🔺 Investigate Food Webs - Day 5

Investigate Food Webs - Day 5

Introduction

In an ecosystem, energy flow begins with the sun and then cycles through the entire system.

Scientists use a FOOD CHAIN to model this flow of energy.

Recently, you explored living things in Georgia and learned how producers, consumers, and decomposers get the energy they need to survive.

Here is one food chain we explored:

• The milkweed (a producer) used energy from the sun to make its food.

• Then the caterpillar (a primary consumer) got its energy by eating the milkweed.

• After that, the jumping spider (a secondary consumer) obtained energy by consuming the caterpillar. 

• Lastly, the mushrooms got their energy by “feasting” on decaying matter from the spider.

This showed a simple food chain involving only a few organisms in an ecosystem, but within a single habitat there can be many producers, consumers, and decomposers. When multiple organisms are part of the flow of energy it creates a complex web. These webs are what you will explore today.

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Activity: Hungry Hungry Habitat  - Day 1

In this multi-step task, you will explore food webs to gain an understanding of how energy flows through an ecosystem that has multiple producers, consumers, and decomposers.

You will choose a habitat that interests you. You will research the habitat, looking for information about its producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Using what you have learned, you will create food chain and food web models that represent the ecosystem of your habitat.

Let’s Get Started!

Directions:

• Find the slides for “Day 1: Chains Become Webs” below or download here Food Webs - Hungry, Hungry Habitat - Day 1.pptx Download Food Webs - Hungry, Hungry Habitat - Day 1.pptx

• Read and follow the directions on each slide to learn about food webs and to complete your task for Day 1.

 

Watch the video below to learn about food webs. and then answer the questions in your journal.

Answer the following questions in your journal:

• Where do food chains begin?
• What is a food chain?
• When food chains interconnect, what do they become?

 

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