Eco-Consultants: Predicting Environmental Impacts on Local Food Webs
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as ecological consultants, design a model to predict how environmental changes will impact the flow of energy and the cycling of matter in our local ecosystem?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How does energy flow through an ecosystem, and what happens to it at each stage of a food web?
- How is matter continuously recycled between the living and non-living parts of our local environment?
- How can we use models to represent the complex relationships between producers, consumers, and decomposers?
- In what ways does the removal or addition of a single species disrupt the delicate balance of energy and matter in an ecosystem?
- How can we, as consultants, use data and modeling to predict the long-term impacts of human-driven or natural environmental changes?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Students will develop a comprehensive model of a local food web that accurately represents the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
- Students will explain the flow of energy through an ecosystem, accounting for energy loss at each trophic level.
- Students will describe how matter is cycled through both the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of a local ecosystem.
- Students will use evidence-based reasoning to predict how specific environmental changes (e.g., habitat loss, climate change, or invasive species) disrupt the stability of an ecosystem.
- Students will communicate complex scientific data and predictions in the role of an ecological consultant to a community audience.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Common Core State Standards (English Language Arts)
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsThe Vanishing Keystone Mystery
Students enter a classroom cordoned off with 'Ecological Hazard' tape to find a 'crime scene' involving a missing keystone species from a nearby park. A frantic video from a local park ranger explains that the ecosystem's energy flow is stuttering and waste is piling up, tasking the students as lead consultants to solve the mystery of where the matter is going.The Great Jenga Collapse
Students participate in a high-stakes 'Ecosystem Jenga' game where blocks are labeled with local organisms and abiotic factors, but they must remove pieces based on real-world news headlines (e.g., 'New Parking Lot Built' or 'Invasive Beetle Arrives'). As the tower becomes unstable, students must pause to map out exactly why the removal of one 'matter' block is causing the 'energy' of the entire structure to tilt toward collapse.Menu for the End of the World
Students are served a 'deconstructed' version of a popular local food item (like a regional burger or taco) and told that due to a 'matter bottleneck' in the local environment, this meal will soon be extinct. They must work backward from their plate to the sun, identifying every point where the energy flow is being blocked and proposing a redesign of the local food web to save their favorite lunch.The Neighborhood Dead-Zone Simulation
Using a digital map of their own school neighborhood, students 'toggle off' specific layers like 'Insects' or 'Topsoil' to see an AI-generated prediction of their town's future. They are challenged to find the 'Dead Zones' where matter is no longer cycling and energy is trapped, forcing them to step in as consultants to restore the digital map to a healthy, green state.Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.The Local Biome Blueprint
Before students can model a food web, they must act as field researchers to identify the 'key players' in their local ecosystem. In this activity, students will research and categorize local organisms into their ecological roles (producers, consumers, and decomposers) and identify the abiotic factors (sunlight, soil, water, air) that facilitate the cycling of matter.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Local Ecosystem Field Guide' featuring annotated profiles of at least 10 organisms and 3 abiotic factors, categorizing their roles and energy sources.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsMS-LS2-3: This activity focuses on identifying the specific living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components required to develop a comprehensive model of matter cycling and energy flow.The Flow Master Diagram
Now that students have their 'players,' they must map the 'game.' In this activity, students create a complex visual model showing how energy travels through the food web and how matter (like carbon and nitrogen) cycles back through the decomposers. They will use specific color-coded arrows to distinguish between the one-way flow of energy and the circular path of matter.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Flow & Cycle Master Map'—a large-scale visual model (digital or poster) that illustrates the connections between all identified species and abiotic factors.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsMS-LS2-3 & RST.6-8.7: Students integrate technical information into a visual model to describe the cycling of matter and the flow of energy from the sun through the food web.The System Shock Simulation
Consultants must be able to predict trouble. In this activity, students are presented with a 'System Shocker'—a specific environmental change like an invasive species, a new shopping mall construction, or a significant temperature shift. They must apply this change to their Flow Master Diagram and use 'Impact Stickers' to mark which populations will decrease, increase, or migrate as a result.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityThe 'Ecosystem Stress Test'—a modified version of their original model showing the 'ripple effect' of their chosen environmental change.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsMS-LS2-4 & MS-LS2-2: This activity requires students to predict how changes to physical or biological components (the 'Shocker') affect populations and interactions within the ecosystem.The Consultant’s Case Study
Data is a consultant's best friend. In this activity, students move from visual modeling to scientific writing. They will draft a formal 'Consultant’s Brief' that argues how their 'System Shocker' will impact the long-term health of the ecosystem. They must use the data from their models and research to provide evidence for their claims.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 2-page 'Ecological Impact Brief' written in professional consultant tone, addressing a community board or park ranger.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsWHST.6-8.1 & MS-LS2-4: Students write a formal argument supported by empirical evidence to justify their predictions of how the ecosystem will react to environmental changes.The Restoration Roadmap Pitch
In the final stage, students package their research, models, and briefs into a 'Restoration Portfolio.' They will record a short video or give a live presentation to the 'Community Council' (the class), explaining their model and their proposed solutions to the 'Vanishing Keystone' or other ecological threats.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityThe 'Ecological Consultant Portfolio'—a comprehensive digital or physical folder containing all previous activities, topped with a 'Restoration Roadmap' summary.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsMS-LS2-3 & RST.6-8.7: This final activity synthesizes all learning goals into a communicative product that demonstrates mastery of modeling the cycling of matter and flow of energy.Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioEcological Consultants: Food Web and Ecosystem Dynamics Rubric
Scientific Modeling and Research
Assesses the student's ability to research local ecosystems and translate that data into a scientifically accurate visual model.Modeling Energy and Matter (MS-LS2-3)
The ability to design a visual representation that distinguishes between the one-way flow of energy and the cycling of matter among biotic and abiotic components.
