Classroom Teacher Preparation
Life Science 5: Food Webs and the Energy Pyramid
Please use the following to prepare for the next SfS lesson.
Description:
This module teaches the basics of the energy pyramid and food webs. Students learn about the different trophic levels of
the energy pyramid and how to identify organisms in food webs at these levels. They then construct a food web model for
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a simplified Yellowstone ecosystem. This lesson is geared towards younger (4 and 5 ) grade students as an introduction
to the topic.
Lesson Objectives – SWBAT (“Students Will Be Able To…”):
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Identify and distinguish between the trophic levels of producer, primary/secondary/tertiary consumer, and
decomposer
Explain the significance of decomposers in an ecosystem
Understand how to create a simple food web model of an ecosystem
Describe how species losses or additions affect a food web
Preparation:
This module provides an overview of the topic and is best used as an introduction to the subject.
Vocabulary:
Introduce these terms:
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Ecosystem – community of living organisms and their non-living environment
Energy – the ability to do something
Predator – animal that hunts other animals
Prey – animal hunted by other animals
Herbivore – animal that feeds on plants
Carnivore – animal that feeds on animals
Omnivore – animal that feeds on both plant and animal material
These terms will be defined in lesson:
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Producers – use energy from the sun to produce their own food (autotrophs), example: plants & photosynthesis
Primary consumers – herbivores that get their energy by eating producers, example: rabbit, deer
Secondary consumers – get energy from consuming primary consumers (potentially also producers) and thus
could be carnivores or omnivores, example: birds, weasel
Tertiary consumers – carnivores (generally) that are top level predators without their own predators, example:
wolf, large birds of prey
Decomposers – get energy from decaying/dead organisms or organic material, example: fungi, bacteria
Room Set Up for Activities:
Students will work in small groups of 3-4 at their desks to put together a food web (8 groups maximum). No special
preparation is necessary.
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Safety:
Students will be working with pushpins - if this is too much for your students, they can easily do the activity without them.
Related Modules:
This lesson may be taught as part of a sequence or group of related modules on Life Science. Other modules in this
sequence include:
Life Science 10: Population and Sustainability – This lesson introduces population-related concepts, focusing on those
relating to human impact such as our exponential growth (through videos and demos) and the Tragedy of the Commons
(through a fishing game).
Life Science 22: Photosynthesis - This lesson examines the process of photosynthesis that plants undergo to produce
their own food through a modeling activity.
Life Science 8: Owls - The physical and behavioral adaptations that make owls excellent (nocturnal) predators are
reviewed. Students then examine an owl pellet and identify the bones found within.
For other module sequences and groups, look here: www.sciencefromscientists.org/sequences
Standards Covered:
Please click the following link to our website to review the standards covered by this lesson, listed by state:
http://www.sciencefromscientists.org/standards/
Lessons are matched to both national NGSS and local state standards.
Classroom Post and Activities:
A link to the Follow Up Student activity can be found in the Classroom Post on our website at
sciencefromscientists.org/cohorts. Use the name of your school/cohort and password to log in. Students can create a
miniature compost pile inside a plastic bottle to observe decomposers at work.
Additional Resources:
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“Crash Course Kids: Fabulous Food Chains” (video, 3:24): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuKs9o1s8h8
“Crash Course Kids: The Dirt on Decomposers” (video, 3:18): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB61rfeeAsM
“How Wolves Change Rivers” (video, 4:33): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q
Science from Scientists
617-314-7773 • [email protected] • www.sciencefromscientists.org
Copyright © 2014 Science from Scientists
Page 2