EcoTrios & Symbiotic Strategies

Students learn about a complex, three-way symbiotic relationship and identify which symbiotic strategies are involved. Included 6 EcoTrio examples (with QR codes that link to additional information) and 8 Symbiotic Strategy cards.

This activity includes resources that you can use in any number of ways. It is not the intention to have every student work with every example. Rather, through sharing and whole-class discussion, students can learn from each other and thus gain exposure to all the symbiotic strategies.

1. Use the lichen EcoTrio card as a demo.
   1. Show the What's In a Lichen? video (linked from the card and below).
   2. Discuss the symbiotic strategies at play in the lichen, using the Symbiotic Strategy cards if desired.
2. Have students work through the other examples using the method of your choice. Here are a few suggestions:
   1. Whole-Group Mingle. Assign individual EcoTrios to some students, and individual Symbiotic Strategies to others. Students walk around and share what’s on their cards, with the goal of forming groups consisting of one EcoTrio example and all the Symbiotic Strategies employed in it.
   2. Storytime (whole-class or small-group). A reader shares an EcoTrio example aloud (or creates a story based on the EcoTrio to read aloud). Audience members hold up the Symbiotic Strategy cards that are employed as the EcoTrio (or story) is read.
   3. Individual. Group the appropriate Symbiotic Strategies cards with an EcoTrio example. Record. Repeat for as many EcoTrio examples as you wish.
   4. Individual, Strategy-focused. Assign each student or pair a Symbiotic Strategy. Have them read through all the EcoTrio cards and identify the examples that employ the strategy. Record the relevant EcoTrios and organisms on the back of the Symbiotic Strategy card.

• Within ecosystems, organisms of different species depend on one another.
• Some species are completely dependent on others for their continued survival.
• Some ecological relationships include three or more species.
• Organisms employ a number of strategies to survive in ecological relationships.

40 minutes

Copies
(optional) Individual Student Devices

What's In a Lichen? (video by National Geographic)
EcoTrio Cards (pdf)
Symbiotic Strategy Cards (pdf)