energy flow-lesson 4 days 1 and 2

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4

State StandardsPerformance Indicators

Prior Knowledge/Building Background Knowledge2-prongBasic knowledge andconnection to their existing world

Knowledge/Skills Students Will Acquire (Bloom’s) Students will be able to…

Evidence that students understand – Performance tasks other assessments/checks for understanding

MST Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment

Performance Indicator 6.1.a: Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction, typically from the Sun, through photosynthetic organisms including green plants and algae, to herbivores to carnivores and decomposers.

Bell ringer and link to ecology: What would happen to our environment if there was no sun?

powerpoint and guided notes handout on energy flow

Students will evaluate the importance of having a constant source of energy

Students will be able to create a food chain to demonstrate the proper flow of energy in an ecosystem

Students will be able to analyze the loss of energy from one trophic level to the next

Students will be able to illustrate/design food webs to show energy flow through an assigned biome

Pre-test: energy flow related vocabulary and concepts

Discussion and bell ringer handout and exit slip rep

Group work-Who eats who activity

Root beer energy flow and loss simulation

Biome food web design project

Teacher Candidate: Jamie Prudhomme Date: 03Nov2009Lesson Plan Template

Unit Title: Relationships in the Living Environment- Ecology

Essential Question(s): How important are the relationships and interactions in your life? Imagine life in a bubble, what would you need to sustain life?

Lesson Title/Number

Energy Flow lesson days 1 and 2

Lesson Question (s)How does energy flow within an ecosystem?

State Standards and Performance

Indicators

MST Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment

Performance Indicator 6.1.a: Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction, typically from the Sun, through photosynthetic organisms including green plants and algae, to herbivores to carnivores and decomposers.

Lesson Objectives(Bloom’s Taxonomy)

----------------------

Acceptable Evidence

Students will be able to: • Students will evaluate the importance of having a constant source

of energy • Students will be able to create a food chain to demonstrate the

proper flow of energy in an ecosystem• Students will be able to analyze the loss of energy from one

trophic level to the next• Students will be able to illustrate/design food webs to show

energy flow through an assigned biome (see detailed lesson plan- Energy flow days 3 and 4 of lesson)

_________________________________________________________

• Bell ringer and exit slip responses • Who eats who group activity and questions handout• Rootbeer simulation and follow up questions• Biome food web assignment


Bell Ringer and Prior Knowledge Tap – this can be

together or separate

_________________

Procedure – teacher input,

modeling, guided practice,

independent practice, and/or

activities

*Accommodations for learning

modalities are required.

Day 1: Pre-test: Students will be given a pre-test on energy flow key terms and concepts (See attached). Handout at very beginning of class.

Day 1: Bell Ringer: Handout: What would happen to our environment if there was no sun? Hint: Think in terms of ecology and feeding relationships. Students will be given the bell ringer handout following the pre-test to complete independently. The teacher will collect the bell ringer responses (formative assessment) and move into the lesson for the day- Energy flow in an ecosystem. Discuss with class the importance of having a constant source of energy. Without a constant source of energy the producers in an ecosystem will have no energy source to survive upon, without the producers the consumers of the ecosystem will in turn have no source of energy to survive upon. A constant source of energy, the sun for instance, is vital for maintaining the stability of an ecosystem.

Day 2: Bell ringer (handout see attached): “Suppose all of your favorite foods disappeared from existence. Would you die of starvation? Why or why not?” Allow students to respond to the bell ringer question to be collected for participation points. The teacher will call on students to share their thoughts with the class. Following a brief discussion the teacher will make connections between the class discussion and the flow of energy in an ecosystem. The teacher may say “an ecosystem is composed of complex nutritional interactions in which a consumer can rely on more than one source of energy. In an ecosystem if one source of energy is eliminated, the entire ecosystem does not collapse. There are several alternate sources of energy that enable an ecosystem to keep its stability. These complex interactions can be diagramed by using food webs.”

