Ecosystem Study

Students will compare and contrast two habitats to understand the relationship between adaptations of organisms and the characteristics of their habitat. They will organize species into a food web to learn about how energy is transferred throughout an ecosystem and how species depend on that transfer of energy and one another for survival. Finally they will consider human impacts on the habitats they observe and think about the effect of disruptions to the food web.

Students will:
• Understand what adaptations are and the role they play in an organism’s interactions with its environment

• Explore how energy is transferred throughout an ecosystem and how adaptations allow organisms to obtain that energy

• Consider the potential impact of human activities on the suitability of a habitat and the flow of energy