Deep Sea Food Webs

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:

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

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.