| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | Ecology |
| What topic | Food Webs |
| What length (min) | 30 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 7 |
| Class size | 2 |
| What curriculum | Western Australian Science |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 8 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
Ecology
Food Webs
Year 7
30 minutes
2
Western Australian Science Curriculum
| Step Number | Step Title | Length | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Food Webs | 5 min | Briefly explain what a food web is and its importance in ecosystems. Use examples to illustrate. |
| 2 | Distribute Printable Cards | 5 min | Hand out the printable cards to students. Explain how to fill them out based on discussed components (producers, consumers, decomposers). |
| 3 | Group Activity: Create a Food Web | 10 min | Students work individually or together to fill out their cards and create a food web on their worksheet. Encourage creativity. |
| 4 | Collect and Check Work | 5 min | Collect the cards and worksheets. Conduct a quick random check of students’ work to ensure understanding without a formal presentation. |
| 5 | Conclusion and Summary | 5 min | Recap key points from the lesson. Discuss the importance of understanding food webs in ecology. Answer any questions. |
"Hello everyone! Today, we are going to explore the fascinating world of food webs in ecology. Can anyone tell me what they think a food web is?
[Pause for responses]
"Great answers! A food web is a diagram that shows how different organisms in an ecosystem are interconnected through feeding relationships. It illustrates who eats whom, and this is essential for understanding the balance within ecosystems. For example, consider a simple food web that includes plants, herbivores like rabbits, and carnivores like foxes. The plants are the producers, the rabbits are primary consumers, and the foxes are secondary consumers.
"Food webs help us understand the flow of energy and matter in ecosystems, and they show how every organism plays a critical role. Let’s dive deeper into this concept!"
"Now, I’m going to hand out some printable cards that we will use for an activity. These cards represent different types of organisms you might find in a food web — producers, consumers, and decomposers.
[Distribute cards to students]
"Please look at your cards. Each of you will need to fill them out based on the information we’ve discussed today. Be sure to categorize them correctly: write down examples of producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and decomposers. Remember to use different colors for each category to make it visually appealing.
"Take about five minutes for this, and let me know if you have any questions!"
"Now, let’s get creative! You’ll use the information on your cards to build your very own food web on the worksheet in front of you.
[Hand out worksheets]
"You can work on this individually, or if you’d like, feel free to collaborate with your partner. Think about how the organisms interact with each other. For example, which organisms depend on a plant for food, and who might eat a rabbit?
"Use markers or colored pencils to make your food webs colorful and clear. You have ten minutes for this activity, so start brainstorming and drawing!"
"Okay, everyone! Time's up. I’d like you to pass your cards and worksheets to the front. I’m going to take a moment to check a few randomly to ensure everyone is on the right track.
[Collect cards and worksheets]
"As I look through your work, I’ll be asking some questions. This isn’t a formal presentation, but I want to make sure you all understand the key concepts of food webs.
[Conduct checks, ask questions]
"Great job, everyone! I see lots of creative and thoughtful food webs coming through!"
"To wrap up today’s lesson, let’s summarize what we’ve learned.
"Can anyone remind me what a food web illustrates?
[Pause for responses]
"Exactly! It shows the interconnections between different organisms in an ecosystem. We discussed the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers within these webs. It’s important to understand this because it helps us appreciate how vital each organism is for maintaining ecological balance.
"Do you have any questions about what we covered today?
[Pause for questions]
"Fantastic! For homework, I’d like you to complete the printed worksheet on food webs. Choose at least three different food webs from different ecosystems. Make sure to submit it in our next class, and we'll review them together. I’m looking forward to seeing your work!"
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is a food web? | |
| Can you name the three categories of organisms found in a food web? | |
| What role do producers play in a food web? | |
| How do primary consumers differ from secondary consumers? | |
| Why is it important to understand food webs in ecosystems? | |
| Can you provide an example of a producer and a consumer from a food web? | |
| What happens to the energy flow when one organism is removed from a food web? | |
| In a food web, how do decomposers contribute to the ecosystem? | |
| How can food webs illustrate the balance within an ecosystem? | |
| What was the main activity we did today related to food webs? |