Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
To the teacher:
• This CPO Science PowerPoint presentation is designed to guide you
through the process of presenting the lesson to your students. The
presentation uses a 5-E teaching model: Engage, Explore, Explain,
Elaborate, and Evaluate.
• The PowerPoint Slide notes indicate where you may want to bring in
various lesson elements such as quizzes, readings, investigations,
animations, and practice materials. Additional science background
information is provided in the slide notes where appropriate. You can
view these notes by selecting “View,” then “Normal.” You will see the
notes pane at the bottom of the PowerPoint workspace. Additionally,
the slide notes are available as a separate document, accessible from
the lesson home page.
• The slides that follow are intended for classroom use.
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
What’s in an ecosystem?
• A sea otter wakes from a nap and
unwraps itself from the kelp that kept it
from floating away. The otter dives to
the ocean floor in search of sea urchins
that feed on the kelp. The otter brings
an urchin to the surface, floats on its
back in the sunshine, cracks open the
urchin with a rock, and eats it.
• Can you name at least three non-living
and three living things that interact in
this coastal marine ecosystem?
• What types of ecosystems are found
where you live?
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
Time to investigate!
• Complete the lesson investigation:
– Food Webs
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
Producer/consumer relationships
• A producer is a living thing (like a
plant) that makes its own food.
• A consumer must feed on other
living things for food and energy.
– Herbivores consume only plants.
– Carnivores eat only animals.
– Omnivores eat plants and animals.
• What is the producer in the marine ecosystem shown
here? What types of consumers can you identify?
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
Predator/prey relationships
• Predators are animals that
hunt and feed on other
animals.
• Prey are animals that are
eaten by other animals.
• Can you identify three
predator/prey relationships
in the freshwater
ecosystem at right?
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
Parasite/host relationships
• A host is an organism that
shares its energy resources
with another organism.
• A parasite is an organism
that takes energy resources
from another organism,
causing harm to its host.
• Which organism is the
parasite in each photo?
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
Relationships in a terrestrial ecosystem
• Describe two
producer/consumer
relationships in the
terrestrial ecosystem
food web pictured at
right.
• Describe two
predator/prey
relationships in the food
web.
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
Time for Practice!
• Complete the lesson practice activity:
– Ecosystem Interactions
Ecosystem Roles: TEKS 8.11A
Show what you know!
• Try the lesson’s interactive quiz, or complete a quiz
that your teacher can print out for you.
• Hint:
– You might want to review your lesson reading piece one
more time before trying the quiz.