1. Ecological Hierarchy
How we organize our world, from smallest to largest

2. Match up your 5 cards with the 5 correct definitions
3 minutes to figure it out with our table group.
Copy it into your notebook in the following order:
Hierarchy
Definition
Example
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Population-the number of one species in a given area, Community-all of the living parts of an ecosystem (all the populations combined), Ecosystem- a set of living and non-living things that interact in a given area to create a stable system. Biome- the climate and types of plants found in similar places around the world.

3. Hierarchy Definition Example Organism Population Community Ecosystem
An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life.
Population
The number of one species in a given area.
Community
All the populations combined.
Ecosystem
A set of living and non-living things that interact in a given area to create a stable system.
Biome
The climate and types of plants found in similar places around the world.

4. The Ecological Hierarchy
Organism (smallest) Population Community Ecosystem Biome (largest)

5. Real Life Example
Deer 40 Deer that graze in the same field 40 deer, 3 types of grasses, birds, rabbits Prairie ecosystem Grassland biome in North America

6. What is our school ecological hierarchy?
Start with an organism (you!)
7th grade student, all students or 7th graders, all grades or teachers, office staff and principal etc…, Discovery school/Glendale, desert biome in SW USA.

7. Pages 48-49 Interpret the visual as a class
Create your own visual with your own poster and your choice of biomes.
Explore different biomes on pages for ideas if you are stuck.
REQUIREMENTS:
Color and neatness
Labels and a description of each of the 5 steps in the ecological hierarchy
A visual representation of the relationship between the 5 steps (i.e. you should be able to tell which is smallest and which is the largest step in the hierarchy)
Choose a specific biome and have accurate animals (a shark would not exist in a desert biome, for example)

8. Exit ticket
Put the ecological hierarchy in the correct order from smallest to largest: *Community, ecosystem, population, biome, organism.