Exemplary
4 PointsModel expertly illustrates the 10% energy rule at each level and maps complex nutrient cycles (e.g., Nitrogen/Carbon) through decomposers and abiotic factors with no errors. Integrated use of digital/physical tools enhances clarity.
Proficient
3 PointsModel accurately uses color-coded arrows to show energy flow from the sun and matter cycling through decomposers. Includes all 10 required organisms and 3 abiotic factors.
Developing
2 PointsModel shows a basic food web but may confuse the direction of energy flow or fail to distinguish between matter cycling and energy flow. Some biotic or abiotic components are missing.
Beginning
1 PointsModel is incomplete or contains significant scientific inaccuracies regarding the roles of producers, consumers, or decomposers. Flow of energy is not shown.
Ecological Research and Categorization
The accuracy and depth of research regarding local species, their ecological roles, and their reliance on specific abiotic factors.
Exemplary
4 PointsResearch goes beyond basic requirements, identifying specific local species names and providing detailed interactions (e.g., symbiotic relationships) that enrich the Field Guide.
Proficient
3 PointsCorrectly identifies and categorizes 3 producers, 5 consumers, and 2 decomposers native to the local area, including their specific energy sources and abiotic needs.
Developing
2 PointsIdentifies organisms but may misclassify their roles (e.g., calling a scavenger a producer) or uses non-native species for a local biome study.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides fewer than 10 organisms or fails to define the ecological roles and abiotic connections required for the Field Guide.
Analysis and Communication
Assesses the student's ability to analyze data, predict outcomes, and communicate findings through formal scientific writing.Impact Prediction and Analysis (MS-LS2-4)
The ability to use the developed model to predict how specific changes (invasive species, habitat loss, etc.) affect populations and ecosystem stability.
Exemplary
4 PointsPredictions show a sophisticated understanding of 'ripple effects' (trophic cascades), identifying both direct and indirect impacts on at least three levels of the food web.
Proficient
3 PointsAccurately predicts how the 'System Shocker' impacts the food web, using visual indicators to show increases, decreases, or migrations in specific populations.
Developing
2 PointsIdentifies the 'First Point of Impact' but fails to logically trace how that change affects other organisms in the broader food web.
Beginning
1 PointsPredictions are illogical or not grounded in the model; fails to show how an environmental change disrupts the balance of the ecosystem.
Scientific Argumentation (WHST.6-8.1)
The quality of the written argument, including the use of empirical evidence from the student's own model and scientific reasoning.
Exemplary
4 PointsArgument is highly persuasive with a clear claim, extensive evidence from the model, and reasoning that connects to high-level concepts like the Law of Conservation of Mass.
Proficient
3 PointsWrites a formal brief with a clear claim, three pieces of evidence from the model, and reasoning that explains the disruption of energy or matter.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a claim and some evidence, but the reasoning is weak or doesn't explicitly link the 'System Shocker' to the scientific principles of the model.
Beginning
1 PointsThe brief lacks a clear claim or provides insufficient evidence. Tone is informal and does not meet the 'consultant' persona requirements.
Synthesis and Presentation
Assesses the student's ability to compile their work and present it as a cohesive, professional solution to a real-world ecological problem.Synthesis and Professional Pitch
The ability to synthesize all project components into a professional portfolio and pitch a viable solution for ecosystem restoration.
Exemplary
4 PointsPortfolio is professional and comprehensive; the 'Restoration Roadmap' offers an innovative, science-based solution that demonstrates deep systems thinking. Pitch is compelling and authoritative.
Proficient
3 PointsPortfolio contains all required elements (Field Guide, Map, Stress Test, Brief) and is well-organized. Pitch clearly explains the driving question and proposed restoration.
Developing
2 PointsPortfolio is missing one or two components or is disorganized. The pitch explains the project but lacks a clear restoration strategy or fails to address the driving question.
Beginning
1 PointsPortfolio is incomplete. The final pitch is unclear, shows limited understanding of the project's goals, or fails to engage with the 'Community Council' audience.