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Changes in Food Chains

Changes in Food Chains

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain affect the ecosystem such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field.

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

Food Chains, Changes to Food Webs: BBC Bitesize (website) - Answers to questions about the impact of changes that could (and do) occur within food chains and food webs. For example, what would happen if the population of slugs or insects decreased in a particular food chain?

What would happen if the grass died?

Food Chains, Changes to Food Webs
BBC Bitesize, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/

Species with a Large Impact on Community Structure:Scitable website) – Predators help to maintain a balance among the different organisms within an ecosystem. This article describes how predatros influence the composition and distribution of species in communities.

Species with a Large Impact on Community Structure
Scitable, http://www.nature.com/scitable/

Signature Lesson

Oh Deer: Nature Bridge (pdf) - In this active, competitive game, students experience how ecosystems are impacted by, and how they adapt over time in response to changes in the food chain and the availability of resources within their habitats.

Oh Deer
Nature Bridge, www.naturebridge.org

Supporting Lessons

Food Chain Game: Anapsid.org (PDF) – Students investigate food chains and changes to populations over time by assuming the roles of animals that are part of a food chain.

Food Chain Game
Anapsid.org, http://www.anapsid.org/

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Experiment with Ecosystems: Concord Consortium (Software and PDF) - Engaging series of activities in which students experiment with, and make predictions about a variety of virtual ecosystem models, and test their hypotheses about producer/consumer and predator/prey relationships. Download the free software and teacher's guide.

Experiment with Ecosystems - Software Download
Concord Consortium, www.concord.org

Experiment with Ecosystems - PDF Teacher's Guide
Concord Consortium, www.concord.org

 

Assessment Ideas

Pond Water Web, Lesson Plan: Science Spot (PDF) - Assess students’ understanding of the flow of energy through a food chain by having them answer question 3 on page 5 of this activity.

Pond Water Web, Lesson Plan
Science Spot, http://sciencespot.net/

Literature Connections

Food Chains. Rau Meachen, Dana (ISBN-13: 978-0761440956)

Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs. Lauber, P. and Keller, H. (ISBN-13: 978-0064451307)

What are Food Chains and Webs? Kalman, Bobbie (ISBN-13: 978-0778776376)

An Antarctic Habitat. Alonian, Molly. (ISBN-13: 978-0778729846)

Arctic and Antarctic. Mack, Lorrie (ISBN-13: 978-0756619800)

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.

(3.3A) Analyze, Evaluate and Critique Explanations
The student is expected to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing, including examining all sides of scientific evidence of those scientific explanations, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student.

(3.3D) Science Careers, Contributions and History
The student is expected to connect grade-level appropriate science concepts with the history of science, science careers, and contributions of scientists.

(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.

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

3.14D The student is expected to use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

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

Additional Resources

Food Chains: BBC Bitesize (website) - Online video in which students explore components of food chains, how energy moves through food chains, and what happens to populations within a food chain if certain factors change.

Food Chains
BBC Bitesize, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/

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