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25 Fun Food Web and Food Chain Activities

It’s all about the circle of life.

Examples of food web and food chain activities, including stacking food chain cups and creating an edible food web.

Any kid who’s ever seen  The Lion King certainly already knows a bit about food chains and food webs (“ It’s the CIIIIRRRR-CLE … the circle of LIFE!” ). It’s a topic that can be tricky to cover, but it can be done successfully with a little finesse on the part of teachers. These activities help students understand how important these concepts are, and why healthy food webs and chains are necessary for the whole planet to thrive. So try one of our food web or food chain activities with your class this year.

1. Start with an anchor chart

Food webs activity include this drawing of a circular food web featuring sea life.

A food chain follows the direct path of energy between species. Food webs are more complex and involve a give-and-take between many organisms in an environment. This clever anchor chart helps explain the difference between the two.

2. Introduce food webs and food chains during story time

Four book covers are shown.

Books are a great way to segue into discussions about food chains and food webs. Here are some of our favorites.

  • Trout Are Made of Trees (Sayre/Endle)
  • Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds (Crenson/Cannon)
  • Butternut Hollow Pond (Heinz/Marstall)
  • Who Eats What? (Lauber/Keller)

3. Let The Lion King explain the concept

Seriously, Mufasa’s speech in  The Lion King is one of the best explanations of food chains and webs around. This video covers the idea in more detail.

4. Put together a food chain puzzle

A paper features many different puzzle pieces that include photos of animals, environments, and the sun.

These free printable puzzles are a fun way for kids to learn a variety of food chains. (For virtual classrooms, try a digital version instead .)

5. Use a paper plate to show the circle of life

A paper plate with the center cut out features photos of animals in this example of a food webs activity.

Turn kids loose with a stack of magazines, or print pictures from the internet. Then assemble them into food chains around a paper plate.

6. Try some StudyJams

Food Webs activity like this one can be virtual. A screenshot is shown.

Scholastic’s StudyJams work for both in-person and online classrooms. Watch the entertaining video, then use the self-assessment tool to check kids’ knowledge.

7. Create food chain art

Two art pieces show a small animal in the mouth of a medium size animal which is in the mouth of a larger animal in this example of a food webs activity.

We love that this food web activity is not just a science project but an art project as well! Kids choose a food chain to illustrate, then represent each part of it inside the mouth of the next.

8. Construct food chain pyramids

A food web activity include this paper craft that shows different animals and their names in ascending order.

A pyramid can be a helpful way to look at food chains. Kids will have fun illustrating with their own artwork.

9. Have a digital food fight

A screenshot from a video game features different animals on the screen in this example of a food webs activity.

Use this interactive game with your whole class online or in person. Teams fight it out to see which animal can create the best food web and ecosystem for survival.

10. Assemble food chain links

A food webs activity includes this paper chain with plants and animals drawn on it.

This very literal interpretation of a food chain is one that kids can easily do on their own, whether in the classroom or at home. All they need is paper, glue, scissors, and a little creativity.

11. Make food chain nesting dolls

A food webs activity includes these paper nesting dolls in order of size with the largest being the biggest predator - a shark.

Visit Super Simple for a free printable to make these adorable ocean food chain nesting dolls. Then challenge kids to choose another ecosystem and create their own.

12. Stack food chain cups

Several white cups have pictures of different animals on them and are labeled with animal names. The last cup is stacked inside other cups with other animal names visible.

Each of these cups represents one part of a food chain. Stack them to show how they all fit together. Challenge kids to see who can stack their cups correctly in the fastest time!

13. Watch a food web video

This food web activity may not be hands-on, but it is a good way to introduce the concept to kids. This video does a terrific job teaching them about food webs and chains and will surely be a hit with kids.

14. Connect the food web with rubber bands

Two children are seen stringing thread across pictures of animals and plants on a board in this example of a food webs activity.

Use a bulletin board, pushpins, and rubber bands to demonstrate how interconnected a food chain can become. Use this in a classroom science station, or complete the activity together as a whole class virtually.

15. Display the food web with model animals

Food Web Susan Evans

Gather up all those toy animals and put them to good use! Try using different colors of yarn to represent predators, prey, scavengers, and more.

