discuss the Flora/Fauna tables the students have made. Have them
make observations about the similarities and differences in their
charts.
ELL modification: Use a Venn diagram as a graphic organizer to help
students compare and contrast 2 or 3 ecosystems.

6. Make a class table of the data the students collected.

Elaborate:
Students are going to use the information they gathered about the
ecosystem to make a game. They will make the following cards:
• 2 element cards (elements found in the ecosystem that represent
forces in nature and time)
• 2 recycler cards (animals that are decomposers in the ecosystem)
• 10 plant cards
• 10 mammal cards
• 5 bird cards
• 5 insect cards
• 5 fish cards (if fish are found in the ecosystem)
• 5 reptile and/or amphibian cards
[Each group of animal cards needs to have a variety of herbivores,
carnivores, and omnivores]

ELL modification:
- give examples of elements to choose from
- give examples of recycler to choose from
- review the definitions of herbivores, carnivores and omnivores
with picture support (plant, meat, plant & meat) for Novice
students.

Card Layout [see layout at end of the lesson]

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 • Animal cards need to have two sections on the cards, Prey (hunted)
and Predator (hunted by). Students will need to research what this
animal hunts and what hunts it.
• Plant cards need to have what animals eat it (eaten by) listed on the
card.

ELL modification: Be sure to provide research materials appropriate to

students’ reading levels and/or an English-speaking partner to help with
retrieving relevant information.
- Provide an example of the plant card layout as well as the
animal so that students can see how to complete it.

Evaluate: As students make their cards, have them refer back to their
Flora/Fauna charts. Students need to make sure they have used plants and
animals from this chart. They also need to make sure they use animals and
plants that rely upon each other for survival. The plant and animal cards
should connect back to each other. Some students may need to conduct
further research.
ELL modification: You may need to show the reliance relationship
between certain animals and plants.
Note: These cards will be used in the second lesson of this unit. It would be
a good idea to laminate them.

July 2008 11
 Flora/Fauna Chart
Plant Mammals Birds Reptiles Insects Fish Weather Landforms Bodies
Life and of
Amphibians Water

July 2008 12
 Card Layout

Common name of plant or animal

Photo or drawing of plant or animal

Scientific name
PREY PREDATOR
What it hunts: Hunted by:

July 2008 13
Lesson 2: Ecosystems

Objective:
Objective 1.02

Language Objectives: LEP students will

- Understand and follow one-step and two-step directions and
instructions with modeling and prompting when spoken slowly
and distinctly in order to play The Survival Game.
- Participate in the discussion of food chains by using a variety of
non-verbal communication strategies in addition to simple words
and phrases to express own ideas or thoughts with prompting
and modeling.
- Draw pictures and use labels to write about food chains with
direct instruction and assistance.

Activity Concepts: Students will be working with the cards they made in
the previous lesson. This time, they will be looking specifically on what
animals and plants fit into the food chain as producers, consumers,
and decomposers.

Process Skills: observing, classifying, inferring, communicating,

Materials:
o Science notebook
o 1 set of ecosystem cards made in lesson 1.01 per group
o Computer lab with access to the internet

Engage: Have students go to the following website:

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/index.cfm

This site has a food chain game, so click on “play the game.”
Students can try both the Northern Food Chain and the Forest Food Chain.
Here they will try to put the organisms in order as they feed upon each
other.

ELL modification: This is a good website for LEP students, but they
will need someone to read aloud the introductory text before the
game.

July 2008 14
Explore: Each group of students will take a set of ecosystem cards. They
will work together to place all cards into a chain using the information found
on the cards.
1. Shuffle the deck of cards and place the stack face down on the table.
2. One student takes a card and turns it over, face up, on the table.
3. Then next student takes a card and tries to place it into the chain. To
fit into the chain the animal or plant on the card has to be eaten by
the first animal or must eat the first animal. If it matches, then it is
plac ed next to the card. If it doesn’t fit, it is discarded and goes back
to the stack of cards, but at the bottom of the deck.
4. Students continue picking up cards and placing them on the food
chain. Cards may be added above, next to and below the cards on
the table. More than one chain can be made.
5. Students should attempt to make as many connections as possible.

ELL modification: Teacher should model how to play the game,

especially how to make multiple chains at once.

Explain: Using the cards, have a discussion of the food chains created by
the students during the card game. Discuss the functions of each of the
organisms in relationship to the food chain. Explain that energy is
transferred from one organism to the other as they eat each other.

Begin with the plants:

• What is the role of plants in the food chain? [They provide food for
some of the animals]
• Where do they get their food (energy) from? [They use light energy
from the sun to produce their own food from carbon dioxide and
water]
• Explain that this makes the producers on the food chain since plants
make [or produce] their own food.

Animals in the food chain:

Animals cannot make their own food so they must eat plants and/or
animals and they are called consumers. There are three types of
consumers:
a. Animals that only eat plants are called primary consumers (or
herbivores).
b. Animals that eat other animals are carnivores.

July 2008 15
 • Animals that eat herbivores are called secondary
consumers.
• Carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary
consumers.
c. Animals that eat both plants and animals are omnivores.

