Collect water samples from a local pond that contains abundant microorganisms. Examine the water with hand lenses and microscopes and make sketches of some of the organisms observed, noting how they move and how they interact. Determine the role of the favorite life form in the aquatic system and prepare a report on the information. Use the painting and the reports to create a class mural of the local pond and its aquatic environment. Matter and Energy Transformations 1.
Plants make their food by the process of photosynthesis.
Using light energy, green plants convert water and carbon dioxide into energy-rich simple sugars and oxygen. Sugar is the source of food used by most plants, and ultimately, by all other consumers. Oxygen produced during photosynthesis is required for the survival of most plants and animals. Conduct simple experiments with green plants to determine the requirements and products of photosynthesis. For example, place elodea in a clean inverted funnel and place both the elodea and funnel in a beaker of water.