WHO EATS WHO IN ANTARCTICA? Wildlife photos used are from: http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/wildlife/index.shtml OVERVIEW: Students discover what kinds of animals live in Antarctica and construct a basic Antarctic food web. Ohio Science Content Benchmarks addressed:

K-2: Recognize the importance of respect for all living things. 3-5: Life Sciences B. Analyze plant and animal structures and functions needed for survival and describe the flow of energy through a system that all organisms use to survive. 6-8: Life Sciences A. Multicellular organisms have a variety of body plans and internal structures. Life Sciences C. Explain how energy entering the ecosystems as sunlight supports the life of organisms through photosynthesis and the transfer of energy through the interactions of organisms and the environment.

Materials needed: - Pictures of various Antarctic wildlife (included)

- Posterboard for each student

Procedures:

1. Give students the included page of Antarctic wildlife pictures. Instruct students to cut pictures apart, being careful to keep the animal’s name with its picture.

2. Ask students to separate animals into groups of similar

animals. Then, ask students to describe how each group of

animals is similar to, and different from, the other animals in its group, and the animals in other groups.

3. In groups, students should use classroom, library, or internet

resources to discover what each of their animals eats, looking especially for other animals that they have pictures of.

4. Ask each student to place the krill at the bottom of the

posterboard, then above it place all the animals that eat krill.

5. Have students draw an arrow from krill to all animals that eat it. Explain that this arrow means that energy is going from the krill to the animals that eat it.

6. Depending on their level, students can turn their posterboard

into an entire food web, drawing arrows to indicate all feeding relationships.

7. Ask students to find which animal has the most arrows—it

will be the krill—introduce concept of a KEYSTONE SPECIES: an organism that most of the others depend on in some way.

8. Explain that rising temperatures on earth (global warming)

are beginning to lower the number of krill around Antarctica. Have students explore effects this will have on the other species.

(Antarctic animal photos on following page…)

King Penguin Rockhopper Penguin Macaroni Penguin

Adelie Penguin Emperor Penguins Gentoo Penguin Chinstrap Penguin

Southern Elephant Seal Crabeater Seal Fur Seal

Leopard Seal Ross Seal Weddell Seal

Orca Whale Humpback Whale Arctic Tern

Skua Albatross Giant Petrels

Typical Antarctic Fish Antarctic Krill Marine Algae