Web of Life
Coastal Ecology—Web of Life
Summary: This activity will give students a look at how all animals and plants in a system are interconnected and what can happen when just one organism is removed. Some of the discussion focuses on the sea otter- a species that is now extinct from the Oregon coast.
Concepts to teach: Food chains, Food webs, Interdependence, Endangered Species
Goals:
- Define interconnectedness and explain its ecological implications.
- Use vocabulary related to food webs and ecology.
- Discuss the plight of the sea otter and how that has affected systems off of Oregon’s coast.
Standards:
6.2L.2, 7.2L.2, 8.2L.1
Specific Objectives:
- Explain why threatened or endangered species are important to the ocean.
- Demonstrate an understanding of food web interactions.
Activity Links and Resources:
- Summary for Web of Life, adapted from the “Food for Thought” lesson plan from the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources
Assessment:
- Assessments included in the OCEP Web of Life
