Ecosystems | Standard Lesson
Students learn what an ecosystem is, identify living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem, and describe how they interact.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ecosystem | A place where living and nonliving things interact. |
| biotic | Living parts of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and bacteria. |
| abiotic | Nonliving parts of an ecosystem, such as water, sunlight, air, soil, and temperature. |
| interaction | How things in an ecosystem affect one another. |
Show a picture of a pond, forest, or schoolyard. Ask: What living and nonliving things do you see? Write student ideas on the board.
Observe the image, share ideas, and name things they notice.
Define ecosystem, biotic, and abiotic. Point to items from the image and sort them into living and nonliving categories.
Listen, repeat key words, and copy short definitions into notebooks.
Show 3 to 4 ecosystem images or cards. Ask students to identify one biotic and one abiotic factor in each image.
Work with a partner to name and classify items from each picture.
Invite a few pairs to share one ecosystem and the parts they identified. Clarify any misconceptions.
Share responses and listen to classmates.
Ask students to write one sentence: 'An ecosystem is...,' and list one biotic and one abiotic example.
Write a short response independently in notebooks or on paper.
Review the key idea: ecosystems include living and nonliving things that work together. Ask students to name one ecosystem and one part that helps it function.