Field Notes Food Webs: Producers, Consumers, Decomposers (NGSS MS-LS2-3)
- Zip
What educators are saying
Also included in
In The Rock Files, students investigate Earth’s geologic history to understand mass extinction events, particularly the sudden loss of life Earth experience 66 million years ago (that spelled the end of the world of dinosaurs). As they explore the theories that explain the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinPrice $40.00Original Price $60.25Save $20.25
Launch student learning into the water cycle and our impact on Earth’s water resources (like non-point source and microplastic pollution) with this student-driven storyline bundle. Your storyline will unfold differently depending upon the Anchor Experience(s) you choose to utilize and/or lead with!Price $55.00Original Price $87.50Save $32.50
Description
In this activity bundle (FOUR activities, including a stations-style task), students obtain information from "field notes" to draw conclusions about the roles of organisms in ecosystems -- producers, consumers, and decomposers. In subsequent activities, they use these field notes to track the flow of energy and matter in ecosystems with food chains and food webs, construct energy pyramids, and make predictions about the introduction of new species on the ecosystem balance. Field notes for this activity bundle focus on the Pacific kelp forests off the coast of San Francisco. A second set of field notes for a freshwater stream ecosystem is included, as well.
This activity sequence is designed to be part of a larger unit storyline.
This activity is part of a complete unit that builds towards these standards:
MS-LS1-6 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
MS-LS1-7 Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.
MS-LS2-2 Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
MS-LS2-3 Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
MS-PS1-5 Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.
5E Model Phase: Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate (Formative)
Learning Target:
Analyzing Field Notes: Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
>> Students will analyze data to understand the roles of organisms in ecosystems.
Analyzing Field Notes: Food Chains and Food Webs
>> Students will track the flow of matter and energy among organisms in ecosystems.
Understanding The Flow of Matter and Energy In Ecosystems
>> Students will classify organisms based on their roles in ecosystems. (Station 1)
>> Students will classify consumers based on what they eat. (Station 2)
>> Students will construct food chains and food webs to track the flow of matter and energy. (Station 3)
>> Students will classify organisms as producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers. (Station 4)
>> Students will obtain information from web resources to extend their understanding of how matter and energy flow in ecosystems and the effects of changes in ecosystems. (Station 5)
Constructing Food Webs: Roles In Ecosystems
>> Students will develop a simple model to illustrate how matter and energy flows in an ecosystem.
>> Students will use their model to make predictions about changes in ecosystems.
Success Criteria:
Analyzing Field Notes: Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
>> I can identify and describe the roles of organisms in ecosystems.
Analyzing Field Notes: Food Chains and Food Webs
>> I can illustrate how matter and energy moves among organisms in ecosystems.
Understanding The Flow of Matter and Energy In Ecosystems Stations
>> I can classify organisms as producers, consumers, and decomposers/detritivores.
>> I can classify consumers as herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
>> I can track the flow of matter and energy in an ecosystem by constructing food chains and food webs.
>> I can classify organisms as producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.
>> I can explain how matter and energy flows among organisms in ecosystems.
>> I can explain how changes in ecosystems can disrupt the flow of matter and energy.
Constructing Food Webs: Roles In Ecosystems
>> I can create a simple model to show how matter and energy moves among organisms.
>> I can use my model to predict how the introduction of a species will affect the interactions of organisms in an ecosystem.
Science and Engineering Practices:
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Developing and Using Models
Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns
Energy and Matter
Prior Knowledge:
This activity sequence is part of the larger unit Matter and Energy In Ecosystems. Prior to engaging with this unit, students would benefit from having completed coursework on matter and its interactions, understanding the atom as the basic unit of matter. Students may also benefit from an understanding of chemical reactions. A basic understanding of how organisms interact with living and nonliving components of ecosystems is also helpful. However, students will dive deeper into the interactions between biotic factors in this unit.
As this is an explore and explain sequence, students completing a full 5E instructional sequence would have participated in engage activity. For this unit, the engage activity (and anchoring phenomenon) is Disappearing Kelp Forests. This activity is NOT included in this resource, and it is not necessarily vital to utilizing this resource. If you are interested in the complete unit, you can find additional activities at iExploreScience on TeachersPayTeachers or in the sample resource library of the Science Teacher Tribe Course + Community.
Resource Includes:
Teacher Guide (20 pages)
Kelp Forest Field Notes (20 cards)
Freshwater Stream Field Notes (8 cards)
Student Activity Sheets (13 pages)
Vocabulary Cards (10 cards)
includes Answer Keys
For related resources, don’t forget to check out…
Terms Of Use:
Copyright © iExploreScience LLC. All pages of this product are copyrighted, and all rights are reserved by the author. You may not create anything to sell or share based on this packet. The product is created for the use of ONE teacher. Please do not share with colleagues. If they like the product, please send them to my TpT store. I appreciate your support with this request! You are permitted to share ONLY the cover image of this product on your blog or via social media as long as you link back to my product on TpT. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this PDF are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.
Standards
Reviews
Questions & Answers
