WEB OF LIFE (Adapted from Project Learning Tree) Water is a basic need of all living things. Students should already be familiar with the concept of energy and habitat and that animals need food, water, shelter, and space to survive. Objective Students will research Texas organisms and create an interactive food web to demonstrate the concepts of basic needs, interdependence, energy flow, and producer/consumer relationships within an ecosystem. Materials NOT PROVIDED Yarn Index cards or quartered paper Tape Critter of Texas Pocket Guide or field guide Procedure Be ready to write on the chalkboard/dry erase board while your class is brainstorming ideas. Have the class brainstorm a list of native Texas animals that live in water. o Explain that these creatures need water not only to drink but also for shelter because it is where they actually live. (Ex: any species of fish, whale, dolphin, alligator, beavers, salamanders, turtles, etc.) Have the class brainstorm a separate list of native Texas animals that rely on a water source in order to catch food. o Explain that these animals need water to drink but they also rely on water as a hunting ground. (Ex: ducks, eagles, raccoons) They may list some animals from the first list. Lastly, have the class brainstorm a list of native Texas animals that need water to drink. o This should include just about every possible animal! Ask the students what they think about native plants. o Into which list or lists would plants fit? Are there plants that live in the water? Is there any type of plant that does not need water? What about insects? Next, ask them about humans. o Under which list or lists do we fit? Do we rely on water as a hunting ground? Do we need water to drink? For what else do we need water? Add several plants and insects, as well as humans to your list(s). Using the lists on the board: Write the names of individual organisms on separate index cards, in writing large enough to read from 10 feet away. Be sure to include several plant and insect organisms. Assign and provide one card to each student. Students will research the organism assigned to them. Provide students with Critters of Texas Pocket Guides, field guides, encyclopedias and/or computer access to complete their research. o Students will research what their organism eats, where it lives, and its’ predators. Instruct students to write their research findings on the back of their index card. o For fun and if time permits, have the students draw their organism on the front of the index card. Becoming the “Web of Life” Tape students’ cards onto their shirt as a nametag, so other students are able to see the organism they are representing. Make yourself two nametags, one that says “SUN” and another that says “BACTERIA.” Instruct the students that you will be creating a living web of life using a ball of yarn. Ask your students about the term energy. Where does energy come from? What is the main source of energy? (THE SUN!) Then, ask your students about the last component on the energy food chain, bacteria. What does bacteria have to do with energy? How does bacteria obtain energy? You, the sun and bacteria, will be in the center of the “Web of Life” circle. Have the students create a big circle, standing shoulder to shoulder, facing the middle. Tell them that they will be throwing the ball of yarn to someone who uses them or they use as energy. Holding the end of the yarn, you (the sun) throw the ball to a student who is wearing a plant nametag. The plant student holds onto a section of the yarn and throws the ball to a student who is wearing the name of an animal that eats plants. Continue to connect the organisms with the yarn. Continue until everyone is holding string and the entire class is connected by a large web. o You may be stuck with larger predators not being included in the web. In those situations, have them throw you the ball since you also represent bacteria that use the energy of dead and decaying animals. You may be holding several pieces of string! Tell everyone to take one step back. Ask the class if everyone can feel the tug. Tell them that they can because everyone is interconnected. Tell the students that it has not rained in your little ecosystem in a very long time and that this drought is starting to take its toll on the organisms. Ask them which organisms will be the first to die. Have all the plant students drop their strings. Ask who all felt their string loosen. Again, this is because they are interconnected. Ask which groups will feel the effect next. Have the insects and herbivores drop their strings. Ask which group will be next. Have the omnivores and carnivores drop their strings. The only one left should be you - the sun and bacteria. Discussion Ask students to explain what happened to your ecosystem. Explain to them how important water is to all living things and the devastating effects of water shortages. What other factors, both external and internal, could affect a food web? Extension Recreate the Web of Life using animals of a specific ecosystem such as a riparian area or desert. Barn Swallow American Kestrel American Kestrel American Coot Bald Eagle Texas Toad American Robin American Kestrel American Coot Texas Toad Has dark spots on the back of its neck They live in wetlands This animal has poisonous glands behind which are sometimes called false eyes, it's eyes that secrete a poison that irritates fooling predators that it has already seen it. Their food is aquatic plants, grass, insects, the throat glands of any animal trying to small fish and tadpoles. eat it. Can hover is place while hunting and can fly at speeds of 39 mph. Its cup-shaped nest floats hidden among Camouflaged coloration of grayish-brown cattails. allows it to escape from predators like Its keen eyesight allows it to see a birds and fish. grasshopper 100' away. Feeds on insects, It avoids predators by running across the rodents, birds and snakes. water. An insectivore that loves earthworms. Smallest falcon in North America and is It feeds throughout the day, diving for This animal spends part of its life in the often seen perching on wires, fence posts, aquatic plants and skimming the surface water and part on land. dead branches and utility poles near open for insects. It is commonly referred to as a spaces. mudhen. Its young are called tadpoles and Texas is found in it's name. Has a rust colored back and tail and white chest, cheek and chin patches. Males have Barn Swallow Bald Eagle American Robin This animal finds a mate and sticks with it Lives in forested areas near rivers and Allows ants to crawl all over its body, for life. lakes. called anting, to rid itself of lice and other parasites. Flies through the air and skims over ponds It has no natural predators. and field to catch insects in its mouth. Found throughout Texas in mountains, Its food consists of fish, waterfowl, birds wooded areas and riparian areas. A migratory species that spends its and carrion. summers in Texas. Build nests out of mud, grass and twigs. It catches its prey with its razor-sharp Lays a clutch of 3-5 pale blue eggs twice a This animal is a dark steel blue color with talons by swooping down at speeds of 50 year. a brownish underbelly and a forked tail. mph. Cock their heads side to side to hunt for Nests are made of mud and group in It was chosen as our nation's symbol in worms and insects because their eyes are colonies under bridges, in barns or sheds. 1782, narrowly beating out the Wild placed far back on the sides of their heads. Turkey. Males have slate-gray backs, rusty red crests and white speckled throats. Females are gray-brown with pale orange chests. Barred Owl Black-capped Canada Goose Vireo TPWD Greater Roadrunner Roadrunner Greater Golden-cheeked Warbler Great Blue Heron TPWD TPWD Canada Goose Black-capped Vireo Barred Owl They live in lakes, ponds, marshes and Sometimes the female ends up raising Its right ear is higher than its left ear help- rivers. babies that aren't hers which has led to ing it to pinpoint its prey by sounds alone. endangered status. They migrate in V-shaped flocks, Nests February to April in tree hollows or sometimes flying as far as 4,000 miles. An omnivore that loves insects and plants. other abandoned tree nests. Lays an aver- age clutch of 2-4 eggs once per year. Their food consists of aquatic plants, I migrate to Mexico each year. insects, grass seeds and crops. Feeds on mice, squirrels, rabbits, birds, It builds small compact nests in trees. frogs, fish and crayfish. Pairs mate for life. It's small with a black cap and a yellow Regurgitates pellets containing the indi- It is nicknamed "honker" because of the body. gestible parts of its prey, including bones, distinct honking sound it makes. feathers and hair. Has a white and brown barred collar and a brown streaked underside. Greater Roadrunner Great Blue Heron Golden-cheeked Warbler A member of the cuckoo family, and is also called the chaparral cock. Has four toed-feet to help distribute their weight in the same manner as snowshoes, This animal only breeds in Texas.