Introduction
Food webs are all around us--you are even a part of several food webs! The interdependence of plants and animals is the topic we will tackle in this WebQuest!
Task
Watch this video from the Amoeba Sisters!
As we’ve learned in other assignments, deep sea food webs are not as well understood as a lot of others. We know a lot about how animals in temperate forests behave because it’s much easier to observe them.
We’re learning more all the time about the deep sea, however. In this WebQuest, you’re going to research deep sea food webs and create a drawing, diagram, digital representation, or other cool idea to show the interconnectedness of all of the living things in a deep sea ecosystem.
Process
Your food web needs to include:
-
10 deep sea organisms with pictures (Find a list of possibilities here: http://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/deep-sea-menu.html
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Arrows showing the direction of energy flow. When something is eaten, it “gives” its energy to what eats it.
A written paragraph that explains your diagram in detail. In your paragraph, you will identify each organism as a producer, consumer, or decomposer.
Use this website to help you build your food web: https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Food-Web
Feel free to do your online searches to help you find out more information about food webs!
Evaluation
WebQuest Grading Rubric
|
CRITERIA |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Deep sea organisms and pictures |
Includes 10 deep sea organisms that interact in a food web |
Includes 8 appropriate organisms |
Includes 6 appropriate organisms |
Includes less than 6 appropriate organisms |
|
Arrows showing energy flow |
Includes all appropriate arrows showing the flow of energy from one organism to another |
Most arrows are present |
Many arrows are left out |
Few arrows |
|
Paragraph |
At least three complete sentences describing the way organisms interact in your food web |
Three sentences that are not complete, or that do not fully explain the food web |
Two sentences that do not completely explain the food web |
Less than two complete sentences that do no completely explain the food web |
|
Appearance |
Evidence of time spent finding or drawing good pictures, labeling carefully, and drawing a clear, understandable food web |
Food web looks fairly neat. |
Food web looks hastily created |
Food web is unclear and hard to interpret |
|
TOTAL |
/16 |
|
|
|
Conclusion
You have spent some time learning about food webs in general, and about deep sea food webs in particular. The final step will be to present your beautiful food webs in class. We will discuss the similarities and differences between your creations.
Credits
Teacher Page
NGSS Standards: Ecosystems
https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/MS%20LS%20DCI%20combinedf.pdf
The performance expectations in LS2: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Relationships
in Ecosystems help students formulate an answer to the question, “How does a system of
living and non-living things operate to meet the needs of the organisms in an ecosystem?”
Students can analyze and interpret data, develop models, and construct arguments and demonstrate a deeper understanding of resources and the cycling of matter and the flow of energy in ecosystems. They can also study patterns of the interactions among organisms within an ecosystem. They consider biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem and the effects these factors have on population. They evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
MS-LS2-3. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.