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Background:
Every species in an ecosystem is interrelated. Affecting one species will
eventually affect the whole ecosystem. It is not enough to protect animals
species by species. We must work to protect entire habitats.
This game shows the importance of every species within an ecological
system and can be used for any environment, marine or terrestrial. As
an example, we will use an oceanic ecosystem.
Objectives:
Students will:
Explain what an ecosystem is
Identify various parts of an ecosystem
Understand the connections between all parts
of an ecosystem
Materials:
name cards with species names on them for various ecosystems (i.e. sun,
phytoplankton, zooplankton, shrimp, herring, shark)
ball of string
Procedure:
1. This game can be played inside or outside, but a large space is needed
2. Beforehand, fill out index cards with the names of different species
found in your chosen ecosystem - plant and animal, one per student. Don't
forget to include the sun, the beginning of every food chain. For a marine
ecosystem, you could include algae, seagrass, phytoplankton, zooplankton,
sea urchins, seastars, clams, octopus, different species of small fish,
big fish, sharks, and whales.
3. Have the students each pick a card and then gather in a large circle.
The sun stands in the middle with the ball of string. Holding onto one
end of the string, the sun calls out for someone who needs the sun to
live and then gently tosses the ball of string to that person (i.e. algae).
Each person then holds onto the string and tosses the ball to someone
else that depends on them - something they eat or are eaten by - until
everyone is holding onto the string. Once everyone is connected, pick
one species to affect in some way. Say, for example, that overfishing
eliminates one of the fish species. That fish gives a tug on his/her string.
Whoever feels the tug then gives a pull on the other side of the string
they are holding. Eventually everyone will have felt the tug. Try a few
examples: pollution killing the algae, water temperature killing off coral,
an overabundance of seastars, etc.
Assessment:
Bring the group together and discuss what they discovered. How does affecting
one part of ecosystem affect the rest of the system.
Further exploration:
Try a food web for other ecosystems. Have students design their own.
Research a local environment. Are there any endangered or threatened
species? Why? Is anything being done to protect them? What will happen
to the area if that species becomes extinct?
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