Daily TAKS Connection: Food Chains, Food Webs, and Food Pyramids

BIO (12): The student knows that interdependence and interactions occur within an ecosystem. The student is expected to: (E) Investigate and explain the interactions in an ecosystem including food chains, food webs, and food pyramids.

Day 1

Construct a 3 door foldable “Food Chains, Food Webs, Food Pyramids”  Materials:  1 sheet paper  Scissors  Pen  Colored pencils/crayons  Food web illustration  Glue/tape  Instructions:  Hotdog fold a sheet of paper  Hamburger fold the paper 2 times to evenly divide the paper into thirds    Cut along the fold lines from the edge to the valley.

Label the bottom of the flaps from left to right “Food Chain”, “Food Web”, and “Food Pyramid” Paste the picture of a food web provided onto the center flap

Day 2

 Under the “ Food Chain ” flap, record the following: 

route

for the

transfer

of matter and

energy

through an ecosystem  arrows

ALWAYS

energy point to the organisms receiving the (food). Example:  Producer -> primary consumer -> secondary consumer -> tertiary consumer

Day 2 continued….

  Under the “ Food Web ” flap, record the following:  shows all possible feeding relationships in a community at each trophic level.  a network of interconnected food chains . The arrows

ALWAYS

point to the organisms receiving the energy (food).

Under the “Food Pyramid” flap, record the following:  Shows the relationship between food energy trophic levels from bottom to top: producer , available at the primary consumer , secondary consumer , tertiary consumer   Less energy available at higher trophic level; most producer level energy at More pollutants at higher trophic levels

b a

Question

In a typical forest community, plants are producers, rabbits are primary consumers, and wolves are secondary consumers. Which diagram correctly represents these relationships?

c d

Question

The difference in the size of each layer of this food pyramid is primarily the result of the difference in — a. food choices of individual niches b. the amount of food energy at each trophic level c. oceanic zones of habitat d. the relative heights of the organisms

Question

Which of these groups of organisms would most likely have accumulated the largest concentration of a long-lasting chemical pollutant in their bodies?

a. Phytoplankton b. Lake trout c. Zooplankton d. Gulls

Day 3

  On the flap labeled “Food Chain”, draw a food chain from the food web provided on the center flap. Be sure the arrows are pointing in the correct direction.

On the flap labeled “ Food Pyramid ”, draw a food pyramid from the food web provided, placing the organisms at the correct trophic level

Day 3

 For the food web provided, name the:   3 producers 3 primary consumers   7 secondary consumers 5 tertiary consumers Note: Organisms may appear in more than one trophic level .

Bonus: Which organism(s) is/are also a 4 th level consumer ?

Day 4

Construct a 3 door foldable “Herbivores, Omnivores, Carnivores”  Materials:  Foldable handout  Scissors  Pen  Colored pencils/crayons  Instructions:  Hotdog fold the handout along the fold line   Cut the flap along the dotted lines Color the terms on the flaps, each a different color

Day 4 notes

   Under the herbivore flap, record the following:   Primary consumers only Consume plants (producers) Under the omnivore flap, record the following:  2 nd level or higher consumers  Consume both plants and animals Under the carnivore flap, record the following:  2 nd level or higher consumers  Consume animals

Day 5

  For the food web name the: provided,   3 herbivores 1 omnivore  10 carnivores Note: omnivores are also herbivores and carnivores Record the herbivores , consumers under the appropriate flap of your foldable as examples of omnivores , and/or carnivores

Question

According to this food web, which of these is an omnivore?

a. Caterpillar b. Ant c. Deer d. Bird

Day 6

Construct a 3 door foldable “Parasites, Scavengers, Decomposers”  Materials:  Foldable handout  Scissors  Pen  Colored pencils/crayons  Instructions:  Hotdog fold the handout along the fold line  Cut the flap along the dotted lines  Color the terms on the flaps, each a different color

Day 6 continued…

    Under the parasites flap, record the following: animals that live off other organism by harming it  Under the scavengers flap, record the following: animals that eat dead animal carcasses   Under the decomposers flap, record the following: mainly bacteria and fungi that break down and obtain energy from dead organic matter essential to the environment   recycle nutrients fix unusable nitrogen gas into a usable form which will be picked up by plants

Question

The picture shows a piece of rotting wood. Which of these does the picture demonstrate?

a. Photosynthesis occurring b. Decomposers growing c. Wood regenerating d. Genes transforming

Day 7

Construct a 2 door foldable “Biotic vs, Abiotic Factors”  Materials:  1 sheet paper  Scissors  Pen  Colored pencils/crayons  Instructions:  Hamburger fold handout along fold line  Cut foldable along dashed line

Day 7 continued…

 Classify the following ecosystems factors as either “ Biotic ” or “ Abiotic ” Soil Secondary consumers Producers Air Light Rainfall Primary Consumers Water  Record the factors under the appropriate flap of your foldable

Question

The table lists four groups of factors found in a particular ecosystem. Which group consists of only abiotic factors?

a. Group 1 b. Group 2 c. Group 3 d. Group 4