Lesson 3.2: Ecosystem Interactions

NGSS

Objective

Students will create a food web. They will be able to explain the difference between a food chain and a food web.

Materials

Per Table Group:

• Scissors
• Glue

Per Student:

• Orange and black colored pencils and/or markers.

Prep

• Place scissors and glue at each table group
• Pull up the Milkweed Bug Experiment slides
• Fill a couple large cups with tap water and a few large cups with sunflower seeds. Set aside to be used by the students when they need to fill up their food and water cups.

Procedure

Introduction:

5 Minutes: What is a Food Web

1. Open the topic by having a class discussion about food webs and the flow of energy. Ask the following questions:

• How are plants and animals/insects dependent on one another?
• Where to organisms get their energy from or can they make their own energy?
• What is a food web and how is it different from a food chain?
• How is this energy transferred as it flows through a food web?

2. (Optional) Play the video below to provide a more in-depth view at food chains.

3. Use the slides to compare and contrast food chains and food webs. 

• Food webs include not only the food chain of the target organism but others in their habitat as well.

4. Use the slides to show how to make a food chain (shown below).

Explanation:

1-2 Minutes: How to Create the Milkweed Bug Food Web

1. Tell students that they will now work with their table group to create a food web for Milkweed Bugs in their Milkweed Bug Journal.

2. Show students the slide on the predators of Milkweed Bugs and Monarch Butterflies.

Activity:

5-10 Minutes: Creating the Milkweed Bug Food Web

1. Students will create a food web for Milkweed Bugs in their journals.

• (optional) Provide art supplies for students to use to fill in their web.

2. As they work, find good examples to show the whole class.

Closing

1. Pass out role tags to each table group (optional)
2. Have the "Supplier" from each table group grab their containers from the insulated coolers and bring them carefully to their table.
3. Have students carefully change and remove the plastic portion cups from the containers.
4. Have the "Waterer" and "Feeder" change the water and sunflower seeds.
5. Remind the "Escape Watch" students to use the paintbrushes to keep the insect in their containers.
6. Have students place the clean food and water cups back into the containers.
7. Give students about 5 minutes to write their observations. Encourage them to work with their table group to fill out this section.
8. Show the Power Point slide of the different nymph stages of the insects.
9. Once students have completed their observations, ask them to clean up their space and have their "Supplier" return trays to the coolers according to labeled temperature.