Decomposers
Decomposers cannot make their own food. Bacteria and fungi are
decomposers and they break down waste products and dead organisms for
food.
ELL modification:
- Present the explanation of these definitions with visuals
(poster, picture cards, video clip, etc.)
- Write the key words on a Science word wall and
accompany them with pictures and/or labels.

Students will check over the food chains they made at the beginning of the
lesson and draw them in their science notebook. Once they have drawn the
food chain, they need to label each part of the food chain using the correct
labels for each animal or plant.

Elaborate:
The Survival Game

a. There are two basic ways to play this game. A player can be on
the HUNT, deliberately looking for food or they can be a SEARCH,
where they just happen upon food.
b. For this game, you will add four more cards to the deck. Two cards
are ELEMENT cards and two are RECYCLER cards. RECYCLER
cards are made for the specific ecosystem that is being used.
Make the card by choosing two important recyclers (animals,
bacteria or fungi) that eat dead and decaying plant matter.
c. The ELEMENT and RECYCLER cards will be shuffled into the
deck.
d. A round lasts approximately 20 minutes. It is good to play three or
four rounds for this game.
e. The player with the most “sun” points at the end of the game (all
rounds) wins.

July 2008 16
f. To begin, deal out all the cards to the players. There will be a few
players who have one less card. These players will receive five
extra sun points at the end of the game.
g. A player begins by asking another player with a HUNT or a
SEARCH.
h. In a SEARCH the player lets the other player know they are
SEARCHING for food from their hand. The two players each lay
down ONE card face up. The player who has the card that eats the
other [example a hawk eats a rabbit], takes the eaten card and
puts it into their hand. If the animals are equal and one doesn’t eat
another, then it’s a tie and both players keep their original cards.
i. At the end of a SEARCH, the next player takes a turn no matter if
one wins on a SEARCH or not.
j. In the HUNT a players asks another for one specific card. The
player must show the card they are using to take the card. [“I’m
going to take your snake with my eagle card.”]
k. If the player wins the HUNT then the player is able to take another
turn, BUT, they must do another HUNT, not a SEARCH. If they
would like to do a SEARCH, they must wait another turn.
l. If the player does NOT win the HUNT, they must give their card to
the player they asked for the card. [If the player on the HUNT
asked for the snake card has asked incorrectly, and the other
player doesn’t have the snake card, they must give their card to
the other player.]
m. Using element and recycling cards: Element cards represent the
forces found in nature. Each ecosystem has different Elements
that can have an effect upon it.
n. Element cards can be used to HUNT one time during a player’s
turn. The Element cards automatically take all other cards in the
HUNT. The only card that can take an Element card during the
HUNT is a Recycler card. [Recycler cards can take an Element
card during the HUNT.]
o. If a player holding an Element card is on a SEARCH, there is a tie
with a Recycler card. Neither player wins the hand nor does each
keep their card. The cards are returned to the bottom of the deck.
p. [Before playing, determine which Recycler card will be able to take
the cards in the following situation.] When an element card takes a
plant card, a Recycler card (from another player) can jump in and
take BOTH cards. At this time, the Recycler takes the two cards,
along with their Recycler card and set them aside. They can use

July 2008 17
 these cards for scoring, but they cannot be used for the rest of the
game.
q. [The second Recycler card will take the cards in the following
situation.] When any card is used to take any animal card the
second Recycler card can take both cards. Again, the two cards
along with the Recycler card need to be placed aside. They can be
used for scoring, but cannot be used for the rest of the game.
r. This game is played until the round is over.

ELL modification: This game will have to be modeled. The best way to
model it would be walking the small groups that contain LEP students
through the instructions of the game for an entire round, explaining as
well as demonstrating how to play. Then, continue to monitor them as
they play a second round independently.

Evaluate: Scoring of the Survival Game is the evaluation piece. Students

must determine the type of cards they have so they can get the points
earned with each type of card.

• Since producers are the foundation of the food chain, each producer
is worth 10 points.
• Herbivores are each worth 7 points since they are the closest link to
the producers in the food chain.
• Omnivores are worth 5 points each. They eat animals, yet they also
eat producers.
• Animals that eat only insects are worth 3 points each. They do not eat
any plant matter.
• Carnivores are each worth only 1 point.
• Special sets (those taken by the Recycler cards described in p. and
q. above, are worth 20 points per set.

Once students play one round, play another and score again. Discuss if
they played the second round differently and explain why.

ELL modification: You will have to observe if they play the second
round differently, because Novice and Intermediate LEP students will
not be able to discuss and explain why they played differently.

July 2008 18
[Suggestion: You may want to place a key on the board as a reference
point for students. This will help avoid confusion and arguments among
students.]

July 2008 19
Lesson 3: Ecosystems

Objective:
Objective 1.03

Language Objectives: LEP students will

- Understand and follow one-step and two-step directions and
instructions with modeling and prompting when spoken slowly
and directly in order to participate in the Engage activity.
- Use a variety of non-verbal communication strategies in addition
to simple words and phrases to express own ideas or thoughts
in the various discussions throughout the lesson with prompting
and modeling.
- Draw pictures and use labels to write about the Extend activity
with direct instruction and assistance.

Activity Concepts: Students will be playing a game that simulates how

an ecosystem can support different organisms. The ecosystem has a
variety of habitats that meet certain needs of the organisms found
there. Students will also determine how the ecosystem can support
different predators.

