Teacher: Ashley Wienken

Subject Area: Science

Date: Spring
2016
Grade Level:
5th

District:
Denton
Unit Title:
Energy in
Ecosystem
s

School:
UNT
Lesson Title:
How does energy flow
in an ecosystem?

TEKS:
5.9B Describe how the flow of energy derived from the sun, used by producers to create their own food is transferred through the
food chain and food web to consumers and decomposers.
Technology:
126.7. b. (3) Research and information fluency. The student acquires and evaluates digital content. The student
is expected to:
(D) Acquire information appropriate to specific tasks.
Big Ideas (Science Content: Definitions, Facts, Process/Integrated Skills, Explanations, etc.)
Each ecosystem is made up of unique plants and animals that allow energy to pass through and create a cycle. The sun is vital to
this process, and is needed by all the plants and animals on earth. Producers use the energy from the sun to grow and be the
base of food chains and webs. Primary consumers will eat producers and gain energy from the producer. Next a secondary
consumer, usually a carnivore, will consume the primary consumer gaining some energy. Next, it is possible for a tertiary consumer
to consume a secondary consumer also gaining energy. Though each of the consumers is gaining energy through consumption,
energy is also lost through the process of respiration. Through each of the levels the amount of transferable energy becomes
smaller and smaller. This is why in most food chains/webs there are only four to five links at most due to the loss of energy, if it
were to continue there would not be enough energy to pass to another trophic level. Food webs show the many paths of energy in
a single ecosystem, while food chains only represent a single path of energy. Both food webs and food chains begin with the
energy from the sun and include producers, consumers and decomposers.
Learning Objective(s):
1.
2.
3.
4.

Given a ball of yarn, students will pass and identify the flow of energy through a food web.
Given a stack of cups, students will identify the flow of energy through a food chain.
Given a particular ecosystem students will research that ecosystem using computers and iPads.
Given students' knowledge of food chains and food webs, students will create their own food web and food chain based on
their ecosystem and describe the flow of energy.

Language Objective(s):
Listening: 2(G) understand the general meaning, main points, and important details of spoken language ranging from situations in
which topics, language, and contexts are familiar to unfamiliar.

Speaking: 3(D) speak using grade-level content area vocabulary in context to internalize new English words and build academic
language proficiency.
Reading:(F)use visual and contextual support and support from peers and teachers to read grade-appropriate content area text,
enhance and confirm understanding, and develop vocabulary, grasp of language structures, and background knowledge needed to
comprehend increasingly challenging language
Writing: (C) spell familiar English words with increasing accuracy, and employ English spelling patterns and rules with increasing
accuracy as more English is acquired;
Assessments:
Diagnostic Assessment/s:
During Engage, the teacher will observe students ability to correctly identify producers, and primary, secondary and tertiary
consumers.
Formative Assessments:
During Explore, the teacher will observe how students are passing the yarn to each organism. As students work will ask probing
questions to determine whether they are making connections
During Explain, the teacher will hold a class discussion and assess through questioning to determine whether students are
understanding the flow of energy through an ecosystem.
During Elaborate, the teacher will observe students as they are completing the games to determine if further instruction is needed.
Summative Assessment (Must include a Rubric):
During Evaluate, the teacher will use the following checklist to grade students work and to determine if further instruction is
needed.
Points
Presentation
10 points
Uses 10 Organisms
20 points
Includes 1 Decomposer
5 points
Sun Included
5 points
Arrows Shown Correctly
20 points
Labeled Correctly
20 points
Single Food Chain
20 points
Description.
Total of 100 possible points.
Engage

5 E Teaching Model:
Hello class we have already been talking a little bit about Producers, and Primary, Secondary, and
Tertiary Consumers. I am going to display a picture on the projector and when I point to an
organism I would like you to say out loud which one you think it is are you ready?
Display this picture, pointing to several organisms to assure that students are able to identify the

difference between producers and consumers. If needed the teacher could display another
ecosystem and follow the same procedure.

Students
should pass
the ball of yarn
gently to one
another.
Walking in the
classroom only.

Explore

Great work I think we have a strong understanding of what producers and consumers are.
Approximately 10 minutes.
We have already talked about how all organisms in an ecosystem are related to one another. Now
we are going to become part of a food web, each of you will be given a role in an ecosystem.
Together we are going to take a ball of yarn starting at the beginning of our food web we are going
to work our way through the entire web. Now will everyone come to the front of the class and form
a circle, and as soon as you're ready I will pass out each of your roles.
The teacher will use the food web script/role cards.
Distribute the role cards to students Explain to students that the yarn we are using is the energy
flowing through our food web.
Ask students who should start our food web, and allow them to answer: The sun
Starting at the sun, have the students move through the entire food web.
As students are progressing, stop and ask: What are you noticing?
Expected answers: The yarn is getting tangled, moving across the circle, the more connections we

make the smaller the ball of yarn is getting.

