Lesson 2.1Even Plants Need Food

Ecosystem RestorationLesson Guides

Lesson 2.1

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1

Following students’ conclusions at the end of Chapter 1—that the jaguars and sloths aren’t growing and thrivingbecause there aren’t enough plants in the project area—the class focuses in on what’s happening with the cecropiatrees in the project area. Students analyze data from the project area and conclude that the cecropia trees also are notgrowing and thriving. In order to understand why, the class begins to investigate where plants get their food molecules.Students think about what they know about plants—through observing their own terrariums and then comparing theirterrariums to another group’s terrarium—and consider why some plants might grow better than other plants. Next,students focus on observing the plants in the the Ecosystem Restoration Simulation and discover that plants needsunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to grow and thrive. Finally, the teacher leads a demonstration designed to providestudents with tangible evidence that water and air are matter, but sunlight is not. The purpose of this lesson is forstudents to realize that even plants need food and to begin investigating where plants get their food.

Anchor Phenomenon:Anchor Phenomenon: The jaguars, sloths, and cecropia trees in a reforested section of a Costa Rican rain forest are notgrowing and thriving.InInvveesstigtigativative Phenomenon:e Phenomenon: Plants grow and thrive differently in different terrariums.EEvvereryydaday Phenomenon:y Phenomenon: Air takes up space inside a balloon, and light does not.

StudentStudents les learn:arn:

Lesson Overview

• Plants’ needs must be met in order for them to grow and thrive in an ecosystem.

• Air and water are made of matter.

Lesson 2.1Ecosystem Restoration

Lesson Guides

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2

Using the Ecosystem Restoration Simulation, students explore how plants gettheir food molecules.

Instructional Guide1. Intr1. Introducoduce the Simulation activite the Simulation activityy..

2. P2. Prroject theoject the Student AppStudent Apps Ps Pagagee.. Select Ecosystem Restoration and then select the Simulation. Explain to studentsthat they will be using the Sim to continue to explore where plants get their food molecules. Remind students thatmatter is made of molecules and that the cubes in the Sim represent the matter of the organisms’ bodies.

33. Intr. Introducoduce note notebook pebook pagagee.. Have students turn to page 34, Investigating How Plants Get Food, in their notebooks.Read aloud the directions and the questions. Explain that as partners work in the Sim, they should each complete theirown notebook page. Point out the Sim screenshot of the plant that students can refer to as they work.

44. D. Deesignatsignate pe partnerartners and diss and distributtribute digite digital deal devicviceess.. Distribute one digital device to each pair of students. Let themknow they will have about 15 minutes to explore the Sim and answer the questions in their notebooks.

1 2

3SIM

Exploring Plants in theSimulation

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Exploring Plants in theSimulation

20MIN

Since we aren’t able to directly observe where the plants in our terrariums get their food molecules, we can use amodel to try to figure this out.

• Remind students that they should focus on the plants as they explore the Sim.

• Point out that the food matter in plants are the green cubes just below the leaves.

• Remind students that everything in the Sim can be removed by pressing on it and then added back again bypressing the + symbol.

• Point out that by removing one component of the ecosystem at a time and observing what happens to the plants,students may be able to figure out where food molecules for plants come from.

Ecosystem RestorationLesson Guides

Lesson 2.1Activity 3

© The Regents of the University of California

21

55. Student. Students ws work in the Sim.ork in the Sim. Circulate and assist as needed, encouraging students to discuss what they are observingwith their partners. Remind students to record any observations they think are important. After about seven minutes,provide the signal for students to switch Sim drivers.

66. P. Prroject the Sim agoject the Sim again.ain. After students have recorded their answers to the questions in the notebook, gather theirattention. Call on partners to share their responses to the questions. As students share, have them refer to theprojected Sim and guide you to recreate the steps they took to explore where food molecules for plants come from.

77. R. Remind semind studenttudents about ss about scientific languagcientific languagee.. As students share their ideas about where the food matter for plantscomes from, have them use scientific language—particularly the words matter and energy—as they discuss.

88. C. Collect digitollect digital deal devicvicees and cs and connect tonnect to the neo the next activitxt activityy.. Let students know that next, they’ll observe a briefdemonstration to help them better understand what they observed in the Sim.

Possible Responses

InInvveesstigtigation Notation NotebookebookInInvveesstigtigating Hoating How Plantw Plants Get Fs Get Foodood (page 34)

What thingWhat things do plants do plants uss use te to go get fet food mattood matter?er?Plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the soil to make their food matter.

What eWhat evidencvidence do ye do you haou havve that plante that plants uss use thee thesse thinge things ts to go get fet food mattood matter?er?Plants take all these things into their bodies to get plant food.

What wWhat would sould sttop plantop plants frs from gom getting fetting food mattood matter?er?Plants would not be able to get food matter if sunlight, carbon dioxide, or water were removed from the ecosystem.

If yIf you sou sttop plantop plants frs from gom getting fetting food mattood matterer, what happens t, what happens to the planto the plants?s?The plants start to look unhealthy. Eventually, if the plants couldn’t get food molecules, they would die.

EEccoossyyssttem Rem Reessttororationation SimulationSimulation

What sWhat studenttudents should do and notics should do and notice:e:Students should notice that plants take in sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the soil to get foodmatter. By removing each of these from the ecosystem and observing the effect on plants’ ability to get food molecules,students should discover that plants need sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to get food molecules. Without foodmatter, the plants will not be able to grow, and they will eventually die. Students might also notice that the presence orabsence of animals in the ecosystem does not affect plants’ ability to make food. (NotNote:e: Students might notice thatplants get less food when decomposers are removed from the ecosystem. The role of decomposers will be addressed inChapter 3.)

