Learning the Energy Pyramid with Red Solo Cups

Lesson plan arranged and written by

Justin Hurst
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of EDI 331 Science Teacher Assisting
Grand Valley State University
October 12, 2014










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Standards:
GLCE
L.EC.06.23 Predict how changes in one population might affect other populations based upon their
relationships in the food web.
NGSS
DCI:
LS2.B: Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
Performance Expectations:
MS-LS2-2 Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across
multiple ecosystems.

Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns
Cause and Effect
Stability and Change
Energy and Matter

Nature of Science
None covered in this lesson
Safety Considerations
None
Objectives
I can place different trophic levels of organisms on the energy pyramid
I understand the difference in organism number at different places in the energy pyramid
Requisite Knowledge
In order to complete this activity students will need a base understanding of food webs, and
must be able to classify different organisms based on their trophic level.
Misconceptions
One of the most common misconceptions is that energy accumulates as it moves up the
web. This lesson directly addresses this misconception as the energy pyramid is physically
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represented as bottom heavy, and the loss of energy as you move up the pyramid is directly
addressed.
Munson, Bruce, "Ecological Misconceptions." Journal of Environmental Education. 25, 4 (1994): 30-34.
Scientific Background
Essentially the energy pyramid is a representation of different energy and biomass
amounts among trophic levels. The (not completely accurate) but often used rule of thumb is
that each move up the pyramid only contains 10% the amount of energy found at the previous
level. This is due to the energy cost of living, processes such as digestion, movement, etc. have
an associated energy cost. The only energy that is transferred from level to level is energy
found within the eaten flesh.
Engage, Explore, Explain: Cups of Energy
Overview: The purpose of this activity is to introduce students to the energy pyramid and link to their
previous knowledge on food webs, trophic levels and organism relationships. This will be done by using
a labeled cup pyramid as an analogy to the energy pyramid, and using a variety of guiding questions.
Materials and Set Up:
11 Plastic Cups
5 Different Colors of construction Paper
Scissors
Tape
Cut out strips of construction paper and tape 4 cups in (green), 3 cups in (blue), 2 in (yellow), 1 in (red),
and 1 in (black). Place all cups in a pyramid, with the (black) cup to the side.

In this layout, the (green) cups represent producers, the (blue) cups represent primary consumers, the
(yellow) cups represent secondary consumers, the (red) cup a top level consumer, and the (black) cup a
decomposer.
Procedure
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1. Ask students how the cups should be arranged where all of the colors are in the same row (the
black cup is set aside at this point).
2. Put the cups in whatever arrangements they suggest eventually if not immediately arriving at
the above layout.
3. If the students immediately arrive the above arrangement ask what would happen if it was
arranged in another way.
4. Ask the students what this arrangement mimics in nature. Scaffold the correct answer by
revealing the name of certain levels of the cups.
5. After all the trophic levels but decomposers has been revealed, ask what is missing.
6. Reveal the black cup.
7. Talk more about the number of organisms (biomass) at each level of the pyramid
8. Ask why the number of organisms goes down at each level.
9. Discuss how energy is lost.
10. If you are so inclined, link this to the human diet, and what the best level to eat at is to feed the
whole world.
11. Remove a bottom level cup.
12. Ask what happened.
13. Recreate this with each level of the pyramid asking how this mimics an ecosystem.
14. Summarize what they just learned.
Elaborate
The students previously did some analysis of Figure 3 in the Environmental science textbook.
Ask students to form a group and to make an energy pyramid representing the Salt-Marsh ecosystem on
a lined piece of paper. If students struggle to do this ask students to place as many organisms in the
figure as possible into various trophic levels, and then use only those organisms to make the pyramid.
Evaluate
Assessment will take place throughout the activity through the guiding questions. In addition to
this Daily Science the next day will assess the previous days activity. The questions will be as follows.
1. What trophic level forms the base of the energy pyramid?
2. Why does the energy pyramid get smaller as you move upward?
The summative test at the end of the unit will also assess their learning of the energy pyramid.
References
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. (2002). Environmental Science. United States of America. Holt Science &
Technology.
Self-Assessment
Objectives: Proficient
Materials and Setup: Progressing
Safety: Proficient
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Requisite Knowledge: Progressing
Procedure: Proficient
Engage: Proficient
Explore: Proficient
Explain: Progressing
Elaborate: Progressing
Evaluate: Progressing
References: Progressing
Misconceptions: Progressing
Style: Proficient
Alignment: Progressing
Developmentally Appropriate: Proficient