Energy Flow-Lesson 4 Days 1 and 2

Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4
Knowledge/Skills Students Will Evidence that students

State Standards Prior Knowledge/Building Acquire (Bloom’s) understand – Performance
Performance Indicators Background Knowledge Students will be able to… tasks other assessments/checks
2-prong for understanding
Basic knowledge and
connection to their existing world
Pre-test: energy flow related
vocabulary and concepts
MST Standard 4: Students Bell ringer and link to ecology: Students will evaluate the importance Discussion and bell ringer
will understand and apply What would happen to our of having a constant source of energy handout and exit slip rep
scientific concepts, principles environment if there was no sun?
and theories pertaining to the
physical setting and living
environment
Performance Indicator 6.1.a: powerpoint and guided notes Students will be able to create a food Group work-Who eats who
Energy flows through handout on energy flow chain to demonstrate the proper flow activity
ecosystems in one direction, of energy in an ecosystem
typically from the Sun,
through photosynthetic Students will be able to analyze the Root beer energy flow and loss
organisms including green loss of energy from one trophic level simulation
plants and algae, to herbivores to the next
to carnivores and
decomposers. Students will be able to Biome food web design project
illustrate/design food webs to show
energy flow through an assigned
biome
Teacher Candidate: Jamie Prudhomme Date: 03Nov2009
Lesson Plan Template
Unit Title: Relationships in the Living Environment- Ecology
Essential Question(s): How important are the relationships and interactions in your life?
Imagine life in a bubble, what would you need to sustain life?
Energy Flow lesson days 1 and 2

Lesson
Title/Number
How does energy flow within an ecosystem?

Lesson Question (s)
MST Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts,

State Standards principles and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living
and Performance environment
Indicators
Performance Indicator 6.1.a: Energy flows through ecosystems in one
direction, typically from the Sun, through photosynthetic organisms
including green plants and algae, to herbivores to carnivores and
decomposers.
Students will be able to:

• Students will evaluate the importance of having a constant source
Lesson Objectives of energy
(Bloom’s Taxonomy) • Students will be able to create a food chain to demonstrate the
proper flow of energy in an ecosystem
• Students will be able to analyze the loss of energy from one
trophic level to the next
• Students will be able to illustrate/design food webs to show
energy flow through an assigned biome (see detailed lesson plan-
Energy flow days 3 and 4 of lesson)
_________________________________________________________
----------------------
• Bell ringer and exit slip responses
Acceptable
• Who eats who group activity and questions handout
Evidence
• Rootbeer simulation and follow up questions
• Biome food web assignment
Day 1: Pre-test: Students will be given a pre-test on energy flow key
terms and concepts (See attached). Handout at very beginning of class.
Bell Ringer and Day 1: Bell Ringer: Handout: What would happen to our environment if
Prior Knowledge there was no sun? Hint: Think in terms of ecology and feeding
Tap – this can be relationships. Students will be given the bell ringer handout following the
together or pre-test to complete independently. The teacher will collect the bell
separate ringer responses (formative assessment) and move into the lesson for the
day- Energy flow in an ecosystem. Discuss with class the importance of
having a constant source of energy. Without a constant source of energy
the producers in an ecosystem will have no energy source to survive
upon, without the producers the consumers of the ecosystem will in turn
have no source of energy to survive upon. A constant source of energy,
the sun for instance, is vital for maintaining the stability of an ecosystem.
Day 2: Bell ringer (handout see attached): “Suppose all of your favorite
foods disappeared from existence. Would you die of starvation? Why or
why not?” Allow students to respond to the bell ringer question to be
collected for participation points. The teacher will call on students to
share their thoughts with the class. Following a brief discussion the
teacher will make connections between the class discussion and the flow
of energy in an ecosystem. The teacher may say “an ecosystem is
composed of complex nutritional interactions in which a consumer can
rely on more than one source of energy. In an ecosystem if one source of
energy is eliminated, the entire ecosystem does not collapse. There are
several alternate sources of energy that enable an ecosystem to keep its
stability. These complex interactions can be diagramed by using food
webs.”
_________________ _________________________________________________________
Day 1: Following the pre-test and bell ringer :
Procedure – Using the attached powerpoint presentation and guided notes handout the
teacher input, teacher will give a lesson on energy flow in an ecosystem.
modeling, guided
practice, 1. The teacher will hand out the attached guided notes as well as the
independent energy flow vocabulary handout (see attached guided notes, and
practice, and/or vocabulary handout)
activities
2. Using the attached powerpoint presentation and guided notes the
*Accommodations teacher will go over the lesson question and lesson objectives
for learning with the students (see powerpoint and guided notes). (research
modalities are based instructional strategy- setting objectives)
required.
3. The teacher will use the powerpoint presentation to guide students
through the flow of energy in an ecosystem
4. The students will record notes on the guided notes handout.
(Research based instructional strategy- summarizing and note-
taking)
5. Following slide 8 of the powerpoint have students perform the

