Introduction to Living Organisms and Ecosystems

Introduction – Biodiversity Bingo (5 minutes)

Total Time: 5 minutes

Kick off the lesson by distributing Bingo cards featuring images of various living organisms (plants, animals, fungi). Each student familiarizes themselves with at least five organisms they will encounter during the lesson. As the teacher calls out names of organisms, students can cross them off their cards, sharing a fun fact about the organism each time it’s called.

Core Activity – Ecosystem Dioramas (10 minutes)

Total Time: 10 minutes

In small groups of three or four, students will create a mini-ecosystem diorama using provided materials (colored paper, markers, small figures, etc.). Each group chooses an ecosystem (e.g., forest, desert, ocean) and includes plants and animals, identifying their interdependence. After building, groups will have a brief 1-minute to present their diorama and explain the role of each element in the ecosystem.

Assessment – Interdependence Web (5 minutes)

Total Time: 5 minutes

Students will reflect on the ecosystems they learned about by drawing an interdependence web on a piece of paper. They’ll write down one plant and one animal from their diorama or from the Bingo game and then illustrate how they depend on each other and the environment. This will be collected as a formative assessment to gauge understanding of interdependence in ecosystems.