Trophic Level Simulation Activity

The video tutorial explains a trophic level simulation activity designed to help students understand the basics of food chains and trophic pyramids. The activity involves students using cards representing different organisms (grass, rabbits, and coyotes) to simulate interactions and energy transfer in an ecosystem. The teacher provides detailed instructions on setting up the activity, the rules, and how to conduct it. Students participate in multiple rounds, and the results are tallied to show the unsustainability of certain population distributions. The activity concludes with a class discussion on the outcomes and potential improvements, serving as a segue into more complex ecological concepts.

What is the primary purpose of the trophic level simulation activity?

• To introduce students to advanced ecological vocabulary.

• To provide a hands-on experience before learning about trophic pyramids.

• To test students' knowledge of food chains.

• To teach students about the history of ecology.

How many cards of each organism should be prepared for a class of 30 students?

• 5 grass, 15 rabbit, 10 coyote

• 10 grass, 10 rabbit, 10 coyote

• 15 grass, 10 rabbit, 5 coyote

• 10 grass, 5 rabbit, 15 coyote

What happens if a rabbit card pairs with a coyote card?

• The coyote eats the rabbit, and the rabbit is out.

• Both the rabbit and coyote are out.

• The rabbit survives and the coyote is out.

• Nothing happens, both stay in the game.

What is the rule for heterotrophs regarding eating rounds?

• They must eat every round.

• They can skip two rounds without eating.

• They must eat every other round.

• They only need to eat once in the game.

What should students do after each round of the activity?

• Write a summary of the round.

• Exchange cards with another student.

• Go back to their seats and put their heads down.

• Discuss the results with their partner.

What is the expected outcome of the initial setup with equal numbers of each organism?

• The population of consumers decreases.

• The population collapses due to too many top-level consumers.

• A balanced ecosystem is maintained.

• The population of producers increases.

What is the purpose of conducting additional rounds with a different card distribution?

• To see if the same results occur.

• To increase the number of rounds for more data.

• To test if more coyotes lead to sustainability.

• To explore how a different setup can lead to a sustainable population.

What concept does the activity help introduce after the simulation?

• Trophic pyramids and energy transfer.

• The concept of food webs.

• The role of decomposers in ecosystems.

• The history of ecology.

What is a key discussion point after the initial five rounds?

• How to increase the number of rounds.

• Why the population collapsed and how to improve it.

• The importance of having more coyotes.

• Why the population was sustainable.

What is a suggested card distribution for a sustainable setup in additional rounds?

• Mostly grass cards, a few rabbit cards, and two coyote cards.

• Mostly coyote cards, a few grass and rabbit cards.

• Only grass and rabbit cards, no coyote cards.

• Equal numbers of grass, rabbit, and coyote cards.