ECOSYSTEMS

MENU  Emily MacDonell

 ECOSYSTEMS

Grade Level: 4th Grade Science

Content Area: Science with integrated reading
Academic Content Standard: Summarize that organisms can survive only in
ecosystems in which their needs can be met. The world has different
ecosystems and distinct ecosystems support the lives of different types of
organisms. Also, analyze how all organisms, including humans, cause
changes in their ecosystems and how these changes can be beneficial.

Students will participate in this presentation by orally answering questions

that are asked throughout the PowerPoint. Also, There are a few follow up
activities that are on the last couple slides of the PowerPoint.

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 MENU

 Title Page  Closed systems

 Ecosystems  Stability in ecosystems
 Menu  Populations
 What is an ecosystem?  Communities
 What is in an ecosystem?  Biomes
 Living things  Examples of biomes (MI & OH)
 Nonliving things  Examples of biomes (AZ)
 Review  Extra info
 Habitats  Activity time
 Niches  Word Search
 Living things 2  Crossword Puzzle
 Open systems  References
 WHAT IS AN ECOSYSTEM?

An ecosystem is a community of

living and nonliving things and how
they work together and interact.

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 What is in an ecosystem?

 LIVING THINGS  NONLIVING

THINGS

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 LIVING THINGS

PEOPLE
ANIMALS
PLANTS

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 NONLIVING THINGS

 SUNLIGHT
 AIR
 TEMPERATURE
 SOIL
 WATER
 MINERALS
 NUTRIENTS
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 REVIEW

 Groups of living things, and the surrounding

environment they live in make up an ecosystem.
 Examples of ecosystems are: forests, ponds, lakes,
and streams.
 How can some organisms live in different
ecosystems??

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 HABITATS

 HABITATS
 The environment that meets the
needs of an organism is called a
habitat
 (We will read the story, “A House
is a House for Me,” and discuss
the different habitats listed
throughout the book.)
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 NICHES

 NICHES
 An organism’s role or job in the
environment is a niche.
 What is an organism from the
forest environment?
 What is its niche in that
environment?

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 Living Things

NICHES OR ROLES

PRODUCERS CONSUMERS DECOMPOSERS

Green plants, some Eat other living things Feed on wastes of other
protists produce their for energy plants and animals
own food.

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 TWO TYPES OF SYSTEMS

 OPEN
 Most systems are open
 They take in things from outside the
system
Example: A sunflower takes energy
from the sun.

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 TWO TYPES OF SYSTEMS…

 CLOSED
 Few systems are actually closed.
 Many systems receive inputs and give off
outputs
Example: A diver in a submarine is
almost in a closed system.

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 STABILITY IN ECOSYSTEMS

 Stability means that over time, changes in a system

cancel each other out.
 Example: if something is added to an ecosystem,
later, it is taken out.
 The system must remain in balance

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 Types of Ecosystems

 POPULATIONS:
 A group of the same species living in the
same place at the same time is a population.
 Populations live in environments to which
they are adapted to.
 Example: Human Population

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 Types of Ecosystems…

 COMMUNITIES:
 A community of an ecosystem is made up of all
the populations that live in the same area.
 The plants and animals that live together
depend on each other to survive.

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 BIOMES

 What is a biome?
 A large geographical area with a certain climate.
 Example: a desert biome has very little rain. The
plants and animals that are able to live in that place
with its particular climate have adapted in different
ways to the amounts of water, heat, and soil in that
area.

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 EXAMPLES OF BIOMES

 MICHIGAN AND OHIO:

 Even rainfall and a long growing season characterize
this temperate biome, which supports deciduous and
mixed forests.
 Annual rainfall average: 29 inches
 Average annual temperature: 48 degrees Fahrenheit

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 EXAMPLES OF BIOMES…

 ARIZONA:
 This biome is made up of desert, chaparral, and tropical
scrub forest. Low levels of rainfall, uninterrupted winds,
drainage, and soil quality all contribute to this biome’s
sparse vegetation.
 Annual rainfall average: 2 to 9 inches
 Annual temperature average: 64 degrees Fahrenheit

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 EXTRA INFO…
 Sometimes, plants and animals are introduced
into ecosystems that they are not native to.
 What is an example of a plant or animal that
lives in an ecosystem that you are familiar
with and is not native to that ecosystem?
 What might happen if an animal from the
jungle were introduced into a forest
ecosystem?
 Link

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 ACTIVITY TIME!

 MAKE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART THAT CAN

COMPARE HOW YOUR NEEDS ARE MET IN YOUR
COMMUNITY, TO HOW PLANTS’ AND ANIMALS’
NEEDS ARE MET IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

 QUIZ Link

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 ECOSYSTEMS WORD SEARCH
Ecosystems!
*you will be receiving a copy of the
U U D L I C N S N L K G H A Y S Y S Y Y N A D I Q crossword puzzle and clues to be completed
A H U C Q Q E S R T I U T H G T Z R K U M E D V Z and returned tomorrow for credit
B U J D G C R Q C E C V L M I I I E J A D Y T O Q
K O O I B N F A K Q C U I L U Y W M T I H B T R G
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Words to find
J L X R K U T V A Y A P T O I C C N I K O W Z X A
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 Biome Living
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 Closed Niches
G O E G N I V I L N O N R E N H B J W E K L K O O
H D P C R H T H R T M G B Q F D C X C T S W D J X  Communities Nonliving
H D Y U Y G M O J O M Y B J I S Y O G E C M E D H
W F M T L Z R B K C U M N P H A S Z M Q K B S R I  Consumers Open
I C J C P A R V K S N L I J O Y O J K C H N D P X
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 Decomposers Populations
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L  Ecosystem Producers
O K Y U R W F A B Y S Q D W D K A X C L M B J V V
T O R K B P X V S J V V N K K C A F D Q K J B X O  Habitats Stability
F A A O P D D F B Q D B E U S K X G M W S P J U M
Y L H X D V K Y Y W L W M O O D E J T U O C Z D T

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 ECOSYSTEMS CROSSWORD PUZZLE

*you will be receiving a copy of the crossword

puzzle and clues to be completed and returned
tomorrow for credit

Crossword Clues
 Across
 1. plants, some protists that make their own food
 5. eat other living things for energy
 8. a large geographical area with certain climate
 9. the environment that meets the needs of an organism
 10. people, animals, and plants.
 11. an organism's role or job in the environment
 Down
 1. a group of the same species living in the same place at the
same time
 2. sunlight, air, temperature, soil, water, minerals, nutrients
 3. made up of all the populations that live in the same area
 4. feed on wastes of other plants and animals
 6. community of living and nonliving things and how they work
together and interact
 7. over time, changes in a system cancel each other out

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 REFERENCE
 "Ecosystems Research Project Info." Ecosystems Research Project Info. N.p., n.d.
Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/curriculum/elem/4th/science/ResearchPaper/ecosyste
ms.htm>.

 "4th Grade Science - Life - Ecosystems." 4th Grade Science - Life - Ecosystems. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://schools.bcsd.com/fremont/4th_sci_life_ecosystems.htm>.

 "Ohio Department of Education ODE - Search." ODE. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.ode.state.oh.us/gd/templates/pages/ODE/ODEGoogleSearch.aspx?
page=221>.

 ParrMr. "Ecosystems Song." YouTube. YouTube, 24 July 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUY_-LK_lOc>.

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