Write a structured report on a chosen real ecosystem that synthesizes energy flow, matter cycling, relationships, and human impact.
This week's project pulls together everything from this unit into one written report about a real ecosystem you know well -- your backyard, a local park, a pond, or the area studied in the week 14 field study all work. A strong ecosystem report has clear sections: an introduction naming the ecosystem and its major organisms, an energy flow section describing producers, consumers, and decomposers, a matter cycling section describing at least one real cycle at work there, a relationships section describing at least one symbiotic or predator-prey relationship, and a conclusion noting any human impact and an overall summary.
The goal is not decoration or length; it is accurate, specific content organized clearly enough that someone who has never seen your ecosystem could understand how it works after reading it. Vague sentences like "there are many animals and plants" are much weaker than specific, real ones like "dandelions and clover, producers, support ants and aphids, primary consumers, which in turn are eaten by a garden spider."
Mastery looks like: They can produce a report with clearly organized sections that names real, specific organisms and correctly describes energy flow, a cycle, a relationship, and a human impact.
Common stumbles: Writing vague, generic sentences that could describe almost any ecosystem; omitting a required section, especially matter cycling or human impact.