Interacting Relationships in Ecosystems Interactive Simulation | Life Science | Grades 6–8

This Interactive Simulation has grades 6–8 Middle School Life Science students run a hands-on classroom model of Interacting Relationships in Ecosystems.

Driving question: "How do competition, resource partitioning, predation, and keystone species removal alter species survival and community biodiversity across ecological habitats?" Objective: Students will model foraging niches using four specialized feeding tools across five ecological interaction rounds, collect quantitative data on resource capture and species survival, and construct evidence-based explanations for competitive exclusion, resourc

What's inside: objective and background, a materials list (4 specialized foraging tools per group:…; 120 food items per group: 40 large…; 1 large foraging arena tray (30 cm x 40…; 1 large kitchen tongs used by the…), an 8-step protocol, a data table, 4 analysis questions, and teacher notes.

Resource type: Interactive Simulation (.docx). Format: editable Microsoft Word lab handout with approximately 1,030 words (~5 pages).

Classroom use: a team investigation in a Middle School Life Science course. Grades 6–8.

Format note: These files are delivered in Microsoft Office formats (Word and/or PowerPoint). If you open a worksheet that includes tables in Apple Pages or another non-Microsoft app, table formatting may not display correctly. For best results, use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint (or upload the file to Google Docs). If you run into any formatting issues, contact us and we can send a PDF version.