Process Skills: classifying, inferring, predicting, communicating, using

number relationships, making models, and interpreting data

Materials:
• Habitat map – 1 copy per group
• Habitat clues – 1 copy per group
• Post-it notes (3 x 3)
• Soda cans – 1 per student
• Six varieties of beans
• Four different colors of yarn
• Colored pencils or crayons

Engage:
1. The best place to do this is outside in a grassy area.
2. Number the students from one to four.
3. Have students group together by their numbers.

July 2008 20
 4. Each group is assigned the name of one of the components of a
habitat. For example: ones are water, twos are space, threes are
food, and fours are shelter.

ELL modification: The lesson of this activity would be clearer to LEP

students if all students wore some kind of visual identification as to
which component they represent (on a card around their necks or a
sticky name tag with pictures for each of the components.)

5. Students form to form a circle.

6. Only ONE student from each group comes out at a time.
7. They stand next to each other. Facing towards what will be the
middle of the center of the circle.
8. Add four more students, one from each group, to the circle. Again
they will stand next to each other.
9. Keep doing this until all the students are in the circle. They should be
standing shoulder to shoulder, facing the center of the circle.
10. Now everyone needs to face to their right. As they do this, each
student takes one step to the center of the circle.
11. At this point, they should be standing very close together and
looking at the back of the head of the student in front of them.
12. EVERYONE needs to listen carefully.
13. Each student needs to place their hands on the waist of the person
in front of them.
14. At the count of three, they need to sit down on the knees of the
person behind them. It is important that all students keep their knees
together to support the person sitting on their lap.
15. When students are all sitting on each others lap, supporting each
other, explain that these are the four components (food, water,
shelter, and space) that support a good habitat.
16. Try taking out one student from each of the four groups Do not let
them move the circle in at all.
17. Try the lap sit again [it can’t be done].
18. Discuss the results of both lap sits.

Explore: Students will play the Habitat Game.

1. Ask students: What are the things needed by animals and plants in
an ecosystem? [water, space, food, and shelter].
2. Give each pair of students a Habitat Map and a Habitat Clues sheet.

July 2008 21
3. Go over the Habitat Map and the symbols and conditions that are
found on the map [in this ecosystem]. Explain that several conditions
can be found in one spot. [Leaves may be in the shade and some
may be found in the sun]
4. Give students a variety of six types of beans. They need to have a
small pile of each type of bean.
5. Let students know that many animals live very close to the type of
food they eat.
6. Have students look at their Habitat Clues sheet.
7. Tell them each type of bean represents a different animal. Remind
them, when looking at the clues; that some animals need more space
than others.
ELL modification: This game will be conceptually difficult for some LEP
students. You may be able to increase comprehension by assigning an
actual animal to each type of bean. Beyond that, a native English-
speaking partner will need to guide them through the steps of placing the
beans based on clues.

8. Have them glue one type of bean at each of the clues [A-F] in the
circle.
9. They now need to use the clues and place the beans on their Habitat
Map [they will NOT glue the beans onto the map].
10. Remind them, when an animal (bean) needs more than one space,
they must be on spots on their map that share at least one common
side.
11. There are many arrangements possible and sometimes they may
need to exchange one type of animal [bean] for another.
12. Once they have filled in their maps, they need to go back to the
Habitat Clue sheet and color the squares as a key. One color for
each type of bean. When they have completed the key, they need to
color in their maps, using the key to match to the beans on the map.
13. Once they have colored their maps, students count each type of bean
they placed and record. There are ten of the beans they used for clue
B, and then they have 2 of that animal since that animal needs 5
spaces.]
14. Once their maps are finished, and all animals have been recorded,
predators will be used in part 2.

July 2008 22
15. Explain that habitats have roving predators that require more space
and may even go outside of the habitat as part of their territory.
These animals need more space to find other animals to eat.

ELL modification: This could be best explained by showing a short

video clip of this type of predator, or showing a picture of a predator
and multiple pictures of its prey on a map; then moving the predator
around and outside of the map “eating” its prey.

16. Give each group of students four different colors of string or yarn
that will represent a predator.

ELL modification: Again, using names of actual animals for each string
color will make the activity more concrete for LEP students.

17. They need to use the bottom section of their Habitat Clues sheet
and color code the squares to match their string.
18. They need to make string loops and arrange them around the
spaces on the Habitat Map so that the predator will have enough food
inside the loop. Loops cannot overlap.
ELL modification:
- LEP students will need to be told how much food is “enough
food” in order to know how many squares need to be inside
each loop.
- You will need to demonstrate what overlap means.

19. Just like in the first part of the game, different arrangements can be
made and may need to be rearranged to give enough space to all of
the predators.
20. Once they have completed their arrangements, have the students
glue the strings onto the map.

July 2008 23
Explain:
1. Discuss the game with the students.
2. Have them look back at their maps and discuss the different
arrangements that they made.

ELL modification: In order for LEP students to participate in this activity:

- Novice students can hold up their maps while another student or
the teacher describes the arrangements they made.
- Intermediate students may be able show their maps and
describe one or two of their arrangements, especially if modeled
by a classmate or if given prompts/sentence frames/vocabulary
word bank.

