Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE
GRADE SIX
I.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
a. identify the different levels of organization in the biosphere;
b. classify the components of the ecosystem as biotic or abiotic;
c. identify the raw materials and products of photosynthesis;
d. distinguish the role of the different organisms in the food chain;
e. construct food chains based from given food webs; and
f. construct an ecosystem model.
II.
TIME FRAME
October 23, 24 and 25, 2013
III.
LESSON
Ecosystems and Interdependence Among Living Things
 Levels of Organizations in the Biosphere
 Components of the Ecosystem
 Photosynthesis
 Food Chain/Food Web
References:
Padpad, E. & Madriaga, E. (2010). Science Links 6. Quezon City: Rex Book Store, Inc.
Villona, H., Adduru, M., Ocampo, L., Silas, C. & Valencia, N. (2007). Cyber Science 6.
Quezon City: Rex Book Store, Inc.
How to Make Your Own Shoebox Ecosystem for Kids. Retrieved October 4, 2013, from
www.ehow.com/how_12122281_make-own-shoebox-ecosystem-kids.html
Food Web Worksheets. Retrieved October 11, 2013, from
www.superteacherworksheets.com/food-chain.html
IV.
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
DAY 1
A.
Introduction/Motivation
Study the picture. Can you identify the living and the nonliving things found in the
picture? How many living things did you find? How many nonliving things are there?
B.
Presentation and Discussion
Plants and animals are living things. These plants and animals cannot live without
the nonliving things. The soil, minerals, water and air are necessary for the plants and
animals to survive. The living things interact with the nonliving environment. When we
talk of the relationship of living things with the environment, we are referring to an
ecosystem. Ecosystems make up the biosphere.
B.1 Levels of Organization in the Biosphere:
Organism
 An organism is any single living thing on earth
Examples: plant, insect, animal
coconut tree
Population
 More than one living thing of the same kind living in an area
Example: A group of the same kind of tree
Community

More than one population of living things in one area
Example: Different populations of fish in a certain area
Ecosystem
 An ecosystem is the interaction between all the living and nonliving
things in one area. Ecosystems make up the biosphere.

The ecosystem ranges from the smallest (as in the body of a dog where
lice, mites, and ticks live) to the biggest (as in an entire tropical
rainforest).

Can you name all the living things in this picture?
How about the nonliving things?
Biosphere
Biosphere is the world of life,
any part of planet Earth where
life exists.
B.2 Components of an Ecosystem
Biotic Components
The living components of an ecosystem are called biotic factors. The biotic factors are
the living organisms such as plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. Plants and algae are called
producers. Animals are the consumers. Fungi and bacteria are the decomposers. They
break down dead plants and animals into useful minerals that enrich the soil. These minerals
are needed by plants in order to grow. Each of these kinds of organisms helps the other
organisms to survive.
Abiotic Components
The nonliving components of an ecosystem are called abiotic factors. These include
the water, minerals, sunlight, air, climate and soil. Abiotic components are needed by the
living things in order for them to survive. Living things need water. It is also needed in the
process of photosynthesis and respiration. Living things also need minerals such as calcium,
iron, phosphorus and nitrogen. Some living things like plants and algae need sunlight and
carbon dioxide to make food. They also need the right temperature for them to survive.
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE
GRADE SIX
DAY 1
Name: ________________________________________
Score: ___________
Grade/Section: _________________________________
HPS: 20 pts.
Activity 1
A. Directions: Determine the level of organization of the biosphere by correctly labeling the pictures.
1. _________________________
2. _______________________
3. ___________________________
4. ________________________
5. _____________________________
6. ________________________
B. Directions: Classify each of the components as biotic or abiotic factor. Write only the
corresponding letter of the picture under its proper heading.
A
C
B
D
E
Biotic Factors
F
Abiotic Factors
C. Directions: Read each question carefully. Choose only the letter of the correct answer and write it
on the space provided before each item.
______ 1. Rianne was given a group of organisms and she classified them in the box below.
Which of the following did Rianne classify wrongly?
Living Things
A.
Algae
Producers
Consumers
Algae
Dolphin
Grass
Man
Fern
Tiger
Fungi
Eagle
B. Man
C. Fern
Note: For item numbers 2-3, refer to the diagram below.
The diagram below shows the cross section of a pond.
D. Fungi
The flow chart below is used to distinguish between the plants that grow in the pond.
______ 2. Which plant does A represent?
A. hydrilla
B. water banana
C. water lettuce
D. cattail
______ 3. Which plant does B represent?
A. water banana
B. water lettuce
C. hydrilla
D. cattail
DAY 2
A. Motivation
Look at the picture below. Can you tell what the animals eat?
Name other animals in your community and tell what they eat.
B. Presentation and Discussion
Plants and animals need food in order to survive. Plants use the energy of the sun to
manufacture food. Animals cannot make their own food. They eat other organisms. Different
animals eat different foods.
Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use the sun’s energy to make their own
food.

