MS-LS2.C-1

Bear's Life: Changes in Ecosystems

Experience Awakening - Our open-world educational game

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Game Info for Teachers

COMBINED RATING

3.8 Stars

TEACHERS (14)

3.6

STUDENTS (2657)

4.0

LENGTH

20 Minutes

GRADES

CAPABILITIES

iPad Support

Spanish Language Support

Text-to-Speech Support

Saves Progress

Description

Play as a bear in its adventures in the forest. You will have to look for food and overcome the dangers that arise due to the changes in the ecosystem. Between chapters, your knowledge will be tested with fun challenges.

Vocabulary Words

ecosystem

population

omnivores

biotic consumers

abiotic factors

biotic factors

decomposers

pollinate

overpopulation

repopulation

secondary succession

natural disasters

primary succession

deforestation

migrate

Instructions

Play through this interactive game to learn about Changes in Ecosystems Over Time. Suitable for Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8.

Main Concepts

Organisms in an ecosystem are dependent on their environmental interactions for survival.

A wide variety of human activities directly and indirectly affect Earth's ecosystems and the organisms within them.

Short- and long-term environmental changes to an ecosystem can affect the populations within the ecosystem.

Some changes to abiotic factors in an ecosystem are caused by human activities, such as climate change, deforestation, and pollution.

Overfishing in the last 100 years has caused a decline in many populations of fish in the ocean.

Ecological succession is the change in the composition of different species in an environment over time.

An increase or decrease in the population of a species in an ecosystem will likely affect all other organisms in the ecosystem.

Some changes to abiotic factors in an ecosystem are caused by natural forces, such as natural hazards.

Examples of abiotic factors are: temperature, climate, availability of nutrients, sunlight, water, and nutrient-rich soil.

Ecosystems are dynamic in nature and their characteristics can vary over time.

Availability of resources in an ecosystem can be affected by invasive species, disease, climate, natural hazards, and human activities.

Air, water, and land pollution are examples of ways that human activities affect Earth systems.

An ecosystem consists of a group of living things and the environment in which they live.

Secondary succession occurs after an event that damages an established ecosystem.

Living things in an ecosystem require food, shelter, water, space, nutrient-rich soil, and other resources for survival.

Availability of resources in an ecosystem affects the growth and survival of organisms or populations.

Examples of biotic factors are: producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Primary succession occurs in an environment that is lifeless but capable of supporting life.

Discussion Questions

Before the Game

What is an ecosystem? In which different ecosystems can living things be found? What are two things that all living things need to survive?

After the Game

What are three examples of abiotic factors that make up an ecosystem? What is the role of a decomposer, like mushrooms, in an ecosystem? What effects do natural disasters have on the living things in an ecosystem? What is the difference between primary and secondary succession? What are three ways humans have impacted ecosystems?