Ecosystems Graphic Organizer
Middle School
Name
Date
Directions: Complete the graphic organizer based on the STEM Case
Word Bank
producers consumers plants animals
fungi
living nonliving food chains
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is place that has plants and animals
living together in one environment.
__________ things
(plants, animals)
__________ things
(rocks, sunlight,
water, air)
Energy in Ecosystems
Energy in ecosystems comes from the _________.
sun
energy
Food Chains
A food chain shows how ___________moves between plants and
animals.
For example:
Food Web
Food webs are two or more _______ ________ put together to show all
the relationships between plants and animals.
______________ take in the sun’s energy to make
food from air and water.
______________ cannot make their own food. They
eat plants to get energy.
Consumers and Producers
______________ eat other living things.
______________ make their own food.
Decomposers
Decomposers break down plants and animals that
have died and put _____________back in the soil. An
example of a decomposer is _____________.
Draw decomposers in the box and then add them to the food web by
drawing arrows to show the energy movement.
Environment
Why are non-living things very important parts of an ecosystem?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Explain how beavers can change the environment of an ecosystem and how these changes affect living things.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ecosystems Graphic Organizer
Middle School
Name
Date
Directions: Complete the graphic organizer based on the STEM Case
Word Bank
producers consumers plants animals
fungi
living nonliving food chains
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is place that has plants and animals
living together in one environment.
living things
__________
(plants, animals)
nonliving things
__________
(rocks, sunlight,
water, air)
Energy in Ecosystems
sun
Energy in ecosystems comes from the _________.
plants/producerstake in the sun’s energy to make
______________
food from air and water.
sun
energy
Food Chains
energy
A food chain shows how ___________moves between plants and
animals.
For example:
Food Web
food chains
Food webs are two or more _______
________ put together to show all
the relationships between plants and animals.
animals/consumers cannot make their own food.
______________
They eat plants to get energy.
Consumers and Producers
______________
consumers/animals eat other living things.
producers/plants make their own food.
______________
Decomposers
Decomposers break down plants and animals that
have died and put _____________back
in the soil. An
nutrients
fungi
example of a decomposer is _____________.
Draw decomposers in the box and then add them to the food web by
drawing arrows to show the energy movement.
Environment
Why are non-living things very important parts of an ecosystem?
They provide homes and protection to plants and animals.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Explain how beavers can change the environment of an ecosystem and how these changes affect living things.
Beavers
cut down trees to build dams. This changes rivers and ponds. This can slow down the river and change the types of
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
animals
and
plants that live there. There are also less trees for protection and food.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________