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Science
Quarter 4
Module 5-Interactions

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Science – Grade 8
Self-Learning Module, First Edition 2021
Quarter 4 – Module 5: Interactions

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of
the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office
wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such
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Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their
respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership
over them.

Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Ohmark V. Veloria
Marianne D. Soriano
Editor: Adelina D. Vinluan, EdD
Reviewers: Elvira C. Viray, EdD
Catherine B. Operaña, EdD
Jerry R. Junio, PhD
Management Team
OIC, Schools Division Superintendent: Ely S. Ubaldo, CESO VI
Asst. Schools Division Superintendent: Marciano U. Soriano Jr., CESO VI
Chief Education Supervisor, CID: Carmina C. Gutierrez, EdD
Education Program Supervisor, LRMDS: Michael E. Rame, EdD
Education Program Supervisor, Science: Jerry R. Junio, PhD
District Supervisor: Catherine B. Operaña, EdD
School Head/Head Teacher in-Charge: Elvira C. Viray, EdD
Adelina D. Vinluan, EdD

Printed in the Philippines by Department of Education - Schools Division Office 1

Pangasinan
Office Address: Alvear St., East Capitol Grounds, Lingayen, Pangasinan
Telefax: (075) 522-2202
E-mail Address: pangasinan1@deped.gov.ph

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 8

Science
Quarter 4
Interactions

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Introductory Message
Welcome to the Science 8 Self-Learning Module (SLM) on the Interactions!

This module was collaboratively designed, developed, and reviewed by

educators both from public and private institutions to assist you, the teacher or
facilitator in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum
while overcoming their personal, social, and economic constraints in schooling.

This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and
independent learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also
aims to help learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Note to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist
the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

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For the learner:

Welcome to the Science 8 Self-Learning Module (SLM) on the Interactions!

The hand is one of the most symbolized parts of the human body. It is often
used to depict skill, action, and purpose. Through our hands we may learn, create,
and accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you as a
learner is capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant competencies
and skills at your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in your own hands!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning resource while being an active
learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

What I Need to Know This will give you an idea of the skills or
competencies you are expected to learn in the
module.

What I Know This part includes an activity that aims to check

what you already know about the lesson to take.
If you get all the answers correct (100%), you may
decide to skip this module.

What’s In This is a brief drill or review to help you link the

current lesson with the previous one.

What’s New In this portion, the new lesson will be introduced

to you in various ways such as a story, a song, a
poem, a problem opener, an activity, or a
situation.

What is It This section provides a brief discussion of the

lesson. This aims to help you discover and
understand new concepts and skills.

What’s More This comprises activities for independent practice

to solidify your understanding and skills of the
topic. You may check the answers to the exercises
using the Answer Key at the end of the module.

What I Have Learned This includes questions or blank

sentence/paragraph to be filled into process what
you learned from the lesson.

What I Can Do This section provides an activity which will help

you transfer your new knowledge or skill into real
life situations or concerns.

Assessment This is a task which aims to evaluate your level of

mastery in achieving the learning competency.

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Additional Activities In this portion, another activity will be given to
you to enrich your knowledge or skill of the lesson
learned. This also tends retention of learned
concepts.

Answer Key This contains answers to all activities in the

module.

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 What I Need to Know

In Grade 7, you have learned that organisms work together with other
organisms and their environment to survive. You also describe the different ecological
relationships found in an ecosystem. All organisms need energy to sustain life. Every
activity that organisms do in ecosystems like breathing, moving, hunting, burrowing,
and growing requires energy.

In this module, you will learn the transfer of energy in an ecosystem through
food chain and food web. You will also learn the cycling of materials in the ecosystem
such as the Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Cycle, the Water Cycle, and the Nitrogen Cycle.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

 describe the transfer of energy through the trophic levels,

(S8LT-IVi-22)
 analyze the roles of organisms in the cycling of materials,
(S8LT-IVi-23)
 explain how materials cycle in an ecosystem, and
(S8LT-IVi-24)
 Suggest ways to minimize human impact on the environment
(S8LT-IVj-25)

What I Know

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it on a piece of paper.
1. Which of the following describes the interconnected feeding relationships in an
ecosystem?
A. Food interaction B. Food network C. Food chain D. Food web

