Food Chains and Food Webs
Food Chains and Food Webs
Objectives
In this lesson, students identify the roles of organisms in food chains and create food chains. Also, students conduct a simulation to investigate the relationship between predator and prey populations. Students will:
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sequence a food chain to show the transfer of energy.
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describe biotic interactions between organisms in a food chain.
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describe the roles of organisms in a food web in terms of energy flow in an ecosystem.
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explain why food webs are more appropriate models than food chains to show ecosystem interactions.
Essential Questions
Vocabulary
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Abiotic: Nonliving factors in an ecosystem (e.g., sunlight, nutrients in soil).
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Ecosystem: A community of organisms that interact with each other and the environment.
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Food Chain: Steps in an ecosystem that show the transfer of energy as organisms are eating and being eaten.
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Food Web: Complex network of interactions that shows the feeding relationships between various organisms in an ecosystem.
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Population: A group of organisms of one species that live in an area at the same time.
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Producers (Autotrophs): Organisms that use sunlight energy to produce their own food.
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Consumers (Heterotrophs): Organisms that eat other organisms for energy.
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Trophic Levels: The feeding levels in a food chain.
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Herbivores (Primary Consumers): Organisms that eat plants.
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Carnivores: Organisms that eat meat.
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Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that eat herbivores.
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Tertiary Consumers: Carnivores that eat secondary consumers.
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Omnivores: Organisms that eat both plants and meat.
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Decomposers: Organisms (bacteria and fungi) that feed on decaying matter.
Duration
90 minutes/2 class periods
Prerequisite Skills
Materials
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Scrambled Food Chain (S-B-2-1_ Scrambled Food Chain.docx and S-B-2-1_ Scrambled Food Chain KEY.docx)
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Classifying Cards (S-B-2-1_ Classifying Cards.docx and S-B-2-1_ Classifying Cards KEY.docx). Note: Before the lesson, make enough copies of the Classifying Cards for small learning groups, and cut the cards. These cards may be used in Parts 1 and 2 of this lesson.
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unlined paper, one sheet per small group
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Energy Flow in the Coral Reef Ecosystem (a video segment) http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/hew06.sci.life.reg.foodweb
- Food Webs (interactive activity)
Related Unit and Lesson Plans
Related Materials & Resources
The possible inclusion of commercial websites below is not an implied endorsement of their products, which are not free, and are not required for this lesson plan.
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Energy flow through food chains
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/F/FoodChains.html
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Illustrated examples of food chains
http://pack152.net/AcademicsAndSports/WildlifeConservation/FoodChain.gif
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Marine Food Chain
http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/take-action/marine-food-chain/
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Online simulation of food chains connecting to build a food web
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Identify the food chains in a food web activity
http://cas.psu.edu/DOCS/WEBCOURSE/WETLAND/WET1/identify.html
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Create a food web online
http://teacher.scholastic.com/ACTIVITIES/explorer/ecosystems/be_an_explorer/map/foodweb_play.htm
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Food web labeling activity