Learning About the Food Chain
Learning about the food chain opens a Pandora's Box of opportunities to learn about endangered animals and the environment.
By Debra Karr
Most of us have heard of the World Wide Web. We understand the connection between server and end user. We see how clicking on a link can bring us to another page, and that a link on that new page can bring us to yet another page....and so on.....and so on. It may seem like the Internet could be the model for how we're all connected, but Mother Nature "owns" the "copyright" to that kind of system, as we see in the food chain.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the food chain is "an arrangement of the organisms of an ecological community according to the order of predation in which each uses the next usually lower member as a food source". Like a domino effect, if one component of the entire ecosystem is thrown off balance, it does impact the other components as well. As nature is constantly being interrupted by people, we see the long term ramifications of such interruptions. You could begin your lesson on the food chain with an anticipatory set: write "Food Chain" on the board, overhead, LMO or LCD and ask students to write about what they think this is. Tell them they can draw a diagram if they choose. This will open up discussion, and will get their minds ready for the day's lesson and the unit. Then delve into one of the many lessons available about the food chain. Some of my favorites are found below.
Your students will be closer to being experts in knowing about producers, consumers, and decomposition when they are finished with the next group of lessons. Vocabulary words like "toxicity" and "indigenous" will become a part of your students' vocabulary. Check for understanding when introducing new vocabulary. Practice pronunciation by having students repeat the word after you read it aloud. Show students how each of the activities in the lesson and/or lessons can be achieved through modeling it. Show examples. They will see and understand the interrelationships between people and nature, how the food chain works, and how different cultures prepare food and honor traditional customs.
Food Chain Lessons:
Wow. This lesson is chock full of information that will help students learn about indigenous peoples, growing food, and the seasons. It gives students the opportunity to investigate how food is prepared, what seasons are best for some foods, and how food preparation has changed over time. Students also learn the chain of command within the tribe of an indigenous culture. Web sites with more information pertaining to food, food preparation and culture are also listed in this lesson to aid in the incorporation of technology standards. I think going over vocabulary like "indigenous", and "toxicity" is a good way to get the lesson rolling and encourage class discussion. Don't forget to go over the pronunciation of these words by reading them aloud. Check for understanding to make certain that students truly understand and comprehend the meaning of the new words in context. Ask them to use the new words in a sentence.
Effects of Pollution on Ecosystems
After students read a case study, they define the word "ecosystem". In groups, they are asked to write down ways in which pollution can affect the environment and the ecosystem. Students are then exposed to handouts that list tests for ecological assessment and decide which assessment would best be used for their listings in the first exercise. To incorporate language arts standards into this very science-like lesson, have students write an essay about how pollution has affected them personally, or have them personify an animal or another life form and write an essay from that particular life-form's vantage point. Model the essay. Show an example on the board, overhead or LCD. Let students see a similar work so that they get a visual understanding of what's to be expected of them. Enforce non-plagiarism policies.
Students answer the essential question, "How do the needs of humans often conflict with survival needs of animal life?" as they read an article about the soon-to-be extinction of certain species, examine the geography of where certain species are located, and answer several other thought-provoking questions that examine the food chain. This lesson is great for expository writing, geography and mapping, and of course science. Students can also use the Internet to research the above mentioned topics in more depth. Use guided practice by having students do a "quick write" about each soon-to-be extinct species. This is like a brief summary to see if they are on the right track. Ask students to pair with a partner so they can read each other's "quick write". This strategy helps students reinforce what they've just read. They may complain about having to do it, but the material has a better chance of being retained.
Producers, Consumers and Decomposers
Producers, decomposers and consumers are the main topics of discussion in this lesson as students get in groups, answer questions, and draw pictures that include the whereabouts of the producers, decomposers and consumers within the picture. This lesson breaks down the various standards covered in this lesson from technology to marine biology. Descriptive writing can easily be intertwined within this lesson if students are asked to describe their drawings, or the process of decomposition. Put each category into a column. Have students define each of the categories. Pair students up and have them quiz each other on the definitions. For English Language Learner's, have them draw and label "producer", "consumer" and "decomposer". By writing and drawing, content is better absorbed and remembered.
