Overview
This lesson is designed for middle school science students, who are studying
about energy relationships in ecological communities. It incorporates classifications
within three different marine ecosystems.
The students will be using cutout organisms which they “catch” at random and
place in their appropriate ecosystem. After classifying each organism, the students will
use them to create food chains and food webs.
Prior Knowledge Needed for Activity
1. Knowledge of specific organisms found in each of the three marine ecosystems.
2. That information can be found in the following websites:
Deep Sea (abyss):
http://people.whitman.edu/~yancey/deepsea.html#deepbenthic
Tide Pools:
http://www.dohenystatebeach.org/ip-tidepoolprepack.htm
Open Ocean:
http://bonita.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov/sitechar/pelagic4.html
Purpose
1. Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of general marine biology
concepts.
2. Students will be able to classify a variety of marine organisms into appropriate
marine ecosystems.
3. Students will be able to classify organisms within a specific ecosystem into
appropriate trophic levels.
7th Grade Science Standards
Evolution
3. Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual
processes over many generations. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of
evolution and diversity of organisms.
e. Students know that extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes
and that the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient for its survival.
Investigation and Experimentation
7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful
investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in
the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform
investigations. Students will:
d. Construct scale models, maps, and appropriately labeled diagrams to communicate
scientific knowledge (e. g., motion of Earth's plates and cell structure).
e. Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral
presentations.
Materials
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Wooden Dowels (1/4 inch by 3 feet)
Monofilament “phishing” line (6-10 pound test)
Small magnets (for fishing line, and cut-outs)
Construction Paper
Marking pens
Large box (one per group)
Small boxes (three per group to represent each ecosystem)
Blank paper for each group to record collected data.
Masking Tape (to be used to place each organism onto the food pyramid)
Teacher Preparation prior to Activity
1. Prior to the lesson the teacher will prepare the following for each group of
students:
a. A laminated food pyramid for each group which will look like:
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Label the above levels as follows:
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Producers
Primary Consumers (Herbivores)
Secondary Consumers (Carnivores)
Tertiary Consumers (Carnivores)
Top Level Consumers
b. 3” – 6” cutouts of a variety of marine organisms that belong in one of the
following three ecosystems. The cutouts should have magnets attached
to one side, and they should be colorful and laminated.
All the cutouts should be placed into a large box, from which the students will
“phish” out the organisms.
Below are examples of organisms:
1. Abyss
1. Producers: Bacteria
2. Primary Consumers: Tubeworms; clams
3. Secondary Consumers: crab; shrimp
4. Tertiary Consumers: Grenadier Fish
2. Tide Pools
1. Producer: Sea Lettuce
2. Primary Consumer: Sand worm
3. Secondary Consumer: Tide Pool Sculpin
4. Tertiary Consumer: Shark
5. Top Level Consumer: Human
3. Open Ocean
1. Producer: Kelp
2. Primary Consumer: Sea Urchin:
3. Secondary Consumer: Sea Star
4. Tertiary Consumer: Parrot Fish
5. Top Level Consumer: Sea Turtle
c. Fishing Poles( one per group)
1. Poles can be made out of three foot lengths of quarter inch dowel
with approximately one meter of monofilament line tied to one end.
2. A small magnet should be tied to the free end of the line.
d. Three shoeboxes for each group will be needed for the students to sort
out their organisms into their respective ecosystems. One shoebox per
group for each ecosystem. (Abyss, Tide Pool, Open Ocean)
2. Divide the class into groups of at least three students, (If there are more than 3 in
a group, the jobs may be shared or rotated by one or more students) having the
following task:
1. Fisherman: uses the “phishing” pole to catch the “phish”
2. Recorder: writes down what is caught
3. Marine Biologist: Looks at data, and determine which classification
best represents the organism caught
Student Procedure
Activity begins as teacher discusses the procedures
1. Students divide into groups
2. Have students in each group decide which tasks each individual will
perform.
3. Place large box containing organism cut-outs at each group station.
4. Students will begin “phishing” in box, recording on their group data
sheet ( blank paper given to each group at beginning of activity)
and sorting each organism in its appropriate ecosystem box. (10
minutes)
5. In each ecosystem, students will place every organism onto its
appropriate place on the food pyramid, creating a food chain and/or
food web, using their prior knowledge of the marine organisms and
ecosystems.
6. Each group then records the organism placement above onto their
respective data sheet.
Student Assessment
After all groups are finished, each group will individually present their
food pyramid to the entire class.