Year 7 Science

Common Assessment Task – Food Webs Poster

Interactions between Organisms
Introduction;

You have been learning about how different species interact with each other out in the wild – in
particular you have looked at identifying food chains and food webs within an ecosystem.

Your task for this assignment is to create a food web which shows the relationships between
predator and prey within the GOULBURN RIVER ECOSYSTEM.

Your task:

1. Read through the information relating to the Goulburn River Ecosystem found with
this C.A.T.

2. Complete the Analysis Table provided with this C.A.T. by identifying for each organism
what it eats, and what it gets eaten by.

3. On a separate piece of paper or using a computer, construct a food web for the
Goulburn River Ecosystem. You should include the following:
• All organisms named (pictures of each organism optional)
• Arrows pointing in the correct direction showing energy flow through the food
web
• All producers, consumers, and apex predators are clearly identified, either by
shading them different colours or clearly labelling them.
• Your final product should be neat and tidy, easily read and presentable.
Make sure you check out the assessment rubric to make sure you have completed
everything correctly!

Completion and Submission

You will be assigned three “lessons” in weeks 7&8 to complete this assignment. We recommend you
break down the lessons as follows:

CAT Lesson 1: Research and complete Analysis Table

CAT Lesson 2: Construct a draft food web – place all organisms in the correct places
CAT Lesson 3: Construct your final copy poster.

You may submit your assignment either in hard copy when you return to school in Week 9, or online
via the Compass Learning Task “Interactions Between Organisms: Food Web Poster”
Common Assessment Task - Poster Rubric
Interactions between Organisms

Not Shown (0) Low (0) Medium (1) High (2)

Food web is
Constructs No food web is A simple food An incomplete food constructed and
a food web constructed chain is presented web is constructed contains all
organisms
Does not draw Draws arrows
Draws arrows
lines between between correct
Identifies Draws lines between correct
organisms, or organisms, in the
energy between correct organisms, but in
draws lines correct direction
flows organisms the wrong
between unrelated to show energy
direction
organisms flow

Producers are Producers are All producers are

Identifies Producers are not
identified, but are identified, but are correctly
Producers identified
incorrect. not complete identified

Consumers are Consumers are All consumers are

Identifies Consumers are not
identified, but are identified, but are correctly
Consumers identified
incorrect not complete identified

Identifies Apex predators Apex predators All apex predators

Apex predators
Apex are identified, but are identified, but are correctly
are not identified
Predators are incorrect are not complete identified

All lines are clearly

Food web is neat
Some elements of marked and a ruler
Presents and easy to
Food web is messy the food web are is used to make
food web interpret, and all
and unable to read messy and difficult the poster neat.
neatly organisms are
to interpret All organisms are
logically placed.
logically placed.
Poster is well Poster is well
No effort placed
Enhances presented, presented,
into enhancing the Poster uses some
presentation including use of including the use
presentation of elements of colour.
of food web colour, of colour and
the poster.
font/writing pictures.

The poster has The poster has The poster

No name or title is
Naming either a title or both a title and includes the
given on the poster
the student’s name the student’s name students form.

SCORE: _______ / 16
 The Goulburn River Ecosystem

The Goulburn River flows for 654 kilometres, which makes it the
longest river in Victoria. Many different organisms live in the
Goulburn River ecosystem. Some plants, such as algae and water
ribbons, grow in the water. Other plants, like bulrush and common
reed, grow along the riverbanks.
Water boatmen swim in the water. They are eating the algae and
reeds. Mosquito larvae also eat the algae while the freshwater
snail eats both the algae and water ribbons. A long necked tortoise
pokes its nostrils above the water. The tortoise eats the algae too,
as well as feeding on snails, water boatmen and yabbies. The water
boatman provides food for many species including fish, frogs,
diving beetles and dragonfly larvae. The yabbies are scavengers,
feeding on rotting plant and animal matter. The mosquito larvae are
considered a delicacy for several varieties of fish.
Many birds also live along the waterway. Pacific black ducks are
feeding on fish, dragonfly larvae and diving beetles, while the
occasional visiting pelican feeds on fish, frogs and dragonfly larvae.
Black swans make a beautiful sight, bending their long necks to
forage under the water, grazing on the water ribbons, snails and
an occasional fish. The white-faced heron makes a meal of the fish
and frogs. The purple swamp hen runs quickly from the bulrushes
where it feeds on the tender growth of the bulrushes and also
makes its nest. On the bank a blue-tongue lizard is sunning itself
in a warm rock. It snaps at the dragonflies, mosquito, and diving
beetle. If it is really hungry, the lizard will sometimes also eat a
frog.
Goulburn River Ecosystem – Analysis Table

Organism Eats Gets Eaten By

Bulrushes
Water ribbons
Algae
Reeds
Dragonfly
Dragonfly
larvae
Mosquito
Mosquito larvae
Freshwater
snail
Diving beetle
Water boatmen
Yabby
Tortoise
Fish
Black swan
Duck
Pelican
Frog
Heron
Swamp hen
Lizard