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Thursday 3/6 - ER 1.2

Last updated 15 days ago
10 questions

ER 1.2: Introducing Ecosystems

Objective: KWBAT write ideas about what is happening to the Natural Resources Rescue project site based on provided data. KWBAT observe a model ecosystem in a terrarium.

We Got a New Job!


Welcome Scientists! In our new, we will get to be ecologists, who study ecosystems!

ecosystem: a place where animals and plants live together in their environment

ecologist: a scientist who studies ecosystems.
You will take on the role of ecologists working for Natural Resources Rescue, an organization that works to protect and save fragile ecosystems around the world.

This is a project report from Natural Resources Rescue (NRR) about the problem in a part of the Costa Rican rainforest ecosystem. The project area was originally a healthy rainforest. Then, as you can see in the photo on the left, cattle ranchers burned down the rainforest so they could use the land as grazing (eating) area for their cows.
0

Look at the picture of the Costa Rican Rainforest, what do you notice about the project area today?

Sentence starter: I notice ______________________

Several years ago, the cattle ranchers left and took the cows with them. The ranchers were asked to plant trees so the area would become a rain forest again. As you can see in the photo on the right, some trees—called cecropia trees (pronounced see-CRO-pee-ah)—and other rainforest plants are slowly starting to grow again, and rain forest animals have begun to come back.

NRR worked with volunteers to replant the project area. They brought in young cecropia trees and other important rainforest plants and planted them.

In many parts of the world, people have done reforestation projects like this, and the forest has grown back and thrived.
Use the chart below to answer the questions

1

Which area has more jaguars?

1

Which area has more cecropia trees?

1

Which area has more sloths?

Use the chart below to answer the questions

1

Which area has heavier jaguars and sloths?

OUR CHAPTER 1 QUESTION

Why aren’t the jaguars and sloths growing and thriving?

Observations of Ecosystems

DIRECTIONS: We cannot visit different ecosystems, but we can practice doing what ecologists do by observing scientific illustrations of real ecosystems. Look at the pictures of the ecosystems and write three observations listing things that you see.
Pond Ecosystem

0

Write three observations listing things that you see in the pond ecosystem.

Desert Ecosystem

0

Write three observations listing things that you see in the desert ecosystem.

Rain Forest Ecosystem

0

Write three observations listing things that you see in the rainforest ecosystem.

0

What are two things you notice that are the similar (same) in all of the ecosystems?

0

What are two things you notice that are the different in all of the ecosystems?