Energy Transfer in the
Ecosystem
Engage
Engage
Pre-Assessment:
Explore
Students are broken up into 3 trophic levels: 20 Primary Consumers, 7
Secondary Consumers, and 3 Tertiary Consumers to explore how energy
is transferred and lost in the ecosystem.
Poker Chips = Energy from the producers
Name
20 students
200/2000
Primary
Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Tertiary Consumer
Amount of Energy
7 students
Started with
20/200
Amount of Energy
3 students
Gained (%)
2/20
Amount of Energy
Lost (%)
Explain
Ten Percent Rule: during the transfer of
energy from organic food from one trophic
level to the next, only about ten percent of
the energy from organic matter is stored as
flesh. The remaining is lost during transfer,
broken down in respiration, or lost to
incomplete digestion by higher trophic levels
Explain
Formative Assessment:
Elaborate
Math Extension:
• What percentage of energy will remain if
we add a fourth and fifth level?
Science Extension:
• Where does the lost energy go?
• How does the Rule of 10 affect population
numbers of each trophic level?
Evaluate