The reactants or raw materials for photosynthesis are carbon dioxide and water.
CO2
+
H2O
 The products in the process of photosynthesis are glucose and oxygen gas.
C 6 H12O6

+
O2
The equation for Photosynthesis is:
CO2
+
H2O
C6 H12O6
+
O2
 Energy from the sun drives the process of photosynthesis for plants, which gives
energy to all the other organisms in a food chain.
Food Chain

A food chain shows the transfer of energy from one organism to another.
Example:
(Note: The arrow shows the direction of the flow of the feeding relationship between organisms.)
Energy flows from the producers to the consumers. Plants trap the energy of the sun to make
their own food. They use energy to live and grow. The unused energy is stored in their parts – leaves
and roots. The stored energy is passed to the consumer when the plant is eaten. A plant-eater,
herbivore, is the first-order consumer. Some of the energy it gets from the plant is used for growing;
the rest is stored in its body. A meat-eater, carnivore, eats the worm. It is the second-order
consumer in the food chain. The stored energy in the worm’s body is passed to the bird.
A carnivore can be eaten by another carnivore. Usually, a bigger organism eats a smaller one.
When any of the organisms in the food chain dies, the energy stored in its body (dead plant/animal) is
passed to the decomposers. The decomposers (bacteria, fungi) break down the substances in the
body of dead plants or animals. These substances are returned to the environment.
Food Web
In a community, the food chains are often interconnected. This happens because some
organisms eat several foods. Food chains that are interconnected in a community form a food web.
Study the food web below and answer the questions that follow.
1. Which organisms feed on grass/plants?
________________________________________________________________________
2. Which organism is the final consumer in the food web shown above?
________________________________________________________________________
3. What would happen to the population of snakes if all the mice in the area will die due to an
epidemic?
________________________________________________________________________
4. Construct at least three food chains from the food web above.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE
GRADE SIX
DAY 2
Name: ________________________________________
Score: ___________
Grade/Section: _________________________________
HPS: 15 pts.
Activity 2
A. Directions: Study each item carefully. Choose only the letter of the correct answer and write it on
the space provided before each item.
______ 1. What raw material for photosynthesis enters through the leaves of the plant?
A. oxygen
B. carbon dioxide
C. glucose
D. water
______ 2. During photosynthesis, M and N are changed into X and Y in a leaf and X is changed
into starch to be stored in various parts of the plant after it is made during
photosynthesis. Which one of the following best represents what M, N, X and Y are?
M
N
X
Y
A
Oxygen
Water
Carbon dioxide
Sugar
B
Water
Carbon dioxide
Sugar
Oxygen
C
Carbon dioxide
Sugar
Starch
Water
D
Starch
Oxygen
Water
Carbon dioxide
______ 3. Study the food chain below carefully.
Plant
Butterfly
Spider
Bird
If the spider population suddenly decreases sharply due to an outbreak of a disease,
how would the rest of the populations be affected?
Plant
Butterfly
Bird
A
increase
increase
decrease
B
decrease
decrease
decrease
C
decrease
increase
decrease
D
increase
increase
increase
For item numbers 4 – 5, refer to the food web below.
Isaac drew the following food web based on his observation at a wildlife reserve.
______ 4. Which of the following statements about the food web are true?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Tilapia is the only food source for the kingfisher.
All energy from the shrimps is passed to the kingfisher.
The shrimp, dragonfly nymph and tilapia are both prey and predator.
Only the dragonfly nymph, snakehead and kingfisher are secondary consumers.
______ 5. Which organisms in the food web above are herbivores?
A.
B.
C.
D.
tilapia, shrimp and tadpole
dragonfly nymph, snakehead and kingfisher
tilapia, kingfisher and snakehead
tadpole, dragonfly nymph and shrimp
B. Study the food web below. Construct five food chains based from the food web below. (5X2)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
DAY 3
Make Your Own Shoebox Ecosystem

Shoebox ecosystems should include plants, animals and a brief description.
A. Introduction
Shoebox ecosystems need to include several basic characteristics, such as the
construction of indigenous plants and recreating some of the natural terrain of the ecosystem you
want to display. This requires some research in order to recreate an accurate depiction of the
ecosystem. This research also helps you explain the significance of the items inside the shoebox
diorama, either orally or with written explanations.
You will need the following materials:






Shoebox
Miniature models of plants and animals
Modelling clay
Glue, Pair of scissors
Coloring Materials (crayons/oil pastel/ color pens)
Construction paper (Optional: water-based paint & paint brush)
B. Presentation and Discussion
Follow the procedure below in making your Shoebox Ecosystem.
Procedure:
1. Remove the shoebox lid from the shoebox and paint the exterior and interior OR wrap it
with a construction paper. Use a color that represents the depicted ecosystem. For
example, use blue if you are rendering an ocean ecosystem or green for a forest
ecosystem.
2. Find soil that most accurately reflects the soil in the chosen ecosystem. Mix the soil with
a small amount of glue (mix until the soil begins to clump together) and apply to one of
the interior sides of the shoebox. For example, use sand when depicting oceans and
deserts. Use soil for jungle and plains. The side with the soil serves as the ground for
your diorama.
3. Construct small models of natural structures such as cliffs, mountains and rocks with
modeling clay. Allow the clay to dry and glue the structures into the shoebox with white
craft glue.
4. Cut out tree and other plant-life shapes from construction paper. You may also use
plastic plants. Glue to the diorama with the white craft glue.
5. Place at least two animals inside the diorama, including one prey animal and one
predator. This depicts the natural hierarchy of animals on the food chain in this
particular ecosystem. Use construction paper to create these animals or glue in plastic
animals.
6. Label your ecosystem. You may also create labels to identify animals and plants inside
the diorama.
Examples of Shoebox Ecosystems:
Seawater Ecosystem
Antarctic Ecosystem
Savannah Ecosystem
Criteria for the Shoebox Ecosystem Project:
 Content (Accurate depiction of the ecosystem
with plants and animals) ……………………………...
10 pts.
 Creativity and Neatness
(Arrangement of organisms and coloring of the background) …. 5 pts.
 Punctuality in submission (November 6, 2013)………………….
Total:
5 pts.
20 pts.
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE
GRADE SIX
DAY 3
Name: ________________________________________
Score: ___________
Grade/Section: _________________________________
Activity 3
Directions: Ask somebody to take a picture of you holding your shoebox ecosystem. Print the
picture. Attach it in the box below. Write a short description of your chosen ecosystem
on the space provided below the box.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Note: Submit this activity sheet together with your Shoebox Ecosystem project.