3. Which arrangements allowed for the greatest number of animals?

4. Have the students discuss the similarities and differences of their
maps and arrangements.

ELL modification: LEP students will be most successful at this activity if

they have the support of a Venn diagram to help them visually organize
the information (either whole group or small group).

5. What connections can the students make between how much space
an animal needs, its size and the amount of food it eats?
6. Why do some animals need more space than others?
7. Do they need more space in another location? Why or why not?
8. If students were to make another habitat map, how would they
change it?

ELL modification: Novice and Intermediate LEP students will most likely
not be able to participate in this discussion, but will understand the
conclusions of their peers if the teacher provides visuals to support the
desired conclusions (pictures and maps of example animals, examples
of habitat maps completed differently.)

Elaborate:
1. Give each student an empty [clean] soda can and a Post-it. Choose
one of the ecosystems that they studied in lesson 1.

July 2008 24
2. Tell them that they can be any organism in that ecosystem. Review
the organisms in a food chain [producer, primary consumer,
secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, and decomposer].

ELL modification: Be sure to use concrete, visual examples of organisms

that fulfill each role in a certain food chain. Also, if this is a review of the
target vocabulary, it will need to have been explicitly taught to LEP
students at some point prior to this review with simplified language and
visual examples.

3. Have them discuss the needs of different organisms in an ecosystem

and what requirements need to be met to support a variety of
organisms.

ELL modification: Some kind of graphic organizer would help LEP

students participate in and learn from this discussion. See example in
Appendix 2.

4. Write the name of the organism they chose [actual name, not level on
the food chain} on their Post-it note and draw a very quick sketch of
their chosen organism.
5. Place the post it on the can.
6. As a class, you’re going to make a pyramid based on their choices of
organisms.
7. Find a clear area on the floor or a table.
8. Ask for all the students who are producers to come and place their
cans on the table in one row. [There probably will not be many
producers the first time through.]
9. Next, have students who are primary consumers come and place
their can on top of the producers. To live, the primary consumer
needs to be placed right on top of the producer, or it dies. If a primary
consumer dies, then it is moved off to the side. When cans are
moved off to the side, decomposers can be placed on them.
10. Continue the stacking with the secondary consumers. The
secondary consumer cans need to be placed right on top of two
primary consumers or it will die. These animals are larger and need
more food. Only cans that can fit right on the can live, the others are
set off to the side and again, decomposers can be placed on them.

July 2008 25
 11. Repeat with the tertiary consumers. [Again, these animals need to
be placed on two cans to survive.]

[The first round of this game is very unsuccessful, because given their
choice; many students choose to be a primary consumer or a secondary
consumer. Once the first round is played, discuss the results. Ask
students how they can play another round, and have every organism live.]

ELL modification: This will be a very good visual/interactive activity for

LEP students as long as you clearly and repeatedly explain why the cans
are being placed where they are in the pyramid and why they “die.”

Evaluate: Continue playing the rounds until there is a successful pyramid.

Have students work cooperatively to find a solution to this. They need to
remember that the decomposers need to be placed into the pyramid [can
be at any level once the producers are laid down].
Students draw this pyramid into their science notebook.
Have students add the sun above their pyramid and then use arrows to
draw the energy flow from the sun through the ecosystem.

July 2008 26
 Habitat Clues

Bean A ____lives in dead leaves Bean Color

needs one space

Bean B ____lives in dry areas Bean Color

needs five spaces

Bean C ____eats grass Bean Color

needs three spaces

Bean D ____lives under rocks Bean Color

needs one space

Bean E ____must live in water Bean Color

needs two spaces

Bean F ____lives only in shade Bean Color

can live in leaves,
grass, or under rocks
needs two spaces

_____ eats only A and C: needs ten prey string color

_____ eats only A and C: needs ten prey string color

_____ eats only A and C: needs ten prey string color

_____ eats only A and C: needs ten prey string color

July 2008 27
 Habitat Map

Shade Dead
Dry
leaves

Lesson
Water Rock Grass

July 2008 28
Lesson 4: Eco Trip

Objective:
Objectives 1.04 and 1.05

Language Objectives: LEP students will

- Understand and follow one-step and two-step directions and
instructions with modeling and prompting when spoken slowly
and directly in order to participate in the Survival of the Fittest
game.
- Participate in the presentation of their multimedia project by
using appropriate gestures, simple words, phrases,
expressions, and illustrative objects with modeling and
prompting.
- Recognize that the cards in the Survival of the Fittest game
provide information through pictures and simple vocabulary.
- Draw pictures and use labels to complete their part of the
multimedia project with direct instruction and assistance.

Activity Concepts: Student Teams will form an Eco Trip around the world.
They will construct either a Power Point or Poster Board presentation of
their assigned ecosystem. They will have a specific set of instructions on
mandatory and optional items that will be included.

Process Skills: Formulating hypotheses, observation, inferring,

communicating, making models

Materials:
• Tri-Fold Project Foam Board (science fair board)
• Power Point
• Craft Supplies…glue, markers, etc.
• Animal Magazines
• Internet Access

Engage: Play the Survival of the Fittest Game

• Need to have an understanding of basic food chain links-producers
and consumers (primary, secondary, tertiary).