16. Turn the food web into a marble maze

A homemade maze is based on a food web in this food webs activity.

We love how this activity turns a biology lesson into a STEM challenge. Kids will get a kick out of playing with their food web marble mazes, so the learning never stops.

17. Walk a life-sized food web

Large photos are spread in a circle on the ground outside. Arrows connect them in this example of a food web activity.

Head out to the playground for a socially distanced interactive food web game! Lay out cards showing all the organisms in a food web and have kids help place arrows for the flow of energy. Then, kids can walk along the web by following the arrows to really understand how it all interacts.

18. Play a food web PE Game

A science lesson that also doubles as a PE game? Yes, please. This food web activity gets kids moving, which will help reinforce the concept of food chains, especially for kids who have trouble sitting still!

19. Create an edible food web

A piece of paper shows a food chain. Snacks stand in for different animals and creatures like goldfish crackers.

There are few things kids love more than snacks. Make food webs come alive with snacks that stand in for various plant and animal life. You’re definitely going to want to have extra goodies on hand since kids will be sure to snack while learning!

20. Use toys to create a food chain

toy animals are lined up with arrows in between them.

This is another food web option that utilizes toy animals. Before doing this activity, you will want to gather all those little animal and food toys you have lying around. Once you’ve gathered your toys, add in some arrows and a sun and have your students show food chains. This food web activity will feel more like playing than learning!

21. Create a huge classroom web

Students sit on the floor in front of papers with different plants and animals on them. There is yarn woven around them to form a web.

Assign each student a plant or animal and then have one student start holding a ball of yarn or string. Have students connect their string to whoever they eat and so on and so forth until a web is spun!

22. Color and cut out foldable food chains

These puppet-like fold-outs are the perfect way to introduce the concept of food webs while also working on some gross motor skills. Kids will have fun coloring, cutting, and pasting these templates .

23. Fill some pockets

A notebook has small pockets on it that include slips of paper. The pockets are labeled things like carnivore and producer.

These food chain pockets are so cute and so useful in teaching kids the various categories for food chains.

24. Build a food chain chain

A paper plate has a sun on it. Ribbon has been used to attach a lot of small yellow squares with pictures of plants and animals on them. A large pink piece of paper is at the bottom with a picture of a lion on it.

These food chain chains are the perfect project for kids to create during a food chain and web unit. First, have them choose a biome and then create a chain that shows the transfer of energy from producers to consumers and decomposers.

25. Display a food web bulletin board

A red bulletin board shows a food web.

Bulletin boards are a great resource in a classroom for reinforcing information since they are on display all day. Have your students help create the plant and animal cards so they can feel like they had a hand in the process!

Looking for more biology and ecology ideas? Try these 20 Wild Ways To Explore Animal Habits With Kids .

Plus, the best nature webcams for science learning at a distance ..

Learning about food webs and food chains helps kids understand how all of nature is connected. Try a fun food web activity from our list!

You Might Also Like

food web activity for elementary students

Check Out These 50 Fifth Grade Math Word Problems of the Day

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39 Awesome Ways To Teach Food Webs

October 31, 2023 //  by  Lori Goldberg

We’ve compiled a list of awesome activities that are perfect if you’re looking to immerse your learners in the wonderful world of animal food webs. These fantastic ideas are sure to provide you with the inspiration you need to teach your kiddos how energy is transferred between species in an ecosystem. From captivating food chain crafts to interactive websites and games – we’ve made it easier than ever to introduce your little animal lovers to their favorite creatures’ complex diets!

1. Step On It! Walking Food Web

Food-Webs-The-Science-Penguin.jpg

Walk your learners through this marine lifecycle! Simply print out the template below before placing images of sea life in a circle and adding on energy arrows. Then, invite your class to follow the arrows as you have them explain how energy is transferred between each animal.

Learn More: The Science Penguin

2. Forest Food Pyramid Project

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In this activity, your kids will create handy food chain pyramids that they can always refer to. Start by tasking them to fill each layer of a triangle with animal doodles with the corresponding label on another triangle. Then, guide them in folding and sticking their craft together to complete their food pyramid diagram.

