Summer Research Program for Science Teachers
Diane Kelly
IS 234 Brooklyn
2002
How do pollutants bioaccumulate and biomagnify?
Level: Middle/High school
Time Required 1hr 30min
Materials: Resource for research-internet, books
Plain paper
Colored pencils
Ball of Yarn
Tape
Organism Worksheets
Content Standard Grades 5-8 B; 9-12 C
Ask students to write down what they had for dinner last night. List some on the board. Some answers might be: hamburgers (or some type of meat), veggies, pasta etc…
Review with students the basic concepts of a food chain. Take one example of the food they ate and trace the energy backwards. For instances: A steak (cow)- grazes on grass that gets its energy from the sun. Almost always you can trace the energy back to the sun. Illustrate this on the board
producers – convert sunlight into sugar and starch molecules (grass)
consumers- feed on producers and consumers
level one consumer-feeds directly of producers (cows)
level two consumer-feeds off a level one consumer- (humans)
Teaching Standard D
Break students into groups of three to five. Assign them each an organism to research. (Worksheets are provided at the end). More than one group can research the same organism. Have students research their organisms using; books on estuaries or basic biology, internet or software i.e. world book encyclopedia. Explain to the class that they are to answer all the questions on the worksheet and that they will be reporting back to the class.
Suggested book
“The Hudson An Illustrated Guide” by Stanne et al. ISBN 0-8135-2271-4
Website resources:
http://inlet.geol.sc.edu/estnet.html
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/benthos.htm
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/marine/bmr/index.htm
Content Standard Grades 5-8 C; 9-12 C
Tape the pictures drawn by the students to the black board. Using the information gathered create a food web . Each class will be unique!
Extension Activity
Break students up into groups of 6 to 12. Have them form a circle Have each student represent a different animal(consumer) or Plant (producer). Start with a producer, handing that student a ball of yarn. While still holding on to a part of the yarn have that student toss the ball to an animal that would consume that plant. The second student then tosses it to another animal that would be eaten by it and so on. Soon all the students will be connected by the yarn. Try to remove one student from the circle. What happens to the organisms attached to it?
Content Standard grades 5-8F; 9-12F
Explain to the students that many pollutants are stored in the fats of organisms. )They are not released unless the fat is burned. So it can remain in an organism for a long time)
This is what is meant by bioaccumulation- pollutants enter the food chain.
Refer back to the food web on the board. Discuss how the smaller level one consumers may not have high levels of pollutants, but think about how many of these smaller organisms are eaten by say one fish. This is what is meant by biomagnification-as you move up the trophic levels (energy levels) of the food chain the concentrations of the pollutants are higher. Think about it… Ask your students: How many fish, clams or shrimp have they eaten in their life time? What if there were small traces of pollutants in each and are then being stored in their fat cells?
Have students write a brief essay or make a poster informing others about the dangers of biomagnification of pollutants.
Modifications:
· You can assign the research for homework and have students bring in their information.
· Instead of using a ball of thread you can cut long pieces of yarn, have student in the circle have a few pieces each. Ask them to “connect” with each organism that they eat or that they are eaten by.
· List the information that each group gathered and have them to return to groups to make their own food web
Organisms of the River/Estuary
Algae
Your group will investigate this type of organism that lives in the river/estuary. You will be the “experts” for these organisms and will report back to the entire class.
Group members:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
List a few examples of algae, use both common and scientific names.
How do these organisms get their energy?
Where do they live in the water?
What animals eat them?
Are they producers or consumers?
List any other interesting facts.
Draw a picture for each.
Organisms of the River/Estuary
Annelids-Segmented Worms
Your group will investigate this type of organism that lives in the river/estuary. You will be the “experts” for these organisms and will report back to the entire class.
Group members:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
List a few examples of segmented worms, use both common and scientific names.
Where do they live?
What do they eat? Are they omnivores, herbivores or carnivores?
Who eats them?
Are they producers or consumers? If they are a consumer what level?
List any other interesting facts.
Draw a picture for each.
Organisms of the River/Estuary
Amphipods-Scuds
Your group will investigate this type of organism that lives in the river/estuary. You will be the “experts” for these organisms and will report back to the entire class.
Group members:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
List a few examples of amphipods, use both common and scientific names.
Where do they live?
What do they eat? Are they omnivores, herbivores or carnivores?
Who eats them?
Are they producers or consumers? If they are a consumer what level?
List any other interesting facts.
Draw a picture for each.
Organisms of the River/Estuary
Mollusks-Bivalves
Your group will investigate this type of organism that lives in the river/estuary. You will be the “experts” for these organisms and will report back to the entire class.
Group members:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
List a few examples of bivalves use both common and scientific names.
Where do they live?
What do they eat? Are they omnivores, herbivores or carnivores?
Who eats them?
Are they producers or consumers? If they are a consumer what level?
List any other interesting facts.
Draw a picture for each.
Organisms of the River/Estuary
Fish
Your group will investigate this type of organism that lives in the river/estuary. You will be the “experts” for these organisms and will report back to the entire class.
Group members:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
List a few examples of fish, use both common and scientific names.
Where do they live?
What do they eat? Are they omnivores, herbivores or carnivores?
Who eats them?
Are they producers or consumers? If they are a consumer what level?
List any other interesting facts.
Draw a picture for each.
Organisms of the River/Estuary
Vascular Plants
Your group will investigate this type of organism that lives in the river/estuary. You will be the “experts” for these organisms and will report back to the entire class.
Group members:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
List a few examples of vascular plants, use both common and scientific names.
How do these organisms get their energy?
Where do they live in the water?
What animals eat them?
Are they producers or consumers?
List any other interesting facts.
Draw a picture for each.