July 2008 29
How to play the survival game [see examples below]:
You need to create small cards with the students well being written on
them. The cards need to be different colors based on what the student is in
the ecosystem (producer-green, primary consumer-blue, and secondary-
yellow, tertiary-red). Colored index cards are a good choice. Based on
what effects each of the components in the system is what you put on the
cards. Examples of positive cards for producers are as follows:
Plenty of water…2 life points
Nice sunny days….2 life points
Rich nutrients in soil…3 life points

Negative examples:
• Chemical pollution…lose 5 life points
• Freezing temperatures…lose 8 life points
• Drought…lose 7 life points

This will be done with each category of life form in the ecosystem, including
positive and negative factors associated with that entity. You can be
creative with the factors…New Housing Development…lose 5 points…
Manure truck tips over…gain 8 life points, and Predator breaks leg in
chase…gain 1 life point. Have fun, but not at the expense of the learning.
Make the ratio of positive to negative cards about 3:1; negative cards cost
more points though.

ELL modification: Be sure to include visuals (clip art is good) on these

cards, along with +/- symbols to show positive and negative effects.

The game is played in rounds. The cards will be placed face down
throughout the room for the consumers. The producers need to have their
cards spread around them in reaching distance (producers can’t roam
around the system). Each round consists of picking up a card and seeing
what the luck of nature has in store for the competitors. Remember, the
consumers get to roam around the room and producers stay stationary.
When the signal is given to pick up a card, they stop and pick up an
appropriate colored card for their station in life, read their fate and continue
into the next round if not killed off. Once all life points have been taken, the
game is over for them. Tell them, “Sorry, you did not survive”. Everyone
can survive the first round, and they may all start with six life points (or
whatever you deem fit).

July 2008 30
Basically the “Survivors” are the ones with life points left at the end of the
game. How many life points indicate how healthy that life form is?

ELL modification: It may be a good idea to pair Novice students with

Explore
fluent English speakers of the same category (consumers, producers,
The
etc.)students will game.
to play the have the choice of either a Tri-fold board creation or
complete a PowerPoint presentation to accomplish the following criteria.

Required parts of the presentation are:

• An introductory page locating your ecosystem on the world map.
• The year-round climate of your ecosystem as represented by a graph
of the monthly average temperature and rainfall for a city near your
ecosystem.
• Average amount of light received by your ecosystem throughout the
year.
• Typical soil composition of your ecosystem.
• How the light, temperature, and soil of your system determine the life
in your system.
• A food web of typical plants and animals in your ecosystem. Include
major predator-prey relationships and other relationships in the
system.
• Any other interesting facts about your ecosystem-this is the place to
wow us with your incredible research skills and get high points!!
• A "works cited" page listing all the web addresses of the sites you
used in gathering information for your project.

Students create an outline of their talk, with details! This is due when
students give their presentation. Make sure that it is complete and typed.
Each student must know their role in the presentation. Be sure that each
team member has about the same amount of talk time during the
presentation.

Tri-Fold presentation- This display should be a visual representation of your

ecosystem. In other words, when you look at it, it should make you think of
the ecosystem it represents. Time to use your team’s creativity.

July 2008 31
Some basic supplies such as background paper, markers and magazines
to cut up for pictures will be supplied. Your team needs to add anything that
will make it really special!

2. Design a Power Point that will be presented to the class. Your team will
be responsible for presenting and discussing the information your project
displays. The presentation must be informative. Graphs, pictures, tables,
etc. should be used if you choose this for your project. You will use the
power-point presentation as a visual background to discuss your eco
systems’ characteristics. Try not to read completely from your presentation.

Be sure to use good presentation skills. Prepare your talk ahead of time.
Assign each team member a role so the work is evenly distributed. All
teammates must participate in the Power-Point presentation.

You will have class time to work on your project. Use your time wisely. Be
sure that all group members are working with purpose. I will be observing
and grading your progress. If a team member has a lower grade than the
rest of the team, that person did not pull his/her weight. Your project must
be completed by the due date.

This lesson was adapted from Build A Virtual Biome located at

http://www.mariemontschools.org/halsall/buildbiome.htm

ELL modification: Evenly distribute LEP students among project groups.

Assign them tasks such as:
- locating the ecosystem on a world map and then creating a
visual representation for the presentation
- creating the temperature and rainfall graphs if given the
information resources (and graph templates for students with
below-grade level math skills).
- Designing the food web with pictures/visuals and labels if given
assistance with relationships within it.
Provide assistance to LEP students (either teacher or fellow group
members) to prepare their part of the oral presentation
describing/explaining their contributions. Allow opportunity for practice.
Explain
Research the websites for your own understanding of what you want your
students to gain from the activity. You can choose the eco-systems and

July 2008 32
resources to match up with them. Use your other eco system materials to
customize this project to fit your students’ needs.
The vocabulary in the websites invariably refers to BIOMES in many
instances. Make sure the students understand what the difference is
between them, and how their ecosystems may even be in the same Biome.

ELL modification: Use visuals, gestures and simplified vocabulary to

explain this concept.

