1%
Processing, please wait...
It was processed successfully!
It was processed successfully!
Login Create Free Account
en | es

Algae Definition

Algae are organisms similar to plants, growing in water, that produce their own food. For example, algae go through photosynthesis and are eaten by shrimp.

View Lesson on Ecosystems
Grades 3-5 VideoEcosystems player orange
Preview Only
Oops! It looks like your security settings are blocking this video 🙁

If you are on a school computer or network, ask your tech person to whitelist these URLs:
*.wistia.com, fast.wistia.com, fast.wistia.net, embed-fastly.wistia.com, embed-cloudfront.wistia.com, embedwistia-a.akamaihd.net

Sometimes a simple refresh solves this issue. If you need further help, contact us.

 

Ecosystems

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Fertilizer flowing into oceans can lead to blooms of algae, which can kill fish.
  • Algae have no leaves, stems or roots.
  • Algae are part of both freshwater and saltwater ecosystems.

Why Do We Need To Know About Algae

Learning about algae helps us understand how nature works and why it’s important to keep things balanced. Algae are really important in water because they affect everything from the air we breathe to the health of fish and other sea animals. Knowing about algae is useful for jobs that help the environment, like studying the ocean or protecting plants and animals. It’s important to know how things we do, like using too much fertilizer, can cause big problems in the water with too much algae.

Also, algae are found in lots of places, not just the ocean. This shows how they can be used in different ways, such as making gardens better or in science projects. Understanding how algae help in nature helps people who design gardens, educational tools, or eco-friendly projects to make healthy and natural environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is an ecosystem?
Ecosystems range from the size of your backyard to an entire ocean.
How do the components of Dr. Jeff’s ecosphere interact to help each other survive?
In the enclosed ecosphere, the algae uses sunlight to grow. The algae is then eaten by the shrimp. The shrimp’s poop provides food for bacteria which convert the poop to nutrients that help the algae to grow. It’s a cycle!
Why would the shrimp in the ecosphere die if there was no sunlight?
The shrimp in the ecosphere depend on the algae for food. If there was no sunlight, the algae would die, which leaves no food for the shrimp.
Explore More Science Topics
Image play The Talespinner: Traditional Tales and Morals
Image play The Case of the Pea Milk:
Main Ideas and Supporting Details
Image play Titanic Clues: Using Explicit Information
and Inferences to Ask and Answer Questions
Image play Who is Dr. Jeff?
Image play The Stick That Started a Story:
Understanding Story Elements
Image play The Great Trait Bake-Off: Comparing
and Contrasting Character Traits
Image play Pip Hood and the Universal Message: Determining the Theme
Image play Four Seasons and Day Length
Image play Chemical vs. Physical Changes
Image play Bacteria & Viruses
Image play Patterns in the Sky
Image play Variation of Traits
Image play Multicellular Organisms
Image play Introduction to Sound
Image play Balanced & Unbalanced Forces
Image play Atoms & Molecules
Image play What is Engineering?
Image play Weathering & Erosion
Image play Tectonic Plates
Image play The Five Senses
Image play Structure of Living Things
Image play Solar & Lunar Eclipses
Image play Introduction to Weather
Image play Water Cycle (3-5 Version)
Image play Chemical Reactions
Image play Simple Machines
Image play Properties of Matter
Image play Natural Selection
Image play Oceans, Lakes and Rivers
Image play Earth’s Orbit & Rotation
Image play Electricity & Circuits
Image play Living vs. Non-Living Things
Image play Fossils & Extinction
Image play Electromagnetic Spectrum
Image play Heating and Cooling
Image play Energy Transfer
Image play Plant & Animal Cells
Image play Inspired by Nature (Biomimicry)
Image play Sun and Other Stars
Image play Causes of Seasons
Image play Introduction to Light
Image play Brain Processing of Senses
Image play Symbiosis (Interactions Between Organisms)
Image play Pollination and Seed Dispersal
Image play Adaptations and the Environment
Image play Electric & Magnetic Fields
Image play Material Properties and Purposes
Image play Collisions
Image play Classification of Living Things
Image play Gravity Pulls Things Down
Image play Magnets & Static Electricity
Image play Gravitational Forces Between Objects
Image play Pushes and Pulls
Image play Food Webs
Image play Synthetic Materials
Image play Introduction to Traits
Image play Conservation of Matter
Image play Competition in Ecosystems
Image play Plant Growth Conditions
Image play Ecosystems
Image play Wave Reflection, Absorption & Transmittance
Image play Animals Help Their Babies Survive
Image play Patterns of Motion & Friction
Image play Comparative Anatomy
Image play Solids, Liquids and Gases
Image play Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources
Image play Engineering Design Process
Image play Plants Need Water And Light
Image play Human Body Systems
Image play What is Science? (6-8 Version)
Image play Biodiversity of Life on Earth
Image play Natural Disasters
Image play Intro to Thermal Energy
Image play Sunlight Warms the Earth
Image play Extreme Weather Solutions
Image play Food Webs: Cycling of Matter & Flow of Energy
Image play Habitats
Image play How Do We Use Food
Image play Properties of Elements
Image play Parts of a Plant
Image play Wave Properties
Image play Water Cycle (6-8 Version)
Image play Communication Over Distances
Image play Moon & Its Phases
Image play Potential vs. Kinetic Energy
Image play Maps of Landforms
Image play Interactions of Earth’s Spheres
Image play Reproduction of Living Things
Image play What Is Science? (K-2 Version)
Image play Light Reflection & Vision
Image play Genes & Mutations
Image play Classification of Materials
Image play Particle Nature of Matter
Image play The Solar System
Image play Natural Resources
Image play Weather vs. Climate
Image play Photosynthesis & Respiration
Image play Changing the Shape of Land
Image play Animal Group Behavior
Image play Rocks & Minerals (Including Rock Cycle)
Image play Reducing Our Impact on Earth
Image play Information Transfer
Image play Rock Layers (Geologic Time)
Image play External Animal Parts
Image play Earth’s Landscapes
Image play Heat: Transfer of Thermal Energy
Image play Living Things Change Their Environment
Image play Animal & Plant Life Cycles
Image play Biotechnology
Image play Timescale of Earth’s Events
Image play Water Quality & Distribution
Image play Maintaining Biodiversity
Image play Animals Need Food
Image play What Is Science? (3-5 Version)
Image play Predicting Natural Disasters
Image play Digital vs. Analog Signals
Image play Newton’s Laws of Motion
Image play Climate Zones & Ocean Currents
Image play Air Masses & Weather Fronts
Image play Intro to Climate Change
Image play Natural Resource Distribution
Image play Human Impacts on the Environment
Image play The Fossil Record
Image play How To Be A Scientist (College & Careers)

Related Topics

Desktop Background Mobile Background
Exciting News:
attention iconGENERATION GENIUS
JOINED THE NEWSELA FAMILY!
LEARN MORE!
X
Success
We’ve sent you an email with instructions how to reset your password.
Ok
x
Choose Your Free Trial Period
3 Days

3 days to access to all of our teaching resources for free.

Continue to Lessons
30 Days

Get 30 days free by inviting other teachers to try it too.

Share with Teachers
Get 30 Days Free
By inviting 4 other teachers to try it too.
4 required

*only school emails accepted.

Skip, I will use a 3 day free trial

Thank You!

Enjoy your free 30 days trial

×