Ecosystems beyond Earth
View Sequence overviewStudents will:
- identify the source of energy in a food chain.
- explore the conditions experienced by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).
- taste-test a variety of foods.
- identify the considerations of nutritionists when planning trips to the ISS.
- evaluate the effectiveness of a food test by examining the potential bias of participants.
Students will represent their understanding as they:
- complete a food chain with correctly drawn arrows.
- record the results of a food test.
- evaluate the effectiveness of the food test by identifying any outliers and explaining how bias or assumptions may have influenced the result.
In the Launch phase, assessment is diagnostic.
Take note of:
- students’ ability to explain the movement of energy through food chains.
- students’ understanding of bias and assumptions.
- students’ understanding of the conditions in space.
Whole class
Ecosystems beyond Earth Resource PowerPoint
An area for food-tasting, which should not be a laboratory. If required, use the school lunch area for testing.
Each group
Australian food web Resource cards (retain for use in later lessons)
Paper plates
Samples of small leafy foods, for example lettuce varieties, kale, coriander, basil and beetroot
Each student
Individual student notebook
Testing food preferences Resource sheet
Optional: Water bottle
Lesson
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
The Elicit routine provides opportunities to identify students’ prior experiences, existing science capital and potential alternative conceptions related to the Core concepts. The diagnostic assessment allows teachers to support their students to build connections between what they already know and the teaching and learning that occurs during the Inquire cycle.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider when and where students may have been exposed to the core concepts and key ideas in the past. Imagine how a situation would have looked without any prior knowledge. What ideas and thoughts might students have used to explain the situation or phenomenon? What alternative conceptions might your students hold? How will you identify these?
The Deep connected learning in the ‘Pedagogical Toolbox: Deep connected learning’ provides a set of tools to identify common alternative conceptions to aid teachers during this routine.
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkEarthbound ecosystems
Divide students into groups. Provide the Australian food web Resource cards to each student group.
Students should select one plant card, and then select an animal that eats the plant.
Discuss how the animal might be growing and needs to move to find food or escape being eaten. Discuss how energy is transferred from the plant to the animal so that it can do these actions.
- Why does the animal need to eat the grass?
- To get energy for moving, growing.
- How can we show the movement of energy from the plant to the animal?
- Drawing an arrow from the plant to the animal (the direction the energy flows).
- Does the animal get eaten? What eats the animal you have chosen?
Each team then selects a second animal that eats the first animal.
Discuss how some of the energy is transformed into movement and all the processes that are needed to keep it alive. The teams continue to select cards to add to their food chain until they cannot go any further.
✎ STUDENT NOTES: Draw the food chain.
Each team mixes the animal cards, and this time start with an animal. Use the notes to identify where the animal’s energy comes from.
✎ STUDENT NOTES: Draw the food chains that are created, including the direction which the energy flows (from the plant to the animal).
Describe the importance of plants in harnessing energy for all other animals on Earth.
Food chains
The purpose of a food chain is to identify the linear movement of energy through organisms.
The purpose of a food chain is to identify the linear movement of energy through organisms. The direction of the energy movement is shown using arrows moving from the organisms being eaten (the source of the energy) to the consumer (the animal doing the eating).
All food chains are simple linear links that start with a producer (usually a plant). The plant is eaten by an herbivore, which in turn is eaten by a carnivore. Often the food chain will end with a decomposer. The sun is not included in a food chain as it is not an organism.
Most food chains are limited to 4-5 organisms. This is because only a small amount of energy is stored in the tissues of each organism. The rest of the energy is transformed into movement, body heat, sound, and the energy needed for all the chemical reactions in the body. This means the top consumer does not have more energy than those further down the chain.
Food chains can be joined together to form a larger food web that shows the interactions between species. The strength of the relationships in a food web can vary as some connections are more important than others.
Many students might not recognise the complexity of the relationships between living things. Some students will understand simple food relationships, such as birds eating worms, but might not consider other relationships, such as how birds also rely on trees to provide shelter.
The purpose of a food chain is to identify the linear movement of energy through organisms. The direction of the energy movement is shown using arrows moving from the organisms being eaten (the source of the energy) to the consumer (the animal doing the eating).
All food chains are simple linear links that start with a producer (usually a plant). The plant is eaten by an herbivore, which in turn is eaten by a carnivore. Often the food chain will end with a decomposer. The sun is not included in a food chain as it is not an organism.
Most food chains are limited to 4-5 organisms. This is because only a small amount of energy is stored in the tissues of each organism. The rest of the energy is transformed into movement, body heat, sound, and the energy needed for all the chemical reactions in the body. This means the top consumer does not have more energy than those further down the chain.