who eats who small group activity. (research based instructional
strategy- cooperative learning) Differentiated Instruction
• Divide the class into groups of 5
• Handout each group a who eats who activity packet
• Go over the directions for this activity with the students
(see who eats who handout in packet).
a. In the who eats who packet are name tags with
Procedure – different organisms written on them and 5 pieces
teacher input, of string.
modeling, guided b. You are to assign an organism to each group
practice, member. The teacher will be the sun.
independent c. Appropriately categorize each organism into
practice, and/or trophic levels write your answer on the handout
activities provided
d. Sketch a representative food chain for your group
*Accommodations on the handout
for learning e. Using the string create a human food chain.
modalities are Remember to connect to the ultimate source of
required. energy- the sun (the teacher)
f. Have two students repeat the direction for this
activity-procedural check for understanding
• Students will work cooperatively to organize

themselves into a food web that is representative of the
organism provided in their activity packets
• The teacher will provide guidance or give feedback as

necessary.
• The teacher will collect the who eats who activity

handout for participation points (formative assessment)
6. Closure: The students will complete an exit slip handout which

returns to the lesson question and objectives (See attached
handout) to be completed independently prior to leaving class.
Day 2: Energy flow –food webs and energy pyramids
1. The teacher will hand out the bell ringer questions at the
beginning of class (see attached bell ringer handout)
2. The students will independently complete the bell ringer handout.
3. The teacher will collect the bell ringer handouts upon student
completion and will have a brief discussion about the bell ringer
question and its link to energy flow in an ecosystem (see bell
ringer discussion above)
4. The teacher will instruct the students to take out their guided
notes on energy flow in an ecosystem.
5. The teacher will use the attached powerpoint to continue the

lesson on energy flow in an ecosystem extending the lesson into
food webs and energy pyramids ( slides 10-14)
Procedure – 6. The students will record notes on guided notes handout. (research
teacher input, based instructional strategy- summarizing and note-taking).
modeling, guided
practice, 7. The teacher will handout an energy flow diagram to the students
independent as a resource displaying energy flow and energy loss from one
practice, and/or trophic level to the next (see attached energy flow diagram).
activities
8. The teacher will also handout the rootbeer energy flow/loss
*Accommodations simulation activity and follow up questions to the students (see
for learning simulation handout). The teacher will then explain the directions
modalities are for this activity:
required.
• We will be doing an energy flow/loss simulation which
will require four volunteers from the class. Everyone
needs to pay attention to this simulation as there are
follow up questions which will be completed
independently.
• The teacher will get out the required materials: 1 liter of
rootbeer (bring to class), graduated cylinders, and an
eyedropper (class lab closet).
• The teacher will select four student to participate in this
simulation
• The teacher will assign each of the four participants an
organism (plant, mouse, hawk, and mushroom). The
teacher will be the sun.
• The teacher will tell the students that the liter of rootbeer
represents the suns energy
• In this simulation we will demonstrate the flow of energy
from one trophic level to the next
• Following the simulation you will be required to complete
the follow up questions located on the handout
• Have two students repeat the directions-procedural check
for understanding
9. The teacher and student participants will perform the rootbeer

