Learners will be able to explore various ecological scenarios in order to create a balanced food web for the Baltimore Zoo by using the My Own Biome video game. MSDE CLG= 3.5.2 BCPS Indicator= 13, 6.1.2 Drill: 1. Look back at your notes and complete the vocabulary matching review worksheet.

Producers Producers- are organisms that make their own fodd through photosynthesis

Herbivores Herbivores- Consumers that eat only plants to get energy

Carnivores Carnivores- Consumers that eat only animals to get energy

I love kids, they taste like chicken Omnivores I love kids, they taste like chicken Omnivores- Consumers that eat both plant and animals to get energy

Obtaining Energy Predator- an animal that hunts and eats another animal for food. Prey- an animal that is hunted by another animal. Food Chain- a visual representation of organisms eating each other to obtain energy. The arrows show the transfer of energy from one organism to another.

Food Web Food Web: A visual representation of all predator prey relationships in an ecosystem.

Major Biomes Biome- an ecosystem characterized by specific plants, animals, precipitation and temperature Ocean Desert Forests Freshwater Grasslands Tundra

Brainstorm Talk with your partner and brainstorm about what makes a biome unique or different.

New Exhibit The Baltimore Zoo is building a new wildlife preserve that will serve as an example of a balanced biome. You have been charged with the task to determine which biome they will use and choose the organisms to create a balanced food web. In other words you are building “Your Own Biome”.

Title Screen From the title screen choose the “play” option.

Sandbox Next choose the “sandbox” option.

Sandbox Under “sandbox”, choose a biome. Then choose what kind and how many organisms you want in your biome.

Scenario 1 Let the game play out on its own. During game play monitor the time and record the number of each organism in your biome at 3 minute intervals.

Post Game Play Think-Pair-Share: After you record the final population for each organism in scenario 1, work with your partner to complete the analysis questions. Prepare to share out with the class.

Share Out / Discussion Use the document camera to share your food web and findings with the class. Students should provide feedback and suggestions.

Share Out/Discussion What Worked What Didn’t Work

Wrap Up/Summary What did you learn about balancing a food web. What were some reasons why some food webs failed? What can you infer about the number of producers, herbivores, omnivores and carnivores a food web should have?

Assessment Complete the sample HSA questions on your exit slip. Next class you will implement your new learning about food webs from today to create a balanced food web for the Baltimore Zoo.

Day 2 Power Point, or skip slides 20 and 21 if teaching as all one 90 min period.

Learners will be able to explore various ecological scenarios in order to create a balanced food web for the Baltimore Zoo by using the My Own Biome video game. MSDE CLG= 3.5.2 BCPS Indicator= 13,6.1.2 Drill: 1. Look at the food web provided by your teacher. Work with your partner to identify the organisms and characteristics / trends of a balanced food web.

Food Web The two diagrams above represent balanced food webs. What characteristics or trends do both of these food webs have in common?

New Exhibit The Baltimore Zoo is building a new wildlife preserve that will serve as an example of a balanced biome. You have been charged with the task to determine which biome they will use and choose the organisms to create a balanced food web. In other words you are building “Your Own Biome”.

Sandbox Under “sandbox”, choose a biome. Then choose what kind and how many organisms you want in your biome.

Scenario 2 This time use what you have learned from the food webs and student feedback to create a balanced food web for the Baltimore Zoo’s new exhibit. Let the game play out on its own. During game play monitor the time and record the number of each organism in your biome at 3 minute intervals.

Post Game Play Think-Pair-Share: After you record the final population for each organism in scenario 2, work with your partner to complete the analysis questions. Prepare to share out with the class.

Share Out / Discussion Use the document camera to share your food web and your letter to the zoo with the class. Explain what you did to make sure you food web would be balanced.

Extension Oh no! An invasive species of rabbit has invaded your zoo exhibit. Explain how this would affect the balance of the food web in your biome.

Wrap Up/Summary What were you able to learn from the graphs produced from your food webs? 2. What characteristics made your food web successful? 3. Explain why would you need less top predators and more lower level consumers.

Assessment Compare and contrast the two food webs on your exit slip. Use these two food webs to answer the following questions. What differences can you describe between them? Explain changes you need to make to food web 2 in order to make it more balanced. Why would you need to make these changes. Include what organisms you would want to add or remove.