Introduction to food chains
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can order different plants and animals in a simple food chain.
Key learning points
- Animals need food from plants and other animals to stay alive.
- A food chain is used to show the order in which living things depend on each other for food.
- A food chain begins with a plant.
Keywords
Animal - An animal is a living thing which moves and eats other animals or plants.
Plant - A plant is a living thing that often has roots, stem and leaves.
Living - Something that is living is alive. It can grow, reproduce, move, feed and get rid of waste material.
Food chain - A food chain shows the order in which living things depend on each other for food.
Common misconception
Pupils may think that the arrows in the food chain mean "eats".
Explain that the arrows in a food chain mean "is food for". Provide pupils with lots of opportunities to use this language.
Teacher tip
Provide lots of opportunities for the pupils to use "is food for" each time they look at a food chain. This will help them to position the arrows in food chains correctly.
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - equipment
Exploration of objects
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these statements is true?
Q2.Animals that are herbivores eat ...
Q3.Which of these would a scientist use to research what animals eat?
Q4.Which of these animals hunts to get its food?
Q5.Which of these animals grazes to get its food?
Q6.Match the animal to its description.
An excellent climber that eats leaves.
Has great senses of hearing and smell to hunt for its food.
Often looked after by people who give it food.
Is carnivorous, eating mainly fish.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Bluefin tuna are carnivores so they eat ...
Q2.If an animal does not get enough food it will eventually ...
Q3.The arrows in a food chain mean ...
Q4.In this food chain the caterpillar is food for the ...
Q5.Put this food chain in the correct order.
Q6.Aisha puts these animals in a food chain but she has made a mistake. Put this food chain in the correct order.
To help you plan your 2 science lesson on: Introduction to food chains, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 2 science lesson on: Introduction to food chains, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
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