By utilizing the resources below your students will be able to develop an

understanding of their specific eco-system, and then pass on their
knowledge through the presentation of their project. Students will be
exposed to the other major ecosystems of the world through the
presentations of other teammates.

Elaborate: BIOME Survival

The students can create their own survival game based on the joys and
hazards of the ecosystem they have presented. They need to make the
cards based on real life situations and names of the real players, in their
ecosystem. Then see if the teams can combine and create a BIOME
survival game from their various ecosystems.

ELL modification: LEP students’ success with this activity will depend on
how well they understood the “Survival of the Fittest” game in the
Engage portion of the lesson. Novice students may still need the
assistance of a partner to actively participate.

Evaluate: Have each student write a paragraph for each of the following
questions.

What did this activity teach you about light, temperature and soil
composition when it comes to ecosystems?
What could you have done to improve your presentation?
What three things do you know now about different organisms in an
ecosystem that you didn’t know before?

ELL modification: See Appendices 3A-3C for alternative response

formats to these questions.
July 2008 33
Ask for volunteers to share their answers with the class.

Sample Rubric

Multimedia Project: ECO TRIP

Teacher Name: Teacher Rubric

Student Name:
________________________________________

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Requirements All All One More than
requirements requirements requirement one
are met and are met. was not requirement
exceeded. completely was not
met. completely
met.
Oral Interesting, Relatively Delivery not Delivery not
Presentation well interesting, smooth, but smooth and
rehearsed rehearsed able to hold audience
with smooth with a fairly audience attention lost.
delivery that smooth attention
holds delivery that most of the
audience usually holds time.
attention. audience
attention.
Workload The workload The workload The The workload
is divided and is divided and workload was not
shared shared fairly was divided, divided OR
equally by all by all team but one several
team members, person in the people in the
members. though group is group are
workloads viewed as viewed as not
may vary not doing doing their
from person his/her fair fair share of
to person. share of the the work.

July 2008 34
 work.

Originality Product Product Uses other Uses other

shows a large shows some people's people's
amount of original ideas (giving ideas, but
original thought. Work them credit), does not give
thought. shows new but there is them credit.
Ideas are ideas and little
creative and insights. evidence of
inventive. original
thinking.
(made using RUBISTAR)

July 2008 35
Lesson 5: Developing our Environment

Objective:
Objective 1.06

Language Objectives: LEP students will

- Listen and demonstrate comprehension of the engaging oral
presentation by responding to simple questions and statements.
- Use a variety of non-verbal communication strategies in addition
to simple words and phrases to express own ideas or thoughts
during discussions about observations with prompting and
modeling.
- Begin to compose simple sentences to analyze the graphs they
created in their notebooks with direct instruction, support
materials and graphic organizers.

Materials:
• Different size cups (Large, Medium, and Small)
• Towel
• Water
Per Group
• Plastic animals [Those can be found at dollar stores or drug
stores. They are normally in a tube.]
• Plastic house [Monopoly pieces would be good or if you can get
objects that represent housing, i.e. paper clip, ball.]
• Sheet of paper

Activity Concepts: Humans effects on ecosystems

Process Skills: making a model, making predictions, observing, inferring,

organizing data in tables and graphs, understanding cause and effect

Engage: Put towel under the cups. Place water in the large cup. Ask
students what would happen if you tried pouring this into the small cup.
Repeat for the medium to small cup. Have students to explain why this
happened. Describe to students that this demonstration represents a
situation in an ecosystem. The cups represent the space that the animals
have to live and the water represents the number of animals.

July 2008 36
 ELL modification: LEP students will probably be able to explain that there
was too much water for the smaller cups. You or another student may
need to explicitly make the connection that the demonstration shows
what can happen when there are too many animals in a certain space.

Explore: [The directions for the next section depend on how many
“houses/apartment complexes” and how many animals you have to
distribute. You can also use a half sheet. The point of this section is for
students to recognize the overcrowding of the space.] The students will
place the one sheet of paper flat on the table. The paper represents their
forest habitat. Go around and give students animals to place in their
habitat. Tell them the next thing that we need to have is some housing
developments. [Give them plenty.] Allow them time to put it all together.

Explain: Have students explain and discuss their observations. Fill in any
ideas that they may have omitted.

ELL modification: The Explore and Explain activities will be good for LEP
students as long as students are allowed to explain and discuss their
observations within a small peer group. If this information will be useful
to students later on, assign a proficient group member to take bulleted
notes of their observations to which your ideas can be added. Then, the
notes sheet can be photocopied for LEP students to keep.

Elaborate: Find statistics from your area or a surrounding area to have

students put into a graph. This data should show how the population of
deer per se has changed. Have them create and analyze their graph in
their student notebooks.

ELL modification: Novice and Intermediate LEP students may not be

able to create a graph from statistics without a model to follow.
Providing an example of transforming statistics into a graph for another
animal will help them complete this task. Analyzing the graph(s) will be
more difficult. Allow LEP students to make observations and draw
conclusions orally (to you or a peer) before recording isolated words or
phrases in their notebooks.

July 2008 37
Evaluate: Evaluate student’s notebook entry from extension and
elaboration.

