“Plastic Organism” Ecosystems
Kaci May
North Charleston Elementary at McNair
North Charleston, South Carolina
Summer 2004
Research Hosts:
Stacey Littlefield
Dr. Craig Plante
College of Charleston
Lesson # 13
Appropriate citation:
May, Kaci “Plastic Organism” Ecosystems (APS Archive of Teaching Resources Item
#7304. [Online]. Bethesda, MD: American Physiological Society, 2004.
http://www.apsarchive.org/resource.cfm?submissionID=7304
Editor’s notes:
Website URLs listed in this resource were current as of publication, but may now be
obsolete. If you know of a replacement URL, please suggest it in the resource’s
“Comments” section.
Teacher Note: A statement on variations in the size of plastic plants and animals
should be made to students prior to the activity, it is likely there will be an insect
that is larger than a plastic whale.
Disclaimer:
This activity was created by the author and reviewed by the American Physiological
Society. Any interpretations, statements, or conclusions in this publication are those
of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of either the American
Physiological Society or the funding agencies supporting the professional development
program in which the author participated.
Frontiers in Physiology
www.frontiersinphys.org
© The American Physiological Society
Permission is granted for workshop/classroom use with appropriate citation
“Plastic Organism” Ecosystems
Teacher Section
To have students construct a model of an ecosystem and be able to explain the
interactions between organisms and their environment.
The student will be able to:
Develop a working knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Design a working ecosystem.
Communicate the needs and roles of organisms within the biome.
This activity is geared for 5th grade students.
Grades 5-8:
Science as Inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Understandings about scientific inquiry
Life Science
Structure and function in living systems
Populations and ecosystems
Diversity and adaptations of organisms
Science and Technology
Understanding about science and technology
Science in Personal & Social Perspectives
Populations, resources, and environments
Natural hazards
Risks and benefits
History and Nature of Science
Nature of science
II. Life Science (Grade 5)
B. Populations and Ecosystems
1. A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place
and time. All populations live together and the physical factors that which they interact
compose an ecosystem. (b.)
2. Populations of organism can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem.
Plants and some microorganisms are producers-they make their own food. All animals are
consumers, which obtain food by eating other organisms. Decomposers, primarily bacteria
and fungi, are consumers that use waste materials and dead organisms for food. (a.- b.)
3. For ecosystems, the major source of energy is sunlight. Energy entering ecosystems as
sunlight is used by producers through photosynthesis. (a.- b.)
4. The number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available.
(a. - g.)
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Teacher Section
This activity may be used at any point during the study of ecosystems. Teacher
may need to review the things necessary for organisms to survive (food, water,
and shelter).
All students can get involved in this lab. The students can be assigned roles in
the lab if needed, but it is best for the teacher to observe and encourage all
students to participate. Since this lab addresses tactile, visual, and auditory
modalities, students with limited mobility and learning challenges can get
involved.
Students should be familiar with safe, smart classroom procedures prior to this
lab. Students should be reminded of Internet safety. They should follow all
classroom rules and procedures.
What are the components of a habitat?
What is your hypothesis?
What data supports or does not support your hypothesis?
What are the components of a habitat that the organisms you have chosen
require to survive?
Which abiotic factors are important for the survival of your organisms?
Which biotic factors are important for the survival of your organisms?
Which organisms in different habitats are predators and/or prey?
How do humans impact the environment/your organism?
How does technology/industrialization affect your organisms' habitat?
What patterns do you find?
What new questions do you have?
What is your evidence?
What does your research lead you to expect?
What are your predictions?
What hypothesis was supported-not supported?
What conclusions can be drawn?
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Teacher Section
Enough plastic plants and animals for each student to pick two
Bucket with cloth glued around the edges (see Preparation)
Paper
Color pencils/crayons
Internet access
Other resources for research purposes (books, encyclopedias, etc.)
Copies of Data table (see Student Section)
Materials to construct model habitats
Label each organism so that students are familiar with the name of the
organism and do not spend too much time trying to identify the species.
Create a way for students to select organisms. Suggestion: Put all
organisms (plants and animals) into a five gallon bucket. Hot glue a large
cloth around the lip of the bucket and allow the excess cloth to fall into
the bucket to cover the organisms. This way they will not see what they
are drawing.
Place students in cooperative groups.
Make copies of the Web Site Treasure Hunt and Teacher Resource Hot List
for students.
Open each website on all computers the morning of or day before students
will access web sites. This will bring the websites to a local server and
therefore access will be faster when students try to access the sites.
