Ecosystems Are Connected

Overview

In this first lesson of the three-part unit Our Living World, students build on the idea that organisms live in many different places and interact with their surroundings. They identify living and non-living parts of an ecosystem, then model connections between organisms using food-chain and food-web cards.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify the living and non-living parts of an ecosystem.
• WALT describe how organisms interact with their habitat.
• WALT use arrows to show feeding relationships.
• WALT explain one way organisms depend on each other.

Success criteria

• I can identify living and non-living components in an ecosystem.
• I can use arrows to show which organism is eaten by another.
• I can explain one way an organism depends on another organism or part of its habitat.
• I can contribute respectfully to my group’s model and discussion.

Curriculum links

• Living World — ecology: an ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with each other and with their habitat, including water, land and air.
• Living World — where and how organisms live: organisms are found in almost every place on Earth and interact with their surroundings.
• Nature of Science — participating and contributing: students share observations, ask questions and work together to explain scientific ideas.
• Key Competencies — relating to others and communicating in language, symbols and texts.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Movement warm-up: living or non-living? Teacher places or displays picture cards around the room and opens the hook and living/non-living sorting slides. Call out “living” or “non-living”; students move to the matching side of the room, then justify one choice to a partner. Include examples such as a tree, bird, rock, water, soil, air and sunlight. Clarify that living things carry out life processes, while non-living parts form the habitat that organisms need.

2. 5–15 min · Build the concept. Teacher plays a suitable short section of the National Geographic Kids “What Is an Ecosystem?” video, pausing to ask, “What living things did you notice?” and “What non-living parts helped them live?” Students record or sketch two living and two non-living components on the ecosystem observation sheet. Introduce the term ecosystem as a community of organisms interacting with one another and with their habitat. Model a simple example: grass → rabbit, explaining that the arrow shows the direction of feeding or energy flow.

3. 15–30 min · Make a food chain or food web. Teacher forms seven mixed-ability groups of three and distributes the Food Web Interaction Cards. Demonstrate how to choose a producer and consumers, place the cards, and connect them with arrows. Students create a simple food chain first, then add another connection to make a food web where possible. They must include at least three organisms and explain one relationship using the frame, “The ___ needs ___ because ___.” Circulate, checking that arrows point from the food to the organism eating it. Invite groups to explain their model to another group.

4. 30–40 min · Apply to a local ecosystem. Teacher displays the local ecosystem discussion slides showing a school garden, stream, beach or forest. Ask, “What living and non-living parts would we find here?” and “How are they connected?” Students choose one local ecosystem and complete a labelled sketch or short explanation on the worksheet. Encourage examples such as plants needing sunlight and water, insects feeding on plants, birds feeding on insects, or organisms using soil, rocks and trees for shelter.

5. 40–43 min · Share and consolidate. Teacher selects two or three groups to present, using the food-chain and discussion prompt slides. Students listen for one living part, one non-living part and one feeding relationship in each presentation. Reinforce that an ecosystem includes both organisms and habitat, and that changes to one part can affect other parts.

6. 43–45 min · Exit ticket. Students complete the final three prompts on the ecosystem exit ticket: name one living component, name one non-living component, and complete “The ___ depends on the ___ because ___.” Collect responses to identify misconceptions before Lesson 2.

Resources

• the Ecosystems Are Connected slide deck
• the ecosystem observation sheet
• the Food Web Interaction Cards
• Device, speakers and pre-checked video segment
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Board and markers
• Scissors or reusable adhesive, if needed
• Pencils, coloured pencils and large paper for group models

Assessment

• During sorting, questioning and video pauses, listen for accurate use of living, non-living, habitat and ecosystem.
• During group work, check that students include both producers and consumers where appropriate, use arrows correctly, and explain a genuine dependence.
• Use the worksheet and exit ticket to group students for follow-up teaching, particularly students who confuse “living” with “moving” or reverse arrow direction.

Differentiation

• Support learners with labelled images, gestures, real objects, colour-coded vocabulary cards, read-aloud instructions and the sentence frame, “The ___ needs ___ because ___.”
• Provide bilingual vocabulary cards and allow students to rehearse ideas with a partner or explain them in their strongest language before sharing in English.
• Offer oral, drawn or written responses. Use a clear sans-serif font, large text, short lines, uncluttered worksheets and audio/video support for dyslexic learners; avoid requiring large amounts of copying.
• Use mixed-ability groups with roles such as card organiser, arrow checker and speaker. Extension learners add decomposers and predict what could happen if one organism disappeared, explaining effects on at least two other parts of the ecosystem.