Ecosystem Basics

Overview

Students will learn what an ecosystem is and identify its major parts: living organisms, habitats, and physical (nonliving) environments. They will begin building a simple model of how components work together, setting up later lessons on interactions in ecosystems.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to define an ecosystem as a system made of living things and the physical environment.
• Students will be able to identify living organisms, habitats, and physical environments in a familiar local example.
• Students will be able to describe how these parts connect (two-at-a-time interactions) using evidence from the example.
• Students will be able to create a simple model (diagram or labeled chart) showing ecosystem components.

Success criteria

• I can say what an ecosystem is using my own words.
• I can list at least three types of living organisms in an ecosystem example.
• I can match each living thing to a habitat and at least one physical factor (like water, soil, light, temperature, air).
• I can explain one interaction between two systems/components using a sentence frame (“Living things ____ because the physical environment ____.”).

Curriculum links

• Earth and Systems: Develop a model describing how Earth systems interact using an example (limited to interactions of two systems at a time).
• Ecosystems: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment (beginning with “matter in the ecosystem” at an introductory level).
• Ecosystems focus: Use ecosystem components (living organisms and environment) as the system boundaries for student models.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (Picture + Think). Teacher displays 2–3 images of a local ecosystem (schoolyard pond, grassy area, or small forest edge) and asks students to think: “What’s alive here, and what is not alive but still matters?” Students quickly jot two observations (one living, one nonliving) on a mini whiteboard or scrap paper.

2. 5–12 min · Mini-lesson (Define ecosystem). Teacher introduces: “An ecosystem is a place where living things and nonliving parts interact.” Model an example using simple labels: organism → habitat → physical environment. Students turn and talk, then share one living thing, one habitat, and one physical environment from the pictured ecosystem.

3. 12–20 min · Guided model building (Components sort). Teacher gives each group a set of picture cards (plants, insects/animals, water/soil/rocks, sunlight, air, temperature cues) and a worksheet with three columns: Living Organisms, Habitat, Physical Environment. Students sort cards into the columns and check with a partner, using the rule: habitats are where living things live/fit; physical environments are nonliving factors.

4. 20–28 min · Interaction practice (Two-at-a-time). Teacher teaches a sentence frame tied to the day’s focus: “Living things need/are affected by the physical environment because ____.” Provide a short example interaction (e.g., “Plants need sunlight to grow; sunlight is a physical environment factor.”). Students choose one organism from their cards and write one interaction sentence connecting it to one physical factor.

5. 28–38 min · Create a simple ecosystem model (Diagram). Teacher explains the task: draw a circle (the ecosystem) and include arrows or lines connecting (1) a living organism, (2) its habitat, and (3) one physical environment factor. Remind students models can be diagrams or labeled charts. Students create their model in groups, using at least 4 labels and 1 arrow showing a connection.

6. 38–43 min · Gallery share (Evidence). Teacher asks groups to post their model and use a “compliment + question” protocol focused on accuracy: “I notice… / I wonder…” Students walk and leave one comment/question per model, targeting whether living organisms, habitat, and physical environment are correctly identified.

7. 43–45 min · Exit ticket (Check understanding). Teacher collects an exit ticket with two prompts: (a) “Define an ecosystem in 1–2 sentences,” (b) “Name one living thing and one physical environment factor, and write one interaction using the sentence frame.” Students submit independently.

Suggested activities

• Interactive group discussions: Facilitate conversations where students share observations and ideas about local ecosystems.
• Hands-on habitat creation project: Students work in groups to build small-scale habitats using natural materials.
• Field observation walk: Take students outside to observe and record living and nonliving components of an ecosystem.
• Food chain role-play activity: Assign roles to students as different organisms to act out food chains and ecosystem interactions.

Resources

• Ecosystem picture slides (pond, grassy area, forest edge) printed or projected
• Picture card sets for groups: living organisms, habitat clues, physical environment factors
• Group model worksheet with ecosystem circle and label/arrow space
• Sentence frame cards posted at the front
• Mini whiteboards/scrap paper for hook notes
• Marker sets and colored pencils
• Gallery posting materials (tape/sticky notes)
• Exit ticket slips

Assessment

• Formative during sorting: teacher checks that students correctly distinguish living organisms, habitats, and nonliving physical environment factors.
• Formative during interaction sentences: teacher listens for accurate two-part connections (organism + physical factor) using the frame.
• Exit ticket: assesses ecosystem definition and one correctly stated interaction between a living component and a physical environment factor.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide partially completed model examples (with missing labels) and a word bank (organism, habitat, sunlight, water, soil, air).
• Support for sentence writing: Offer two or three pre-written interaction starters students can adapt.
• Extension: Challenge students to add a second interaction connection (same ecosystem model) that links a different organism to a different physical factor.
• EAL/SEN: Use visuals on cards, allow oral responses for the hook, and allow drawing instead of writing for part of the exit ticket (teacher transcribes if needed).