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Science lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 minutes

Living and non-living factors in an ecosystem

Ecosystems and food chains

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS2-1CCSS NGSS.SEP 4England: KS3 Biology: Relationships in an ecosystemEngland: GCSE Combined Science: Ecology

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Living and non-living factors in an ecosystem.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Environments change: human impact

Leads to: Population growth and carrying capacity

Materials: Food web cards, Arrows to build chains, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Environments change: human impact). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Does this help or harm wildlife: dumping plastic in the sea? (helps wildlife / harms wildlife) → harms wildlifePrompt: Does it make habitats bigger and cleaner, or smaller and dirtier?
  2. How can plastic in the ocean harm sea turtles? (Plastic is food for turtles / Plastic makes the water warmer / Turtles use plastic to build nests / They can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them) → They can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat themPrompt: What do some turtles like to eat that floats?
  3. Which action harms wildlife? (creating a nature reserve / cutting down rainforest / digging a wildlife pond / recycling plastic) → cutting down rainforestPrompt: Think about what happens to habitats.

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a food web and ask what would happen if one animal disappeared.
  • Share the objective: Living and non-living factors in an ecosystem. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is this a biotic or an abiotic factor: an invasive species?
  • Step 1: Biotic factors come from other living things.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: biotic (living)
  • Answer: biotic (living)
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is this a biotic or an abiotic factor: number of pollinating insects? (abiotic (non-living) / biotic (living)) → biotic (living)Prompt: Does it come from a living organism?
  2. Students placed quadrats in a line leading out from under a tree. Light intensity (% of full sunlight) → number of daisies: 10 % → 3 30 % → 8 50 % → 13 70 % → 18 90 % → 23 Which conclusion do the data support? (The tree eats the daisies. / Light has no link with the number of daisies. / The data prove that light is the only factor that matters. / More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.) → More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.Prompt: Look at how the number of daisies changes as light changes.

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Lichens grow less well near busy roads. Which abiotic factor is the likely cause? (competition with trees / air pollution such as nitrogen dioxide / a new disease / the number of predators) → air pollution such as nitrogen dioxidePrompt: Lichens are used as indicators of air quality.
  2. Is this a biotic or an abiotic factor: a new predator? (abiotic (non-living) / biotic (living)) → biotic (living)Prompt: Does it come from a living organism?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Environments change: human impact.
  • Use concrete materials: food web cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Population growth and carrying capacity.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-6.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Living and non-living factors in an ecosystem

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Warmer ocean water causes corals to lose the algae living inside them (bleaching). Which factor changed?

    • A. the number of fish
    • B. light, which disappeared
    • C. temperature, an abiotic factor
    • D. predators, a biotic factor

  2. Question 2

    Students placed quadrats in a line leading out from under a tree. Light intensity (% of full sunlight) → number of daisies: 10 % → 3 30 % → 6 50 % → 9 70 % → 12 90 % → 15 Which conclusion do the data support?

    • A. The data prove that light is the only factor that matters.
    • B. The tree eats the daisies.
    • C. Daisies grow best in the shade.
    • D. More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.

  3. Question 3

    Is this a biotic or an abiotic factor: amount of water?

    • A. abiotic (non-living)
    • B. biotic (living)

  4. Question 4

    Lichens grow less well near busy roads. Which abiotic factor is the likely cause?

    • A. air pollution such as nitrogen dioxide
    • B. a new disease
    • C. the number of predators
    • D. competition with trees

  5. Question 5

    Students placed quadrats in a line leading out from under a tree. Light intensity (% of full sunlight) → number of daisies: 90 % → 11 70 % → 9 50 % → 7 30 % → 5 10 % → 3 Which conclusion do the data support?

    • A. The tree eats the daisies.
    • B. The data prove that light is the only factor that matters.
    • C. Daisies grow best in the shade.
    • D. More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.

  6. Question 6

    Is this a biotic or an abiotic factor: wind speed?

    • A. abiotic (non-living)
    • B. biotic (living)

  7. Question 7

    Students placed quadrats in a line leading out from under a tree. Light intensity (% of full sunlight) → number of daisies: 90 % → 21 70 % → 16 50 % → 11 30 % → 6 10 % → 1 Which conclusion do the data support?

    • A. The tree eats the daisies.
    • B. Light has no link with the number of daisies.
    • C. More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.
    • D. The data prove that light is the only factor that matters.

  8. Question 8

    Is this a biotic or an abiotic factor: temperature?

    • A. abiotic (non-living)
    • B. biotic (living)

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Answer key: Living and non-living factors in an ecosystem

  1. 1. C. temperature, an abiotic factor

  2. 2. D. More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.

  3. 3. A. abiotic (non-living)

  4. 4. A. air pollution such as nitrogen dioxide

  5. 5. D. More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.

  6. 6. A. abiotic (non-living)

  7. 7. C. More daisies grow where light intensity is higher.

  8. 8. A. abiotic (non-living)