Ecosystem Diorama

Ecosystem Diorama
Students will make an ecosystem diorama
showing how an ecosystem works.
At Home
1. Determine the type of ecosystem you would like to create. Some options to
consider are rain forest, coral reef, grassland, desert, tundra, ocean, rocky shore,
woodlands, and swamp. These are only a few examples; you may decide to
create a different ecosystem.
2. Research the plants and animals that live in the ecosystem and how they interact
with each other (the food web, who eats who, etc.)
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3. For example, if you are doing an American Southwest
ecosystem, include71
rattlesnakes, elf owls, lizards, spiders and jack rabbits. Plant life could include
cactus, sagebrush, cottonwood trees and wildflowers.
4. Write a paragraph about your ecosystem. Use the name of your ecosystem,
plants, and animals in your writing. You may also want to include information
about the climate as well as the non-living components of your ecosystem. This
paragraph needs to be typed up and is due on Wednesday, November 13th.
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In Class
(All materials must be brought to class by Wednesday, Nov. 13th)
1. Bring in an empty shoe box as the stage for your display! Nake sure that you
bring a shoebox with a removable lid!
2. Gather the materials you will need to re-create your ecosystem in your shoebox
diorama. Consider using real elements to put into your diorama such as real
grass, sand, rocks,
3. Use construction paper to decorate the walls of the shoebox. This will create the
landscape of your ecosystem. (I will provide basic construction paper)
4. Create replicas of the plants and animals within the ecosystem. You can make
plants out of construction paper, pipe cleaners, magazine pictures, or computer
printouts. Nake animals out of sculpted clay, hand drawings, or cut pictures out
of magazines and computer printouts.
5. Arrange the materials in the diorama as desired to create your ecosystem display.
Please see the rubric on the next page for the grading criteria.
Have fun and be creative!!
Science 3.0: Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival.
3.s Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and nonliving components.
3.b. Students know that in any
particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some
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survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
3.c. Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend
on plants for food and shelter.
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Ecosystem Diorama Rubric
Name______________________
Points Possible
Title
Title of ecosystem should
be clearly marked on box.
Your first and last name
should be neatly written on
the front.
5
Research
Evidence:
It should have the correct
plants and animals that live
in the ecosystem you
chose.
15
Written
Paragraph:
It should be written neatly
in your best print or typed.
It should have complete
sentences and clear
information.
It should have no spelling
or punctuation errors.
It should have a topic
sentence, detail sentences,
and a closing sentence.
Overall Neatness and
creativity
Total Points
15
5
40
Points Earned