In this investigation, students figure out how changes to the plants or animals in an ecosystem affect the other members of the food web and how that affects the flow of energy in a food web.

The Chihuahuan Desert Ecosystem kit includes all the materials that students will need to design and carry out an investigation.

This kit contains enough materials for 6 groups of students to design and carry out this investigation.

ADI investigation kits are designed for the investigations found in the ADI Learning Hub. Request your account today to access the investigation handouts for the related kit as well as hundreds of other investigations.

State Standards Alignment Document

NGSS (and state standards based on the NGSS) 5-LS2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.  

Core Idea(s)

• ELS6: Interactions and Relationships in Ecosystems
• ELS4: Matter and Energy Cycles and Processes 

Practices

• SEP1: Asking questions and defining problems
• SEP2: Developing and using models
• SEP3: Planning and carrying out investigations
• SEP6: Constructing explanations and designing solutions
• SEP7: Engaging in argument from evidence SEP8: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 

Crosscutting Concepts (or Recurring Themes and Concepts)

• CC2: Cause and effect
• CC7: Stability and change