Ecosystem Lesson Plan
INDIRECT INSTRUCTION (STRUCTURED DISCOVERY) LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Roles in an Ecosystem
Elementary Science
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Big Idea: Everything in an ecosystem serves a purpose.
Grade Level: 5th Grade
Rationale: Students need to understand that there needs to be a balance among producers/consumers/decomposers in order for an ecosystem to be sustainable. Students need to be aware of how every member of an ecosystem relies on each other.
NC Essential Standard(s):
5.L.2: Understand the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystem.
5.L.2.2: Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve: producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors).
National Science Education Content Standards Reference:
5-8: Content Standard A: Abilities Necessary to do Scientific Inquiry: Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.
5-8: Content Standard C: Life Science: Populations and Ecosystems; energy is passed from organism to organism in food webs, the number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available.
Instructional Objective:
Students will be able to explain the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers within an ecosystem. Students will earn 5 out of 6 points on the journal entry written after the lesson.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills:
Students will know that there are different types of ecosystems and will know how to differentiate between them. Students will know how to recognize the characteristics of the different ecosystems. Students will know how to identify and compare different ecosystems. Students will know how to identify and recognize producers, consumers, and decomposers. The teacher needs to understand the roles of organisms in an ecosystem, how to recognize different ecosystems, and how to identify and compare ecosystems. Also, the teacher needs to know the rules to the game “Producer/Consumer,” how to play the game, and consequences of an unbalanced producer/consumer relationship.
Materials/Resources:
· Student Journals
· Pencils
· Open space for running and chasing
· Whistle or Bell (1 for teacher)
· Green index cards or Green slips of paper (handful for each “grass” student)
· Rules for Producer/Consumer game
http://www.mnzoo.org/education/pdfs/predatorPrey_previsit.pdf
· Cards/Paper with different organisms on them (4-6 more than students in class); punch hole in top corner and use yarn to make a “necklace” so student role can be identified by others.
o Producers: Grass (3-4)
o Consumers: Herbivores: Rabbits (2-3), Deer (2-3), Insects (2-3)
o Carnivores: Fox (2-3), Snake (2-3), Frog (2-3), Shrew (2-3)
o Top Predators: Hawk (2-3), Eagle (2-3), Mountain Lion (2-3)
o Decomposers: Mushrooms (2-3), Bacteria (2-3)
o Disaster Dispenser: takes out top predators: Hunter (1-2), Accident (1-2)
Source of your lesson:
Game obtained from: http://www.mnzoo.org/education/pdfs/predatorPrey_previsit.pdf , name changed to “Producer/Consumer”
5th grade Science lesson, Berewick Elementary School, CMS
Estimated Time: Could take anywhere from 1 to 3 class periods, students may need to complete journal entry for homework
Accommodation for Special Needs/different learning styles:
Students with physical disabilities will be offered a Decomposer role (mushroom or bacteria) so they do not have to run around (I will let student decide if they want to run or not). The role cards will contain both a picture of the organism as well as its name for ESL students.
Safety considerations: I will tell students there will be no pushing, shoving, or tripping while playing the game. If someone breaks this rule, they will have to sit out.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Content and Strategies (Procedure)
In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 E’s. Your procedure should be detailed enough for a colleague to follow. Additionally, I expect you to include possible questions and anticipated student responses to your questions for each section.
Engage:
In classroom:
Have students identify what type of ecosystem we live in. (Answer: Deciduous Forest) Tell students that they will be playing a game where they will assume the roles of different organisms that live in a deciduous forest ecosystem.
Show students various role cards that will be used during the game “Producer/Consumer” and have them identify what it is: Producer, Consumer, or Decomposer. Ask students to explain answer. (Answer: Rabbit: Consumer because it eats grass). Students will identify roles for each category and explain answers.
The following questions will be asked to help students during the game so they will know who/what they can consume. Ask students:
· What types of things do herbivores consume? (Answer: plants/grass)
· If you are an herbivore, can you consume other animals? (Answer: no)
· What types of things do carnivores consume? (Answer: meat/other animals)
· If you are a carnivore, can you consume grass? (Answer: no)
Go over instructions and rules (go to http://www.mnzoo.org/education/pdfs/predatorPrey_previsit.pdf) with students and discuss safety issues.
Explore/Explanation:
Once students understand the rules to the game “Producer/Consumer,” take class outside and define the parameters of the ecosystem (area students need to remain in while playing the game). Teacher will pass out role cards randomly and remind students of safety issues. Teacher will tell students they have 2 minutes to play the game and will have to stop once they hear the whistle/bell. Blow whistle and allow students to play without interruption for 2 minutes. Stop game and have students hold up the green cards to signify if they are “alive” or not. Have students return all green cards to the students playing “grass” and tell them they must swap role cards with someone else (give 30 seconds to do this). Tell students they will play again for 5 minutes this time. Blow whistle and allow students to play without interruption for 5 minutes. Stop game and bring students back together.
