The energy that connects us all

Objectives:
The student will:
-identify components of the ecosystem
-observe and describe how organisms including producers, consumers, and decomposers live together in an environment and use existing resources
-demonstrate and illustrate an understanding of food webs and energy pyramids

Anticipatory set:
Students will observe a snake eat a mouse. Teacher can use video if there is no class snake.

Teaching:
Students are to record their observations in their lab journal. Questions to ask can include:
What did you notice about the behavior of the snake before it attacked?
Where do animals get their energy from?
If you were to assign a "label" or a term for the snake and the mouse, what would it be?
What was the most fascinating part of the experience?

After the students write in their journal, the teacher ask students to share with their group. After small group discussion, focus in on large group discussion. Write on board information the students provide that can segue into the lesson. Teacher then reinforces or replaces student ideas with key terms including, producer, consumer, decomposer. Students come up with examples of their own.

Small group activity
Students are given a set of picture cards. They are to sort them into the proper category of producer, consumer, or decomposer. Each group will put their cut outs on the velcro board.

Large group
Teacher confirms right answers and redirects wrong answers. Come back to the snake/mouse situation and introduce predator prey relationships.

Guided practice:
Students will use a digital camera to capture at least 2 images of a producer, consumer, and decomposer. When students return to class, they will upload images on the computer and create a slideshow.

Additional projects will accompany lessons that follow. An energy web will be done using Kidspiration and their digital images. An energy web will also be created with their digital prints and a presentation board.