UNIT 2
TEK 7.5B Demonstrate and explain the cycling of matter within
living systems, such as in the decay of biomass in a compost bin
7.5C Diagram the flow of energy through living systems including
food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids
8/30/2010 Decay of Biomass PG. 16
IN: OBJ: The student will understand and build a
compost bin using organic matter.
TEK: 7.5B
Language OBJ: discussion
IN: Warm-up: How much Garbage?
Is taking out the trash one of your chores at home? Sometimes,
the bags aren’t too heavy, some days you are begging for help to
drag them to the dumpster. Using your knowledge of how much
trash you generate at home, circle an answer to each question
below that is closest to your own hypothesis on how much
garbage Americans generate.
HOW MUCH GARBAGE DOES A TYPICAL AMERICAN FAMILY OF FOUR
GENERATE IN ONE WEEK?
A. about 20 pounds
B. 50 pounds
C. 80-150 pounds
D. 250 pounds
HOW MUCH GABAGE IS THAT FOR EACH PERSON FOR ONE DAY?
A. 1 pound
B. 3-4 pounds
C. over 10 pounds
D. 22 pounds
Americans generate about 190-210 million tons of garbage a year.
That is enough trash to fill a bumper-to-bumper convoy of
garbage trucks halfway to the moon.
What happens to the garbage? What happens when it gets to the
landfill?
Every day, leaves die and fall off of plants. In the fall, many trees
lose their leaves. People in your neighborhood mow their yard.
What happens to those leaves? Why are we not up to our necks in
garbage, dead leaves, and the remains of living things that die?
When living things die, what happens to the energy trapped in
the bodies of the organisms? When we throw things away, what
happens to the energy trapped in the matter of those objects
when they end up in the landfill? Write your ideas of what
happens in the box beside the trash truck.
THROUGH:
Decomposers
Located on the bottom of ecosystem diagrams such
as food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids.
Break down dead material, they provide nutrients
that other organisms need to survive.
Types of decomposers (saprotrophs) are bacteria and
fungi.
Important role in the recycling material in the
environment
When a plant or animal dies, it leaves behind nutrients and
energy in the organic material that comprised its body.
Scavengers can feed on the carcasses, but they leave
behind a large amount of unused every and nutrients.
This unused energy is found in the form of uneaten bones,
feathers, exoskeletons of insects, or fur in the case of
animals, wood in the case of plants, and in the feces of
scavengers.
Decomposers complete decomposition by converting this
remaining organic matter into carbon dioxide and
nutrients.
This releases nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and
magnesium, in a form usable to plants and algae.
This process resupplies nutrients to the ecosystem which
the producers use.
Compost Bin
“Greens” for compost bin – grass clippings, green
leaves, or plant clippings
“Browns” for compost bin – dry leaves, straw, hay, or
saw dust, newspaper
Organic rich, fertile soil
Non-chlorinated water
Compost Column
Construction Data
DAY
1
22
3
4
Temperature
ODOR
PHYSICAL
APPEARANCE
Recall: Vocab Words –
microorganisms, biomass, decay,
decomposition, compost
Summary – explanation of the day
OUT: How does decay of biomass
relate to a food chain or food web?
8/31/2010 Decay of Biomass Pg. 18
IN: OBJ: The students will understand the decay of
biomass and energy flow of living organisms using
discussion and graphic organizers.
TEKS: 7.5B and 7.5C
Language Obj: we will illustrate through diagrams
and discuss
In: Warm-up: Organism shuffle
Organize these animals in a way that you think these
organisms interact in the wild. Build a food chain.
What are the reasons you organized these animals
this way?
Snake
Grass
Rat
Owl
Through: What is
composting?
Composting creates the ideal conditions for the
natural decay or rotting processes that occur in
nature.
Composting requires the following:
Biomass – organic matter in a system
Soil – source of microorganisms
Water – required for life
Air – source of oxygen
What is composting?
During composting, microorganisms from the soil eat
the biomass and break it down into its simplest parts.
This produces compost which is a substance rich in
nutrients and used by plants as fertilizer.
Gasses and heat are given off as the matter is
decomposed, or broken down, by the
microorganisms.
What is composting?
The microorganisms require water and oxygen to live
and multiply. Through this process, the
microorganisms give off gasses and heat.
Temperatures within compost piles can rise as high
as 100 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the compost pile or bin is actively managed by
turning and watering it regularly, the process of
decomposing into finished compost can happen in as
little as two to three weeks.
How is the energy returned to the environment
through the decay of biomass?
How is matter decomposed?
How is energy transferred through the decay of
biomass?
Which cycles return energy in living systems to the
environment?
Compost bin
How is the decay of biomass important in your lives?
How does the decay of biomass relate to a food chain
or food web?
How is energy transferred in the environment?