1. Students will select two plastic organisms from the bucket.
2. Students will begin to research ecosystems using two web sites:
http://www.enature.com/ (use the wildlife search feature at the top of the page)
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html (has a search engine)
Continue research using the Web Site Treasure Hunt found in the Student
Section.
3. Students will create a list of the components of habitats that are
necessary for the survival of organisms they selected. Students should also
make an inference about where they believe their organisms are found in
nature. They will then determine whether the two organisms would be
found in similar biomes.
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Teacher Section
4. Student groups will then write a hypothesis about what abiotic and biotic
factors are necessary for the survival of their organisms.
Hypothesis should be stated: if organism (species students have drawn) is
to survive, then it must have the following physical factors in its habitat.
Extension: Students could test this through further experimentation. They
could create a self-sustaining ecosystem if the organism of choice is small
enough and conditions are safe to do so.)
5. Students should draw a diagram of the environment where their organisms
would be found in nature. This is important because it forces students to
commit to an idea.
6. Next, students will use the Teacher Resource Hot List to do further research
on their organisms/habitats.
7. Students then write down the needs of their organisms using the following
terminology - producers, consumers, decomposers, prey and predator.
8. Students will then draw a new diagram to show the changes in their
conceptions about the habitats in which their organisms live in nature.
9. Students will make presentations to the class. Presentations may last 2-3
minutes maximum and each student in the audience should choose a
minimum of 5 presentations during which to take notes using the
Presentation Data Sheet. Pass the completed data sheets to the teacher and
then to the student presenters for feedback.
10.Students will then collaborate to create a list of organisms they believe
would live in the similar habitats/biomes.
11.Student groups will reorganize to accommodate which organism belongs in
certain habitats/biomes. Students with organisms that would be found in
similar habitats/biomes should be grouped together.
12.New student groups will collaborate in order to construct a habitat that
would support the organisms. In writing, students will explain the potential
for the survival of their organisms. This gives students the opportunity to
reflect understanding of concepts and to analyze their ecosystems.
13.Optional- Students can introduce new organisms to their ecosystems and
rate the chances of survival based on the characteristics of the biome.
*Another way to do this would be to bring in the Ecosystems FOSS kit to
construct habitats that support organisms that are naturally found in your
state.
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Teacher Section
Peer Evaluation
Performance-based assessment
Self-evaluation
Group testing/Cooperative skills
Objective referenced tests/Internet use, knowledge of ecosystems
Verbal tests/Group presentations
Teacher may become familiar with web pages and determine if students
used the Internet resources appropriately.
Students may write a lab report as an assessment in addition to creating a
model ecosystem.
Use http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html to develop a
rubric that meets the needs of you and your students. At the end of this
activity you will find three rubrics which may meet your needs.
Diagram a food web. The Web Site Treasure Hunt has resources available
to make food webs online.
Draw conclusions about the influence of human activity on ecosystems.
Discuss ways to minimize negative impact of technology/industrialization
on ecosystems and to maximize positive impact.
Describe the effect of limiting factors such as food, water, space, and
shelter, on a population.
Explore and identify career opportunities in natural resources, or
environmental/marine science. Use the Internet or invite guest speakers.
Research and write how organisms were introduced to ecosystem.
Assign students to represent animals by giving each student a nametag.
Throw a rope from each predator to its prey in the ecosystem to model a
food chain.