energy flow/loss simulation (see attached rootbeer energy
Procedure – flow/loss simulation activity attached) to demonstrate the loss of
teacher input, energy at each feeding level.
modeling, guided
practice, 10. Following the simulation the students will independently
independent complete the follow up questions to be collected by the teacher-
practice, and/or formative assessment
activities
11. Closure: The teacher will assign hw (see attached) to be
*Accommodations completed for the next class session and have the students
for learning complete an exit slip response (see attached exit slip)
modalities are a. The teacher will hand out the homework assignment (see
required. attached assignment) and give the following directions:
“Create an energy pyramid for the following organisms:
algae, tadpoles, small carnivorous fish, bear, and bacteria
of decay.” Using an arrow display the energy flow/ loss.
Label each organism in the pyramid with the appropriate
trophic category. Use your guided notes as a helpful guide
if you get stuck.”-summative assessment
b. The teacher will have two students repeat the directions-
procedure check for understanding.
c. The teacher will then handout the exit slip for the students
to complete prior to leaving class (see attached exit slip
diagram of food web and energy pyramid with associated
questions-formative assessment
Day 1:
Pre-test on energy flow terms and concepts (prior knowledge tap
Checks for -formative assessment)
understanding –
directions, Directions: Have two students repeat the directions for group work
procedures, activity who eats who
routines, and
content (formative) Who eats who activity: Students will accurately arrange themselves into a
food chain representative of the organisms assigned and will complete
the complementary handout to be turned in (formative assessment –check
for understanding)
Teacher will make notes in his/her journal identifying how the lesson
went. For example, difficulties observed, areas for improvement,
problems that arose (formative assessment)
Checks for Day 2:

understanding – Bell ringer handout- check for understanding
directions,
procedures, Rootbeer energy flow simulation and follow up questions- formative
routines, and assessment
content (formative)
Exit slips response-formative assessment
Teacher will make notes in his/her journal identifying how the lesson
went. For example, difficulties observed, areas for improvement,
problems that arose (formative assessment)
• Pre-test on ecology related concepts and vocabulary (formative

assessment). Purpose is to identify what my students already
know and what they do not know in order to appropriately lesson
plan.
• Who eats who group activity and complementary handout:

Students will accurately arrange themselves into a food chain
representative of the organisms assigned and will complete the
complementary handout to be turned in. Purpose: check for
understanding (formative assessment)
Assessment – type
and purpose • Rootbeer energy flow simulation: Asses students ability to
evaluate energy flow from one organism to the next and the loss
of energy to the environment. Purpose: check for understanding
(formative assessment)
• Exit slip Day 1: Assess students ability to evaluate the importance

of having a constant source of energy in an ecosystem Purpose:
check for mastery of key concept (summative assessment-
10points).
• Day 2 Exit slip: Purpose is to assess students understanding of

food chains, energy pyramids, and food webs- formative
assessment
• Homework assignment on energy pyramids (summative

assessment-10points) Purpose: to evaluate students
comprehension of energy flow through an ecosystem
Day 1 (see attached exit slip): Return to the lesson objectives to evaluate
students comprehension of the following key concept:
Closure Question 1: What is the typical flow of energy through an ecosystem?
(5pts)
Question 2: Why is having a constant source of energy necessary in an
ecosystem? (5pts)
Day 2: (see attached exit slip): Return to lesson objectives by having

students complete an exit slip on food chains, food webs, and energy
pyramids
Visual aids – powerpoint and guided notes handout
Auditory aids -teacher lecture of Powerpoint presentation

Accommodations
Tactile/kinesthetic aids- who eats who activity packet and group work,
energy flow handout and rootbeer simulation
Differentiated instruction- who eats who activity

