The same organisms profiled in the Field Guide appear here as characters in a goal-based learning game. Students are drawn through the exploration by a mission to find something living in the soil that can take care of a leaking toxic chemical. And there really are bacteria that eat toxic chemicals such as toluene. All animals, including humans, are consumers, which obtain food by eating other organisms. Decomposers, primarily bacteria and fungi, are consumers that use waste materials and dead organisms for food.
Food webs identify the relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem.
Soil consists of weathered rocks and decomposed organic material from dead plants, animals, and bacteria. Soils are often found in layers, with each having a different chemical composition and texture. Using the Project in Your Classroom Soil Critter Trading Cards Begin the session with a brief discussion on how animals have adapted to meet the challenges of the environment they live in and how each animal contributes to its environment. After they complete the activity, students refer back to their notes and create trading cards. These cards can then be used to evaluate students reading comprehension, understanding of how a variety of animals make important contributions to soil and their environment.