_________________________________________________________Day 1: Following the pre-test and bell ringer :Using the attached powerpoint presentation and guided notes handout the teacher will give a lesson on energy flow in an ecosystem.

1. The teacher will hand out the attached guided notes as well as the energy flow vocabulary handout (see attached guided notes, and vocabulary handout)

2. Using the attached powerpoint presentation and guided notes the teacher will go over the lesson question and lesson objectives with the students (see powerpoint and guided notes). (research based instructional strategy- setting objectives)

3. The teacher will use the powerpoint presentation to guide students through the flow of energy in an ecosystem




activities



4. The students will record notes on the guided notes handout. (Research based instructional strategy- summarizing and note-taking)

5. Following slide 8 of the powerpoint have students perform the who eats who small group activity. (research based instructional strategy- cooperative learning) Differentiated Instruction

• Divide the class into groups of 5• Handout each group a who eats who activity packet• Go over the directions for this activity with the students

(see who eats who handout in packet). a. In the who eats who packet are name tags with

different organisms written on them and 5 pieces of string.

b. You are to assign an organism to each group member. The teacher will be the sun.

c. Appropriately categorize each organism into trophic levels write your answer on the handout provided

d. Sketch a representative food chain for your group on the handout

e. Using the string create a human food chain. Remember to connect to the ultimate source of energy- the sun (the teacher)

f. Have two students repeat the direction for this activity-procedural check for understanding

• Students will work cooperatively to organize themselves into a food web that is representative of the organism provided in their activity packets

• The teacher will provide guidance or give feedback as necessary.

• The teacher will collect the who eats who activity handout for participation points (formative assessment)

6. Closure: The students will complete an exit slip handout which returns to the lesson question and objectives (See attached handout) to be completed independently prior to leaving class.

Day 2: Energy flow –food webs and energy pyramids

1. The teacher will hand out the bell ringer questions at the





activities



beginning of class (see attached bell ringer handout) 2. The students will independently complete the bell ringer handout.

3. The teacher will collect the bell ringer handouts upon student

completion and will have a brief discussion about the bell ringer question and its link to energy flow in an ecosystem (see bell ringer discussion above)

4. The teacher will instruct the students to take out their guided notes on energy flow in an ecosystem.

5. The teacher will use the attached powerpoint to continue the lesson on energy flow in an ecosystem extending the lesson into food webs and energy pyramids ( slides 10-14)

6. The students will record notes on guided notes handout. (research based instructional strategy- summarizing and note-taking).

7. The teacher will handout an energy flow diagram to the students as a resource displaying energy flow and energy loss from one trophic level to the next (see attached energy flow diagram).

8. The teacher will also handout the rootbeer energy flow/loss simulation activity and follow up questions to the students (see simulation handout). The teacher will then explain the directions for this activity:

• We will be doing an energy flow/loss simulation which will require four volunteers from the class. Everyone needs to pay attention to this simulation as there are follow up questions which will be completed independently.

• The teacher will get out the required materials: 1 liter of rootbeer (bring to class), graduated cylinders, and an eyedropper (class lab closet).

• The teacher will select four student to participate in this simulation

• The teacher will assign each of the four participants an organism (plant, mouse, hawk, and mushroom). The teacher will be the sun.

• The teacher will tell the students that the liter of rootbeer represents the suns energy

• In this simulation we will demonstrate the flow of energy from one trophic level to the next

• Following the simulation you will be required to complete the follow up questions located on the handout




activities



• Have two students repeat the directions-procedural check for understanding

9. The teacher and student participants will perform the rootbeer energy flow/loss simulation (see attached rootbeer energy flow/loss simulation activity attached) to demonstrate the loss of energy at each feeding level.