Allow the students to continue working through the food web, working together. After students have
completed have them find their seats and wait for further instructions.
Now that we have completed that activity I want you to jot down some things that you noticed in
your science notebook, I know that we have already discussed a few but what else did you notice?
Great work, now I have one more activity for the day. I am going to split you up into groups and I
will provide you with a set of cups. On each of these cups there is either a producer, primary,
secondary, or tertiary consumer. With your group you will determine the order in which you think
energy will travel. Now please wait as I split you into groups. Your group will give me a thumbs up
when you think you have completed your work and I will come around and check. After I have
checked your work you will return to your seat and write down some more observations.
Split students into groups and pass out materials. As students give the teacher a signal they will go
around and check students work and as probing questions.
What are you noticing as the stack of cups goes up?
What similarities are seeing here in the cups like you see in the food web?
What differences?
Where is the most amount of energy in this example?
The least?
As all students have completed the cup stacking have them return the materials, take their seats
and write their observations in their science journals.
Example of cups:

As students
move around
the classroom
they should
make sure to
watch for
computer
cords.

Explain

Approximately 45 minutes.
The teacher will hold a class discussion with students.
Great work, I can tell that you all have beginning to understand how the energy flows through a
food web and a food chain. Our class represented a food web as we completed the string activity
together. What were some things that you noticed about our food web?
Expected answers: Smaller animals were eating producers, bigger animals were eating the
herbivores, and the ball of yarn was getting smaller as it traveled through the web.
These are all great observations. I am glad that you noticed that the ball of yarn was getting smaller
as it was passed to each person. The ball of yarn helps to represent the energy at each stage.
When the very first producer had the ball of yarn what was it like?
Expected answer: Big!
What about when it reached the jaguar?
Expected answer: Small!
This helps to explain how energy travels throughout an ecosystem. The most amount of energy is
present in producers, and little by little energy is lost as we make our way to tertiary consumers.
Energy is lost through each level through respiration. This is why there can only be 4 to 5 levels in
a food web. Eventually so much energy is lost that there is not enough energy to pass on to
another level. This also helps us to understand why larger animals eat more than smaller animals.
Smaller Primary consumers receive their energy directly from producers, meaning that they do not

Students
should walk
with pencils
and science
journals.

require as much food. But think about a lion. Do you think it requires more or less food than a
mouse?
Expected answer: More
Correct, a lion requires more food because it is at the top level. The animals that it has consumed
only has a fraction of the amount of energy that the lion needs. So it requires more food.
The teacher will display a food web on the projector so that students can see the arrows and flow of
energy through an ecosystem. Making sure to pinpoint the sun and decomposers importance as
well.
Now what about when we were stacking cups? What did you notice?
Expected answers: There were not as many organisms, it represented the flow of energy, the
largest animals was at the top, and the producer was at the bottom.
You are all on the right track, this activity helped to represent a food chain. While a food web is very
large and is representative of multiple organisms in an ecosystem- a food chain is much smaller
and represents the path of just one flow of energy.
The teacher will now display a food chain, so that students can visually see the flow of energy
through a food chain and how it is different from a food web. The teacher will make sure to pinpoint
the sun and decomposers importance as well.
Before we watch a video I want to make sure that we understand that the energy is a continuous
cycle. Energy will travel all the way up to our tertiary consumers and then what? What happens
when that animal dies?
Expected answer: It will be broken down
Yes, that organism will be broken down by decomposers. So it is important that when we complete
a food chain or food web that decomposers are included as well.
The teacher will show students the following video:
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/food-webs.htm
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
Elaborate

Now that we have become more familiar with food chains and food webs, you are not going to be
able to practice using games! At each station there will either be iPads or computers for you to use
with links to games you may play.
Break students up into groups and allow them to use the activities.

