All energy comes from the sun Plants use the sun’s energy to make food in which process? Photosynthesis!

We call plants producers because they produce energy from the sun directly.

Producers Nearly all food chains start with a plant. Green plants are called producers because they produce their own food. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Producers: Plants make their own food.

Consumers COPY THIS DEFINITION! Animals (and people!) are consumers. Some consume plants to get the energy they need to live. Others consume other animals. (Which are you?) COPY THIS DEFINITION! Consumers: Animals that need to eat to live.

Producer or Consumer? CONSUMER

Producer or Consumer? PRODUCER

Producer or Consumer? CONSUMER

Producer or Consumer? On your table: Label each organism as a PRODUCER or CONSUMER AND EXPLAIN WHY you chose that.

Predators COPY THIS DEFINITION! Animals that eat other animals are called predators. Some animals are BOTH predators and prey. This means they eat some animals but are eaten by others. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Predators: Animals that eat other animals.

Prey COPY THIS DEFINITION! Animals that are eaten by other animals are called prey. Some prey animals only eat plants. Some predators (that eat other animals) can also be prey to different animals. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Prey: Animals that are EATEN BY other animals.

Predator Prey Predator Prey Predator Prey

AND EXPLAIN WHY you chose that. Predator or Prey? On your table: Label each organism as a PREDATOR or PREY (or both, maybe…) AND EXPLAIN WHY you chose that.

Where are the consumers and producers? FOOD CHAINS Food CHAINS show what eats what in order to gain the energy it needs to live. Food CHAINS use arrows to show what eats what. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Food Chain: Shows what animals eat. The flow of energy is shown with arrows. Eaten by: Eaten by: Producer Consumer Consumer Where are the consumers and producers?

A food chain shows how energy is transferred between organisms                                                                                                                                                                                      A food chain shows how energy is transferred between organisms Where does the energy FIRST come from?

How to Build A Food Chain… ALWAYS start with a PRODUCER! WHY? Plants absorb sunlight, which gives them energy to produce food. (That’s why we call these producers). Add a CONSUMER that eats plants. Add another CONSUMER that preys on other consumers.

How are we part of a food chain?

How are Humans part of this food chain?

Why do food chains have no more than four or five links? There cannot be too many links in a single food chain because the animals at the end of the chain would not get enough food (and hence energy) to stay alive. Most animals are part of more than one food chain

Sort these animals into a food chain.. Rabbit Grass Fox

Sort these animals into a food chain.. Grass

Video: “What Is A Food Chain?” Watch for different food chains (at the end, you will have to draw one of the food chains from the video)

Your Favorite Food (Chain) Think of your FAVORITE meal (eg: hamburger and french fries, pizza, fried chicken and mashed potatoes) Write down your meal and all of its PARTS For EACH part of the meal… create a FOOD CHAIN (eg: If you chose a hamburger, where did the meat come from? The bun? The fries?)

PART II

WARM UP Draw four food chains: remember what always comes first in a food chain AND then put each organism in the correct order First food chain: deer, tree Second food chain: snake, grass, hawk, mouse Third food chain: hawk, grass, mouse Fourth food chain: cricket, hawk, grass, frog

WARM UP tree -> deer 2. Grass -> mouse -> snake -> hawk producer consumer 2. Grass -> mouse -> snake -> hawk producer consumer consumer consumer prey both predator 3. Grass -> mouse -> hawk producer consumer consumer prey predator 4. Grass -> cricket -> frog -> hawk producer consumer consumer consumer

Food Webs

Energy to Live In order to live, animals need energy. Some animals get the energy they need to live from eating plants and other vegetation. Some animals get their energy from eating other animals. Some animals eat both plants and other animals.

Herbivores: Animals that eat ONLY plants Example: rabbits and cows COPY THIS DEFINITION! Herbivores: Animals that eat ONLY plants Example: rabbits and cows Animals that eat plants are called Herbivores. “Herbi” means “plants”. Herbivores have specialized teeth and stomachs to enable them to get the energy they need from plants.

