What Grows on Forest Floors?

On the ground, in the middle of a pile of leaves in a forest, we observe the below phenomenon. This is a timelapse that shows changes over the course of a week.

NGSS Phenomena: A group of mushrooms growing out of a pile of leaves on the ground in a forest.

1. The energy that allows this organism to grow originally came from and was until this organism started to the leaves.

Drag the answers below into the grey placeholders above

released

the sun

producers

consumers

inside the earth

stored

chemically break down

decomposers

2. The matter that this organism uses to grow came from and parts of the environment, until this organism started to the leaves.

Drag the answers below into the grey placeholders above

decomposers

producers

stored

the sun

nonliving

released

other living

inside the earth

chemically break down

consumers

3. Based on the information given, we’re observing a in the ecosystem.

Drag the answers below into the grey placeholders above

consumer

decomposer

producer

4. Where did the matter that makes up this organism came from?

This organism is growing out of a pile of leaves, so the matter that makes it up likely came from living parts of the environment.
This organism is growing out of the dirt, so it's likely that most of its matter came from nonliving parts of the environment
This organism is growing out of the dirt and through a pile of dead leaves, so the matter likely came from both the leaves and nonliving parts of the environment.
We don’t have enough information about the ecosystem to understand where the matter that makes up this organism came from.

5. If you observe this organism growing in the shade and in a pile of dead leaves, what is it pulling energy from in order to grow?

6. What are the limits of the ecosystem that this organism is growing in and exchanging matter and energy with?

7. Explain in words how your model shows the movement of matter between the different parts of the ecosystem.

8. Provide one example of how energy might leave this ecosystem.

9. The trees near this organism are really tall. Explain where most of the matter that makes up those trees came from.

10. Explain in words how your model shows the flow of energy between the different parts of the ecosystem.

11. Draw arrows in the model below to show the paths of matter as it cycles through this ecosystem.

Color

Width

12. Draw arrows in the image below to show the path of energy between the different parts of the ecosystem.

Color

Width

13. One of your classmates builds a model to describe what is happening in the gif and makes the following claim: “Matter moves and is used by different living things, until it turns back into dirt and cannot be reused again.” Evaluate their statement and correct any misunderstandings about the transfer of energy. Discuss how you would revise the model to include your new information. Justify your response by discussing scientific vocabulary such as: producers, consumers, and decomposers.

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This matching question aligns to the following standards

Energy and Matter: Flows, Cycles, and Conservation
MS-LS2-3
LS2.B: Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

This matching question aligns to the following standards

MS-LS2-3
LS2.B: Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

This matching question aligns to the following standards

LS2.B: Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
MS-LS2-3

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

LS2.B: Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
MS-LS2-3
Energy and Matter: Flows, Cycles, and Conservation