The teacher generated powerpoint presentation, guided notes on energy
flow, energy key term handout, the who eats who activity packet, energy
flow diagram handout, rootbeer simulation activity handout, exit slips,
Materials
bell ringer handouts
Planning time days 1 and 2-2hrs
Day 1 Instructional time-40minutes
Duration Day2 Instructional time- 40minutes
Energy Flow Guided Notes
Lesson Question:
How does energy flow within an ecosystem?
Lesson Objectives:
• evaluate the importance of having a constant source of energy
• create a food chain to demonstrate the proper flow of energy in an

ecosystem
• analyze the loss of energy from one trophic level to the next
• illustrate/design food webs to show energy flow through an assigned biome

How does energy flow through an ecosystem?
What must an ecosystem have to be self-sustaining and why?
What does the term trophic mean?
What are the high order trophic levels when considering energy flow through an ecosystem?
1.
2.
3.
Consumers can be further separated into:

1
2
3
What are detritivores?
What is a food chain?
In what direction do the arrows in a food chain point?

Example of a food chain
Why is a food chain not the best representation of the feeding relationships in an ecosystem?
What other diagram provides a more accurate representation of the feeding relationships in an
ecosystem? And why?
Example of a food web
What is an energy pyramid?
What happens to energy as it moves from one trophic level to the next?
Which trophic level has the greatest amount of energy? Which has the least?
Energy Flow- Pretest
1. What does the term trophic mean?
2. Why is it important to have a constant source of energy in an ecosystem?
3. Identify at least two ways to diagram energy flow through an ecosystem.
4. Identify the producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer and
decomposer for the following organisms: Grass, grasshopper, frog, snake, bacteria
5. Illustrate the flow of energy for the above organisms
6. What happens to the amount of energy as it flows from one organism to the next?
Energy Flow- Vocabulary and Concepts
Herbivore - an animal that eats plants.
Carnivore - an animal that eats other animals.
Omnivore - an animal that eats both plants and animals eg bears and humans.
Producer - usually a green plant that produces its own food by photosynthesis
Primary Consumer - Animals that consume only plant matter. They are herbivores –
ex: rabbits, caterpillars, cows, sheep, and deer.
Secondary Consumer - Animals that eat primary consumers (herbivores).
Tertiary Consumer - Animals that eat secondary consumers. Ex: carnivores that
feed on other carnivores.
Predators - kill for food. They are either secondary or tertiary consumers – Ex:
polar bears, golden eagles
Prey - are the organisms that predators feed on. Examples of predator and prey
species are: fox and rabbit; blue tit and caterpillar; wolf and lamb
Scavenger - a consumer that eats dead animals (e.g. crab, crow, vulture, buzzard
and hyena.)
Detritivore - a consumer that obtains its nutrients from detritus
Decomposer - an organism such as bacteria and fungi that breaks down dead
organisms and their wastes. . (They do not 'eat' the food like scavengers, as they
have no mouth-parts. Instead they break down solid matter into liquids which they
can absorb.) Examples: bacteria and some fungi.
Trophic Level - A trophic level is each level in a food chain. Matter is always 'lost'
as heat energy at each trophic level. Basal Energy Requirement (B.E.R.) - the
amount of energy used by an organism's body just to keep alive, when no food is
being digested and no muscular work is being done.
Food Web - a network of interrelated food chains in a given area

Energy flow in an ecosystem -handout
The figure above shows energy flow in a simple food chain. At each level of the food chain,
about 90% of the energy is lost in the form of heat. The total energy passed from one level to the
next is only about one-tenth of the energy received from the previous organism. Therefore, as
you move up the food chain, there is less energy available. Animals located at the top of the food
chain need a lot more food to meet their energy needs.
NOTE!! Each organism in the food chain is only transferring one-tenth of its energy to the
next organism.
Energy flow in an ecosystem -handout
You can see that because energy is lost at each step of a food chain, it takes a lot of producers to
support a few top consumers. The food pyramid below shows an example of this.
Notice that if there were a 1000 units of energy at the producers level the primary consumers
would receive 100 units of energy, the secondary consumers would receive 10 units of energy,
and the tertiary consumer would receive 1 unit of energy. This pyramid helps to demonstrate the
loss of energy from one level of the food chain to the next.
Energy Flow- Bell ringer (day1)
Name:_____________________ Date:_____________
Directions: Respond to the following question to receive participation points.
What would happen to our environment if there was no sun?

