Lesson Title: Placed Based Ecosystem Representations

Summary: This lesson utilizes natural material representations to help students deepen their
understanding of ecosystem connections and their part in those connections.


Key Goals and Objectives
Students will be able to:
Use creativity and artistic expression to represent ideas
Understand connections within ecosystems
Explain their place in the natural world around them
Deepen their understanding of biotic and abiotic

Introduction
Make sure the students are comfortable and mentally/physical prepared to be outside for the duration of
the lesson. Explain that the students will have time to explore the woods around them and create
something with what they find.

Connection to the Process
This lesson reinforces number 1 in the process: Introduction of components of ecosystem. It delves deeper
into number 2 and 3: Investigating interactions and system relationships of components and relating
human relationships and influences within ecosystems.

Activities
Ask the students to brainstorm some different types of ecosystems (forest, pond, harbor, sidewalk, nurse
log etc.). Write their answers on a white board or butcher paper. Once you have a good list that is
representative of many different types of macro and micro ecosystems ask them to choose one of those
ecosystems that they want to represent in their art. Try and get them to choose an ecosystem that could
be found at IslandWood. Once they have chosen their ecosystem ask them to write in their journals about
some abiotic and biotic elements of that ecosystem.

Bring out Andy Goldsworthys book and let the students look through it to explain the concept of nature
art. Explain that students will be creating a natural representation of their chosen ecosystem using the
natural elements around them. Each student will choose a work space within the designated area
(preferably a wild zone).

Let the students know that they will have ~10 minutes of free explore time in the area before they need
to begin on their representation. This time is to help them get acquainted with the area before they begin
creating, and also to allow them time to make any personal connections with the space.
Then, in that same space, students will begin to create the natural representation of their ecosystem.
They are only to use items they find around them (emphasize that these should be items they find on the
ground, not picked from living things).

The materials they choose to use (pine cones, leaves, sticks etc.) and what they want them to represent
(animals, trees, sun, water etc.) are totally up to the students, but they will need to be able to explain the
art work to you and the other students, so they need to know what each piece stands for. You can give
them an option to make a key for their ecosystem if they want (or if they finish early). Make sure they
include themselves in their representations. You can give them the option to draw their map in their
journals first if that helps them plan.

Walk around to each student to make sure they understand and are on task. When all the students have
finished call them back together and take a gallery walk to go to each students representation and let
them present to the group.

Duration
One hour

Assessment
Formative:
Asking the students to brainstorm ecosystems will allow you to see the depth of their
understanding. Look for the inclusion of micro ecosystems as well as macro ecosystems. See if
they include human influenced ecosystems like parks, sidewalks or backyards.
Be sure to ask them to explain what abiotic and biotic means and see how well they remember the
concepts
When they are journaling about the components of their ecosystem walk around to see if they are
including a variety of biotic and abiotic elements. See if they are adding themselves into the list.

Summative
The gallery walk will allow you to see if the students enjoyed and understood the assignment by
seeing how detailed their representations are (how many different elements they used, and how
detailed their descriptions during the gallery walk are.)
The mind map at the end will demonstrate the depth and variety of their understanding of
different ecosystem components.
Make note of where and how they chose to include themselves in their representations to see if
you can understand the connection they might have or be forming to the natural world.

Conclusion
If the students are losing focus this might be a good time to refocus with a round of zen counting or the
hula-hoop pass. (If focus is high just continue right into the conclusion). Either in their journals (or
sharing aloud) depending on the group, let student share how they felt while making their
representations, what they enjoyed most.

Then on a piece of butcher paper begin a mind map of the different things they included on their
representations. Once you have a good number of thing things on the mind map ask them to draw (and
explain) a connecting line to a few things that are connected. Finally, if their individual names are not yet
on the map, add them in and let each student draw a line (or two) from their name to something else on
the map that they are connected to.