Author:
Laura Samorske, Heather Potts
Subject:
Ecology
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
Upper Primary
Grade:
5
Tags:
  • Balanced Ecosystem Abiotic Biotic Factors
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
    Language:
    English

    Balance within Ecosystems

    Overview

    Students will Identify there are cycles in nature that help to keep ecosystems balanced.

    -What is a balanced and functioning ecosystem?

    -What are the essential components of a balanced ecosystem?

    -What happens when one of these components decreases or takes over?

     

    Nature Walk/Population Card Game/Population Chalk Talk

    • Nature Walk

    • Send kids outside to find a variety of life forms (bug, leaf, pine cone, etc.)

      • Allow students to research adaptations and how organisms function in their environment.

      • Compare/contrast with other biomes

      • How does climate affect what organism live in this environment?

    Students gather notes showcasing variety of life forms within the thirty to forty minutes of outside time.

    Students should be ready to discuss findings in large group after nature walk.

    • Population Card Game

    • Students are given a bag of organism with varying compositions and quantities

    • Discuss population issues.

    • Follow up questions on size of ecosystem

    Students work with partner to discuss bag of organisms, population issues, and size of ecosystem.

    • Population Chalk Talk

    • Draw chalk circles of different sizes

    • Put students into circles

    • Discuss population size versus resources

    Students work in small groups to discuss how ecosystem size affects populations of organisms.