Know
Producers
Primary, secondary, and
Tertiary consumers
Trophic level
Food web
Food chain
Invasive species
Understand
How energy flows through
a food web.
The feeding relationship
between producers,
primary consumers,
secondary consumers, and
tertiary consumers.
How food webs can be
affected by invasive
organisms or the removal
of organisms.
How food chains make up
food webs.
How different
classifications of
organisms are grouped
into trophic levels.
How invasive species can
affect a food web.
Do
Analyze food webs to
determine the feeding
relationships.
Identify which organisms
are producers and classify
consumer levels.
Identify the trophic levels
to which organisms
belong.
Use a food web to predict
the affects of invasive
species or the removal of
organisms from the food
web.
Describe the energy flow
in a food web.
Food Web Assignment: Differentiated Instruction
Analytical Group
Each member of your group will analyze a complete food web. Your assignment is to write a paper to
include the following information in order:
1. Analyze the feeding relationships of all organisms by listing what each organism eats.
Describe the relationship between the arrows on the web and the direction of energy flow and
give an example.
2. Create a chart to identify which organisms are producers, primary consumers, secondary
consumers, tertiary consumers. Name 2 possible decomposers to any food web. Describe the
importance of decomposers to a food web.
3. Contrast the difference between autotrophs, heterotrophs, and decomposers. List which
organisms fit into each category.
4. Create another chart to identify which organisms fit into each trophic level.
5. Predict what would happen to feeding relationships in the food web if one organism were
removed. (pick one specific organism to remove)
6. Read the following article “Invasive Species in Missouri”: Predict what would happen to
feeding relationships in the food web if an invasive species were introduced in this food web.
Food Web Assignment: Differentiated Instruction
Creative Group
Each member of your group will create a make-believe food web on another planet.
1. You will need to create: 4 producers
3 primary consumers
2 secondary consumers
1 tertiary consumers (top level carnivore)
2. Create a chart to identify your organisms as producers, primary consumers, secondary
consumers, tertiary consumers. Name 2 possible decomposers to any food web. Describe the
importance of decomposers to a food web.
3. For each organism you will need to: create a name
List it as an autotroph, heterotroph, or decomposer
List what other organisms it feeds upon (each organism must feed upon
2-3 other organisms)
4. Organisms need to be placed in correct trophic levels within the food web.
5. Predict what would happen to feeding relationships in the food web if one organism were
removed. (pick one specific organism to remove)
6. Read the following article “Invasive Species in Missouri”: Predict what would happen to
feeding relationships in your food web if an invasive species were introduced. (create your own
invasive species and determine what it feeds upon in your food web.)
Food Web Assignment: Differentiated Instruction
Practical Group (Who Eats Who Activity)
Each member of your group will be given pictures of organisms in a Missouri ecosystem.
You will be given a write-up on the feeding relationships of these organisms.
1. You will need to arrange the organisms into a food web by applying what you have read on
their feeding relationships.
2. Pick one food chain from you food web consisting of 4 organisms and identify the trophic level
of each organism.
3. Create a chart to identify which organisms are producers, primary consumers, secondary
consumers, tertiary consumers, autotrophs, and heterotrophs. Name 2 possible decomposers to
any food web. Describe the importance of decomposers to a food web.
4. Read the following article “Invasive Species in Missouri”
Apply your knowledge of feeding relationships to solve the following problems:
A. A tree fungus is severely destroying the population of Scrub Oak trees within
your food web. How will this affect each organism in the food web?
B. Read the Article: An invasive specie called a Whodawhata has inhabited your
food web. It feeds on __________. How will this affect each organism in the
food web?
Toyon: plant
Chamise: plant
Manzanita: plant
Bitter Cherry: plant
Scrub Oak: plant
Sun
Grasshopper: eats Chamise, Toyon, Manzanita
Spiders: eats Grasshopper, Beetles, Butterflies
Beetles: eats Bitter Cherry, Scrub Oak, Manzanita, Toyon
Butterflies: Manzanita, Toyon, Bitter Cherry
Grubs and Insect Larvae: Chamise, Mansanita, Scrub Oak, Bitter Cherry
Coast Horned Toad: Beetles and Grasshopper
Western Fence Lizard: eats spiders, grasshopper, butterflies
Ground Squirrel: Scrub Oak, Bitter Cherry, Toyon, Manzanita
Gopher Snake: eats rats, pocket mouse, rabbits, birds, quails, western fence lizard
Grey Fox: Bitter Cherry, Manzanita (berries), pocket mouse, rabbit, quail
Spotted Skunk: eats pocket mouse, scrub jay, manzanita (berries), toyon (berries)
Western Rattlesnake: eats pocket mouse, squirrel, rabbits, scrub jay, western fence lizard, coast
horned toad
Scrub Jay: eats scrub oak (acorns), grasshopper, beetles, grubs and insect larvae
Mountain Coyote: squirrel, pocket mouse, rabbit, grasshopper, quail, bitter cherry (berries), toyon
(berries)
California Quail: eats beetles, grasshoppers, manzanita (berries), toyon
Brush Rabbit: eats chamise, manzanita
Red Tailed Hawk: pocket mouse, squirrels, rabbits, grasshoppers, beetles
Pocket Mouse: Toyon, Manzanita, Bitter Cherry
Food Web Scoring Guide
Category
10pts
Energy Flow
All flow of
energy is
identified
correctly
Creates a chart
to categorize all
organisms
correctly.
Categorizing
organisms
(producers,
consumer
levels, and
decomposers)
Demonstrates
Correct
Feeding
Relationships
Trophic
Levels
Food Web
Invasive
Species
Removal of
species
Impact of
decomposers
8pts
Explains how the
removal of a
species affects
the food web
Identifies 2
decomposers and
explains their
importance
4pts
2pts
50% of energy
flow is identified,
but lacks some
Has all categories
present/75% of
organisms
correctly
identified
Correctly
identifies all
relationships
Correctly
identifies all 4
levels
Analyze/Create
Food web
correctly
Describes how
invasive species
can take over
and affect an
ecosystem
6pts
50% of organisms
correctly
categorized/One
category missing
No corr
energy fl
identifi
25% of
organisms
correctly
categorized/or
two categories
missing
75% of feeding
relationships
correctly
identified
3 levels
0pts
2 levels
Explains the
effects of invasive
species but
doesn’t tell what
an invasive
species is
Three or more
categories
missing
No wor
correct
present
50% of feeding
relationships
correctly
identified
1 level
No feedi
relationsh
identifi
Describes what
an invasive
species is but
doesn’t explain
the affects
Doesn’
describ
invasive sp
None
Doesn’t ex
Identifies 1
decomposer and
explains 1
importance
Only explains
importance
Only names 2
decomposers
Only names one
decomposer
No decomp
discusse