An ecosystem is a place where all sorts of living things – plants, animals, and even tiny bugs – live together and depend on each other.
Think about the playground:
* The grass is like the plants in an ecosystem. They use sunshine to grow and make food for themselves.
* The kids are like the animals. They need the plants (the grass) for food and shelter.
* The swings and slides are like the rocks and water in an ecosystem. They provide a place to play and live.
Everything in an ecosystem is connected.
* The kids need the grass to play on.
* The birds need the trees for nests.
* The fish need the water to swim in.
When one part of the ecosystem changes, it affects everything else.
* If the grass gets cut down, the kids can't play on it anymore.
* If the water gets dirty, the fish can't live in it.
We need to take care of ecosystems so that all the living things can continue to thrive! We can help by not littering, planting trees, and saving water.
