Web of Life

Project Learning Tree’s “Web of Life” lets students investigate relationships between producers, consumers, and decomposers by acting as organisms connected by string in a food web. Want to make this lively activity have more energy? A fun musical variation to this activity is to assign a different sound to each plant. The consumers must say the respective sound when they feel the tug. Each organism must repeat the sounds that the previous organism said. (For example, hazelnut trees say “da,” oak trees say “dee,” raspberries say “mo,” grass says “tie.” The deer eats acorns and hazelnut trees so it will say “da, dee.” Rabbits eat raspberries and grass, so it will say “mo, tie.” Coyotes eat deer and rabbits, they will say “da, dee, mo, tie”) The top consumers will likely have so many sounds to say that they will have a difficult time remembering them.

Want to expand this activity? Try incorporating the following Project Learning Tree activities:

• Are Vacant Lots Vacant?
  
• Dynamic Duos
  
• Field, Forest and Stream
  
• Planet Diveristy
  
• School Yard Safari
  

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Book List
Grades PrK-2
Hickman, P. 1997. Hungry Animals: My First Look at a Foodchain. Kids Can Press Ltd.
Johansson, P. 2004. Wide Open Grasslands: A Web of Life. Enslow Publishers, Incorporated.
Kitchen, B. 1994. When Hunger Calls. Candlewick Press.
Lauber, P. 1995. Who Eats What?: Food Chains and Food Webs. HarperCollins Publishers.
Mckinney, B.S. 2000. Pass the Energy, Please! Dawn Publications.
Relf, P. 1996. Magic School Bus Gets Eaten: A Book about Food Chains. Scholastic, Inc.

Grades 3-5
Cole, J. 1996. The Magic School Bus Gets Eaten. A Book About Food Chains. Scholastic Inc.
Crenson, V. and R. Gurevich. 2003. Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds: The Story of a Food Web. Marshall Cavendish Inc.
Ellis, B. 2006. The Web at Dragonfly Pond. Dawn Publications.
Greenaway, T. 2001. Cycles in Nature Food Chain. Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers.
Heinz, B.J. 2006. Butternut Hollow Pond. Lerner Publishing Group.
Kalman, B. and J. Langille. 1998. What Are Food Chains and Webs? Crabtree.
Mason, C. 2003. Everybody's Somebody's Lunch: The Role of Predator and Prey in Nature. Tilbury House Publishers.
Nadeau, I. 2002. Food Chains in a Backyard Habitat. Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.
Nadeau, I. 2001. Food Chains in a Forest Habitat. Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.
Nadeau, I. 2002. Food Chains in a Meadow Habitat. Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.
Nadeau, I. 2001. Food Chains in a Pond Habitat. Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.
Norsgaard, E.J. 1990. Nature's Great Balancing Act: In Our Own Backyard. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Penny, M. 1998. The Foodchain. The Bookwright Press.
Pringle, L.P. 1975. Chains, Webs and Pyramids: The Flow of Energy in Nature. HarperCollins Publishers.
Rice, D.L. 1997. Lifetimes. Dawn Publications.
Riley, P. 2002. Food Chains. Franklin Watts.
Spilsbury, L., Spilsbury R. 2004. Food Chains and Food Webs: From Producers to Decomposers. Heinemann Library.
Staub, F. 2004. World of Wonder; The Food Chain. Creative Education.

Grades 6-8
Capeci, A. 2003. Food Chain Frenzy (The Magic School Bus Chapter Book). Scholastic Inc.
Hemsley, W. 1992. Feeding to Digestion: Projects with Biology. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Silverstein, A. 1998. Food Chains. Lerner Publishing Group.

Animal Communities

How many animals live by the stream near your school? WILD Aquatic’s activity “Blue Ribbon Niche” takes a look at the biodiversity of riparian areas, and incorporates art to visualize different niches where animals play. Don’t have a stream near your school? Try investigating other habitats (such as a forest or grassland) in your local surroundings.

Need help identifying critters? Request a free copy of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’s Biodiversity of Iowa: Aquatic Habitats CD by contacting the Aquatic Education Program

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Book List
Grades PreK-2
Harlow, R. 2002. Nature in Danger. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Holland, B. 1990. Caring for Planet Earth: The World Around Us. Lion Publishing Corporation.
Ryder, J. 1994.Dancers in the Garden. Sagebrush Education Resources.

Grades 3-5
Davis, B.J. 2007. Biomes and Ecosystems. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Fullick, A. 1999. Ecosystems and Environment. Heinemann.
Hogan, P.Z. and S. Seidenberg. 1990. Ecology: Our Living Planet. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Lane, B. and L. Buller. 2005. Ecology. DK Publishing, Inc.
Pringle, L.P. 1991. Living Treasure: Saving Earth's Threatened Biodiversity. HarperCollins Publishers.
Pringle, L.P 1977. Animals and their niches: How species share resources. Morrow.
Robson, P. 2004. Ecosystems. Stargazer Books.
Seidenberg, S. 1990. Ecology and Conservation. Gareth Stevens Audio.

Grades 6-8
Gallant, R.A. 2002. The Wonders of Biodiversity. Benchmark Books.
Smith, Jr., H.E. 1987. Small Worlds: Communities of Living Things. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Patent, D.H. 2003. Biodiversity. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Strauss, R. 2004. Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth. Kids Can Press, Limited.
Whyman, K. 1999. Animal Kingdom: A Guide to Vertebrate Classification and Biodiversity. Raintree Publishers.

Grades 9-12
Dudley, W. 2001. Current Controversies - Biodiversity. Greenhaven Press.
Patent, D. 2003. Biodiversity. Clarion Books.
Solbring, O., Emben, H., and H, Oordt. 1996. Biodiversity and Global Change. CABI Publishing.

Nature’s Recyclers

Why aren’t forests full of fallen leaves and trees? Take a look at animals that live off dead organic material through Project Learning Tree’s “Nature’s Recyclers.” This activity is a great way to introduce composting to students. As a service learning project, start composting in your school. Click on the following link for more information:
A Guide to Composting in School

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Book List
Grades PreK-2
Cole, J. 1995. The Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad: A Book About Decomposition. Scholastic Inc.
Glaser, L. 1996. Compost!: Growing Gardens from Your Garbage. Millbrook Press, Inc.
Glaser, L. 1994. Wonderful Worms. Millbrook Press.
Hunter, A. 1999. What's Under the Log? Houghton Mifflin Company.
Pfeffer, W. 1997. A Log's Life. Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group.
Portman, M.E. 2002. Compost, By Gosh! Flower Press.
Ross, M.E. 2003. Re-Cycles. Millbrook Press.

Grades 3-5
Appelhof, M. 1997. Worms Eat My Garbage. Flowerfield Enterprises.
Appelhof, M. 2003. Worms Eat Our Garbage: Classroom Activities for a Better Environment. Flowerfield Enterprises.
Green, J. 1999. A Dead Log. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Hughey, P. 1984. Scavengers and Decomposers: The Cleanup Crew. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Kalman, B. and J. Schaub. 1992. Squirmy Wormy Composters. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Lavies, B. 1993. Compost Critters. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Ring, E. 1996. What Rot! Nature's Mighty Recycler. The Millbrook Press.

Grades 6-8
McLaughlin, M. 1986. Earthworms, Dirt and Rotten Leaves. Avon Books.

Grades 9-12
Campbell, S. 1998. Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting. Storey Publishing, LLC.
Martin, D.L. 1992. Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardner. Rodale Press, Incorporated.