Modelling Energy Flow
- Introduce producers, consumers, decomposers; link to local species (e.g., harakeke, tuna/eel, manu).
- Students build 3 food chains using picture cards; combine into a class food web.
- Discuss stability and what happens if one selected species declines.
Assessment Task (Formative)
- Students annotate their food web diagram and write a short explanation of one interdependence pathway.
- Use criteria: arrow direction, role accuracy, causal explanation, and honest source labels. Do not grade cultural identity or possession of local knowledge.
Next: Lesson 3 – Human Impacts & Kaitiaki Action
Curriculum alignment
"Energy transfers and nutrients flow through food chains and food webs, through producers, consumers, and decomposers, and including processes such as photosynthesis and respiration."
"Ecosystems are composed of biotic and abiotic factors, which interact with each other and are important to the survival of organisms."