LESSON PLANS—HONORS
Food Chains and Food Webs
Objective: ACOS
13 Trace the energy flow as it decrease through the trophic levels from
producers to the quarternary level in food chains, food webs, and energy
pyramids.
13b Contrasting autotrophs/heterotroph
13c Describing the niche of decomposers
ACT QUALITY CORE: Explain how energy flows through ecosystems in one
direction, from photosynthetic organisms to herbivores to carnivores and
decomposers
Diagram flow of energy using food webs, food chains, and pyramids (e.g.
pyramid of energy, pyramid of biomass, pyramid of numbers
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does the amount of energy that flows through
an ecosystem relate to the trophic levels?
LEARNING TARGET: I can trace the flow of energy through the ecosystem
and apply the 10% Law
BEFORE
Warm-up (STRATEGY: QUICK WRITE)
A. Using the aquatic food web, figure 3-8, choose one of the food chains
and write a paragraph describing the feeding relationships among the
organisms in the food chain. Use the terms producers, consumers, and
decomposition in your description.
1. CRITICAL THINKING: Draw an energy pyramid for a five-step
food chain.
2. If 100% of the energy is available at the first trophic level, what
percentage of the total energy is available at the highest trophic
level?
LEARNING TARGET: I can create food chains and food webs showing the
niches of the given organisms.
DURING
B. Food Web/Food Chains (STRATEGY: COOPERATIVE GROUPS)
1. Food Web Activity
2. Students will complete the food web activity.
a. Using the cards, the students will create 5 food chains.
b. Using the arrows, show the pathway of food chains that will
create a food web to interlock the food chains.
3. Complete the activity protocol sheet of analysis questions.
C. Discussion
1. What powers the energy flow through an ecosystem? (Sun)
2. Which trophic level organisms can only occupy one niche?
(producers and herbivores—primary consumers)
3. How many trophic levels are usually found in a food chain? (4)
LEARNING TARGET: I can recognize ecological terminology and create a
schematic map linking the concepts in a logical pattern.
AFTER (Strategy: Schematic Web)
D. Using the vocabulary cards, students will match the terms to the
phrase by holding up the card when the phrase is read by the teacher.
EQ: The primary producers receive 100% of the energy from the sun. After using
energy for metabolic processes, such as growth and reproduction, only 10% of the
energy is available for the primary consumers (herbivores). Ten percent of each
trophic level is available to each trophic level. The primary producers always have
the most energy and the topmost trophic level always has the least amount of
available energy. For this reason, food chains normally will not go beyond the
quarternary level.
HOMEWORK
Pre-read notes, Chapter 3, Section 3
A. Carbon Cycle: As you read, complete the graphic organizer on the carbon
cycle identifying the processes as where carbon is incorporated and where
carbon is released.
B. Identify each process as bio, geo, chemical, or mix of processes.
C. Sequence the events of the carbon cycle on land and in the ocean.
D. Print Carbon Passport Procedure and Student Data Sheet
E. Print Forest Lab Procedures/Data Sheets