Once game has been played at least two times (allows students to assume multiple roles) have students continue to hold on to their green cards and return to the classroom. Using the Smart board, make a T-chart with producer and consumer as titles. Make sure to write how many producers/consumers started the game. (15 “grass” and list individual consumers) Ask the students that were “grass” how many green cards they have left and write that number in the chart. Start at the top of the consumer list and ask if they are still “alive” (how many rabbits alive, how many insects alive, etc). Have students hold up their green card and write the number of alive in the chart. Collect role cards and green sheets. Once all data has been collected and placed on the chart, have students look at the board and discuss producer/consumer relationship within their table groups. Once students have had time to discuss (2-3 minutes) bring class back together and ask:
· What do you notice about what was left at the end of the game? (Answer: will vary depending on game but should have less grass (producer), fewer small consumers)
· What do you think would have happened to the producers and consumers if we played longer? (Answer: less grass=producer, fewer consumers)
· What do you think would happen to the carnivores if the herbivores were no longer in the ecosystem? (Answer: would starve, move to another area)
· How does this relate to what happens in an ecosystem? (Answer: if you have too few producers and too many consumers the ecosystem is unbalanced)
· Think about the area that we played in. What do you think would have happened if it was larger/smaller? (Answer: take more time to become unbalanced, more producers that are spread out/take less time to become unbalanced, more consumers competing for producers)
· What things would influence the size of an ecosystem? (Answer: will vary, try to get someone to say people/humans and discuss the impact we have on ecosystems during elaborate)
Pass out role cards again to class (at random) and tell them they are going to play one more time. Remind students of safety issues. Take students outside and define parameters of ecosystem, this time make the area smaller than the previous games. Allow the students to play uninterrupted for 8-10 minutes. Once time is up, bring students back to classroom and gather the new data (same process as above) and place the information on the chart (record numbers next to previous data). Have students look at data and discuss in their table groups. Ask students:
· What do you notice about what was left at the end of the game? (Answer: will vary depending on game but should have less grass (producer), fewer small/large consumers)
Tell students that you let them play for ___ minutes, which was longer than last time and the ecosystem was smaller. Ask students:
· What are some conclusions we can make between the size of an ecosystem and time? (Answer: will vary depending on results but should notice that the longer they played, the more time the green cards/grass had to get through the food web and back to the grass. They should also notice the ecosystem is more unbalanced)
Elaborate:
Ask students to think about the following question: Do you think what happened in the deciduous forest ecosystem that we simulated could happen in any ecosystem? Assign each table group a different ecosystem in order to discuss and come up with an answer.
Have students discuss within their groups and have them write down their thoughts. Make sure students include what they think would happen to producers and consumers in their assigned ecosystem. Once students have finished discussing have them report their thoughts to the class.
While students are discussing, walk around to each group and ask:
· What do you think would happen? (Answer: will vary depending on conversation)
· Why do you think that will happen? (Answer: will vary depending on conversation)
· What are some of the consumers in your ecosystem? (Answer: will vary depending on ecosystem provided)
After reports have been given ask students:
· What are some conclusions we can make about consumers and producers in ecosystems? (Answer: will vary but should notice that if there aren’t enough producers there won’t be any consumers)
· How do you think we impact ecosystems? (Answer: make them smaller, less area for producers/consumers)
Evaluate:
I will use a combination of informal and formal assessments throughout this lesson. I will listen to student’s discussions during the activities and I will have whole class discussions after each activity. This will ensure student understanding and allow me to clarify any confusion.
Students will be given the following journal prompt: “Imagine you are a beetle living in the deciduous forest biome. Explain how you are connected to other animals in the forest. Be sure to include the function of producers, consumers, and decomposers in your description.” Journals will be collected and graded based on the following rubric:
Category 2 1 0
Producers
|
Student understands role of producer and fully explains function.
|
Student somewhat understands role of producer or explanation is incomplete.
|
Student doesn't understand role of producer, explanation is missing, or producer is not mentioned in description.
|
Consumers
|
Student understands role of consumer and fully explains function.
|
Student somewhat understands role of consumer or explanation is incomplete.
|
Student doesn't understand role of consumer, explanation is missing, or consumer is not mentioned in description.
|
Decomposers
|
Student understands role of deocmposer and fully explains function.
|
Student somewhat understands role of decomposer or explanation is incomplete.
|
Student doesn't understand role of decomposer, explanation is missing, or decomposer is not mentioned in description.
|
Closure:
Finish the lesson by talking about what roles producers, consumers, and decomposers have in an ecosystem. Have several students share their journal entry and have other students comment on those entries. Discuss what roles they play in a biome and how their actions are helpful or hurtful.
Finish the lesson by talking about what roles producers, consumers, and decomposers have in an ecosystem. Have several students share their journal entry and have other students comment on those entries. Discuss what roles they play in a biome and how their actions are helpful or hurtful.