2. What is the original source of almost all the energy in most ecosystems?
A. carbohydrates B. water C. sunlight D. Carbon

3. Which among the organism that uses energy to produce its own food
supply from inorganic compounds?
A. Heterotroph B. Omnivore C. Consumer D. Autotroph

4. Water changes from a liquid to a vapor during _________.

A. precipitation B. decomposition C. evaporation D. respiration

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5. What is the term for each step in the transfer of energy and matter within a food
web?
A. energy path B. trophic level C. food chain D. food pyramid

6. A snake that eats a frog that has eaten an insect that fed on a plant is a _______
A. first-level producer C. second-level producer
B. first-level consumer D. third-level consumer

7. Organisms need nitrogen to ____________.

A. breathe C. build proteins and DNA
B. break down carbon molecules D. build sugar

8. When fungi and bacteria decompose organic matter, they return ____ to the
environment.
A. oxygen B. nitrogen C. carbon D. both B and C

9. What do you call a consumer that eats a consumer that already ate a consumer?
A. Producers C. Secondary Consumers
B. Tertiary Consumers D. Decomposers

10. What is the source of carbon in fossil fuels?

A. combustion and respiration
B. carbon captured during nitrogen fixation
C. the buried remains of long-dead organisms
D. carbon dioxide in ground water

11. Carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere in increasing quantities,
causing it to hold heat. These causes ____________.
A. the temperature of land to rise. C. global warming
B. the temperature of the ocean to rise D. all of the above

12. What step(s) could be taken to help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere?
A. decrease combustion C. cut fewer trees
B. plant more plants D. All of the above

13. Carbon dioxide and water are released as by-products of

A. combustion B. respiration C. photosynthesis D. decomposition

14. Most animals get the nitrogen they need by _____________.

A. breathing C. eating other organisms
B. "fixing" nitrogen D. drinking water

15. Most animals get the nitrogen they need by _______________.

A. breathing C. eating other organisms
B. "fixing" nitrogen. D. drinking water

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 Lesson The Transfer of Energy in
1 an Ecosystem

What’s In
Complete the crossword by writing the correct letters on the boxes.

Down
1. A type of ecological relationship which has direct and long term interaction
between two different organisms.
2. A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits from the association and
the other is harmed.
3. A relationship where the participating organisms fight for the same materials in
their environment.
4. A type of ecological relationship does not occur over a long period of time, and
indirect interaction over resources.

Across

5. A relationship where one kills and eats another.

6. A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is
unaffected.
7. A symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit from their
association.

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 What’s New
Arrange the organisms on the box to complete a food chain. Write the correct
word in the four boxes (or in your answer sheets, then label them).

The arrow means eaten by. Choose your answer in the box.

grasshopper grass frog snake

birds caterpillar leaves snake

What is It

Organisms get energy from other organisms such as plants, animals and
microorganisms in order to enable them to move, grow, repair damaged body parts,
and reproduce. In this situation wherein it involves the use of organism such as food
by another we call this as trophic interaction.

The Plants are capable of converting

energy from the Sun to make glucose. This
process of converting energy from the Sun
into chemical energy to form food is called
photosynthesis; it uses water, carbon
dioxide and sunlight, and releasing oxygen
at the end of the process. Most plants
make much more food each day than they
need. The excess glucose is converted into
starch by the plants and is stored either in
the roots, stem, leaves, tubers, seeds, or in
fruits. Plants are considered producers
(autotrophs) because they can produce
their own food. Do plants the only
organisms in an ecosystem that can
produce their own food? There are also https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ph
microorganisms that can photosynthesize otosynthesis.gif
like algae and cyanobacteria.

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 Humans and other animals are not capable of making their own food. They
are dependent on the organic matter made by photosynthetic organisms. Animals
and humans must eat either plants or other animals to obtain energy. Organisms
that feed on other organisms are called consumers. Those that get their energy by
eating plants only are called Primary consumers.

Some energy in the primary

consumer is not used by the
consumer itself. This energy is made
available to another consumer. A
consumer that eats the plant-eaters
for energy is called a Secondary
consumer, examples of which are
chicken eating caterpillar, snake
eating a mouse and Maya eating
snail. A secondary consumer gets
only a fraction of energy from the
primary consumer that it fed upon. A
part of this energy is stored and may
be passed on to another consumer. A https://www.flickr.com/photos/102642344@N02/99128905
consumer that eats a secondary 23
consumer is called a Tertiary
consumer.

