Unit 1, Lesson 2 highlights: What is the Role of Producers in an Ecosystem?

Producers: They are the organisms in an ecosystem that make their own food.

Note: They’re usually plants. Most producers get matter for their growth from the non-living things in their ecosystem. Example: They make food out of sunlight, via photosynthesis. Amazing.

Did Someone Say Photosynthesis?Photosynthesis: the process of using carbon

dioxide and water to make food. The sun plays a major part in the process as well.

Note: In the end, virtually all energy/food starts with, and comes from, the beloved SUN.

Photosynthesis Produces Waste (the good kind, though):Photosynthesis: put in math terms, it looks

like…carbon dioxide + water + light ―› sugar +

oxygen

Note: Sugar is not waste, but oxygen is (to plants). Therefore, plants release the extra oxygen in the air. Guess what humans like to breathe… OXYGEN.

So Photosynthesis is good, for many reasons:It helps…give us oxygen,clean the air,give plants food.

SO PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS GOOD.

NOT SO GOOD.

BACK TO GOOD. (Synthesize that photo.)

WHERE THE MATTER IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS COMES FROM…It comes from carbon dioxide in the air.

(fairly recent discovery) CO2And it comes from water, too. (discovered in

the 1600’s) H2OMr. Finch remembers the 1600’s. Such good

times.

Plants Can Store Excess Food.When plants have no leaves, or it’s dark,

they can store any extra food that they previously produced. (Hey, I see why they’re called producers.)

Buh-dee, Buh-dee, Buh-dee; that’s all folks!

Hey, I’m a consumer, not a producer. Silly.