July 2008 38
Lesson 6: Pollution and Its Effects ******

Objective:
Objective 1.06

Language Objectives: LEP students will

- Listen and demonstrate comprehension of the Explore oral
presentation about different types of pollution by responding to
simple questions and statements.
- Use limited vocabulary on the topic of pollution in the Explain
discussion with some momentary silence.
- Demonstrate comprehension of a text related to a pollution
disaster commensurate with the students’ English language
proficiency level through graphic organizers, pictures, or
responding to simple questions or statements.
- Begin to compose simple sentences about a pollution disaster
with direct instruction, support materials and graphic organizers.

Materials:
• Per Group
• A computer or
• pictures (air, water, and land pollution)
• Information and pictures on Exxon Valdese

Activity Concepts: pollution and effects

Process Skills: observing, inferring, understanding cause and effect

Engage: Ask students to give you examples of pollution

ELL modification: Provide pictures as examples and non-examples of

pollution. Allow students to sort them so that LEP students (and
others) can see multiple examples of various types of pollution. You or
other students can add verbal explanation to the pictures/sort for
language enrichment.

July 2008 39
Explore: Offer students the definition and explanation of the different types
of pollution. [This is a great opportunity to choose which ones you would
like to cover. Water, air, and land are the pollutants most common.] With
students working in groups, have them do a computer scavenger hunt.
They are to look for pictures of the following pollution examples: air, water,
land. Allow the students to print out these examples. [Students will need to
be able to know how to cut and paste as well as resize objects. If computer
space is not available, print pictures of these examples. Keep a variety.].

Explain: Have students explain how these pictures affect the environment.
[To assist in this process, ask them what type of pollution is being
expressed. What are things that you notice in this picture? How do you
think those objects got there? Continue discussion as you feel directed or
as students lead.]

Elaborate: Have students explore a pollution disaster. Students do the

following:
What is the event you are investigating?
Give a summary of the events.
How did this affect the local habitats? [Add any other related
questions.]

ELL modification: Provide choices of pollution disasters for students to

choose from. Allow LEP students to work in pairs or small groups with
native English speakers. Allow LEP students to summarize the event
and describe its effect with pictures and labels.

Evaluate: Evaluate the findings of the extension/elaboration that students

placed in their notebook.

[***** This lesson is truly one for the students to investigate independently.
This lesson will most likely take more than one day.]

July 2008 40
July 2008 41
Lesson 7: Coming Full Circle: Recycling in the Ecosystem

Objective:
Objective 1.07

Language Objectives: LEP students will

- Use a variety of non-verbal communication strategies in addition
to simple words and phrases to express own ideas or thoughts
in the Explain activity with prompting and modeling.
- Draw pictures and use words to write about food chains with
direct instruction and assistance.

Content Focus: Recycling in Nature

Objective: The learner will understand how ecosystems are natural

examples of recycling.

Materials:
• Pictures of a prairie ecosystem for each group of students (mouse,
snake, hawk, plants), desert ecosystem, forest ecosystem, etc
• A copy of Appendixes

Concepts: Recycling in Nature; Review of Decomposers, Producers, and

Consumers

Process Skills: classifying, formulating hypotheses, organizing data in

tables and graphs, understanding cause and effect relationships

Engage: Have vocabulary on the board and ask students to define and
give examples of decomposers, producers, and consumers.

ELL modification: Have pictures of the vocabulary and examples to post

beside the text on the board.

Explore: Have students take animals and place in food chain. They will
also need to label whether that animal is a consumer, producer, etc. [The
Kidspiration chart provides an example that you will want to share with the
class.]

July 2008 42
Explain: Have students explain and defend their Explore activity. Explain
to the students that organisms are recycled in nature. It is a continual circle
of life. Organism use energy and recycle the nutrients in an ecosystem.
Food chains and food webs are used to recycle nutrients in the ecosystem.
The activities of the producers, consumers, and decomposers assist in the
recycling process.

Elaborate: Repeat the Explore and Explain activity with a different

ecosystem. Place information in notebooks. [The chart below can be used.]

Evaluate: Evaluate notebook entries

July 2008 43
Name: ______________________________ Date: __________________

July 2008 44
Lesson 8: Full Circle: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Objective:
Objective 1.07

Language Objectives: LEP students will

- Listen and demonstrate comprehension of the Engage oral
presentation about recycling by responding to simple questions
and statements.
- Begin to use simple words and phrases in addition to using
physical actions and other means of non-verbal communication
to socially interact with group members in the Explore activity
with prompting and modeling.
- Begin to compose simple sentences about ways to reduce,
reuse, and recycle with direct instruction, support materials and
graphic organizers.

Content Focus: Recycling in nature

Objective: The learner will understand the value of recycling.

Materials: computer

Concepts: recycling

Process Skills: understanding cause and effect relationships, classifying,

and communicating

Engage: Show the students the recycling sign and ask them if they know
what it stands for. Explain to them it is the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Then explain each part. [Go to the following website. It will explain the 3R’s
and give examples. http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/rrr.html use in this
portion for explanation only. ]

Explore: Place students in groups and have them brainstorm things that
can be recycled. Allow each group to share their ideas. [Add anything and
take away anything that was not shared. Now use the following website to
give some examples. http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/rrr.html ]

July 2008 45
Explain: [Go to the following website and choose important facts to share
with your class on the importance of recycling and its positive effects on the
environment. http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/facts.html ]

Elaborate: Go to unitedstreaming.com and watch the Magic School Bus:

The Holiday Special.
http://www.ci.tacoma.wa.us/envirokids/Activities/songs.htm [Go to the
website and choose a song to introduce to the students if United Streaming
is not available or just for entertainment.]

