Bell Task – Write what you think an ecosystem is into the front of your book. Ecosystems – What is an ecosystem? Thursday, 26 May 2016

Learning Objectives: Describe what an ecosystem is and improve a definition. Link climate, soil, vegetation to animals and how they live.

What are ecosystems?

In an ecosystem the lives of plants and animals are closely linked to each other and to the climate, soil and vegetation of the area in which they grow and live. Clip – 1 – Clip – 1 – What is an ecosystem Clip 2: Grassland ecosystem example

Update your definition of what an ecosystem is in a different colour pen. Try to give an example.

Learning Objectives: Describe what an ecosystem is and improve a definition. Link climate, soil, vegetation to animals and how they live. Create a resource by applying your understanding of ecosystems.

Small, or microscale, e.g. under a leaf or a stone …

Small pond, a hedgerow, a garden …

Medium scale, e.g. a woodland, a sand- dune, a salt marsh …

Large, or global scale, e.g. tropical rainforest, tropical grassland.

This diagram shows the links between the different components of an ecosystem…. Discussion – how do these different aspects of an ecosystem work together? SOURCE B

What happens if something changes? There is suddenly much less rainfall? Trees are cut down? Soil is dug up and taken away? All of the beetles die? People start tidying a woodland and getting moving rotting leaves out of the wood?

Level 3 – 4 Write three or four sentences showing how creatures in an ecosystem live together and couldn’t survive without each other. Words to help – Tree, acorn, soil and squirrel. Stuck? Use the words in a flow chart to help you: SoilTree Level 5 – 6 Write a paragraph with two examples showing how the woodland ecosystem works. Include information About all four areas of the diagram. Stuck? The climate in woodland ecosystems is cool and wet. Think about what the trees need to survive and what might happen to the animals if the trees died?

Learning Objectives: Describe what an ecosystem is and improve a definition. Link climate, soil, vegetation to animals and how they live.

It obtains them through the food chain by eating either plants or animal life which has previously eaten plants. Animal life also needs nutrients. Animal life returns nutrients to the soil either through its excreta, or, as with vegetation, when it dies and decomposes.

Nutrient cycle challenge! Map and cover task in groups of 3 or 4. Your challenge is to memorise and accurately draw the nutrient cycle on your paper. Number yourselves 1 to 4.

Soil Soil is an important part of an ecosystem. Soil is made up of ; 1. Dead plants and animals 2. Particles of rock which have broken off the bed rock. 3. Water. Why is soil important?

Summary An ecosystem is a system of plants and animals whose lives are closely linked to each other and to the climate and soil of the area in which they grow or live. Ecosystems may be changed by human activity. Copy this summary into your book.

Level 3 – 4 – Create task You need to teach what an ecosystem is to a another year 7 group. You are going to create a leaflet showing what woodland ecosystems are. Include information on the nutrient cycle. Explain what the nutrient cycle is and why it’s important in your own words. Say why climate is important Use the following words in your answer: Climate, soil, trees, animals. Say what would happen if the trees were cut down. Use the woodland food webs to help you and look at your work from last lesson.

Learning Objectives: Describe what an ecosystem is and improve a definition. Link climate, soil, vegetation to animals and how they live.

Key words 1.Climate 2.Biome 3.nutrients 4.Vegetation 5.Carnivore 6.Omnivore 7.Herbivore 8.Consumer 9.Producer 10.Decomposer 1.Weather over a long period of time 2.A really large ecosystem 3.A chemical that something needs to live 4.Trees and plants 5.Eats meat 6.Eats anything 7.Eats green plants 8.Eats food 9.Makes green leaves and plants 10.Breaks things down