Ecosystems and Food Webs

Overview

This is lesson 8 of 17 in Exploring Pokémon: Science and Beyond. The learner investigates how organisms depend on one another and on environmental factors, using a Pokémon region as a model before comparing it with a familiar New Zealand ecosystem.

Learning intentions

• WALT model relationships between Pokémon, producers, consumers, decomposers and environmental factors.
• WALT use arrows to show the direction of energy flow in a food web.
• WALT predict what may happen when one species is removed.
• WALT compare a fictional ecosystem with a local New Zealand ecosystem.
• WALT explain why caring for living things and habitats is important.

Success criteria

• I can correctly represent at least six food-web relationships.
• I can identify producers, consumers and decomposers in my model.
• I can explain one likely change if a species is removed.
• I can compare one feature of a Pokémon ecosystem with a local ecosystem.

Curriculum links

• Living things and their environments: relationships between organisms and the conditions needed for life.
• Food chains and food webs: producers, consumers, decomposers and energy flow.
• Scientific enquiry: making predictions, using models and explaining observations.
• Interdisciplinary learning: mapping habitats, organising information and considering responsible environmental stewardship.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 minutes – Engage: “What happens if it disappears?” Open with the ecosystem mystery introduction. Show a Pokémon habitat with one species mysteriously missing and ask: “What might change if all the Bulbasaur disappeared?” Encourage the learner to predict freely, then explain that scientists use models to explore connected relationships.

2. 7–17 minutes – Build the key ideas Use the food-web teaching slides to introduce:

• Producers make their own food, usually using sunlight.
• Consumers obtain energy by eating plants or other animals.
• Decomposers break down dead material and return nutrients to the environment.
• Arrows show energy moving from the organism being eaten to the eater. Model one simple chain, such as sunlight → grass → caterpillar → bird, and add fungi or bacteria as decomposers. Clarify that a food web is made of several connected food chains.

3. 17–30 minutes – Sort and connect species Give the learner a set of Pokémon and environmental-factor cards, or use suitable cards from the Food Web Interaction Cards. Together, sort the cards into producer, consumer, decomposer and non-living environmental factor groups. Discuss possible relationships, such as water helping a plant grow, a Pokémon eating berries, or decomposers acting on fallen leaves. Ask the learner to justify each placement rather than simply memorising labels.

4. 30–45 minutes – Construct a regional food web Choose one fictional region or habitat, such as a forest, meadow or wetland. The learner draws or arranges at least six organisms and connects them with arrows to create a food web. Include at least one producer, three consumers, one decomposer and one environmental factor such as sunlight, rainfall, shelter or temperature. The teacher should ask: “Where does the energy begin?”, “Which organism has more than one food source?” and “What evidence supports this arrow?” Record the model on the food-web modelling and prediction worksheet.

5. 45–53 minutes – Remove one species and predict Ask the learner to remove one organism from the model, for example a producer or a prey species. Before changing the web, the learner predicts two effects: one direct effect and one effect further through the web. Add the predicted changes to the worksheet, then discuss whether other organisms might adapt, move or compete for food. Emphasise that a model is a useful prediction tool, not a guarantee of exactly what will happen.

6. 53–58 minutes – Compare with Aotearoa New Zealand Use the local ecosystem comparison prompt to compare the Pokémon web with a local ecosystem, such as a garden, stream, bush area or coastal habitat. The learner identifies a local producer, consumer and decomposer, then notes one similarity and one difference. Include a brief stewardship discussion: how might people protect food sources, clean water and habitats?

7. 58–60 minutes – Review and assess Use the final review and reflection slide. Ask the learner to explain one arrow, define one role and answer: “What would happen if the main producer decreased?” Complete a quick oral reflection: “One connection I understand is…” and “One question I still have is…”.

Resources

• the ecosystem mystery introduction and accompanying teaching, activity and review slides
• the food-web modelling and prediction worksheet
• the Food Web Interaction Cards
• Pokémon pictures or cards selected for a forest, meadow or wetland habitat
• Paper, pencil, coloured pens and ruler
• String, wool or digital drawing tool for connecting organisms
• Local observation notes or photographs from a garden, park, stream or nearby habitat
• Optional objects or images representing sunlight, water, soil, shelter and temperature

Assessment

• Observe whether the learner correctly classifies producers, consumers, decomposers and environmental factors.
• Review the labelled model for at least six accurate food-web relationships, with arrows showing energy flow.
• Use prediction questions to assess whether the learner can explain one direct and one indirect ecosystem change, then check the local comparison on the worksheet.

Differentiation

• Support: begin with a partially completed three-organism chain, provide sentence frames such as “The ___ eats ___, so energy moves from ___ to ___,” and use pictures before scientific terms.
• Support: colour-code producers, consumers and decomposers; allow the learner to explain predictions orally before writing them.
• Extension: add competition, such as two consumers sharing one food source, and explain what might happen if rainfall or temperature changed.
• EAL/SEN: teach and display the words producer, consumer, decomposer, habitat, energy and relationship; use short instructions, repeated modelling and a choice of drawing, arranging or speaking to demonstrate understanding.