Some resources from federal government sites are currently unavailable; when possible, we’ve provided alternative non-government links to ensure continued data access.

Jobs in a Biotic Community

Provided by: Center for Ecoliteracy |Published on: December 12, 2025

Lesson Plans

345

Synopsis

This lesson plan from the Center for Ecoliteracy introduces students to the concept of biotic communities by exploring how plants, animals, and other organisms perform different ecological “jobs,” or niches, that help an ecosystem function and persist.
Students conduct an outdoor community census, observe and tally organisms, and analyze the roles those organisms play—such as food producers, decomposers, pollinators, and population controllers—to build understanding of interdependence within ecosystems.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Science

Authors: Center for Ecoliteracy

Region: Global

Languages: English

View Resource

Teaching Materials

Positives

Students will enjoy getting outside and exploring the world around them.
This lesson does a great job of connecting students' background knowledge of jobs in a community to the new concept of roles natural organisms have.

Prerequisites

Teachers may want to scope out and section off the area for the activity ahead of time.

Differentiation & Implementation

Before having students conduct the community census or after they have completed it, teachers can host a biotic community job fair, where students go to different stations to gain a deeper understanding of the different jobs in a biotic community.
Teachers can make connections to climate change by explaining how climate change can impact biodiversity. This video may be helpful for explaining some of the ways humans impact biodiversity.
To make connections to data, students can compile the class's data and graph the most common jobs they saw in the biotic community.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

Center for Ecoliteracy

The Center for Ecoliteracy advances the teaching and modeling of sustainable practices in K–12 schools. The organization builds partnerships and the capacity of K–12 schools to support healthy, sustainable school communities and food systems change in schools. The Center for Ecoliteracy leads systems change initiatives, publishes original books and resources, facilitates conferences and professional development, and provides strategic consulting. The organization works at multiple levels of scale, with local, regional, state, and national programs.

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.