Ecosystems
AMSTI Year 2
5th Grade
AL COS Alignment
• #3 Use everyday indicators to identify acids
and bases (Lesson 8)
• #8 Identify major body systems and their
functions (Lessons 4,6)
• #9 Describe the relationship of populations
within a habitat (Lessons 1-6)
• #9a Food chains and webs (Lessons 1-16)
• #9b Symbiotic relationships (Lesson 7)
Lesson 1
Thinking About Ecosystems
• QUESTION:
What is an ecosystem?
• PREDICT:
An ecosystem is . . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Make a KWL of “How living things depend on
each other”.
2. Make an illustration of a perfect ecosystem.
3. Discuss as a group the riverbank
environment
Thinking About Ecosystems
• DATA:
What we know now:
(skip three lines)
What we would like to find out:
(skip three lines)
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Thinking About Ecosystems
• Next Steps/New Questions
(Answer one of the following)
*Describe a situation in nature in which one living
thing depends on another living thing.
*Look at the riverbank environment again.
Imagine that a group of people begins to set up
a city in this area. What will change?
* What problems might occur when humans
interfere with an environment?
Lesson 2
Setting up the Terrarium
• QUESTION:
What is a terrarium?
• PREDICTION:
A terrarium is a . . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Review pgs. 11-12 of student investigation book.
2. Explain distribution center and how to pick up
supplies.
3. Record data on table as you build your terrarium.
• DATA:
Setting up the Terrarium
Material
Soil
Alfalfa Seed
Grass/Rye
Seed
Mustard Seed
Rock/Twig/
Leaves
Water
Amount/Size
Color/Description
Other
Observations
Setting up the Terrarium
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 3
Setting up the Aquarium
• QUESTION:
What is an aquarium?
• PREDICTION:
An aquarium is . . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Review pg. 16 of student investigation
book.
2. Explain distribution center and how to pick
up supplies.
3. Record data on table as you build your
aquarium.
Setting up the Aquarium
• DATA:
Material
Gravel
Water
Elodea
Duckweed
Algae
Amount/Size
Color/
Description
Other
Observations
Setting up the Aquarium
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 3--Reading
Duckweed, Elodea, and Algae
• QUESTION:
Why are duckweed, elodea, and algae important
to the life of an ecosystem?
• PREDICTION:
Duckweed, elodea, and algae are needed
because. . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Read as a group pgs. 17 – 20.
2. List 3 reasons for each; duckweed, elodea, &
algae
Duckweed, Elodea, & Algae
• DATA:
Duckweed –
Elodea –
Algae –
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Duckweed, Elodea, & Algae
• REFLECTION:
Explain three ideas about what you have
read.
Lesson 4
Adding Animals to the Aquarium
• QUESTION:
What is the relationship between the plants and animals
in the aquarium?
• PREDICTION:
Plants and animals in the aquarium . . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Review pg. 24-25 of student investigation book.
2. Explain distribution center and how to pick up supplies.
3. Record data on table as you add your animals to your
aquarium.
Adding Animals to the Aquarium
• DATA:
Snails
Size
Number
Color
Motion
Shape
Other Observations
Guppies
Adding Animals to the Aquarium
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 4--Reading
Guppies & Snails
• QUESTION:
How does each animal contribute to the
environment?
• PREDICTION:
Guppies contribute. . .
Snails contribute. . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Read as a group pages 26-28.
2. List three facts about each animal.
Guppies & Snails
• DATA:
Guppies –
Snails –
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 5--Observing the
Completed Aquarium
• QUESTION:
What changes might occur in aquarium and
terrarium?
• PREDICTION:
Changes in the aquarium and terrarium include. .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Observe the aquarium and terrarium.
2. Make and discuss a living and non-living web.
Observing a Completed Aquarium
• DATA:
• Record Sheet 4A
Insert completed web
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 6
Adding Animals to the Terrarium
• QUESTION:
Why do we wait until now to add the animals to the
terrarium?
What are producers?
• PREDICTION:
We waited because. . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Materials manager brings terrarium to the back table.
2. Insert animals and return to the group.
3. Make observations.
Adding Animals to the Terrarium
• DATA:
Draw and label the parts of one isopod
and cricket.
Record Sheet 6A
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 6--Reading
Isopods and Crickets
• QUESTION:
How are the crickets and isopods alike?
How are they different?
• PREDICTION:
Crickets and isopods are alike. . .different..
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Read as a group pages 38-40.
2. List three facts about each animal.
Isopods and Crickets
• DATA:
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 7--Joining the Terrarium
and Aquarium
• QUESTION:
What is the relationship between the terrarium
and the aquarium?
