An Introduction to SOLO
Taxonomy
(and Lesson 1 on Ecosystems!)
SOLO and learning verbs
Solo Level
Activity Verbs
Unistructural
Define, identify, name, find, label, match, follow a simple
procedure
Multistructural
Describe, list, outline, combine
Relational
Sequence classify, compare and contrast, explain causes,
explain effects, analyse, form an analogy, organise, distinguish,
interview, question, relate, apply
Extended
Abstract
Generalise, predict, evaluate, reflect, hypothesise, theorise,
create, prove, plan, justify, argue, compose, prioritise, design,
construct, perform
I’m not sure
about any of
this…….
I have got one
idea about
this………
I have several
ideas about
this…..
I can relate my
ideas to the
bigger picture and
make
connections…..
I can transfer my
knowledge to
other subjects
and link to other
concepts…….
What will I be able to do by the end
of the lesson?
Identify an ecosystem
Describe the key features of an ecosystem
Explain food chains in an ecosystem
Predict what will happen as a result of changes in a food
web
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is made up of two parts:
 living things (plants, animals, bacteria)
 their non-living surroundings or environment – air, water, soil and
the climate
In an ecosystem, the living things interact with the environment and
each other. For example, caterpillars in a wood breathe air. They feed
on leaves. They get eaten by birds. If it gets too cold they die.
How big is an ecosystem?
.... A pond?
...... A meadow?
..... A forest?
.... The Sahara desert?
.... The whole Earth?
Is this an ecosystem? Explain your
answer....
a) an ocean
b) a jungle
c) a goldfish in a bowl
2. Then a caterpillar eats its
leaves....
1. Using sunlight, carbon
The caterpillar, mouse and fox
are called CONSUMERS
because they eat other living
things.
dioxide from the air, water
and nutrients from soil, a
plant can produce
everything it needs for itself.
So plants are called
PRODUCERS
3. A mouse eats the
caterpillar....
5. Dead things and waste
are eaten by earthworms,
insects, fungi and bacteria.
Fungi (such as mushrooms)
and bacteria feed by making
things break down or rot. So
they’re called
DECOMPOSERS
4. A fox eats the mouse....
It’s always the same pattern...
The pattern is the same in every ecosystem, large or small.......
 The plants make their own food (this includes trees)
 The animals feed on plants and each other
 Decomposers feed on dead and waste material – and recycle
nutrients that the plants can use again
Without plants, all other living things would die
Food Chains
Plant
caterpillar
mouse
fox
This is a food chain. It shows what eats what. The arrow means eaten
by.
You can draw food chains for any ecosystem. They always start with
plants
Food webs – often several consumers eat the same food. For example in an oak
wood, both caterpillars and aphids feed on oak leaves. So food chains link to form a
food web.
aphid
ladybird
Leaf
Blue
tit
caterpillar
squirrel
Seed
robin
wood mouse
Bark
Dead leaf
beetle
earthworm
spider
hawk
owl
fox
Bacteria (feed on all dead
things and waste)
Key terms from this lesson
oEcosystem
oProducer
oConsumer
oDecomposer
oFood chain
oFood web
What SOLO stage am I at?
Extended abstract
Relational
Multistructural
Unistructural