Lesson 2.1Activity 3

Ecosystem RestorationLesson Guides

© The Regents of the University of California

22

Ecosystem RestorationLesson Guides

Lesson 2.1Activity 3

© The Regents of the University of California

23

34

Name: _______________________________________ Date: ________________

Ecosystem Restoration—Lesson 2.1

Investigating How Plants Get Food

1. Use the Simulation to figure out how plants get food.2. Press PLAY to start the Simulation. Pay close attention

to what is happening to the plants. 3. Try removing different parts of the ecosystem from

the Simulation to see what happens to the plants.

What things do plants use to get food matter?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

What evidence do you have that plants use these things to get food matter?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

What would stop plants from getting food matter?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

If you stop plants from getting food matter, what happens to the plants?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

plant food matter

© 2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use.

Using the Ecosystem Restoration Simulation, students explore how plants gettheir food molecules.

Instructional Guide1. Intr1. Introducoduce the Simulation activite the Simulation activityy..

2. P2. Prroject theoject the Student AppStudent Apps Ps Pagagee.. Select Ecosystem Restoration and then select the Simulation. Explain to studentsthat they will be using the Sim to continue to explore where plants get their food molecules. Remind students thatmatter is made of molecules and that the cubes in the Sim represent the matter of the organisms’ bodies.

33. Intr. Introducoduce note notebook pebook pagagee.. Have students turn to page 34, Investigating How Plants Get Food, in their notebooks.Read aloud the directions and the questions. Explain that as partners work in the Sim, they should each complete theirown notebook page. Point out the Sim screenshot of the plant that students can refer to as they work.

44. D. Deesignatsignate pe partnerartners and diss and distributtribute digite digital deal devicviceess.. Distribute one digital device to each pair of students. Let themknow they will have about 15 minutes to explore the Sim and answer the questions in their notebooks.

1 2

3SIM

Exploring Plants in theSimulation

4

Exploring Plants in theSimulation

20MIN

Como no podemos observar directamente de dónde obtienen sus moléculas del alimento las plantas ennuestros terrarios, podemos usar un modelo para intentar averiguar esto.

• Remind students that they should focus on the plants as they explore the Sim.

• Point out that the food matter in plants are the green cubes just below the leaves.

• Remind students that everything in the Sim can be removed by pressing on it and then added back again bypressing the + symbol.

• Point out that by removing one component of the ecosystem at a time and observing what happens to the plants,students may be able to figure out where food molecules for plants come from.

Ecosystem RestorationLesson Guides

Lesson 2.1Activity 3

© The Regents of the University of California

21

55. Student. Students ws work in the Sim.ork in the Sim. Circulate and assist as needed, encouraging students to discuss what they are observingwith their partners. Remind students to record any observations they think are important. After about seven minutes,provide the signal for students to switch Sim drivers.

66. P. Prroject the Sim agoject the Sim again.ain. After students have recorded their answers to the questions in the notebook, gather theirattention. Call on partners to share their responses to the questions. As students share, have them refer to theprojected Sim and guide you to recreate the steps they took to explore where food molecules for plants come from.

77. R. Remind semind studenttudents about ss about scientific languagcientific languagee.. As students share their ideas about where the food matter for plantscomes from, have them use scientific language—particularly the words matter and energy—as they discuss.

88. C. Collect digitollect digital deal devicvicees and cs and connect tonnect to the neo the next activitxt activityy.. Let students know that next, they’ll observe a briefdemonstration to help them better understand what they observed in the Sim.

Possible Responses

InInvveesstigtigation Notation NotebookebookInInvveesstigtigating Hoating How Plantw Plants Get Fs Get Foodood (page 34)

What thingWhat things do plants do plants uss use te to go get fet food mattood matter?er?Plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the soil to make their food matter.

What eWhat evidencvidence do ye do you haou havve that plante that plants uss use thee thesse thinge things ts to go get fet food mattood matter?er?Plants take all these things into their bodies to get plant food.

What wWhat would sould sttop plantop plants frs from gom getting fetting food mattood matter?er?Plants would not be able to get food matter if sunlight, carbon dioxide, or water were removed from the ecosystem.

If yIf you sou sttop plantop plants frs from gom getting fetting food mattood matterer, what happens t, what happens to the planto the plants?s?The plants start to look unhealthy. Eventually, if the plants couldn’t get food molecules, they would die.

EEccoossyyssttem Rem Reessttororationation SimulationSimulation

What sWhat studenttudents should do and notics should do and notice:e:Students should notice that plants take in sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the soil to get foodmatter. By removing each of these from the ecosystem and observing the effect on plants’ ability to get food molecules,students should discover that plants need sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to get food molecules. Without foodmatter, the plants will not be able to grow, and they will eventually die. Students might also notice that the presence orabsence of animals in the ecosystem does not affect plants’ ability to make food. (NotNote:e: Students might notice thatplants get less food when decomposers are removed from the ecosystem. The role of decomposers will be addressed inChapter 3.)

Lesson 2.1Activity 3

Ecosystem RestorationLesson Guides

© The Regents of the University of California

22

Ecosystem RestorationLesson Guides

Lesson 2.1Activity 3

© The Regents of the University of California

23

34

Name: _______________________________________ Date: ________________

Ecosystem Restoration—Lesson 2.1

Investigating How Plants Get Food

1. Use the Simulation to figure out how plants get food.2. Press PLAY to start the Simulation. Pay close attention

to what is happening to the plants. 3. Try removing different parts of the ecosystem from

the Simulation to see what happens to the plants.

What things do plants use to get food matter?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

What evidence do you have that plants use these things to get food matter?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

What would stop plants from getting food matter?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

If you stop plants from getting food matter, what happens to the plants?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

plant food matter

© 2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use.