Food Webs: Epic 5th Grade Classroom Mission

Storyline

Students will use their knowledge of food webs to restore balance to an ecosystem on Dejerria.

Anja and her team need help to determine what is causing grass populations to decline rapidly. The crew will work with their team to investigate the ecosystem and develop a corrected model that will return balance to the ecosystem.

Est. time: 43 min.

Targeted Standards

3-Dimensional Science

Phenomenon

Matter cycles through a balanced ecosystem by producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Science and Engineering Practices

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

The crew engages in scanning and analyzing data to understand the current state of the ecosystems on each planet and identify potential problems.

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

The crew collaboratively works together to investigate and understand the issues affecting the planets by analyzing the data collected.

Developing and Using Models

The crew uses models like food webs and scans to visualize and understand the ecological balance on each planet.

Crosscutting Concepts

Systems and System Models

The crew analyzes the interconnectedness of different components within the ecosystem, such as the food wen, and how changes in one part can affect the entire system.

Stability and Change

The mission revolves around identifying imbalances in the ecosystems and making changes to restore stability and sustainability.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

The crew explores the concept of ecosystems, including food webs, trophic levels, and how changes in one population can impact others.

Finding Balance