10. Following the simulation the students will independently complete the follow up questions to be collected by the teacher-formative assessment

11. Closure: The teacher will assign hw (see attached) to be completed for the next class session and have the students complete an exit slip response (see attached exit slip)

a. The teacher will hand out the homework assignment (see attached assignment) and give the following directions: “Create an energy pyramid for the following organisms: algae, tadpoles, small carnivorous fish, bear, and bacteria of decay.” Using an arrow display the energy flow/ loss. Label each organism in the pyramid with the appropriate trophic category. Use your guided notes as a helpful guide if you get stuck.”-summative assessment

b. The teacher will have two students repeat the directions-procedure check for understanding.

c. The teacher will then handout the exit slip for the students to complete prior to leaving class (see attached exit slip diagram of food web and energy pyramid with associated questions-formative assessment

Checks for understanding –

directions, procedures,

routines, and content (formative)

Day 1:Pre-test on energy flow terms and concepts (prior knowledge tap -formative assessment)

Directions: Have two students repeat the directions for group work activity who eats who

Who eats who activity: Students will accurately arrange themselves into a food chain representative of the organisms assigned and will complete the complementary handout to be turned in (formative assessment –check for understanding)

Teacher will make notes in his/her journal identifying how the lesson went. For example, difficulties observed, areas for improvement,


Checks for understanding –

directions, procedures,

routines, and content (formative)

problems that arose (formative assessment)

Day 2:Bell ringer handout- check for understanding

Rootbeer energy flow simulation and follow up questions- formative assessment

Exit slips response-formative assessment

Teacher will make notes in his/her journal identifying how the lesson went. For example, difficulties observed, areas for improvement, problems that arose (formative assessment)

Assessment – type and purpose

• Pre-test on ecology related concepts and vocabulary (formative assessment). Purpose is to identify what my students already know and what they do not know in order to appropriately lesson plan.

• Who eats who group activity and complementary handout: Students will accurately arrange themselves into a food chain representative of the organisms assigned and will complete the complementary handout to be turned in. Purpose: check for understanding (formative assessment)

• Rootbeer energy flow simulation: Asses students ability to evaluate energy flow from one organism to the next and the loss of energy to the environment. Purpose: check for understanding (formative assessment)

• Exit slip Day 1: Assess students ability to evaluate the importance of having a constant source of energy in an ecosystem Purpose: check for mastery of key concept (summative assessment-10points).

• Day 2 Exit slip: Purpose is to assess students understanding of food chains, energy pyramids, and food webs- formative assessment

• Homework assignment on energy pyramids (summative assessment-10points) Purpose: to evaluate students comprehension of energy flow through an ecosystem

Closure

Day 1 (see attached exit slip): Return to the lesson objectives to evaluate students comprehension of the following key concept:Question 1: What is the typical flow of energy through an ecosystem? (5pts)Question 2: Why is having a constant source of energy necessary in an ecosystem? (5pts)

Day 2: (see attached exit slip): Return to lesson objectives by having students complete an exit slip on food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids

Accommodations

Visual aids – powerpoint and guided notes handout

Auditory aids -teacher lecture of Powerpoint presentation

Tactile/kinesthetic aids- who eats who activity packet and group work, energy flow handout and rootbeer simulation

Differentiated instruction- who eats who activity

Materials

The teacher generated powerpoint presentation, guided notes on energy flow, energy key term handout, the who eats who activity packet, energy flow diagram handout, rootbeer simulation activity handout, exit slips, bell ringer handouts

Duration

Planning time days 1 and 2-2hrsDay 1 Instructional time-40minutesDay2 Instructional time- 40minutes

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Energy Flow Guided Notes

Lesson Question:How does energy flow within an ecosystem?

Lesson Objectives:• evaluate the importance of having a constant source of energy

• create a food chain to demonstrate the proper flow of energy in an ecosystem

• analyze the loss of energy from one trophic level to the next

• illustrate/design food webs to show energy flow through an assigned biome

How does energy flow through an ecosystem?

What must an ecosystem have to be self-sustaining and why?

What does the term trophic mean?

What are the high order trophic levels when considering energy flow through an ecosystem?1.2.3.

Consumers can be further separated into:123

What are detritivores?

What is a food chain?

In what direction do the arrows in a food chain point?