Lower Level:
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html
Higher Level:
https://www.brainpop.com/games/foodfight/

Evaluate

Allow students to attempt to play both of these games, by rotating stations as needed. The teacher
will walk around observing students as they progress through the games.
Approximately 30 minutes.
Now that you have all become familiar with food chains and food webs you will now each complete a food chain and
a food web on a particular ecosystem. Each of you will come and draw a slip of paper from this jar that will have a
name of an ecosystem on it. Next you will be able to use the computers and iPads research your ecosystem, you will
need to determine the kinds of organisms in your ecosystem. You will have about 10-15 minutes for your research.
Taking notes in your science journals as you research. Next you will come back and fold your paper in half. On one
side you will create a food web and on the other you will create a single food chain. On separate piece of notebook
paper you will write a paragraph describing how energy flows through your food chain. Both must include drawings,
labels, and arrows to represent the flow of energy within your ecosystem. Keep in mind where plants get their energy
from, and what happens to top consumers as they die when completing your food chain and food web. This
assignment will be taken as a grade so please take your time and do your best!
The teacher will call students to draw from the following ecosystems (some may be repeated):
Pond, ocean, desert, forest, rain forest, grassland/prairie, tundra, taiga.
Allow students to use the computers/laptops for about 10-15 minutes. Then students will work independently to
complete their assignment. The teacher will display the instructions on the projector as well:
1. Draw an ecosystem from the jar.
2. Move to the computer or iPad station to begin researching. You will have 15 minutes.
3. Come back to your seat and fold your paper in half. Label one side ___________ Food Web and the other
side ____________ Food Chain.
4. You must include at least 10 organisms.
5. Draw, color, and label your illustrations.
6. Make sure that you include arrows.
7. Remember: Where do you all living things get their energy? What happens to living things as they die?
8. On a separate sheet of notebook paper write a paragraph describing the flow of energy through your food
chain.
Allow students to work. This assignment will be graded using a rubric.
Approximately 45 minutes.

Example:

Language Modification(s):
Video.
Access to picture dictionary.
Pictures displayed
Group work.
Verbal explanation if needed.

Word wall
Hands on activities
Special Needs Modifications:
Open layout of classroom so that it is accessible.
Students may be provided with a food web and chain and required to draw arrows accordingly.
Students may work independently or with group.
GT students may play the more difficult food web game.
GT students may create a diorama or other visual to display their food web/chain.
Materials and Resources:
Pictures
Ball of yarn
Projector
Computer
Video
iPads/Laptops/computers
Links to games
Science Journals
Construction Paper/ Colored Pencils
Technology:
Pictures displayed using the projector.
Video
Games
Research

FOOD WEB ACTIVITY:

Rainforest Food Web Script
All life on Earth begins with the Sun. The sun gives the whole Earth energy. How does it
do this? It gives the plants energy they use to make food. Plants soak up energy from the
sun and use it along with nutrients from the soil to make its own food.
One plant in the rainforest is the Ceiba Tree.
Then, animals eat the leaves of the Ceiba Tree. One animal is an insect called the
Leafcutter Ant.
Next, another animal eats the leafcutter ant, such as a poison dart frog.
After that, something eats the poison dart frog. It could be an Anaconda! The anaconda
has no natural predators. However, when the anaconda grows old and dies, his body
decays and rots on the forest floor and provide nutrients to help more plants grow.
One such plant is the Guava Tree. The Guava Tree has leaves and fruit.
The Blue Morpho Butterfly eats the leaves of the Guava Tree.
The quetzal is a colorful rainforest bird that eats insects and fruit so it eats the fruit of the
tree and the Blue Morpho Butterfly.
The quetzal is hunted and eaten by the kinkajou which is a smaller mammal that will eat
almost anything.
But the kinkajou has a predator too! The ocelot which is a great hunting cat, eats the
kinkajou. The ocelot has no natural predators. But, when it grows old and dies, its body
rots and decays and becomes nutrients for the soil which helps other plants to grow.
A plant such as the Kapok Tree.
An animal that eats the leaves of the Kapok tree is the loudest animal on land- the Howler
Monkey.
And the Howler monkey is eaten by large birds of prey such as the Harpy Eagle. The
Harpy Eagle is the top of this food chain and has no natural predators. But when it dies,
its body rots and decays and become nutrients for the soil to help plants grow.
A plant like the cecropia tree.
The two-toed sloth eats the leaves of the ceropia tree, when he is not sleeping, since he
sleeps near 20 hours every day.
But the two toed sloth better watch out! Because jaguars eat sloths.
And the cycle of life and death, and predator and prey continue in the rainforest, bringing
balance for the animals and plants in a delicate eco-system where the animals and plants
need each other to survive and everything living needs the sun.

Possible image to display for Food Web:

Possible Image to Display for Food Chain:

Energy in An ecosystem

Food Web

Food Chain

Food webs
represent the
multiple paths of
an energy in an
ecosystem.
All loving things
need the energy
from the sun

Both represent
the flow flow
energy in a given
ecosytem

Food chains
represent a single
path of energy in
an ecosystem.

Energy is a
contunuous
cycle.
Decompsers
break down
organisms and
give nutrients
back to
producers.