“Ecosystems, Biomes, and Habitats”
(http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html)
"What's It Like Where You Live? Biomes of the World, Freshwater
Ecosystems, and Marine Ecosystems" (http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/)
"Environmental Biology-Ecosystem"
(http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html)
"1998 Frontiers for Veterinary Medicine Fellows and Project Summaries"
(http://www.grdodge.org/frontiers_pastprojects_1998.htm)
"Food Chains and Webs" (http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm)
"Interesting Facts About Food Chains"
(http://www.arcytech.org/java/population/facts_foodchain.html)
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Teacher Section
Ecosystems
What's It Like Where You Live? - Temperate Deciduous Forest
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/temp/index.htm
Mammals: Bank Voles, Black Bear, Grey Squirrel, Raccoon, White-tailed Deer, Wild
Boar; Birds: Cardinal, Goshawk, Turkey, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker; Reptiles: Rat
Snake; Amphibians: Spring Peeper
What's It Like Where You Live? - Tundra
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/tundra/index.htm
Plants: Lichen, Dark Red Leaves, Cushion Plants, Seeds, Cotton Grass, "In Between
Rocks"; Birds: Gyrfalcon, Rock Ptarmigan, Ruddy Turnstone, Snow Bunting, Snowy
Owl, Tundra Swan; Mammals: Arctic Fox, Caribou, Musk Ox, Norway Lemming,
Polar Bear, Sled Dogs
What's It Like Where You Live? - Rain Forest
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/index.htm
Plants: too many to mention; Animals: Bearded Pig, Brazilian Tapir, Capybara
What's It Like Where You Live? - Grassland
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/grasslnd/index.htm
Animals: African Elephant, Bison, Black Rhinoceros, Black-Footed Ferret, Giraffe,
Greater Prairie Chicken, Lion, Ostrich, Prairie Dog, Pronghorn, Warthog
What's It Like Where You Live? - Desert
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/desert/index.htm
Plants: Cactus, Dragon Tree, Ocotillo plant, Desert Spoon, Aloe, Yucca;
Animals: Addax, Cactus Wren, Desert Lark, Dingo, Fat Sand Rat, Fennec Fox, Gila
Monster, Great Jerboa, Great Mouse-Tailed Rat, Lappet-Faced Vulture, Sidewinder,
Thorny Devil
What's It Like Where You Live? - Taiga
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/taiga/index.htm
Plants: Conifers, Needles, Spruce Trees; Birds: Bohemian Warwig, Hawk Owl, Pine
Gosbeak, Red-Throated Loon; Mammals: Ermine, Eurasian Red Squirrel, Lynx,
Marten, Moose, Snowshoe Rabbit, Wolverine
The Botanist of Tomorrow
http://www.rbg.ca/greenlegacy/pages/botanists_future.html
This site briefly describes the job of botanists in the future.
Important Botanists of the Past
http://www.rbg.ca/greenlegacy/pages/botanists_past.html
This site describes contributions of previous botanist.
Ituri Forest: The Ways of Knowing Trail
http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pagegen/wok/index_f4.html
Students take a virtual field trip as they discover ecosystems and diverse cultures.
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Student Section
This info search will help you find information about populations and
ecosystems. You will be looking at pre-selected web sites to answer questions.
Review each web site for information and consider who wrote the site, what
their purpose is in writing it, and the credibility (accuracy) of the information.
Which organisms live together? Which physical factors interact to compose
an ecosystem?
Site 1:
URL
Who created
this web site ?
Why did they
create it?
Site 2:
http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/
habitat/habitat.html
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/
(check all that
apply)
†
†
†
†
To provide factual information
To influence the reader’s opinion
To sell a product or service
I’m not sure
† To provide factual information
† To influence the reader’s opinion
† To sell a product or service
† I’m not sure
How credible
(accurate) do
you think the
info is?
†
†
†
†
Very accurate
Somewhat accurate
Not very accurate
I’m not sure
† Very accurate
† Somewhat accurate
† Not very accurate
† I’m not sure
URL
Who created
this web site ?
Why did they
create it?
Site 3:
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html
Note: This is an advanced site. Ask your teacher for help if you need to.
(check all that
apply)
†
†
†
†
To provide factual information
To influence the reader’s opinion
To sell a product or service
I’m not sure
How credible
(accurate) do
you think the
info is?
†
†
†
†
Very accurate
Somewhat accurate
Not very accurate
I’m not sure
What did you
learn?
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Student Section
This info search will help you find information about populations and
ecosystems. You will be looking at pre-selected web sites to answer questions.
Review each web site for information and consider who wrote the site, what
their purpose is in writing it, and the credibility (accuracy) of the information.
Which organisms live together? Which physical factors interact to compose
an ecosystem?
URL
Who created
this web site ?
Why did they
create it?
Site 1:
http://www.grdodge.org/frontiers_
pastprojects_1998.htm
Site 2:
http://www.vtaide.com/png/
foodchains.htm
(check all that
apply)
†
†
†
†
To provide factual information
To influence the reader’s opinion
To sell a product or service
I’m not sure
† To provide factual information
† To influence the reader’s opinion
† To sell a product or service
† I’m not sure
How credible
(accurate) do
you think the
info is?
†
†
†
†
Very accurate
Somewhat accurate
Not very accurate
I’m not sure
† Very accurate
† Somewhat accurate
† Not very accurate
† I’m not sure
URL
Who created
this web site ?
Why did they
create it?