Evaluate: Ask students to list ways you can reduce, reuse, and recycle in
your home. [Evaluate this portion for the notebook.]

ELL modification: Begin this activity by drawing or posting a chart with

the 3R categories. Ask students to copy the chart into their
notebooks to organize their thoughts. Give students (LEP or all) one
example with picture support for each category before asking them to
think of more on their own.

July 2008 46
 Primary
Producer
Th e mouse
D ecomp oser w ill eat the
Th e p lant.
mushroo m
breaks dow n
the haw k t o
nourish the
p rimary
p roducer.
Primary
Co nsu mer
The mouse
w ill th en be
eaten by the
snake.
Th ird
Consumer
Th e haw k
w ill die and
become Secondary
fertilizer t o Co nsu mer
the Th e snake
p roducers. w ill be
eaten by
t he haw k.

July 2008 47
ELL modification: This assessment could be modified in a variety of
ways. Choose one, or a combination of several modifications based on
your students’ proficiency levels and needs.
- Read test aloud
- Divide test into multiple sessions to be given at separate times
throughout the day or week.
- Allow extended time
- Reduce the number of questions to the most essential for
showing mastery
- Eliminate one answer choice per question.
- Simplify/paraphrase language
- Provide pictures to accompany vocabulary in questions and
answer choices.
- Reword negative questions: Instead of “Which is NOT…?,” say,
“Which three ARE…?”

July 2008 48
Assessment
1. Which of the following human actions cause the majority of disruption in
an ecosystem?
a. gasoline emissions
b. farming
c. land development
d. eating meat

2. A truck carrying pesticides slipped off the road and into a lake. The
pesticides were spilled in the lake. Which of the following events would not
occur?
a. the fish in the lake would be poisoned
b. the water supply would be contaminated
c. death in animals can occur instantly upsetting the food web
d. the pesticides would quickly be removed from water

3. Which of the following cannot be recycled?

a. aluminum cans
b. tires
c. light bulbs
d. glass bottles

4. In the prairie ecosystem, where would fungi place in the food chain?
a. first level producers
b. decomposers
c. first level consumers
d. third level producers

5. In the food chain, which of the following receives their energy directly
from the sun?
a. producers
b. consumers
c. decomposers
d. transfers

6. Which of the following does not have to be met by an ecosystem?

a. temperature
b. transportation
c. water
d. shelter

July 2008 49
7. The components of an ecosystem consist of:
a. only living things
b. only non-living things
c. both living and non-living things
d. neither living or non-living things

8. Decomposers get their food by:

a. eating plants
b. eating other animals
c. eating dead plants and animals
d. eating bacteria

9. In a food chain, which of the following should there be more of, in order
for all animals to survive?
a. producers
b. primary consumers
c. secondary consumers
d. decomposers

10. In a habitat, the top consumers, the large carnivores, get their food by:
a. staying close to their home
b. often traveling to other parts or even outside of the habitat
c. changing the type of food that they hunt
d. hunting more than they can eat

July 2008 50
 Appendix 1A

Lesson 1 – Ecosystems

Survival Needs Bubble Map

Air
Food

Survival
Needs
Shelter
Water

Sunligh
t

July 2008 51
 Appendix 1B

Lesson 1 – Ecosystems

Survival Needs Pie Chart

Air

Shelter Food

Sunlight Water

July 2008 52

Needs of Organisms in an Ecosystem (_____________________)
Producer
(Example:______________)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Tertiary Consumer
(Example:______________)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Decomposer
(Example:______________)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
July 2008
Appendix 2
Primary Consumer
(Example:______________)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Secondary Consumer
(Example:______________)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
What do all organisms need to
survive in this ecosystem?
53
 Appendix 3A

Eco Trip Evaluation

What did you learn about light, temperature and soil in an ecosystem?

Draw a picture, make a list, or write a sentence in each box below.

Name of ecosystem: _________________________

Light
Temperature Soil

July 2008 54
 Appendix 3B

Eco Trip Evaluation

Check the things you could have done to make your presentation better.
(Check the things you did not do).

Requirements:

____ I showed where my ecosystem is on a world map.

____ I made a graph to show temperature.

____ I made a graph to show rainfall.

____ I made a food web with plants, animals, predators and prey.

____ I included at least one interesting fact about my ecosystem.

____ I included a “works cited” page with all of the web addresses that I
used to find information.

Oral Presentation:

____ I practiced what I wanted to say in front of the class.

____ I did my best speaking in front of the class.

Workload:

____ I helped my group do the work.

____ I worked as hard as every other person in my group.

Originality:

____ I used my own ideas. I did not just copy information I found.

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 Appendix 3C

Eco Trip Evaluation

Tell three (3) things that you learned about different organisms in an
ecosystem.
You can use pictures and words.

Name of ecosystem: __________________

Organism Organism Organism

#1:___________ #2:___________ #3:___________

July 2008 56