Hint: Think in terms of ecology and feeding relationships.
Energy Flow- Bell Ringer (day 2)
Name: _______________________ Date: _____________
Directions: Respond to the following question to receive participation points.
Suppose all of your favorite foods disappeared from existence. Would you die of starvation?
Why or why not?
Energy Flow-exit slip (day1)
Name:______________________ Date:_____________
Directions: Answer the following two questions on energy flow in an ecosystem. Each question
is worth 5 points each.
1. What is the typical flow of energy through an ecosystem? (Written and illustrated responses
are both acceptable) (5pts)
2. Why is having a constant source of energy necessary in an ecosystem? (5pts)

Energy Flow-exit slip (day2)
Name:______________________ Date:_____________
Diagram #1 Algae à copepod à minnows à bass
Diagram #2
Diagram #3
Answer the following questions based of diagrams 1, 2, and 3

1. Diagram #1 is a _________________
Diagram #2 is a _________________
Diagram #3 is a__________________
2. What are the producers is #1? ___________________
#2? ____________________
#3? ____________________
3. In diagrams #1 and #2, which organism are primary consumers?
4. In diagram # 3, which organisms are decomposers?
5. In diagram #3, which organism contains the greatest amount of energy?
6. In diagram #1, which organisms contain the least amount of energy?
7. In diagram #2, which organisms are greatest in number and mass? _____________ least
in number and mass?_______________
8. Diagram #3 What are the primary consumers?_________________________
9. Diagram #3 What are the secondary consumers? _______________________

Who Eats Who? Activity
Task: Create a food chain representative of the organism in your

activity packet
Directions: Provided in this activity packet are name tags with different organism written on
them and 5 pieces of string with arrow heads attached. The string represents the flow of energy.
You are to pick an organism for each group member; your teacher will be the sun. Each group
member will represent an organism in the activity packet by placing the name tag on your shirt.
Once you have assigned an organism to each group member, use the table below to appropriately
categorize each organism into its trophic level. Then in the space provided draw a representative
food chain for the organism in your packet. Once you think you have accurately completed your
food chain, elect one group member to ask the sun (the teacher) to check for accuracy. If the sun
finds no errors, you will be instructed to assemble yourselves into a human food chain. Use the
pieces of string to connect your group into a food chain. Remember to connect to the ultimate
source of energy the sun!
Group 1: Organisms
Algae
Plankton
Small fish
Shark
Bacteria
Trophic Levels:
Producer Primary Secondary Tertiary Decomposer
Consumer Consumer consumer
Food Chain:

activity packet
Group 2: Organisms
Grass
Grasshopper
Frog
Snake
Mushroom
Trophic Levels:
Food Chain:

activity packet
Group 3: Organisms
Algae
Tadpoles
Small fish
Bird
Fungi
Trophic Levels:
Food Chain:

activity packet
Group 4: Organisms
Plants
Herbivore insect
Spider
Bird
Bacteria
Trophic Levels:
Food Chain:

