---
title: MS-LS2-3 Lesson Plans | Matter Cycling and Energy Flow in Ecosystems
description: "MS-LS2-3: Matter Cycling and Energy Flow in Ecosystems Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem."
image: https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Right%20Image.png
---
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b)
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# MS-LS2-3: Matter Cycling and Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6)
Science & Engineering Practices
- [Asking questions and defining problems](https://www.knowatom.com/asking-questions-and-defining-problems)
- [Developing and using models](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-and-using-models)
- [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions)
- [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence)
- [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information)
Disciplinary Core Ideas
- [Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms](https://www.knowatom.com/organization-for-matter-and-energy-flow-in-organisms)
- [Ecosystem Dynamics Functioning and Resilience](https://www.knowatom.com/ecosystem-dynamics-functioning-and-resilience)
- [Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems](https://www.knowatom.com/interdependent-relationships-in-ecosystems)
-
- [Growth and Development of Organisms](https://www.knowatom.com/growth-and-development-of-organisms)
Crosscutting Concepts
- [Energy and Matter](https://www.knowatom.com/energy-and-matter)
- [Stability and Change](https://www.knowatom.com/stability-and-change)
- [Cause and Effect](https://www.knowatom.com/cause-and-effect)
- [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns)
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f)
## Browse MS-LS2-3 Lesson Plans
Grade Ranges All K-2 3-5 6-8
[
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/food-webs)
## [Food Webs In this unit, students focus on animal populations, studying how all living things interact with and depend on other living things and the environment for survival. For this lesson, students explore how energy and matter move through a particular ecosystem’s food web and can be disrupted by the introduction of invasive species. This page highlights key components of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/food-webs)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/food-webs)
[
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/photosynthesis-and-oil-spills)
## [Photosynthesis and Oil Spills In this unit, students are introduced to the dynamic nature of ecosystems and how disturbances affect them. In this lesson, students observe the effects of an oil spill on the ability of plants to photosynthesize, which can harm an entire ecosystem. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/photosynthesis-and-oil-spills)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/photosynthesis-and-oil-spills)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/rocky-shore-ecosystems)
## [Rocky Shore Ecosystems In this unit, students explore the phenomena of rocky shore ecosystems, studying the interactions between living things and the environment. In this lesson they focus on the science phenomena of how organisms interact with one another in an ecosystem. This page showcases key elements from this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/rocky-shore-ecosystems)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/rocky-shore-ecosystems)
[
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/engineering-shoreline-barriers)
## [Engineering Shoreline Barriers In this unit, students learn about science phenomena related to ecosystems, studying how all living things interact with and depend on other living things and the environment for survival. In this lesson, students explore how humans can create solutions to protect ecosystems by designing an engineering solution for coastal erosion.This page provides an overview of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/engineering-shoreline-barriers)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/8th-grade-science/engineering-shoreline-barriers)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/sea-star-structures)
## [Sea Star Structures In this unit, students focus on the phenomena of rocky shore ecosystems and the science phenomena of how organisms interact. For this lesson, students analyze how adaptations allow for the survival of different organisms, specifically sea star structures. This is a high-level extract of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/sea-star-structures)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/sea-star-structures)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/intertidal-zone-temperature-change)
## [Intertidal Zone Temperature Change In this unit, students explore the interconnectedness of the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem phenomena. In this lesson, they design an experiment to test how heat is transferred in different materials found on the rocky shore. This page provides a brief overview of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/intertidal-zone-temperature-change)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/intertidal-zone-temperature-change)
[
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/photosynthesis)
## [Photosynthesis In this unit, students explore the phenomena of forest ecosystems, studying the science phenomena of interactions between living things and the environment. In this lesson, students investigate how plants carry out photosynthesis to convert the sun’s energy into a form of energy they can use to grow and develop. This page highlights key parts of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/photosynthesis)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/photosynthesis)
[
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/forest-food-web)
## [Forest Food Web In this unit, students explore forest ecosystems, studying the science phenomena of interactions between living things and the environment. In this lesson, students build on their understanding of how energy affects the growth of organisms by exploring the phenomena of forest food webs, and analyzing how the phenomena of drought can have a ripple effect through the ecosystem. This page showcases all components of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/forest-food-web)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/forest-food-web)
[
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/drought-and-tree-growth)
## [Drought and Tree Growth In this unit, students explore forest ecosystem phenomena, investigating the science phenomena of interactions between living things and the environment. In this lesson students discover the phenomena of tree rings and analyze how resource availability affects the ability of different organisms and populations to grow. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/drought-and-tree-growth)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/drought-and-tree-growth)
Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By State*s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.
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