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Example of a food chain

Why is a food chain not the best representation of the feeding relationships in an ecosystem?

What other diagram provides a more accurate representation of the feeding relationships in an ecosystem? And why?

Example of a food web

What is an energy pyramid?

What happens to energy as it moves from one trophic level to the next?

Which trophic level has the greatest amount of energy? Which has the least?


Energy Flow- Pretest

1. What does the term trophic mean?

2. Why is it important to have a constant source of energy in an ecosystem?

3. Identify at least two ways to diagram energy flow through an ecosystem.

4. Identify the producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer and decomposer for the following organisms: Grass, grasshopper, frog, snake, bacteria

5. Illustrate the flow of energy for the above organisms

6. What happens to the amount of energy as it flows from one organism to the next?

Energy Flow- Vocabulary and ConceptsHerbivore - an animal that eats plants.

Carnivore - an animal that eats other animals.

Omnivore - an animal that eats both plants and animals eg bears and humans.

Producer - usually a green plant that produces its own food by photosynthesis

Primary Consumer - Animals that consume only plant matter. They are herbivores – ex: rabbits, caterpillars, cows, sheep, and deer.

Secondary Consumer - Animals that eat primary consumers (herbivores).

Tertiary Consumer - Animals that eat secondary consumers. Ex: carnivores that feed on other carnivores.

Predators - kill for food. They are either secondary or tertiary consumers – Ex: polar bears, golden eagles

Prey - are the organisms that predators feed on. Examples of predator and prey species are: fox and rabbit; blue tit and caterpillar; wolf and lamb

Scavenger - a consumer that eats dead animals (e.g. crab, crow, vulture, buzzard and hyena.)

Detritivore - a consumer that obtains its nutrients from detritus

Decomposer - an organism such as bacteria and fungi that breaks down dead organisms and their wastes. . (They do not 'eat' the food like scavengers, as they have no mouth-parts. Instead they break down solid matter into liquids which they can absorb.) Examples: bacteria and some fungi.

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Trophic Level - A trophic level is each level in a food chain. Matter is always 'lost' as heat energy at each trophic level. Basal Energy Requirement (B.E.R.) - the amount of energy used by an organism's body just to keep alive, when no food is being digested and no muscular work is being done.

Food Web - a network of interrelated food chains in a given area

Energy flow in an ecosystem -handout

The figure above shows energy flow in a simple food chain. At each level of the food chain, about 90% of the energy is lost in the form of heat. The total energy passed from one level to the next is only about one-tenth of the energy received from the previous organism. Therefore, as you move up the food chain, there is less energy available. Animals located at the top of the food chain need a lot more food to meet their energy needs.

NOTE!! Each organism in the food chain is only transferring one-tenth of its energy to the next organism.

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Energy flow in an ecosystem -handout

You can see that because energy is lost at each step of a food chain, it takes a lot of producers to support a few top consumers. The food pyramid below shows an example of this.

Notice that if there were a 1000 units of energy at the producers level the primary consumers would receive 100 units of energy, the secondary consumers would receive 10 units of energy, and the tertiary consumer would receive 1 unit of energy. This pyramid helps to demonstrate the loss of energy from one level of the food chain to the next.

Energy Flow- Bell ringer (day1)

Name:_____________________ Date:_____________

Directions: Respond to the following question to receive participation points.

What would happen to our environment if there was no sun? Hint: Think in terms of ecology and feeding relationships.

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Energy Flow- Bell Ringer (day 2)

Name: _______________________ Date: _____________

Directions: Respond to the following question to receive participation points.

Suppose all of your favorite foods disappeared from existence. Would you die of starvation? Why or why not?

Energy Flow-exit slip (day1)

Name:______________________ Date:_____________

Directions: Answer the following two questions on energy flow in an ecosystem. Each question is worth 5 points each.

