Local Ecosystem Food Web Investigation

Name:

Date:

Location or habitat:

Part 1: Observe and Classify

Purpose: Investigate how organisms in a local ecosystem depend on one another and their environment. Use observations, photographs, remembered evidence, or classroom specimens. Do not collect living organisms.

Look for: sunlight, water, plants, animals, decomposers, and evidence of human impact such as litter, mowed areas, roads, fences, pesticides, or protected spaces.

1. Record one observation about sunlight, water, plants, animals, decomposers, and human impact.

Vocabulary support: A producer makes its own food, usually using sunlight. A consumer gets energy by eating plants or animals. A decomposer breaks down dead material. A habitat is the place where an organism lives. Biodiversity means the variety of living things in an area. A predator hunts; its prey is hunted.

2. Record at least eight organisms. Include the organism name, its role, habitat, and evidence observed.

1. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

2. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

3. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

4. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

5. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

6. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

7. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

8. Organism: ____________ Role: ____________ Habitat: ____________ Evidence: ____________________

Respectful learning reminder: If local First Nations or Métis knowledge is shared by community members, listen carefully, name the source when appropriate, and follow community guidance about what may be recorded or shared.

Part 2: Show Energy Flow

3. Write one food chain from your habitat. Begin with sunlight or a producer. Use arrows to show that energy moves from the food source to the organism that eats it.

____________________ → ____________________ → ____________________ → ____________________

Energy moves from ____________________ to ____________________ because ________________________________.

4. Draw a food web using at least five organisms, including one producer and one decomposer. Add arrows labelled energy moves to. Label two predator-prey relationships.

5. Explain two feeding relationships in your food web. Use evidence or reliable knowledge.

Relationship 1: The __________________ eats __________________ because ________________________________.

Relationship 2: The __________________ eats __________________ because ________________________________.

6. Predict what could happen if ____________________ declined or disappeared.

If ____________________ declined, ____________________ might ____________________ because ________________________________.

7. Identify one feature that supports biodiversity in this habitat. Explain how it helps living things.

The feature is ____________________. It supports biodiversity because __________________________________________.

Part 3: Explain, Reflect, and Extend

8. Complete the conclusion.

In this ecosystem, organisms depend on one another and their environment. One organism depends on ____________________ because ________________________________. Energy begins with ____________________ and moves to ____________________. One responsible stewardship action is ____________________ because ________________________________.

9. Self-assessment: Check each statement you can support with evidence.

I can classify an organism as a producer, consumer, or decomposer using evidence.

I can build a food web with arrows showing the direction of energy flow.

I can explain what may happen if one organism is removed.

I can recommend a stewardship action supported by observations.

Sentence frames: “The __________ is a __________ because __________.” “Energy moves from __________ to __________.” “If __________ disappeared, __________ might __________.” “We could support biodiversity by __________ because __________.”

Simplified option: Choose three organisms. Draw one producer, one consumer, and one decomposer. Add one arrow and complete: “The __________ depends on the __________ because __________.” You may draw, speak, dictate, or write your answer.

Extension: Analyze a possible keystone species or human impact. What might happen to at least three other organisms if that species changed, or if an invasive plant, pesticide, or habitat loss affected the ecosystem? Use your food web as evidence.