Topic: Interactions within Ecosystems
This topic focuses on foundational knowledge of the structures and functions of ecosystems.
This topic focuses on foundational knowledge of the structures and functions of ecosystems.
- Organisms perform a variety of roles in an ecosystem. •
- All of the processes that take place within organisms require energy.
Indictators
2. Describe the role of producers in the transfer of energy entering ecosystems as sunlight to chemical energy through photosynthesis.
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All living things get energy from food. It begins with the sun. The sun provides heat and light energy which plants use to make their food in a process called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis takes place when plants use sunlight in order to produce sugars. These sugars can then be used by the plant as food.
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4. Summarize that organisms can survive only in ecosystems in which their needs can be met (e.g., food, water, shelter, air, carrying capacity and waste disposal). The world has different ecosystems and distinct ecosystems support the lives of different types of organisms.
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An ecosystem is a community of living things and their nonliving environment. It is a system of living things and the environment in which they live. All ecosystems provide the basic needs of the organisms that live there – food, shelter, and everything else they need. Examples of ecosystems include forests, deserts, rainforests, grasslands, arctic, freshwater, marine, and more. An ecosystem in a warm wet rainforest is very different from an ecosystem in a cold, dry desert. An ecosystem in salty ocean water is different from one in a freshwater lake. Different kinds of organisms live in different kinds of ecosystems but the organisms in each ecosystem find the food, water, temperature, shelter, and space that they need.
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5. Support how an organism's patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism's ecosystem, including the kinds and numbers of other organisms present, the availability of food and resources, and the changing physical characteristics of the ecosystem.
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The ecosystem must supply the needs of organisms, such as food, water, temperature, oxygen, and space.. All ecosystems have a limited amount of resources. The organisms living there must compete for what they need. Competition helps to keep populations steady and helps to maintain a balanced environment.
When organisms do not get enough food, space, or light from their ecosystem, they respond by reproducing less, moving, adapting, or dying out. |
6. Analyze how all organisms, including humans, cause changes in their ecosystems and how these changes can be beneficial, neutral or detrimental (e.g., beaver ponds, earthworm burrows, grasshoppers eating plants, people planting and cutting trees and people introducing a new species).
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All organisms, including humans cause changes in their ecosystems. These changes can be beneficial (good), neutral (neither good nor bad), or detrimental (bad).
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Food Web/Chain Activies
Food Webs by Gould League
http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htm
Kids Corner - Food Chain Game
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.htm
Science Games for Kids
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html
Eco Kids - Build the Food Chain
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/play_chainreaction.cfm
Food Fight by BrainPop
http://www.brainpop.co.uk/games/foodfight/
Food Webs by Gould League
http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htm
Kids Corner - Food Chain Game
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.htm
Science Games for Kids
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html
Eco Kids - Build the Food Chain
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/play_chainreaction.cfm
Food Fight by BrainPop
http://www.brainpop.co.uk/games/foodfight/
Ecosystems
Geography for Kids: Ecosystems
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0164-ecosystems.php
Geography for Kids: Ecosystems
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0164-ecosystems.php
- Biology 4 Kids
- Great Plant Escape
- How do seeds travel?
- KEWL
- Factmonster: Photosynthesis
- Real Trees 4 Kids
- What is a Plant?
- BBC Habitats
- BBC Habitats Quiz
- Blue Planet
- Biome Maps of the World
- Biomes of the World (The Wild Classroom)
- Enchanted Learning
- Franklin Institute's Living Things in Neighborhoods
- Habitat Match Game
- Habitats
- Habitats and Landforms Links by KSU
- MBGNet
- Nettling MegaList: Biomes, Habitats, Ecosystems, Food Chains, and Food Webs
- Real Trees 4 Kids
- Shades of Green: Earth's Forests
- UCAR
- University of California
http://www.animalfactguide.com/animal-facts/bald-eagle/_
Ecosystems Unit
Study Jams - Photosynthesis (this is where you can find the song!)
Biomes at Kids Do Ecology
Ecosystems Games at Gamequarium
Eco Kids Chain Reaction Game
The Food Chain Game
The Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers Game
Food Webs in Different Biomes
Fun with Food Webs
Study Jams - Biomes
Study Jams - Food Chains
Study Jams - Food Webs
Study Jams - Soil
Study Jams - Symbiosis
Study Jams - Animal Adaptations
Animal Adaptations Game
Arctic Adaptations Quiz
Animal Adaptions Links
Harcourt Animal Adaptations Game
Study Jams - Ecosystems
Study Jams - Photosynthesis (this is where you can find the song!)
Biomes at Kids Do Ecology
Ecosystems Games at Gamequarium
Eco Kids Chain Reaction Game
The Food Chain Game
The Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers Game
Food Webs in Different Biomes
Fun with Food Webs
Study Jams - Biomes
Study Jams - Food Chains
Study Jams - Food Webs
Study Jams - Soil
Study Jams - Symbiosis
Study Jams - Animal Adaptations
Animal Adaptations Game
Arctic Adaptations Quiz
Animal Adaptions Links
Harcourt Animal Adaptations Game
Study Jams - Ecosystems