Carnivores: Animals that eat ONLY meat Example: Lions and sharks Animals that eat meat are called Carnivores. “Carni” means “meat”. Carnivores have specialized teeth and stomachs to enable them to get the energy they need from the bodies of other animals. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Carnivores: Animals that eat ONLY meat Example: Lions and sharks

Omnivore COPY THIS DEFINITION! Animals that eat plants and meat are called Omnivores. OMNI means “ALL” Humans are omnivores. Omnivores have teeth and stomachs that enable them to eat and digest both plants and meat. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Omnivores: Animals that eat BOTH plants and meat Example: Humans and bears

Herbivore, Carnivore or Omnivore? On your table: Label each organism as an Herbivore, Carnivore or Omnivore AND EXPLAIN WHY you chose that.

Herbivore, Carnivore or Omnivore? Organism Herbivore, Carnivore, or Omnivore (EXPLAIN) Wolf (eats foxes and rabbits) Carnivore: Eats ONLY meat Moose (eatsgrass) Herbivore: Eats ONLY plants Fox (eats rabbits) Bear (eats berries and fish) Omnivore: Eats BOTH plants and meat Rabbit(eat grass)

Food Webs FOOD WEBS SHOW HOW PLANTS & ANIMALS ARE INTERCONNECTED BY DIFFERENT PATHS. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Food Web: Many food chains put together

Is a Food Chain a Good Model? No! A Food Web is a more complete picture of what really happens in nature. -Do owls ONLY eat mice? -Do mice ONLY eat grasshoppers? -Do any other animals eat mice? -Do any other animals eat grasshoppers? -AND do other animals in this ecosystem eat grass?

Food Webs How many food chains can you make from this food web?

How to create a food web… Food Webs How to create a food web… Put the FOUR food chains you drew for warm up together to create a food web Where would you put the First food chain: tree  deer

Your Food Web…

Mark an X under each category you choose. TABLE: For each organism (trees, deer, etc.), decide whether it is a producer or consumer, predator or prey, and carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore. Mark an X under each category you choose. Organism Producers Consumers Predators Prey Herbivores Omnivores Carnivores Trees Grass Deer Snake Hawk Mouse Cricket Frog

TABLE: For each organism (trees, deer, etc TABLE: For each organism (trees, deer, etc.), decide whether it is a producer or consumer, predator or prey, and carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore. Mark an X under each category you choose. Organism Producers Consumers Predators Prey Herbivores Omnivores Carnivores Trees X Grass Deer Snake Hawk Mouse Cricket Frog

The Bottom of the Food Chain trees sun grass chain Plants such as _____________________ and _____________________ are at the _____________________ of the food _____________________. Plants get their energy from the _____________________. trees grass bottom chain sun

The Middle of the Food Chain deer herbivores rabbits carnivores omnivores deer Animals such as _____________________ and _____________________ get their energy by eating plants. They are called _____________________, which means 'plant eaters.' There are many more herbivores on our planet than _____________________, which are animals that eat meat. Humans are ________________ rabbits herbivores carnivores omnivores

The Top of the Food Chain predators hunt prey top lions both Predators _____________________ such as wolves and _____________________ are at the _____________________ of the food chain. Predators are animals that _____________________ other animals. The animals that they hunt are called _____________________. Some animals are __________ predator and prey. lions top hunt prey both

The Food Web connected energy web more more connected web energy Most animals belong to _____________________ than one food chain, which means many food chains are _____________________ together. Many food chains together form a food _____________________. The food web shows how the sun's _____________________ moves from plants to animals to other animals. more connected web energy

` 1.  What would most likely cause the rabbit population to decrease (get smaller)? EXPLAIN your answer! (A) An increase in the number of grass and trees (B) An increase in the number of hawks (C) An increase in the number of deer in the area (D) An increase in the amount of available sunlight 2.   Identify one of each (producer, consumer, predator, prey, omni/carni/herbivore) in the food web.

PART III

Warm Up What happens to the remains of animals? (What happens to an animal’s body after it dies? What happens to poop that animals leave on the ground?)