Site 3:
http://www.arcytech.org/java/population/facts_foodchain.html
(check all that
apply)
†
†
†
†
To provide factual information
To influence the reader’s opinion
To sell a product or service
I’m not sure
How credible
(accurate) do
you think the
info is?
†
†
†
†
Very accurate
Somewhat accurate
Not very accurate
I’m not sure
What did you
learn?
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Student Section
Name of Student Scientist ________________________
Name of Organism:
Physical factors
affecting organism
Is this
required for
the organism
to survive?
Specific needs of the organism
Abiotic Factors
Quantity of light
Quantity of air
Quantity of
water
Temperature
range in
air/water
Salinity of water
Water pressure
Shelter
Soil composition
Space
Biotic Factors
Food/prey
Predator
Consumers
Decomposers
Producers
Interaction of
organisms
Human impact
Technology/
industrialization
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Student Section
Cooperative Learning Project Rubric A: Process
Name:
Date:
Group
Participation
Class:
Exceptional
Admirable
All students
enthusiastically
participate
At least 3/4 of
At least half the
students actively students confer
participate
or present ideas
Acceptable
Amateur
Only one or two
persons actively
participate
Responsibility is
Shared
Responsibility for
shared by most
Responsibility task is shared evenly group members
Responsibility is
shared by ½ the
group members
Exclusive reliance
on one person
Quality of
Interaction
Excellent listening
and leadership skills
exhibited; students
reflect awareness of
others' views and
opinions in their
discussions
Some ability to
interact;
attentive
listening; some
evidence of
discussion or
alternatives
Little interaction;
very brief
conversations;
some students
were disinterested
or distracted
Roles Within
Group
Each student assigned
a clearly defined
role; group members
perform roles
effectively
Students show
adeptness in
interacting; lively
discussion centers
on the task
Each student
Students assigned
assigned a role
No effort made to
roles but roles
but roles not
were not
assign roles to
clearly defined or
group members
consistently
consistently
adhered to
adhered to
Cooperative Learning Project Evaluation Form A: Process
Name:
Date:
Class:
Exceptional
Admirable
Acceptable
Amateur
Group
Participation
Shared
Responsibility
Quality of
Interaction
Roles Within Group
COMMENTS:
Cooperative Learning (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/cooplear.html) from the U.S.
Department of Education, offers valuable resources and references on cooperative learning.
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.
Student Section
Evaluating Student Presentations
Developed by Information Technology Evaluation Services, NC Department of Public Instruction
1
Organization
Subject
Knowledge
Graphics
Mechanics
Eye Contact
Elocution
2
3
4
Total
Student presents
Audience cannot
Audience has
Student presents information in
understand
difficulty
information in
logical,
presentation
following
logical sequence interesting
because there is no presentation
which audience sequence which
sequence of
because student
can follow.
audience can
information.
jumps around.
follow.
Student
demonstrates
Student is
Student is at
Student does not
full knowledge
uncomfortable
ease with
have grasp of
(more than
with information expected
information;
required) by
and is able to
answers to all
student cannot
answering all
answer only
questions, but
answer questions
class questions
rudimentary
fails to
about subject.
with
questions.
elaborate.
explanations and
elaboration.
Student
Student's
Student uses
occasionally uses Student's
graphics explain
superfluous
graphics relate
graphics that
and reinforce
graphics or no
rarely support
to text and
screen text and
graphics
presentation.
text and
presentation.
presentation.
Student's
Presentation has Presentation has
presentation has
three
no more than
Presentation has
four or more
misspellings
two misspellings no misspellings
spelling errors
and/or
and/or
or grammatical
and/or
grammatical
grammatical
errors.
grammatical
errors.
errors.
errors.
Student
Student
Student
maintains eye
maintains eye
Student reads all
occasionally uses
contact most of contact with
eye contact, but
of report with no
the time but
audience,
eye contact.
still reads most
frequently
seldom returning
of report.
returns to notes. to notes.
Student uses a
Student's voice is Student's voice is
Student mumbles,
clear voice &
low. Student
clear. Student
incorrectly
correct, precise
incorrectly
pronounces most
pronounces terms
pronunciation of
pronounces
words correctly.
terms so that all
& speaks too
terms. Audience Most audience
quietly for
audience
members have
members can
students in back of
members can
difficulty hearing hear
class to hear.
hear
presentation.
presentation.
presentation.
Total Points:
Kaci May
"Plastic Organism" Ecosystems
©2005 The American Physiological Society.
2004 Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher
Works in Progress
Permission is granted for duplication for workshop/classroom use.