The transfer of energy can be sequenced. The sequence of energy transferred

among organisms to obtain energy and nutrients is called a food chain. A food chain
starts with the energy source, the Sun. The next link in the chain is the group of
organisms that make their own food – the photosynthetic organisms or producers.
Next in the sequence are the organisms that eat the producers; they are the first-
order consumers. The next link in the chain is the group of animals that eat the first-
order consumers; they are the second-order consumers. These organisms, in turn,
are eaten by larger animals-the predators; they are also called, third-order
consumers. Each food chain ends with a top predator-an animal with no natural
enemies.

Trophic level, step in a nutritive series, or food chain, of an ecosystem. The

organisms of a chain are classified into these levels on the basis of their feeding
behavior. The first and lowest level contains the producers, green plants. The plants
or their products are consumed by the second-level organisms—the herbivores, or
plant eaters or primary consumer. At the third level, primary carnivores or
secondary consumer, or meat eaters, eat the herbivores; and at the fourth level,
secondary carnivores or tertiary consumer eat the primary carnivores. These
categories are not strictly defined, as many organisms feed on several trophic levels;
for example, some carnivores also consume plant materials or carrion and are called
omnivores, and some herbivores occasionally consume animal matter. A separate
trophic level, the decomposers or transformers, consists of organisms such as
bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms and waste materials into
nutrients usable by the producers.

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 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Trophiclevels.jpg

What is the difference between food chain and food web?

A food chain is a food relationship that shows the flow of energy in an
environment. It is a straight line diagram of who eats whom. The food chain moves
food from one organism to another, giving energy to the organism digesting the food.
While the food web consists of interlocking food chains. It is the summary of all
pathways by which energy moves from one level to another through an ecosystem.

FOOD CHAIN FOOD WEB

https://www.flickr.com/photos/121935927@N06/135786088 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chesapeake_Water
83/in/photostream/ bird_Food_Web.jpg

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 What’s More

Activity 1: Trophic Levels

Objective: Analyze the transfer of energy through the trophic levels and create a
food chain.

Directions: Study the ecological pyramid and answer the questions below. Write
your answer in a separate sheet of paper.

https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/science/food-
chain/color/energy-pyramid.pdf

Questions:

1. There are _______________ trophic levels in an ecosystem.

2. Which organism is the quaternary consumer?
3. List down five heterotrophs from the above pyramid.
4. Cactus is a _____________.
5. Write a food chain using this ecological pyramid with a producer and four
consumers. Use arrows to indicate the direction of energy flow.

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 Lesson The Cycles of Materials
2 in an Ecosystem

What’s New

Study the picture diagram below and list down the natural occurring elements
or compounds and the sources on which these materials are present.

Source: http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/envisrs/?q=node/47/#2

Elements/Compounds Sources
Ex. Oxygen (O2) Ex. Produce by plants
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

Questions:
1. Where do materials mostly recycled?
2. Do organisms play important part in circulating the materials.

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 What is It

There are a few types of atoms that can be a part of a plant one day, an animal
the next day, and then travel downstream as a part of a river’s water the following
day. These atoms can be a part of both living things like plants and animals, as well
as non-living things like water, air, and even rocks. The same atoms are recycled
over and over in different parts of the Earth. This type of cycle of atoms between
living and non-living things is known as a biogeochemical cycle.

The Oxygen-Carbon Cycle

There are two basic life processes in the oxygen-carbon life cycle; these are the
cellular respiration and the photosynthesis.
What process is being shown in the picture below? What is the driving energy
of this process?

During photosynthesis, Carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken in by plants and water

(H2O) is absorbed through roots; with the used of sunlight, the materials are
breakdown into oxygen (O2) and sugar as a waste product. Meanwhile, animals
inhale the O2 given off by plants and exhale CO2 as waste product of cellular
respiration.
Other minor processes involve in this cycle are decomposition and
combustion. When an animal or plant dies all the carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and
water, calcium etc. return to the soil and air during decomposition. Certain insects,
fungi and bacteria aid in the decomposition process and are called decomposers or
detrivores. In combustion, it is the burning of materials particularly fossil fuels that
accelerates the negative effects of global warming.
Oxygen is an important element for the living things. Without oxygen, it is
impossible for humans and animals to breath. Without oxygen, there will be no life
on the planet. We need oxygen in order to live. Moreover, Carbon dioxide is use to
produce oxygen. As humans and animals release carbon dioxide on air; the plants

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use this compound and eventually manufactures this into oxygen again to be use by
the humans and animals. This process occurs continuously and naturally in nature.

The Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle
represents one of the most
important nutrient cycles
found in ecosystems. Air,
which is 78% nitrogen gas
(N2), is the major reservoir
of nitrogen. Nitrogen is a
required nutrient for all
living organisms to
produce a number of
complex organic molecules
like amino acids, the
building blocks of
Source: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Nitrogen_cycle?topic=49553
proteins, and nucleic
acids, including DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). The
ultimate store of nitrogen is in the atmosphere, where it exists as nitrogen gas. This
store is about one million times larger than the total nitrogen contained in living
organisms. Other major stores of nitrogen include organic matter in soil and the
oceans.
Free nitrogen - the nitrogen found in the
atmosphere, animal wastes, and dead and decaying
organisms - is all around. However, only a few
organisms can use it just as it is. These organisms
"fix" the nitrogen for all other organisms to use. They
are called nitrogen fixing bacteria.

In the nitrogen
fixation part of the cycle,
nitrogen-fixing bacteria found
in the soils and in the roots of
certain plants, change (or
convert) free nitrogen into
substances that other
organisms can use. When the
fixing process is finished, free
nitrogen is converted into
nitrates, nitrites, and
ammonia. These substances
can be used by plants. As the
plants become food, the
nitrogen can be used by Source: http://www.realtrees4kids.org/sixeight/cycles.htm
animals. And some bacteria take the nitrogen compounds and return them to
nitrogen gas that is released back into the atmosphere.

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 In another part of the cycle, animals eat plants containing usable nitrogen.
That nitrogen returns to the soil as organic material (animal waste, decaying plants
and animals) is decomposed by bacteria and other decomposers. And the
denitrifying bacteria keep the nitrogen level in the soil balanced.

The Water Cycle

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the movement
of water on, in, and above the planet Earth. It is a continuous movement of water
from the atmosphere to the earth back to the atmosphere. It involves the following
vital processes:
a. Precipitation. The process by which water molecules condense to form
drops heavy enough to fall to the earth's surface.
b. Evaporation. The movement of water in the form of water vapor from the
earth to the atmosphere or the changing of water from a liquid to a gas.
c. Condensation. The change in the state of water vapor to liquid water when
in contact with a liquid or solid surface or cloud condensation nuclei within
the atmosphere or the changing of water from a gas to a liquid.
d. Transpiration. The water movement through a plant and its evaporation
from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers.
e. Sublimation. The changing of water from a solid to a gas.
f. Surface runoff-the flowing of water over the land from higher to lower
ground.
g. Infiltration-the process of water filling the porous spaces of soil.
h. Percolation-groundwater moving in the saturated zone below the earth's
surface.

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 What’s More

Activity 2: Water Cycle

Objective: Identify the important processes in water cycle that explain the
circulation of water in the environment.

Directions: Complete the diagram below by identifying the processes in Water

Cycle.

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 What I Have Learned
PART I.
Directions: Match column A with the correct answer on column B. Write your
answer on a separate sheet of paper.
Column A Column B

1. A diagram that shows the transfer of energy A. Primary Consumer

in one line.
2. It makes its’ own food and begins the food B. Secondary Consumer
chain.
C. Tertiary Consumer
3. They cannot make their own food so they eat
only plants to get the needed energy. D. Food Chain
4. A type of consumer that eats second-order
E. Food Web
consumer.
5. A graphical representation that consist of F. Producer
interconnecting food chains.

PART II.
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct answer. Write your answers on a
separate sheet of paper.

cellular respiration decomposition photosynthesis

hydrologic cycle combustion Nitrogen
nitrogen fixation

6. There are two basic life processes in the oxygen-carbon life cycle; these are
the _____________ and the ______________.

7. Other minor processes involve in oxygen-carbon cycle are _______________

And ____________.

