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Columbia Education Center
Science

TITLE:    Strands Walk   An Ecological Observation

AUTHOR:   Carolyn Stevens, Fillmore Middle School,
          Fillmore, UT

GRADE LEVEL:   Appropriate for grades 5-7.

OVERVIEW:  Groups of living things interacting with
each other and the environment compose an ecosystem.
An ecosystem is one area in which all biotic(living)
and abiotic(nonliving) things interact.  The size of
the ecosystem to be studied is determined by the
student.

OBJECTIVE(s):  Students will be able to:
1.  Determine, delineate, and observe an ecosystem.
2.  Analyze the role of two abiotic factors in his
    ecosystem.
3.  Analyze the role of three living things in his
    ecosystem.
4.  Discuss the balance between producers and
    consumers.
5.  Describe a possible food chain using organisms
    in his ecosystem.
6.  Project the effect of the loss of a major factor
    of the ecosystem on the remaining factors.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1.   Student should determine his or her area to
     delineate an ecosystem.  This is best done in an
     area where there is a variety of plant and animal
     life.  If possible, a wilderness area is a
     particularly good choice.  I use this activity on
     a field trip to a local park in a national forest.
2.   Students must separate and observe absolutely
     independently.
3.   Student will observe his ecosystem using all
     senses for at least five minutes before listing
     observations.
4.   Using the grid,  student will list 5 observations
     first down the side, then along the bottom (same 5
     each way).  In the boxes, student will describe a
     way each item on the side interacts with each item
     along the bottom.
5.   Student will carefully observe his ecosystem and
     construct a hypothetical food chain.

1_______|________
        |       |
        |       |
        |       |
2_______|_______|________|
        |       |        |
        |       |        |
        |       |        |
3_______|_______|________|________|
        |       |        |        |
        |       |        |        |
        |       |        |        |
4_______|_______|________|________|_______|
        |       |        |        |       |
        |       |        |        |       |
        |       |        |        |       |
5_______|_______|________|________|_______|

        1_______2________3________4_______5_______

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:

THINK ABOUT IT!!
What would the application of an herbicide do to your
ecosystem?

What would the application of a pesticide do to your
ecosystem?

What would happen if garbage were dumped into your
ecosystem?

What would happen if water were removed from your
ecosystem?

I especially like this activity because it is
non-threatening, there are no wrong answers, and it
does not require extensive background.

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