activity packet
Group 5: Organisms
Grass
Worm
Frog
Raccoon
Bacteria
Trophic Levels:
Food Chain:
Rootbeer Energy Flow/Loss Simulation (student copy)
Name:______________________ Date:________________
Directions: Think of energy as rootbeer. The teacher will represent the sun and four students
will represent the organisms in a food chain: a plant, a mouse, a hawk, and a mushroom. Review
the energy flow diagram given. Use this diagram as additional support for answering the
questions below.
Review of Diagram Reviewing the energy flow diagram given, we find that:
• The sun has one liter of rootbeer (energy) to give.
• Of that, the plant gets one-tenth or 100 milliliters.
• The mouse gets 10 milliliters from the plant.
• The hawk gets 1 milliliter from the mouse.
• When the hawk dies and is decomposed by the mushroom, the mushroom gets only one-
tenth of a milliliter!
Simulation follow up questions:
1. Which organism was most satisfied by the amount of "energy" he or she received? Which
organism was least satisfied?
2. What happened to the 900 milliliters from the sun that the plant didn't absorb?
3. How much "energy" was USED by the mouse?
4. What consumer in the food chain is going to have to eat the most food to meet their energy
needs?
5. Why can't a food chain have an infinite number of links?

Energy Pyramid Assignment
Name: _______________________ Date:_____________
Directions: Create an energy pyramid for the following organisms: algae, tadpoles, small
carnivorous fish, bear, and bacteria of decay. Using an arrow display the energy flow/ loss. Label
each organism in the pyramid with the appropriate trophic category. Use your guided notes as a
helpful guide if you get stuck. (10points)

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Energy Flow- Lesson Plan #4

Knowledge/Skills Students Will Evidence that students

Unit Title: Relationships in the Living Environment- Ecology

Energy Flow lesson days 1 and 2

How does energy flow within an ecosystem?

MST Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts,

Students will be able to:

5. Following slide 8 of the powerpoint have students perform the

• Students will work cooperatively to organize

• The teacher will provide guidance or give feedback as

• The teacher will collect the who eats who activity

6. Closure: The students will complete an exit slip handout which

Day 2: Energy flow –food webs and energy pyramids

5. The teacher will use the attached powerpoint to continue the

9. The teacher and student participants will perform the rootbeer

Checks for Day 2:

• Pre-test on ecology related concepts and vocabulary (formative

• Who eats who group activity and complementary handout:

• Exit slip Day 1: Assess students ability to evaluate the importance

• Day 2 Exit slip: Purpose is to assess students understanding of

• Homework assignment on energy pyramids (summative

Day 2: (see attached exit slip): Return to lesson objectives by having

Auditory aids -teacher lecture of Powerpoint presentation

Differentiated instruction- who eats who activity

• create a food chain to demonstrate the proper flow of energy in an

• illustrate/design food webs to show energy flow through an assigned biome

What must an ecosystem have to be self-sustaining and why?

What does the term trophic mean?

Consumers can be further separated into:

What are detritivores?

What is a food chain?

In what direction do the arrows in a food chain point?

What is an energy pyramid?

Energy Flow- Pretest

1. What does the term trophic mean?

2. Why is it important to have a constant source of energy in an ecosystem?

3. Identify at least two ways to diagram energy flow through an ecosystem.

5. Illustrate the flow of energy for the above organisms

Carnivore - an animal that eats other animals.

Secondary Consumer - Animals that eat primary consumers (herbivores).

Detritivore - a consumer that obtains its nutrients from detritus

Food Web - a network of interrelated food chains in a given area

Directions: Respond to the following question to receive participation points.

What would happen to our environment if there was no sun?

Directions: Respond to the following question to receive participation points.

2. Why is having a constant source of energy necessary in an ecosystem? (5pts)

Diagram #1 Algae à copepod à minnows à bass

Answer the following questions based of diagrams 1, 2, and 3

3. In diagrams #1 and #2, which organism are primary consumers?

4. In diagram # 3, which organisms are decomposers?

5. In diagram #3, which organism contains the greatest amount of energy?

6. In diagram #1, which organisms contain the least amount of energy?

8. Diagram #3 What are the primary consumers?_________________________

9. Diagram #3 What are the secondary consumers? _______________________

Task: Create a food chain representative of the organism in your

Task: Create a food chain representative of the organism in your

Task: Create a food chain representative of the organism in your

Task: Create a food chain representative of the organism in your

Task: Create a food chain representative of the organism in your

3. How much "energy" was USED by the mouse?