Food chains can be joined together to form a larger food web that shows the interactions between species. The strength of the relationships in a food web can vary as some connections are more important than others.
Many students might not recognise the complexity of the relationships between living things. Some students will understand simple food relationships, such as birds eating worms, but might not consider other relationships, such as how birds also rely on trees to provide shelter.
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
Science education consists of a series of key ideas and core concepts that can explain objects, events and phenomena, and link them to the experiences encountered by students in their lives. The purpose of the Anchor routine is to identify the key ideas and concepts in a way that builds and deepens students’ understanding. During the Launch phase, the Anchor routine provides a lens through which to view the classroom context, and a way to frame the key knowledge and skills students will be learning.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the core concepts and key ideas that are relevant. Break these into small bite-sized pieces that are relevant to the age and stage of your students. Consider possible alternative concepts that students might hold. How could you provide activities or ask questions that will allow students to consider what they know?
Conditions in space
Pose the question: What if you were on the International Space Station? Where do astronauts get their energy?
(Slide 3) Discuss how food is currently sent to the International Space Station by rocket, and that Earth could not sustain this for longterm settlements on the Moon or Mars.
- What do astronauts eat?
- They eat a variety of food that is often dried. The mass of water adds to the overall mass of a rocket, so astronauts want to minimise this. Water is added to food at the International Space Station (ISS). More information can be found in the NASA video Surprisingly STEM: Space Food Scientist.
- Do astronauts grow food on the International Space Station?
- Astronauts are experimenting on the types of food that can be grown on the ISS.
- Could astronauts grow any food on the space station, or are there limitations?
- Limited space in an enclosed environment means astronauts cannot grow anything too tall (like corn or tomato vines). Most often they grow greens like lettuce.
- What are conditions like on the International Space Station?
- There is very little gravity (microgravity), and similar oxygen content in pressurised air (21%). Oxygen is delivered to the ISS or generated by splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. Water is recycled.
Core concepts and key ideas
When planning for teaching in your classroom, it can be useful to see where a sequence fits into the larger picture of science.
When planning for teaching in your classroom, it can be useful to see where a sequence fits into the larger picture of science. This unit is anchored to the Science Understanding core concepts for Biological sciences.
Biological systems are interdependent and interact with each other and their environment.
In Year 7, students have already examined the basic needs of plants and animals (Year 1), used food chains to explain the roles and interactions of consumers and producers (Year 4), and investigated how the growth and survival of living things are affected by changing physical conditions (Year 6). In Year 7 students use models, including food webs, to represent matter and energy flow in ecosystems and predict the impact of changing abiotic and biotic factors on populations.
This core concept is linked to the key science ideas:
- Structures and systems can be analysed to determine how they function.
- Proportional relationships and the use of appropriate units provide information about the magnitude of properties and processes.
- Stability and change in systems can be explained by considering relationships between matter, energy, and forces at different scales.
- Changes in one part of a system may cause changes in another part of a system.
- Flows and cycles of matter can be tracked within systems.
- The transfer of energy drives the motion and/or cycling of matter.
- Transfer and transformation of energy can be tracked as energy flows through a system.
- Systems may interact with other systems, have sub-systems, and be part of larger complex systems.
- Models can be used to represent systems with defined boundaries, their inputs, processes, and outputs.
- Models can be used to make predictions about how systems behave and the impact of change.
When your students next examine this core concept, they will be starting Senior Biology and Environmental Science subjects.
When planning for teaching in your classroom, it can be useful to see where a sequence fits into the larger picture of science. This unit is anchored to the Science Understanding core concepts for Biological sciences.
Biological systems are interdependent and interact with each other and their environment.
In Year 7, students have already examined the basic needs of plants and animals (Year 1), used food chains to explain the roles and interactions of consumers and producers (Year 4), and investigated how the growth and survival of living things are affected by changing physical conditions (Year 6). In Year 7 students use models, including food webs, to represent matter and energy flow in ecosystems and predict the impact of changing abiotic and biotic factors on populations.
This core concept is linked to the key science ideas:
- Structures and systems can be analysed to determine how they function.
- Proportional relationships and the use of appropriate units provide information about the magnitude of properties and processes.
- Stability and change in systems can be explained by considering relationships between matter, energy, and forces at different scales.
- Changes in one part of a system may cause changes in another part of a system.
- Flows and cycles of matter can be tracked within systems.
- The transfer of energy drives the motion and/or cycling of matter.
- Transfer and transformation of energy can be tracked as energy flows through a system.
- Systems may interact with other systems, have sub-systems, and be part of larger complex systems.
