Ecosystems | Centers
Students rotate through four advanced learning centers to investigate how biotic and abiotic factors interact in ecosystems, how energy moves through food webs, and how changes in one part of an ecosystem affect the whole system. The lesson ends with a short assessment and a reflection on ecosystem stability.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ecosystem | A community of living and nonliving things interacting in the same environment. |
| biotic factor | Any living part of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria. |
| abiotic factor | Any nonliving part of an ecosystem, such as water, sunlight, temperature, and soil. |
| producer | An organism, usually a plant, that makes its own food using sunlight or chemicals. |
| consumer | An organism that gets energy by eating other organisms. |
| decomposer | An organism that breaks down dead matter and returns nutrients to the soil. |
| food web | A network of connected food chains that shows feeding relationships in an ecosystem. |
| interdependence | A relationship in which organisms depend on each other and their environment to survive. |
Display an ecosystem image and ask: What living and nonliving parts do you notice, and how might they depend on each other? Briefly review center expectations, groups, and rotation timing.
Observe the image, think-pair-share responses, and prepare materials for center work.
Guide students to sort cards into biotic and abiotic categories, then explain one relationship between the two categories.
Sort examples, justify choices, and record at least two interactions between living and nonliving parts.
Provide a food web diagram and prompt students to trace energy flow, identify producers/consumers/decomposers, and predict effects if one organism is removed.
Annotate the diagram, label roles, and answer prediction questions using evidence from the model.
Assign a short informational text about ecosystem stability or biodiversity. Model how to highlight key evidence and answer a claim-evidence-reasoning question.
Read closely, cite evidence, and write a short CER response about why ecosystems are interconnected.
Present an advanced scenario such as drought, invasive species, or habitat loss. Ask students to explain multiple impacts on the ecosystem and propose one realistic solution.
Analyze the scenario, discuss cause and effect, and create a brief written or visual response with a solution.
Lead a quick whole-class share and collect the assessment or exit ticket.
Share one key idea from a center and complete the assessment.
Revisit the opening ecosystem image and ask students to name one biotic factor, one abiotic factor, and one interaction they now notice. Emphasize that ecosystems are connected systems and that changes in one part can affect many others.
Students complete a short exit ticket with three items: identify biotic and abiotic factors in a new ecosystem image, explain energy flow in a simple food chain or web, and respond to a scenario predicting the impact of a change on the ecosystem. Collect center recordings and the exit ticket for formative assessment.
Choose a local ecosystem, natural area, or schoolyard habitat. Write one paragraph describing at least three biotic factors, two abiotic factors, and one interaction between them. Include one question you still have about the ecosystem.