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How is energy captured and transferred through living organisms?
This lesson explores how energy is brought into and transferred through the ecosystem. It centers around the concepts of food chains and food webs.
1. The earth is an open system of energy, so in what two ways does energy get added to the flow within the ecosystem?
2. Analyze the flow of energy within food chains and webs, utilizing the proper terms describing the trophic levels of organisms.
3. Utilize the 10% Rule in describing the “pyramids” of ecological systems.
4. Contrast the process of biological magnification with energy flow.
Warm Ups, etc:
Go With the Flow - students analyze the source and transfer of energy through the environment.
Broken Webs - students identify errors in food web images drawn from a Google Image search. Focused critical thinking and the reinforcement in the importance of being able to evaluate sources quickly.
The 10% - Students analyze four pyramids to answer critical thinking questions.
Instruction, Presentations, Assignments, Activities, etc:
Diagrams - 10% Rule & Pyramids
Vocabulary - Define the terms from the vocabulary list on the study guide
Presentation - Food Chains and Webs - diagrams for demonstration of concepts
WS - Energy Flow - students review the concepts of energy flow by interpreting food chains and webs
Activity - Paired Webs - students are given two food webs. They are to compose three questions about interpreting the food webs. They are then matched with a partner who had the same two food webs, at which point they swap questions and try to complete the questions from their partner.
Biological Magnification - Students copy definition and examples, but then the presentation reviews the history of the concept
Web Resources:
Sierra Food Chain Game (quite simple)
BBC Food Chain Game (has audio!)
PBS Learning - Antarctic Food Web (also has links to videos)
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