- Models can be used to represent systems with defined boundaries, their inputs, processes, and outputs.
- Models can be used to make predictions about how systems behave and the impact of change.
When your students next examine this core concept, they will be starting Senior Biology and Environmental Science subjects.
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
Students arrive in the classroom with a variety of scientific experiences. This routine provides an opportunity to plan for a common shared experience for all students. The Experience may involve games, role-play, local excursions or yarning with people in the local community. This routine can involve a chance to Empathise with the people who experience the problems science seeks to solve.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider what experiences will be relevant to your students. Is there a location for an excursion, or people to talk to as part of an incursion? Are there local people in the community who might be able to talk about what they are doing? How could you set up your classroom to broaden the students’ thinking about the core science ideas? How could you provide a common experience that will provide a talking point throughout the sequence?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkAstronaut lunch
Many students may have limited experience with different food varieties. This routine is designed to increase students’ exposure to food types and greens in particular.
(Slide 4) Explain that because of microgravity an astronaut needs to exercise for two hours each day to prevent muscles from wasting away. Less gravity also means that their muscles do not need to work very hard (not need as much energy). A typical astronaut needs:
- Male: 10,800-14,800 kJ each day
- Female: 8,000-10,800 kJ each day
The food needs to be planned six months in advance by nutritionists.
Pose the question: What things do the nutritionists need to consider?
✎ STUDENT NOTES: Brainstorm what affects whether you like food.
Most students’ suggestions can be categorised as taste, texture, and appearance.
(Slide 5) Explain that students will need to test the different food varieties that could be supplied to the ISS or grown on the ISS.
Provide students with the Testing food preferences Resource sheet.
Explain how students need to score each food (1 for extreme dislike-10 for extreme like) for appearance, colour, smell, flavour and texture. Encourage students to not share their results until the discussion at the end to avoid bias from the results of other class members.
Explain that bias is a decision based on prior experience or other people's opinions rather than this tasting experience.
Food tasting
- All participants should wash their hands.
- Place each food sample on a paper plate.
- Students should score the colour, appearance, colour and smell for each food.
- Students should taste the food (if safe) to record the taste and texture of each food.
- If there is a strong opinion for or against the food, students should record their reasoning in the comments.
- Students should use their water bottle to cleanse their palette between tasting if required.
(Slide 6) Discuss the most and least popular foods. Evaluate the effectiveness of the food tests.
- Did everyone score the food the same value for the colour or appearance? Why or why not?
- What kinds of things may have affected the way everyone viewed the food?
- What does it mean when we say someone is ‘biased’?
- They may already like or not like the food, based on prior experience.
- How could this affect the result?
- It means that people will push their score more to the ends—either a 1 or 10—rather than the middle.
- What could be one way we could remove possible bias from the class results?
- Remove the extreme results from either end.
✎ STUDENT NOTES: Complete the Testing food preferences Resource sheet.
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
Each student comes to the classroom with experiences made up from science-related knowledge, attitudes, experiences and resources in their life. The Connect routine is designed to tap into these experiences and that of their wider community. It is also an opportunity to yarn with community leaders (where appropriate) to gain an understanding of the student’s lives, languages and interests. In the Launch phase, this routine identifies and uses the science capital of students as the foundation of the teaching sequence so students can appreciate the relevance of their learning and its potential impact on future decisions. In short, this routine moves beyond scientific literacy and increases the science capital in the classroom and science identity of the students.
When planning a teaching sequence, take an interest in the lives of your students. What are their hobbies, how do they travel to and from school? What might have happened in the lives of your students (i.e. blackouts) that might be relevant to your next teaching sequence? What context might be of interest to your students?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWorking in space
Pose the question: How old will you be when NASA will have people starting settlements on the surface of the Moon (2026) or Mars (2035)?
Compare the settlement of the Moon or Mars to research stations in Antarctica. Antarctica is a reasonable comparison to make as it is isolated and help cannot arrive immediately in the middle of winter. This means they need to be self-sufficient in all things.
(Slide 7) Brainstorm the variety of professions that will be needed on the Moon or Mars:
- Welder
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Doctors
- Engineers
- Climatologists
- IT officers
- Geologists
- Mechanics
- Chef
- Operation coordinator
- Psychologist
- Pilot
Watch the video ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space - Launch (3:03).
Explain that in this sequence, students will be designing a plant-growing pod that will allow the first settlements on the Moon or Mars to grow their own food.
Reflect on the lesson
You might:
- research show long it takes to travel to the ISS, the Moon, and Mars.
- research the conditions on the ISS.
- ask students to record the food they eat/need for 24 hours.