The Blackland Prairie

Objectives:

• Students will be able to recognize the Blackland Prairie as an example of an ecosystem.

• Students will be able to describe the environment of the Blackland Prairie.

• Students will be able to identify plants and animals that live in the Blackland Prairie.

• Students will be able to describe how plants, animals and nonliving factors interact in the Blacklands Prairie.

Suggested Grades:

4th Grade - 5th Grade - 6th Grade

Lesson Procedure:

Print the reading comprehension worksheet passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt:

There are many different ecosystems on our planet. One of these, located in the state of Texas, is known as the Blackland Prairie. We can study this ecosystem to learn how species interact.

The Blackland Prairie is home to animals like armadillos, badgers, and toads. Plants in the Blackland Prairie include bluestem grass, Indian grass and elm trees. There are bacteria in the soil and algae in the ponds. All of these biotic (living) factors of the Blackland Prairie depend on one another. To understand how an ecosystem like the Blackland Prairie functions, scientists study a number of things. They study how bacteria make the soil fertile so plants can grow. They study which animals prey on others and which animals eat plants. They also study the climate and other abiotic (nonliving) factors.

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