Ecosystems and a hungry hawk
An ecosystem is a place with its living things, such as plants, animals and tiny organisms, and its nonliving things, such as water, rock, air and sunlight. They interact, which means they affect one another. A pond is an ecosystem. So are a desert, a farm and a school garden. People are part of ecosystems too. Think of a hawk, a bird of prey. It must hunt small animals to get energy. It also needs water, a place to nest and a place to rest. Why do animals eat plants or other animals? Animals cannot make food from sunlight, so they must eat to get energy and materials to grow. Sunlight is where it all begins.
| Need | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| food | small animals such as mice and lizards |
| water | a river, a pond or rain water on the ground |
| shelter | a tall tree or a cliff |
Schoolyard ecosystem list. Go outside with a grown-up and stay on the path. List five living things and five nonliving things you can see. Do not touch unknown plants or small animals. Then draw lines between things that affect each other, for example rain and a plant, or a plant and an insect. Wash your hands afterwards.