Activity

Subalpine Web

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

The theory of keystone species in an ecosystem was first established in 1969 by Robert T. Paine. Pupils open the final lesson in a five-part series with a game guessing which member of the alpine ecosystem they are based on clues. After everyone knows their identities, participants enjoy a game making a yarn web based on the food web. Finally, it adds a few complications, such as a border between countries and an invasive species.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • All activities can be adapted to any ecosystem, so apply it to a local one
Classroom Considerations
  • Prepare the "Who am I?" cards ahead of time as they require laminating and attaching yarn to each
  • Assumes prior knowledge of a food web, specifically the alpine plants and animals in the lesson
Pros
  • Utilizes cross-curricular connections to life science, social science, and economics
  • Exciting and entertaining games enchant scholars
Cons
  • Link to "Who am I?" cards does not work