Ecosystems | Project Based Learning
Students work in small groups to design and build a simple ecosystem model that shows how living and nonliving parts interact. Through observation, discussion, and a short presentation, students explain how energy moves through the ecosystem and how changes in one part can affect the whole system.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ecosystem | A place where living and nonliving things interact |
| producer | A plant or other living thing that makes its own food |
| consumer | An animal that gets energy by eating plants or other animals |
| decomposer | A living thing that breaks down dead plants and animals |
| habitat | The place where a living thing lives |
| nonliving | Things that are not alive, such as water, air, sunlight, and rocks |
Show a picture of a pond, forest, desert, or schoolyard. Ask students to name living and nonliving things they notice and record responses on the board.
Think-pair-share observations and sort examples into living and nonliving categories.
Briefly define ecosystem, producer, consumer, and decomposer. Model a simple food chain and explain how energy starts with the sun and moves through living things.
Listen, repeat vocabulary, and answer quick oral questions.
Explain that groups will create a model of an ecosystem and label the parts. Give each group a planning card with a chosen ecosystem or allow them to select one.
Work in groups to choose an ecosystem and sketch a quick plan showing at least three living and three nonliving parts.
Circulate, ask guiding questions, and support groups as needed. Prompt students to include arrows or labels showing relationships, such as food, shelter, or water needs.
Create the model using drawings, pictures, or craft materials; label parts and show interactions between them.
Invite a few groups to briefly present their model. Ask the class to identify producers, consumers, decomposers, and nonliving factors in each model.
Present their ecosystem and respond to classmates’ questions.
Lead a short discussion: What would happen if one part of the ecosystem changed or disappeared? Summarize key ideas.
Share one thing they learned and one example of how ecosystem parts depend on each other.
Review the class definition of an ecosystem and have students complete the sentence: 'An ecosystem is important because...'. End by highlighting that living and nonliving things work together and depend on one another.