Ecosystem/Habitat

Jessica Appelman
Objective/Purpose:
Students will be able to create a visual of a food web of an ecosystem or habitat individually and
will be able to orally explain their food web with the class.
TEKS:
§112.15. Science, Grade 4, Beginning with School Year 2010-2011.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(9) Organisms and environments. The student knows and understands that living organisms
within an ecosystem interact with one another and with their environment. The student is
expected to:
(A) investigate that most producers need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own
food, while consumers are dependent on other organisms for food; and
(B) describe the flow of energy through food webs, beginning with the Sun, and predict how
changes in the ecosystem affect the food web such as a fire in a forest.
OR
§112.14. Science, Grade 3, Beginning with School Year 2010-2011.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(9) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms have characteristics that
help them survive and can describe patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within the
environments. The student is expected to:
(A) observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support
populations and communities within an ecosystem;
(B) identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food
chain affect the ecosystem such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field; and
(C) describe environmental changes such as floods and droughts where some organisms thrive
and others perish or move to new locations.
(10) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms undergo similar life
processes and have structures that help them survive within their environments. The student is
expected to:
(A) explore how structures and functions of plants and animals allow them to survive in a
particular environment.
ELPS:
§74.4. English Language Proficiency Standards.
(c) Cross-curricular second language acquisition essential knowledge and skills.
(1) Cross-curricular second language acquisition/learning strategies. The ELL uses language
learning strategies to develop an awareness of his or her own learning processes in all content
areas. In order for the ELL to meet grade-level learning expectations across the foundation and
enrichment curriculum, all instruction delivered in English must be linguistically accommodated
(communicated, sequenced, and scaffolded) commensurate with the student's level of English
language proficiency. The student is expected to:
(A) use prior knowledge and experiences to understand meanings in English;
(B) monitor oral and written language production and employ self-corrective techniques or other
resources;
(C) use strategic learning techniques such as concept mapping, drawing, memorizing,
comparing, contrasting, and reviewing to acquire basic and grade-level vocabulary;
(D) speak using learning strategies such as requesting assistance, employing non-verbal cues,
and using synonyms and circumlocution (conveying ideas by defining or describing when exact
English words are not known);
(E) internalize new basic and academic language by using and reusing it in meaningful ways in
speaking and writing activities that build concept and language attainment;
(F) use accessible language and learn new and essential language in the process;
(G) demonstrate an increasing ability to distinguish between formal and informal English and an
increasing knowledge of when to use each one commensurate with grade-level learning
expectations; and
(H) develop and expand repertoire of learning strategies such as reasoning inductively or
deductively, looking for patterns in language, and analyzing sayings and expressions
commensurate with grade-level learning expectations.
Materials:
Markers/crayons/pencils/pens/colored pencils
Plain or colored paper
Instructions/Lesson Steps:
1. Have students watch one or both videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJEToQ49Yjc (This video is more appropriate in my
opinion and focuses more on producers, consumers and decomposers.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKJoXdrOT70 (This video is more exciting and is also
shorter although still covers what an ecosystem is.)
If necessary, videos can be paused for discussion on what was just watched.
2. Ecosystem project
Draw a food web from a habitat of your choice.
Modifications:
With ELL students I would not show the second video because the man speaking has an accent
that may make it even more difficult for ELL students to understand.
Allow extra time/wait time when asking questions or discussing.
References:
Chapter 112. Texas essential knowledge and skills for science. (2011). Retrieved from

http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html

Chapter 74. Curriculum requirements. (2007). Retrieved from

http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter074/ch074a.html