• PREDICTION:
The terrarium and the aquarium . . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Follow directions on page 44 of the Student
Investigations book.
2. Discuss the Food Chain Wheel.
3. Make a Terrarium Web (living & nonliving)
Joining the Terrarium and
Aquarium
• DATA:
Web and Food Chain Wheel
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
Lesson 8
Upsetting the Stability
• QUESTION:
How will a pollutant affect our ecosystem?
• PREDICTION:
Pollutants affect our ecosystem by. . .
• PLAN/MATERIALS:
1. Discuss natural pollutants.
2. Discuss human pollutants.
3. Decide which pollutants will be used.
Reading Selections
• Read the passage assigned to your group
on pp.48-52
• Use library and web resources to gather
additional information about your pollutant.
• Be prepared to share your information with
the class in Lesson 9.
• Predict what would happen if your
pollutant was added to one of the class
ecocolumns.
Upsetting the Stability
• WHAT I LEARNED:
• NEW QUESTION:
• REFLECTION:
Lesson 9
Reporting on Pollutants
• Following the guidelines we discussed in
Lesson 8, present your information to the
class on the assigned pollutant.
• During other presentations, be a good
listener. Take notes and write down any
questions you want to ask the groups.
Ecocolumn Observation
• Draw and label the components of your
ecocolumn.
• Record any changes that have taken place
since you joined the aquarium and
terrarium.
• Give one example of interdependence
found in your ecocolumn.
Lesson 10
Planning Pollution Experiments
• How can we test the effects of the
three pollutants using our class
ecocolumns?
• What factors (variables) will we have
to keep the same to have a fair test?
Pollutant Fact Sheets
• Use the pollutant fact sheet to help
design your experiment.
• You may test all three pollutants in
your class or only one.
• Don’t forget to leave one ecocolumn
as your control for comparison.
Record Sheet 10A
• The pollutant we are testing is _____.
• We will make it by mixing ______ with
______ water.
• We will add _______ dropperfuls to
our experimental ecocolumn _____
times per week.
Record Sheet 10A
• Our question we will try to answer is :
• To make our experiment a fair test,
we will not change these factors:
Record Sheet 10A
• In our daily observations, we will look
for these conditions:
• We predict that our ecocolumn will
show these changes to the plants and
algae after adding the pollutant:
Record Sheet 11A
Terrarium
Date of Observation
Pollutant Used
Amount of Pollutant
pH
Description of Plants
Number of Plants
Description of Algae
Other Observations
Aquarium
Record Sheet 13-A
• Use your observations, drawings, and data
tables to complete Sheet 13-A.
• Give specific answers and use supporting
details from your science notebook.
• Given the results of the pollution
experiment, why do you think we continue
to use road salt, fertilizers, and fossil
fuels?
Pollutant Experiment Results
• DATA:
2 days
Vinegar
Road Salt
Fertilizer
4 days
8 days
16 days
What We Found Out About The
Effects of Acid Rain
• Terrarium:
• Aquarium:
• What would happen to the animals?
What We Found Out About The
Effects of Overfertilization
• Terrarium:
• Aquarium:
• What would happen to the animals?
What We Found Out About The
Effects of Road Salt
• Terrarium:
• Aquarium:
• What would happen to the animals?
The Chesapeake Bay:
An Ecosystem in Danger
• What are the main problems in the Chesapeake
Bay?
• How are these problems similar to what you
experienced with the pollution experiment?
• Describe a situation where too much of
something is going into the bay.
• Describe a situation where too much of
something is being taken out of the bay.
• Describe another ecosystem that is similar to the
Chesapeake Bay.
Lesson 15-16
Examining a Real Environmental Problem
• Students will represent a particular point of
view in a “mini-conference” regarding the
Chesapeake Bay issue
• Citizen
• Dairy Farmer
• Waterman
• Land Developer
• Recreational Boater
Lesson 15-16
Examining a Real Environmental Problem
• Use pp.149-160 to help students
understand the point of view of their
assigned group
• In a class presentation, each group must
answer the following:
 What do you see as the problem in the Chesapeake
Bay?
 What are your proposed solutions?
 What are the advantages to your solution?
 What are the disadvantages?
Lesson 15-16
Examining a Real Environmental Problem
• Use Record Sheet 15-A to help students
organize their presentation
• Introduce the term trade-off
• Establish guidelines for the miniconference so that groups remain focused
and respectful of others’ ideas
• Once all groups have spoken, have the
class choose which group has the best
solution and discuss the reasons behind
their choice