Engage your students with this hands-on food webs activity that explores decomposers in ecosystems, energy flow in food chains, and NGSS 5-LS2-1 concepts in a meaningful, interactive way! This worm bin investigation allows students to observe decomposition in real time while building a deeper understanding of how matter cycles through ecosystems. Perfect for 5th grade science stations, this resource combines reading comprehension, scientific inquiry, and data collection into one engaging lesson.

Students will investigate how decomposers like earthworms break down organic matter and return nutrients to the soil, supporting plant growth and maintaining ecosystem balance. With built-in science station activities, task cards, and worksheets, this resource makes it easy to implement rigorous, standards-aligned instruction with minimal prep.

🔬 Skills Covered

• Understanding food chains and food webs
• Identifying producers, consumers, and decomposers
• Explaining energy flow and nutrient cycling
• Observing and recording scientific data over time
• Conducting hands-on scientific investigations
• Developing and using models of ecosystems
• Strengthening reading comprehension in science
• Applying NGSS 5-LS2-1 concepts

📦 What’s Included

• 📄 Reading passage about food webs and decomposition
• 🧪 Step-by-step worm bin investigation activity with student directions
• 📝 Observation activity sheets for multi-day data collection
• ❓ Comprehension questions (short answer, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple choice)
• 🎯 Science task cards for station-based learning
• 🧑‍🏫 Detailed teacher notes and material list
• ✅ Complete answer keys for all student work
• 💻 Links to Google Forms and Google Slides versions for digital learning

🧠 How to Use

• Set up as a science station rotation for your ecosystems unit
• Use as a whole-class investigation over several days
• Incorporate into interactive notebooks or science journals
• Assign digital versions for Google Classroom or distance learning
• Pair with your food webs unit for deeper concept mastery

💡 Why Teachers Love It

• ✔️ Combines hands-on learning with rigorous science content
• ✔️ Aligned to NGSS standards (5-LS2-1, 5-ETS1-2, 5-ETS1-3)
• ✔️ Encourages student engagement through real-world observation
• ✔️ Provides multiple differentiation options (task cards, worksheets, digital)
• ✔️ Builds critical thinking and scientific reasoning skills
• ✔️ Easy prep with clear directions and included materials list

Bring your ecosystems unit to life with this engaging decomposition investigation that helps students truly see science in action! 🌱

This INVESTIGATE station is also available in a discounted bundle of 8 stations about Food Webs.

These Food Webs Next Generation Science Stations include eight different science stations where students deepen their understanding of food webs, ecosystems, consumers, producers and decomposers, and the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. The focus is on 5-LS2-1.

TERMS OF USE

Copyright © What I Have Learned, Jessica Boschen

Permission to copy for single classroom or homeschool family use only.

This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view.

Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.