What is an Ecosystem?

Lake Ecosystem INTERACTIONS

Within a system of living things

• Ducks eat plants
• Ducks eat small fish
• Lay Eggs
• Fish eat smaller fish

Between living & non-living things

• Ducks drink the water
• Make Nests
• Trees do photosythasis
• Ducks eat dead bugs
• Ducks breath
• Grass drink water

Lake Ecosystem INTERACTIONS

Within a system of living things

Between living & non-living things

• Fish eat algae
• Fish eat seaweed
• Big fish eat little fish
• Fish get eaten by ducks

• Fish breath oxegen out of water
• Plants need water
• Turtles eat fish
• Ducks make nests

Reflection/Synthesis Questions:

1. What kinds of living things (organisms) do you see in both pictures?
2. What other living things might be here, even if you can't see them in the photos?
3. Why might living things in these photos interact with each other?
4. Read the BIG IDEA below. How do these pictures depict an ecosystem?

1. I can see plants in both pictures
2. I think maybe frogs could be in there, or maybe seeds.
3. It might work like the food chain or keeping their species going
4. They're ecosystems of lakes

Reflection Questions

1. What do living things get from their ecosystems?
2. What evidence do you have to support your answer to Question 1?
3. What does the term ecosystem mean, based on your experience in this lesson? (Don't use the definition from the BIG IDEA here. Put it into your own words.)
4. Brainstorm at least one question you have about Ecosystems that you hope you learn from this unit.
5. Look at the image below that shows a portion of a forest ecosystem. Name at least five components (living or non-living things) of the ecosystem that you can either observe directly or infer. 
6. What are three (or more) interactions that might occur in this portion of the forest ecosystem?

1. Answered in images
2. Still answered in images
3. An ecosystem to me is an area where living organisms do their everyday lives. Catching Prey, eating, drinking. The life cycle of Life and Death and more.
4. What are all the things that happen in an ecosystem?
5. Animals eating, grass growing, trees growing, plants growing, rocks sitting in place.
6. Spiders eating insects, animals eating spiders, and animals eating fish.