Energy Flow Foldable

Making your Energy Flow Foldable

Step 1

Fold paper in ½ lengthwise

(along the long edge)

Making your Energy Flow Foldable

Step 2

Unfold paper, then fold in ½ along other axis short wise

(along the short edge)

Making your Energy Flow Foldable

Step 3

Unfold paper, then…

Fold the outer edges to the center crease

Making your Energy Flow Foldable

Step 4

Cut ONLY along the RED dotted line.

DO NOT cut all the way to center of page

Making your Energy Flow Foldable

Step 5

On the outside, label your 4 flaps with the names of the 4 Ecological concepts:

• Food Chain

• Food Web

• Ecological Pyramid

• Biomagnification

Making your Energy Flow Foldable

Step 6

On the outside flap, first draw an example of the ecological concept

(You should NOT use the picture here…draw your own)

Making your Energy Flow Foldable

Step 7

On the inside flap, next describe the ecological concept using the following slide…

Energy flow in food chains can be described by…

Concept Explanations:

1. Food Chain

Outside Flap Inside Flap• Choose at least four organisms to construct an ecological

food chain on the left side of the flap (see diagram from the previous slide – it does not have to be in a circle like the example).

• Use these labels in your drawing: Heterotroph, Primary Consumer, Secondary Consumer, Tertiary Consumer, Autotroph, Producer, Detritivores, Decomposer,

• You must use each bolded word (you may apply more than one word to an organism/trophic level

• Explain how a reader knows the direction of energy and matter flow through your food web.

(Hint: arrows?)

Concept Explanations:

2. Food Web

Inside Flap Outside Flap• Explain why decomposers are necessary for a functional

ecosystem.

• Describe what would happened to the food web/ecosystem if decomposers where not present.

• Using your food chain from part 1, add enough plants and animals to create a food web with at least 3 different food chain paths.

• Include Decomposers!

• Label the trophic levels

Concept Explanations:

3. Ecological Pyramids

Outside Flap Inside Flap• Construct an ecological energy pyramid on the left side

of the flap using 4 organisms and 4 colors.

Draw a picture of the organism at each level. Label the name of each trophic organism, and label

each trophic level of the pyramid.On the right side of the pyramid, mark that the

producers contain 500,000 kcal of energy. Use the 10% rule to show how much energy each

level above producers contains.

• Explain the 10% Rule (aka, Rule of 10)

• Explain how the 10% rule would apply to a different type of ecological pyramid (Biomass or Numbers)

Concept Explanations:

4. Biomagnification

Inside Flap Outside Flap• Describe biomagnification

• Explain what happens to the toxins in the organisms as you move through the trophic levels.

• Create a diagram that demonstrates the effect of biomagnification through at least 4 trophic levels.

• Label the toxin buildup on your diagram