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Introduction to Ecosystems

Supporting

Introduction to Ecosystems

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that organisms have characteristics that help them survive and can describe patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within the environments.

Science Background

An Ecological System: Geography4Kids (website) - Information about ecosystems, biomes and ecotones, with links to additional, related content and resources.

An Ecological System
Geography4Kids, http://www.geography4kids.com/

Neighborhoods: The Franklin Institute (website) - Descriptions and background information for ecosystems, habitats and biomes, along with links to many additional related resources and activities.

Neighborhoods
The Franklin Institute, http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html

Signature Lesson

Resources and Animals: BioEd Online (Website) - People and other living things get the resources they need to survive and grow from their environments. In this activity, students will prepare a terrarium environment with the resources required to support and maintain a living organism, such as a walking stick insect or crayfish. They will observe and describe the physical characteristics of the environment as well as the habits and lifestyle of the organism living in it.

Resources and Animals
BioEd Online, bioedonline.org

Supporting Lessons

Investigating Local Ecosystems: Science NetLinks (website) - Students observe, describe and investigate the habitats of local plants and animals, and explore some of the ways animals depend on plants and each other. Includes assessment and extensions.

Investigating Local Ecosystems
Science NetLinks, http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Bottle Habitat: AskEric Lesson Plans (website) - Construct an aquatic ecosystem in a plastic, two-liter soft drink bottle and stock it with water plants, snails and fish. Over a four-week period, observe, describe and record the physical characteristics of the environment and the organisms living in this ecosystem.

Bottle Habitat
AskEric Lesson Plans, http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/

Where Do Animals Live?: BioEd Online (Website) - Students learn that every living thing occupies space within its environment, that animals depend on resources available within their environments to meet their needs, and that humans construct habitats to provide a safe, comfortable place to be.

Where Do Animals Live?
BioEd Online, http://www.bioedonline.org/

Assessment Ideas

Over a period of two to three weeks, have students make daily observations of the terrarium created for the Signature Lesson, and record their findings in their science notebooks. At the end of the observation period, ask the following questions.

  • What physical characteristics of the terrarium environment support the organisms living in it?
  • How do the living organisms within this ecosystem rely on each other for survival?
  • How do the living organisms within this ecosystem rely on the non-living objects for survival?

 

Literature Connections

Ecosystems. Currie, Stephen (ISBN-13: 978-1602794580)

The Ecosystem of a Stream. Pascoe, Elaine (ISBN-13: 978-1435836884)

Exploring Ecosystems with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Biskup, Agnieszka (ISBN-13: 978-0736878944)

Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus. Bash, Barbara (ISBN-13: 978-1578050857)

Here is the African Savanna. Dunphy, Madeline (ISBN-13: 978-0977379521)

Related Science TEKS

(3.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including observing a schoolyard habitat.

(3.2C) Graphs, Tables, Charts
The student is expected to construct maps, graphic organizers, simple tables, charts, and bar graphs using tools and current technology to organize, examine, and evaluate measured data.

(3.2F) Communicate Conclusions
The student is expected to communicate valid conclusions supported by data in writing, by drawing pictures, and through verbal discussion.

(3.3C) Develop a Model
The student is expected to represent the natural world using models such as volcanoes or Sun, Earth, and Moon system and identify their limitations, including size, properties, and materials.

(3.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, pan balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, spring scales, hot plates, meter sticks, compasses, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, sound recorders, and Sun, Earth, and Moon system models; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

(3.4B) Safety Equipment
The student is expected to use safety equipment as appropriate, including safety goggles and gloves.

Related Math TEKS

3.13A The student is expected to collect, organize, record, and display data in pictographs and bar graphs where each picture or cell might represent more than one piece of data.

3.13B The student is expected to interpret information from pictographs and bar graphs.

3.13C The student is expected to use data to describe events as more likely than, less likely than, or equally likely as.

3.15A The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

What’s It Like Where You Live: Missouri Botanical Garden (website) - Interactive website, appropriate for teachers and students, with information about the world’s major biomes and types of ecosystems.

What’s It Like Where You Live
Missouri Botanical Garden, http://mbgnet.net/

Habitats, Home Sweet Home: National Geographic (website) - Collection of lesson plans and resources on different kinds of habitats (cities and suburbs, forests, oceans and coasts, etc.).

Habitats, Home Sweet Home
National Geographic, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

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