Learn More: Education

3. Have a Digital Food Fight

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Treat your littles to some technology time as you engage them in this online game. Invite them to select the best path of energy that two animals will take to ensure their survival. This game can be played several times to encourage your students to come up with different combinations.

Learn More: Brain Pop

4. Food Chain Toy Path

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Here’s a perfect activity that’s great for engaging your more visual learners. Have them gather a variety of toy animals and plants and then challenge them to set up their toys to create a food web, using arrows to show the transfer of energy.

Learn More: Science Sparks

5. Assemble Food Chain Paper Links

food web activity for elementary students

Introduce your kiddos to a variety of food chains with this paper link activity. Task them with labeling strips of paper with different elements of a food chain, making sure to label each plant or animal as a consumer or producer. Then, allow them to staple their strips together to forge this fantastic teaching tool.

Learn More: Blake’s Class

6. Make Food Chain Nesting Dolls

nesting_step_03.jpg

These adorable nesting dolls are sure to get your young minds keen for lessons on food webs. Simply have them cut out these printable templates and then glue them together to create rings. You’ll then prompt them to simulate transfers of energy between the animals by placing each ring inside the other.

Learn More: Super Simple

7. Watch a Food Chain

This informative video will give your little ones a crash course in food chains when you’re looking to introduce them to the topic. Encourage them to listen carefully as they learn about the science behind food chains and how they interact with different habitats and ecosystems.

Learn More: YouTube

9. DIY Food Web Geoboard Science for Kids

Screenshot 2022-04-11 114258

Engage your kids in this interactive activity that will have them developing their fine motor skills while also learning about food webs. Simply print out these free animal picture cards before tasking them to pin them onto a Geoboard. Then, challenge them to connect the animals with different colored rubber bands to show the interaction of energy between producers and consumers.

Learn More: B-Inspired Mama

10. Food Webs Marble Mazes

Screenshot 2022-04-11 114538

This captivating craft is perfect for your older students. You’ll challenge them to create a food web maze by sticking paper walls and animal cutouts into a box. Once finished, task them with rolling a marble around their maze to recreate the transfer of energy that happens when animals come into contact with a food source.

Learn More: Student Savvy

11. Food Chain and Food Webs

food_chain.gif

This interactive website is a wonderful tool that your pupils can use when you’re teaching them about the difference between food chains and food webs. Invite them to scroll and click on different resources to find out more about a variety of biomes and ecosystems.

Learn More: Ducksters

12. Food Web Analysis

Here’s another informative video that focuses on food web analysis. Prompt your young minds to take in this newfound knowledge as it introduces them to the interactivity of a food web, giving them a deeper look into this intricate life cycle.

13. Desert Ecosystem Food Web

desert-food-web-350x440.jpg

If you’re looking to focus on food webs that originate from specific habitats, this activity is perfect for a desert theme! Challenge your learners to use animal cutouts, cardboard, push pins, and more to create this elaborate food web.

14. Food Web Tag

Treat your littles to a lively game of food chain tag! In this twist on the classic game, you’ll assign the roles of plant, herbivore, and omnivore to your players. Then kick off the fun by having them tag each other according to their assigned roles.

15. Diets in Food Webs

squirrel-2371509_960_720.jpg

These downloadable worksheets are great for introducing your kiddos to animal diets. Simply task them with researching what each animal eats to discover the food sources of various little critters, before having them jot down their answers.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

16. Introduction to Food Webs

Screenshot 2022-04-11 130131

Here’s another fantastic website that your students can use to learn more about food webs. It’s packed full of definitions, examples, and detailed reviews of important concepts – allowing them to discover new knowledge with just a few clicks. 

Learn More: Generation Genius

17. Food Web Projects

d3a1f51e646cc358972ce87718dec737.jpg

Get your kids’ creative juices flowing by challenging them to recreate food chain projects. Have them scroll through Pinterest to find the information they need to put together anchor charts, food chain models, and more!

Learn More: Pinterest

18. Ocean Food Chain Printables

animal-21668_960_720.jpg

These animal cards are versatile enough to fit into any food chain lesson! With this comprehensive collection of ocean animals from the Antarctic and Arctic food chain – you’ll engage your pupils in various activities like matching the name of an animal to the picture card.