Where does a Food Chain End? What happens to the Owl after it dies??

Scavengers and Decomposers The Earth’s Clean-Up Crew! When animals die, where do their bodies go? They get eaten! Scavengers and Decomposers eat dead remains to help keep the Earth clean.

Scavengers: Eat Dead Animals Some animals eat dead animals. They are called scavengers. Scavengers help break organic material into smaller pieces. COPY THIS DEFINITION! Scavengers: Animals that eat dead animals. Examples: Vultures, worms, opossums, etc.

SCAVENGERS

Are we done with our food chain, yet?

Are we done with our food chain, yet? Scavengers eat dead stuff, but they CANNOT eat everything. They leave behind a lot of unused energy and nutrients. What happens to the scavengers’ leftovers? Decomposers eat the scraps and break down the remaining organic matter.

Decomposers: Complete the Circle of Energy The Last Step of the Food Chain Bacteria

Decomposers Bacteria Fungus The Earth’s Clean-Up Crew! COPY THIS DEFINITION! Decomposers: Organisms that return nutrients from dead remains back to the soil. Fungus and Bacteria Bacteria Fungus The Earth’s Clean-Up Crew!

Decomposers

Decomposers are Everywhere! And there are LOTS of them! A pinch of soil may contain almost half a million fungi and billions of bacteria Decomposer Animation…

What do Decomposers Do??? After scavengers break dead remains into smaller parts, these smaller pieces are eaten by decomposers. Decomposers eat animal and plant remains Decomposers convert all remains into carbon dioxide (which they exhale during respiration) and nutrients. (DECOMPOSERS ARE PART OF THE CARBON CYCLE) This recycles nutrients to be used again by plants and animals.

What I Need to Know… Scavengers not the same… Two types of decomposers (fungi and bacteria) They complete the food chain and return the nutrients back to the beginning Important because a) breaks down poop/dead stuff that we don’t want around and b) makes sure that nutrients don’t get wasted

Why are Decomposers Important?

Opinion-Proof Opinion Decomposers are important and should not be banned Scavengers not the same… Two types of decomposers (fungi and bacteria) They complete the food chain and return the nutrients back to the beginning Important because a) breaks down poop/dead stuff that we don’t want around and b) makes sure that nutrients don’t get wasted

Opinion Proof_______________ What are decomposers? (Name the two types) Decomposers should not be banned because they are How do decomposers help Important. the Earth? (Explain two ways) Can scavengers do the job of decomposers? Explain

A Letter to the President The Federal Government is planning to ban decomposers! Write a letter to President Obama convincing him why decomposers should not be banned.

How to Write A Letter Today’s Date President Obama The White House Washington, DC Dear President Obama, I am writing to ask you please do not ban decomposers (EXPLAIN YOUR REASONS WHY: PROVIDE THE PROOF FOR YOUR OPINION.) Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope you will consider the importance of decomposers. Sincerely, YOUR NAME (first AND last name), 6th grader at Kennedy Middle School: Charlotte, NC

http://www.mhschool.com/science/2008/student/na/scienceinmotion/Common/SIM.html?Module=../Grade4/Chapter3-MicroorganismsAtWork/

Are we done with our food chain, yet? Scavengers eat dead stuff, but they CANNOT eat everything. They leave behind a lot of unused energy and nutrients. What happens to the scavengers’ leftovers? Decomposers eat the scraps and break down the remaining organic matter.

Decomposers: Complete the Circle of Energy The Last Step of the Food Chain Bacteria

SCAVENGER Or DECOMPOSER? SNAIL

SCAVENGER Or DECOMPOSER? VULTURE

SCAVENGER Or DECOMPOSER? MUSHROOM

SCAVENGER Or DECOMPOSER? WORM

SCAVENGER Or DECOMPOSER? COCKROACHES

SCAVENGER Or DECOMPOSER? BACTERIA

SCAVENGER Or DECOMPOSER? MOLD

Decomposers Write and answer: What is the difference between a worm and a mushroom? What are the similarities between snails and mold? What trophic level of the food chain are decomposers? How do decomposers help the food chain?