Free Pond Ecosystem lesson

A pond is an example of a small-scale ecosystem that we typically student at GCSE Geography. Pond ecosystems depend on balance and equllibrium of all the interdependant parts that make it up; both the living ( biotic) and non-living ( abiotic). This lesson presumes you are lucky enough to have a pond on, or close to your school site to visit and carry out the field sketching tasks. However, if not, there is a detailed picture of a pond ecosystem on the slide they can copy if needed. Students start with a discussions, recap on producers, consumers and decomposers ( this lesson assumes a base-line understanding on food chains). Students sketch the pond with guidance and label appropriately using the mini-beasts spotter card to help them identify animals found on the pond, or through pond-dipping There is an exit card/ small write up task at the end.