Ecosystem Foundations

Overview

Students learn what an ecosystem is and sort living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components, then explain how they interact. The lesson builds collaborative discussion routines through partner and group work aligned to speaking/listening and informative writing expectations.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to identify living and nonliving components in an ecosystem.
• Students will be able to classify examples as biotic or abiotic factors.
• Students will be able to explain how biotic and abiotic factors interact using evidence from pictures.
• Students will be able to collaborate respectfully to build a group ecosystem concept map.

Success criteria

• I can name at least three biotic factors and three abiotic factors in our ecosystem map.
• I can sort picture cards correctly as biotic or abiotic and explain why.
• I can add arrows/labels that show relationships between living and nonliving components.
• I can answer the exit ticket questions using scientific vocabulary.

Curriculum links

• Engaging in collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) to build on ideas and express their own clearly on grade 5 topics and texts.
• Reading and comprehending informational science text visuals and concepts at grade-appropriate complexity independently and proficiently.
• Introducing a topic clearly and organizing information logically, with formatting choices that support comprehension for science explanations.
• Writing routinely over short time frames using a quick structured response that supports a science purpose.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Teacher greeting and hook (think-pair-share). Teacher displays a forest ecosystem image and asks, “What do you notice?” Students think independently, then turn-and-talk with a partner to share observations using think-pair-share.

2. 5–12 min · Introduce new material. Teacher explains: an ecosystem includes living and nonliving components; living components are biotic factors; nonliving components are abiotic factors, and models an interaction (plants need sunlight, water, and soil; animals depend on plants for food). Students take brief notes on a class T-chart labeled Biotic and Abiotic.

3. 12–22 min · Guided practice: picture card sort. Teacher gives each pair a set of biotic/abiotic picture cards. Students classify cards and discuss reasoning with a partner, using a quick sentence starter: “I think this is biotic/abiotic because ____.”

4. 22–28 min · Whole-class share and misconception check. Teacher leads a discussion: pairs share one card and their reasoning; teacher clarifies mistakes (for example, distinguishing living vs. nonliving carefully). Students listen respectfully, respond to peers, and ask at least one clarifying question as needed.

5. 28–40 min · Collaborative practice: ecosystem concept map. Teacher groups students into small groups and provides ecosystem concept map worksheets, a sample concept map, and the diagram supplies. Each student contributes at least one idea; groups must include at least three biotic and three abiotic factors and add arrows/labels showing relationships. Students build the concept map, negotiate wording, and ensure each arrow explains an interaction.

6. 40–45 min · Individual exit ticket (assessment). Teacher distributes an exit ticket with:

• What is one biotic factor?
• What is one abiotic factor?
• How can a living and nonliving component interact? Students complete independently and submit.

Resources

• Forest ecosystem image (projected)
• Biotic vs abiotic picture cards (enough for pairs)
• Biotic and abiotic factor diagram (teacher display)
• Sample ecosystem concept map (student reference)
• Ecosystem concept map worksheet (group copies)
• Engagement and participation observation checklist (teacher)
• Student exit ticket slips
• Sentence frames for discussion and reasoning (optional copies)
• Picture vocabulary cards (optional support)

Assessment

• Formative: Teacher uses an engagement and participation checklist during partner and group tasks to monitor listening, sharing, and respectful collaboration.
• Formative: During guided practice, teacher circulates and checks whether students correctly sort cards and can explain “why.”
• Summative (quick): Exit ticket responses are reviewed for accurate use of biotic/abiotic and for at least one valid interaction statement.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide picture vocabulary cards and sentence frames (“This is biotic because…”, “This abiotic factor affects…”) for students who need language scaffolds.
• Support: Offer pre-labeled concept map boxes (Biotic / Abiotic) for students needing structure, while still requiring arrows/relationships.
• Support: Allow students who benefit from it to explain first to a partner, then write the exit ticket answer.
• Enrichment: Challenge groups to identify an additional interaction and explain how one change (for example, less sunlight) could affect another component.

Home connection (homework)

Students identify three living (biotic) and three nonliving (abiotic) components of an ecosystem they observe at home or in their community, and be ready to share one interaction next class.