Instructional Software

Lesson Idea Name: Who eats who?

Content Area: Flow of energy in an ecosystem
Grade Level(s): 4

Content Standard Addressed:

S4L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the roles of organisms and the flow of
energy within an ecosystem.
a. Develop a model to describe the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a
community
b. b. Develop simple models to illustrate the flow of energy through a food web/food chain
beginning with sunlight and including producers, consumers, and decomposers
c. Design a scenario to demonstrate the effect of a change on an ecosystem.

Technology Standard Addressed:

3- Knowledge Constructor

Selected Technology Tool: BrainPop.com

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

https://www.brainpop.com/science/ecologyandbehavior/foodchains/

Type of Instructional Software:

☐ Drill and Practice ☒ Tutorial ☐ Simulation ☒ Instructional Game ☐ e-books/e-references

Features of this software (check all that apply):

☐ Assessment Monitoring/Reporting
☐ Allows teacher to create customized lessons for students
☐ Multi-user or collaborative functions with others in the class
☐ Multi-user or collaborative with others outside the class
☒ Accessible to students beyond the school day
☒ Accessible via mobile devices
☒ Multiple languages
☒ Safety, security and/or privacy features

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

The information is represented in two different ways. The first way if from the video and the second is
when the class creates a food web. Talking about what students eat before watching the video
activates background knowledge. The fill in the blank notes lets students see the vocabulary words.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Instructional Software
Students demonstrate what they know by doing the whole class activity and doing the project. The
video is also available in other languages and there is also a movie transcript.
Lesson idea implementation: Before the video is played the class will raise their hands to answer the
question, “what do I eat?” The BrainPop video will be used to introduce a study on the food chain,
food web and energy flow. The whole class will watch the BrainPop video twice while filling out a
fill in the blank note sheet. After watching the video, the whole class will have an opportunity to show
how the food web works. The class will construct a food chain and then branch off it to create a food
web. Student will be broken up into groups and will be handed one biome (ecosystem). The students
must list the flowing:
- Create a food chain and then branch off to create a food web
- 5-7 different animals
- Regions in the world the ecosystem can be found
- Identify 1 producer, 2 consumers and 1 decomposer
1. Common name of the animal
2. Scientific name
3. What do they eat
4. How do they eat
5. How much energy did they gain
- Flow of energy (list how energy is decreased in the food chain)
After the students complete the projects, they will be presented with a problem. From there the
students will have to infer what would happen to the ecosystem. This is how student will be
challenged to a higher level of thinking.

This assignment will take about 4 days to complete. Day one will be an introduction. Day two will be
a review and groups will start on research. Day three will be finishing up research and putting
everything on poster board. Day four will be for presenting projects and addressing how the problem
affects their ecosystem. Student will receive a rubric to follow. The rubric will have check boxes so
students can stay on track over the four days the lesson covers. Students grades will also be based on
how clean the poster is, correct information, and if everything is labeled correctly.

Reflective Practice:
Further extension: When students go home they will have to either analyze their breakfast or dinner
and write down
- What they ate
- Identify if it is a producer, consumer, or decomposer
- How much energy was gained?
This will be turned in the following school day for a grade.

Spring 2018_SJB