1. What is the typical flow of energy through an ecosystem? (Written and illustrated responses are both acceptable) (5pts)

2. Why is having a constant source of energy necessary in an ecosystem? (5pts)

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Energy Flow-exit slip (day2)

Name:______________________ Date:_____________

Diagram #1 Algae à copepod à minnows à bass

Diagram #2

Diagram #3

Answer the following questions based of diagrams 1, 2, and 31. Diagram #1 is a _________________

Diagram #2 is a _________________Diagram #3 is a__________________

2. What are the producers is #1? ___________________ #2? ____________________ #3? ____________________

3. In diagrams #1 and #2, which organism are primary consumers?

4. In diagram # 3, which organisms are decomposers?

5. In diagram #3, which organism contains the greatest amount of energy?

6. In diagram #1, which organisms contain the least amount of energy?

7. In diagram #2, which organisms are greatest in number and mass? _____________ least in number and mass?_______________

8. Diagram #3 What are the primary consumers?_________________________

9. Diagram #3 What are the secondary consumers? _______________________

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Who Eats Who? Activity

Task: Create a food chain representative of the organism in your activity packet

Directions: Provided in this activity packet are name tags with different organism written on them and 5 pieces of string with arrow heads attached. The string represents the flow of energy. You are to pick an organism for each group member; your teacher will be the sun. Each group member will represent an organism in the activity packet by placing the name tag on your shirt. Once you have assigned an organism to each group member, use the table below to appropriately categorize each organism into its trophic level. Then in the space provided draw a representative food chain for the organism in your packet. Once you think you have accurately completed your food chain, elect one group member to ask the sun (the teacher) to check for accuracy. If the sun finds no errors, you will be instructed to assemble yourselves into a human food chain. Use the pieces of string to connect your group into a food chain. Remember to connect to the ultimate source of energy the sun!

Group 1: OrganismsAlgaePlanktonSmall fishSharkBacteria

Trophic Levels:Producer Primary

ConsumerSecondary Consumer

Tertiary consumer

Decomposer

Food Chain:

Who Eats Who? Activity



Group 2: OrganismsGrassGrasshopperFrogSnakeMushroom



Tertiary consumer

Decomposer

Food Chain:




Group 3: OrganismsAlgaeTadpolesSmall fishBirdFungi



Tertiary consumer

Decomposer

Food Chain:

Who Eats Who? Activity



Group 4: OrganismsPlantsHerbivore insectSpiderBirdBacteria



Tertiary consumer

Decomposer

Food Chain:




Group 5: OrganismsGrassWormFrogRaccoonBacteria



Tertiary consumer

Decomposer

Food Chain:

Rootbeer Energy Flow/Loss Simulation (student copy)

Name:______________________ Date:________________

Directions: Think of energy as rootbeer. The teacher will represent the sun and four students will represent the organisms in a food chain: a plant, a mouse, a hawk, and a mushroom. Review the energy flow diagram given. Use this diagram as additional support for answering the questions below.

Review of Diagram Reviewing the energy flow diagram given, we find that: • The sun has one liter of rootbeer (energy) to give.

• Of that, the plant gets one-tenth or 100 milliliters.

• The mouse gets 10 milliliters from the plant.

• The hawk gets 1 milliliter from the mouse.

• When the hawk dies and is decomposed by the mushroom, the mushroom gets only one-tenth of a milliliter!

Simulation follow up questions:

1. Which organism was most satisfied by the amount of "energy" he or she received? Which organism was least satisfied?

2. What happened to the 900 milliliters from the sun that the plant didn't absorb?

3. How much "energy" was USED by the mouse?

4. What consumer in the food chain is going to have to eat the most food to meet their energy needs?

5. Why can't a food chain have an infinite number of links?

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4Energy Pyramid Assignment

Name: _______________________ Date:_____________

Directions: Create an energy pyramid for the following organisms: algae, tadpoles, small carnivorous fish, bear, and bacteria of decay. Using an arrow display the energy flow/ loss. Label each organism in the pyramid with the appropriate trophic category. Use your guided notes as a helpful guide if you get stuck. (10points)

energy flow-lesson 4 days 1 and 2

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