View Bozeman science video Systems and System Models

What systems can you see in the relationship between an organism and its environment? For example:

• What systems are there between a frog and the pond that it lives near?

• What effect might a human have on a pond environment and how might that affect a frog?

• What is the relationship between a bird that you see in your yard and the environment where it gets its food and shelter? How might you model these systems?

• How might humans affect a bird’s ability to gather food, are the systems between you and the environment that you live in?

• How have your relationship with these systems changed since you had to stay home for COVID-19?

• What systems can you see in how organisms interact with their environment?

Owls are very interesting animals. They gain nutrients from their prey, but cannot digest the bones and fur of the animals they eat.

Watch this video to learn about what an owl pellet is, and how they are made.

• Video - Owl Pellet Dissection Learn what can be found inside an owl pellet, and how they are made.

Now, try a virtual owl pellet dissection on your own, if you like.

Simulation - Owl Pellet dissection simulation

By investigating what an owl eats in its environment, we can better understand the system of energy transfer through a food web.

Watch the video to learn about the owl’s food web and about how to construct a food web yourself.

• Video - Owl Pellet Food Web - introduces a food web through an owl pellet.

Now, try your own owl food web. Use the worksheet and answer the questions.

• Worksheet - What is a food web for an owl?

  • Here’s the answer key, if you are curious.

Here are some websites if you want to learn more about owls.

Owls: Who’s Who; Learn to Identify Five Owls By Their Calls; Owls in Oregon; Owls in Portland; The Barn Owl Trust

Food webs and food chains are models of systems in the natural world. Watch this video about the food chain in the Everglades, in Florida.

• Video - The Food Chain

Now, find an ecosystem to develop a food web model for. This might be your yard or a local park. You can use the worksheet or example as a guide if that is helpful, or you can design your own model.

• Backyard Food Web Inquiry Worksheet

• Sample backyard food web

Materials

• Tape or other materials that can be used to attach pieces of your raceway together.

• Paper tubes, paper plates, cardboard cartons

• Marbles, small balls, cars, or other items that can toll through your raceway

The Challenge

• Design a structure using your materials that is either free standing or attached to a wall. This structure will be your raceway for marbles, a car, or another object of your choice.

More Ideas

• Try building the longest raceway that you can.

• Try building a raceway with curves and jumps

• Build two or more raceways and hold a competition

• Decorate your raceway.

• Here are some other creative ideas - https://safeshare.tv/x/KJJfpuV3ne0#