Observe and record a real local ecosystem's living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) parts, and describe at least one relationship between them.
An ecosystem is all the living things, plants, animals, and fungi, and all the nonliving things, sunlight, water, soil, air, and temperature, in an area, all interacting together. This week's investigation happens outside: a backyard, a park, a sidewalk crack, or even a windowsill all count.
Look for both what is ALIVE and what is NOT alive during your walk, and think carefully about how the living and nonliving parts connect to each other.
Mastery looks like: They record a real observation list separating living and nonliving parts of a local ecosystem and explain at least one connection between them.
Common stumbles: Sorting something like a fallen leaf or an eggshell as alive simply because it came from a living thing, or only recording living things and forgetting nonliving parts.