Biomass
Dead
organisms
leaves/grass
woody
materials
(MATTER)
Water
AIR
Finished Compost
Soil
(Microorganisms
Gasses, Heat (Energy)
Recall – energy flow, matter, carbon cycle, heat
Summary – brief explanation of today
OUT: Free write how energy is returned to the
environment through the decay of biomass. Use your
vocabulary. HW: What eats what? Due Thursday
DAY
2
Temperature
Odor
Appearance
9/1/2010 Virtual Trashcan
Pg. 20
OBJ: The student will predict the amount of time it
takes for items to be biodegraded through visual
representation.
TEKS: 7.5B and 7.5C
Language Obj: visual graphics
IN: Warm-up:
Food Web and Impact
In a Coniferous forest, small rodents, weasels, foxes,
and a lynx are all effected by a wildfire. Describe how
the wildfire impacts this ecosystem and food chain.
Virtual trashcan
Individual analysis – decide which items are
biodegradeable ad rank the items based on how long
it takes them to break down in the environment.
Group analysis with lab partners
Class analysis
Day
3
Temperature
Odor
Appearance
Virtual Trashcan
Cotton t-shirt = 5 months
Paper = 2- 5 months
Aluminum can = 200-500 yrs
Newspaper = 6 weeks
Disposable diaper = 500- 600
yrs
Styrofoam = never
Leaves = 1-3 months
Food = 3-4 weeks
Plastic utensils = 10,000 years
Plastic water bottle = 450 yrs
Batteries = unknown
Iron nail = 80-100 yrs
Plastic bag = 20-30 years
Wood = 10-15 yrs
Plastic cup = 250 years
Recall – biodegradable, matter, energy, compost
Summary – brief explanation of the day
OUT: HW due Thursday What eats What?
Build your own food web beginning with
decomposers and ending with a carnivore
(consumer).
9/2/2010 Food Chains and Webs Pg. 22
IN: OBJ: The student will design a food web and
understand symbiotic relationships by building post
cards.
TEKS: 7.5B and 7.5C
Language Obj: Discussion and visual representation
IN: Warm-up Symbiotic Relationships
Define through previous knowledge the following
relationships:
Predator/prey
Parasite/host
Consumer/producer
Through:
Predator/Prey
Predator – hunts and kills
other animals for food;
consumer
Omnivore, carnivore
Prey – animal that is killed
and eaten, consumer
Omnivore, carnivore,
herbivore
Niche – the role an
organism fills within its
environment
Always competition for
food and territory in the
animal world and it is vital
for the animal to find a
niche within their
environment
Symbiotic relationships
Symbiosis – close
relationship between the
individuals of two or more
different species. Allows
two species to share the
same space and/or food
supply.
Mutualism – both species
benefit or help each other
Commensalism – one
species benefits; the other
is unaffected
Parasitism – one species
benefits; the other is
harmed
Examples
Mutualism – A honey bee
and a flower. The honey bee
gets to eat the pollen from
the flower. The flower uses
the bee to spread its pollen
to another.
Commensalism – An animal
using a plant for shelter. A
bird benefits by building its
nest in a tree. The tree is
unaffected
Parasitism – An example
would be a tick and a dog.
The tick gets food from the
dog without killing it. The
dog is harmed by becoming
weak from losing blood to
the tick and possibly by
getting an infected wound.
Energy is transferred
between different
organisms and cycles.
Ecosystem
Biotic – living things
Abiotic – non living things
Ecosystem – interaction
between all the living and
nonliving things in an area.
Both living and nonliving
factors in an environment
affect the species that are
present.
Food chain – a group of
organisms in which one
depends on another for
food
An important component of
a food chain is the flow of
energy.
The grasshopper gets
energy from eating the
grass and this energy is
transferred to the snake
when the snake eats the
grasshopper.
Food web
Food web – multiple food
chains that overlap.
A hawk may eat fish, birds,
and squirrels and each of
the prey may have their
own food chain.
Producer – green plant
that makes its own food
through the process of
photosynthesis.
Consumer – animals that
fee on producers and are
herbivores.
Flesh eating consumers or
carnivores are secondary
consumers
Omnivores are carnivores
and herbivores.
Video clip
http://idahoptv.org/dialogu
e4kids/
How do humans get the
energy needed for survival?
http://www.vtaide.com/png
/foodchains.htm
How would removing one
organism from a food chain
or food web affect the
energy flow within that
system?
Trophic levels – consumers,
producers, and
decomposers
Activity: Symbiotic
relationships Postcards
What happens to the
energy in matter that is
decaying or decomposing?
Recall – consumers , producers, herbivores, carnivores,
food chain, food webs, mutualism, commensalism,
parasitism
Summary – brief explanation of the day
OUT: Study for Quiz
Conclusions for Compost bin:
What happened to the temperature of the compost bin?
What happened with the matter in the compost bin?
What happened to the energy stored in the matter?
Day
4
Temperature
Odor
Appearance
9/3/2010 QUIZ
Illustrate and explain how matter and energy is transferred in a
compost bin
Expectations – must have a drawing that show how matter and
energy are transferred in a compost bin
An illustration of a food chain or web occurring in the compost
bin must be included.
Label drawings
Written explanation of both drawings
Arrows showing the transfer of energy must be on the
illustrations .