8. The water cycle, also known as the _____________________, describes the

movement of water on, in, and above the planet Earth.

9. ______________is a required nutrient for all living organisms to produce a

number of complex organic molecules like amino acids and proteins.

10. In the ________________ part of the cycle, nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in

the soils and in the roots of certain plants, change or convert free nitrogen
into substances that other organisms can use.

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 What I Can Do

Explain the importance of food chain and food web in maintaining the
ecological balance. And suggest some ways on how to minimize the human impact
on the environment?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Scoring Rubrics
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
The The The The The
discussion is discussion is discussion is discussion is discussion is
comprehensive comprehensive ample with no ample with lacking any
with scientific with some misconception. minor detail.
evidence. evidence. misconception.

Assessment
Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it on a piece of paper.
1. Which is the correct sequence of how nitrogen is passed through its cycle?
A. Nitrate formation, fixation, denitrification
B. Fixation, nitrate formation, denitrification
C. Denitrification, nitrate formation, fixation
D. Fixation, denitrification, nitrate formation

2. When the Sun heats up the puddle of water in your backyard and turns it into
water vapour, this process is known as ________.
A. Condensation B. Evaporation C. Precipitation D. Run-off

3. When you look outside and it is raining, the water falling down is in what stage
of the water cycle?
A. Evaporation B. Percolation C. Condensation D. Precipitation

4. What most likely happen first if you remove a primary consumer from the
ecosystem?
A. There would be more food for secondary consumers.
B. The number of primary consumers would increase.
C. The number of plants would increase.
D. The number of secondary consumers would increase.
5. When you see clouds forming in the sky, the water above you is forming droplets
in what stage of the water cycle?
A. Run-off B. Condensation C. Precipitation D. Evaporation

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6. Which formula properly expresses the process of photosynthesis?
A. O2 + H2O (light →) =sugar+ CO2 C. CO2 + O2 (light →) = sugar + H2O
B. CO2 + H2O (light →) =sugar + O2 D. CO2 + H2O (sugar →) = light + O2

7. A bird stalks, kills, and then eats an insect. Based on its behavior, which
ecological terms describe the bird?
A. herbivore, decomposer C. carnivore, consumer
B. producer, heterotroph D. autotroph, herbivore

8. How decomposers obtained nutrients?

A. By breaking down dead and decaying plants and animals
B. By eating carnivores.
C. By getting nutrients directly from the sun.
D. By eating producers only.

9. The cycle of atoms between living and non-living things is known as?
A. Oxygen-Carbon cycle C. biogeochemical cycles
B. the water cycle D. the nitrogen cycle

10. One way of showing the transfer of energy in an ecosystem is the Energy Pyramid.
Which of the followings does energy pyramids show?
A. That the amount of available energy decreases down the food chain. Energy
pyramids show.
B. It takes a large number of producers to support a smaller number of
primary consumers.
C. It takes a large number of primary consumers to support a smaller number
of secondary consumer.
D. All of the above

11. In the nitrogen cycle, the transformation of gaseous nitrogen into nitrogen-
containing compounds is performed primarily by
A. plants B. animals C. humans D. bacteria

12. What is the end product of respiration?

A. Oxygen B. Nitrogen C. H2O D. CO2

13. Where can you find nitrogen fixing bacteria?

A. In the pores of rocks. C. In the soil.
B. In the roots of plants. D. In the leaves of plants.

14. Which of the following does NOT contribute to the disruption of oxygen-carbon
dioxide cycle?
A. Continuous cutting down of trees for lumber. C. Kaingin
B. Burning of fossil fuels on motor vehicles. D. Planting of trees.

15. Can oxygen exist in water?

A. Yes, it is used by much aquatic life
B. oxygen cannot be dissolved in water
C. Yes but it is not used by living organisms
D. No, it is not needed by fishes

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References:

Science 8 Learner’s Material

Science 8 Teacher’s Guide

Biogeochemical Cycle Module “Our Own Cycle” by Dr. Marianne D. Soriano

Energy Pyramid Activity from

https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/science/food-chain/color/energy
pyramid.pdf
Food chain and Food Web from
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-food-chains.html

Trophic Levels from https://www.britannica.com/science/trophic-level

Pictures/Cliparts from Creative Commons of Windows 10 MS Word

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