EOU Exam on Thursday, May 1st

Lesson 4

Niche / Food Chain

Learning Intention

Students will be able to...

Sort different organisms into categories and then create a food chain that accurately represents the organisms role in an ecosystem.

Essential Questions:

What happens to the energy in an ecosystem when one organism eats another?

Success Criteria

I am successful when I can...

Agenda

Homework / Reminders

Activity 1) Warm-Up

Activity 2) Model Card Sort

Activity 3) Heterotroph Card Sort

Activity 4) Food Chain Construction

Activity 5) Key Concept Take-Away

Activity 6) Exit Ticket

Tutoring Thursday 2-4 pm-301
No school tomorrow

Activity 1

Warm-Up

(5 min)

Lesson 4 WU.pdf

Activity #2

Turn and Talk #1

Turn and Talk:

Mr. Pinho saw the Barbie movie this summer. He LOVED it so much, he decided to open up a Barbie store in the mall.

Ms. Angarola (finally) saw the Lego Movie over the summer. She loved it so much, she decided to open up a Lego store in the mall.

Should they be concerned that their stores will compete?

Activity #2

Turn and Talk #2

Unfortunately many people found a grown man selling Barbies SUPER weird, so no one entered Mr. Pinho's Barbie store and it went out of business.

😢

Mr. Pinho saw how successful Ms. Angarola's store was doing so he decided to open up his own Lego store in the same mall.

Should they be concerned that their stores will compete?

Activity #2

Turn and Talk #3

Mr. Pinho and Ms. Angarola's Lego stores were not doing well. There simply were not enough customers for both of them to survive in the same mall.

What could Ms. Angarola and Mr. Pinho do to make sure they both have enough customers to stay in business?

Activity 3

Autotroph / Heterotroph Model Card Sort

(10 min)

Ecological processes often occur over a long period of time or on such a large scale, that they are difficult to study. Ecologists make models to comprehend complex ecological systems .

Directions:

Step 1) You will be broken up into groups and given a plastic bag.

Step 2) You will work with your group to sort the pieces into two categories: Heterotroph and autotrophs.

Step 3) You will record your answers on the sheet provided.

Leave your cards in their piles! you will need them in the next activity.

Activity 4

Heterotroph Card Sort

(5 min)

Directions:

Now you will sort the Heterotroph group into four categories with your group

Omnivores

Carnivores

Herbivores

Decomposers

When you are done, record your responses on the sheet provided

Activity 5

Food Chain

(5 min)

A food chain is a serious of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten. We can model food chains in order to understand the path energy takes from the producer to the consumers.

Directions:

In your groups, create the longest food chain you can with the cards you were given.

Record the chain on your piece of paper.

Activity 6

Key Concept Take-Away

(5 min)

Sunlight is the main energy source for life on Earth.
Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction, from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs (producers) and then to heterotrophs (consumers).
Food chains show the one way flow of energy in an ecosystem.
Food chains are limited. They are NOT the best way to represent an ecosystem.

AND JOT

Activity 7

Exit Ticket

Directions: Answer the questions below. These questions are similar to what you will encounter on your test and the regents.

A temperate forest ecosystem includes a variety of organisms, from large mammals to microscopic organisms in the soil. Each species has a specific role and relies on different resources, including sunlight, water, and soil nutrients. These organisms interact within different ecological levels, from individuals to populations, communities, and the larger ecosystem.

In this forest, autotrophs like trees and plants use sunlight to produce food through photosynthesis, while heterotrophs, such as deer, rabbits, and foxes, depend on other organisms for energy. Recent studies have shown that certain factors, such as disease, food availability, and environmental conditions, limit the population sizes of these organisms. For example, a decrease in acorn production affects both the deer population, which feeds on acorns, and the foxes that prey on deer.

Data on Population and Food Availability

The table below shows the population sizes of deer and foxes and the acorn production in a forested area over a five-year period.

Questions

Which of the following best describes the relationship between deer and foxes in this ecosystem?

(1) Foxes are autotrophs that rely on acorns as their primary food source.

(2) Foxes are heterotrophs that depend on the deer population for energy.

(3) Deer are autotrophs that perform photosynthesis to obtain energy.

(4) Both deer and foxes are autotrophs that compete for sunlight.

Identify the level of organization that best describes all the foxes living in this forest ecosystem.

(1) Community

(2) Population

(3) Ecosystem

(4) Biosphere

Based on the information provided, which factor is most likely acting as a limiting factor for the deer population?

(1) The temperature of the forest

(2) The amount of sunlight available

(3) The amount of acorn production

(4) The number of foxes in the forest

Describe how a decline in acorn production might impact both the deer and fox populations over time.
A drought has recently affected the forest, reducing the growth of plant life. Which statement best explains how this drought might impact the autotrophs and heterotrophs in the forest?

(1) Autotroph populations would increase, while heterotroph populations would remain constant.

(2) Both autotroph and heterotroph populations would decrease due to limited water availability.

(3) Only heterotroph populations would decrease, as autotrophs do not rely on water.

(4) Autotrophs would consume more nutrients, leading to an increase in heterotroph populations.

6. Evaluate the role of autotrophs in this forest ecosystem by providing one benefit they offer to the ecosystem and one potential consequence if autotroph populations decrease significantly.

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