Learn More: Living Life and Learning

19. Energy Flow Domino Trail

Screenshot 2022-04-11 130847

Teach your kiddos about energy flow with an interactive demonstration. Simply set up some dominoes before prompting a discussion with your class on how energy moves through food webs. Afterward, you’ll knock down the dominoes, causing a cascade that perfectly represents the way energy is able to move through objects.

Learn More: Accelerate Learning

20. Animal Diets Cut and Paste Activity

us2-s-150-animal-diets-activity-sheet-english_ver_1.jpg

This cut-and-paste activity is great for honing your littles’ fine motor skills while also introducing them to the concept of animal diets. Task them with sorting animals into their correct categories while encouraging them to engage with the Amazing Fact sheets that this resource provides.

Learn More: Twinkl

21. Interactive Food Web App

food web activity for elementary students

Have your learners swipe through ecosystems with this interactive web app. You’ll invite them to hop on this easy-to-use website where you’ll task them with dragging and dropping digital animals into their correct food chain sequence. 

Learn More: Sheppard Software

22. Animated Food Web Story

Engage your kids in this food web tale. Encourage them to listen carefully as they observe the stunning visuals and discover how energy moves across ecosystems with this educational story. 

23. Edible Food Web

Tantalize your students’ intellects and taste buds with this scrumptious activity! Challenge them to create food webs using sweets, cakes, biscuits, and more. They’ll transform your classroom into a culinary habitat that makes for a delicious take on learning.

Learn More: TPT

24. Food Web Field Trip

Let the learning adventure begin right in your schoolyard! Invite your littles outside as they explore food chains that exist in their local environment. They’ll observe trees, birds, and insects as you lead them in a discussion of how these tiny critters are all connected.

25. Food Web Poster Contest

food web activity for elementary students

For a vivid take on a complex concept, challenge your kiddos to create individual food web posters. Task them with mapping out an interconnected food web on paper by encouraging them to choose an ecosystem and then fill their poster with colors and fun doodles of animals.

Learn More: Science Gal

26. Food Web Role Play

food web activity for elementary students

Everyone’s a star in this interactive exercise! Start by assigning animal cards to your class and then prompt them to role-play as that animal. For instance, if they’re a plant you’ll have them stand still until an omnivore comes along to find its food source.

Learn More: Green Teacher

27. Food Web Charades

Engage your pupils in a fun and educational game of Food Web Charades. You’ll invite them to draw random animal cards before prompting them to act out their animals. Then, have the rest of your class give their best guesses of what animal is being presented.

28. Nature Documentary Analysis

Dim the lights and gather your kids for some educational movie time. With loads of nature documentaries to choose from, you’ll engage them in a real-life demonstration of animal diets as you have them analyze food webs and dissect ecological interactions – all while munching on popcorn!

Learn More: Common Sense Media

29. Food Web Board Game

food web activity for elementary students

Disguise education as playtime with this wonderful food web board game.  Each player will get an assigned role as either a prey or predator. You’ll then task them with rolling dice and collecting food cards to navigate the web of energy and make it to the end.

Learn More: Board Game Geek

30. Food Web Puzzle

food web activity for elementary students

In this hands-on exercise, you’ll use puzzles to teach your littles about food chains! Simply have them cut out these animal puzzle pieces before challenging them to assemble their chains by putting each piece in its correct position.

Learn More: A Dab of Glue Will Do

31. Food Web Song

Gather your eager learners around for a jam session that’s all about food webs! Invite them to sing along to these catchy tunes as they learn lyrics that will help them develop their knowledge of complex interactions between species.

32. Food Web Comic Strip

Get those creative juices flowing with this comic strip activity! Challenge your kiddos to put together a food web story by encouraging them to fill panels with a sequence of energy transfers that would occur in a food chain.

Learn More: Deanna Lynn  

33. Build a Terrarium

food web activity for elementary students

Have your children create their very own terrariums that can be used as a visual reminder when engaging them in lessons on food chains and webs. Simply guide them in filling glass jars with soil, water, and greenery to simulate intriguing micro-environments.

Learn More: PBS Kids

34. Ecosystem Exploration

Take your students on a trip around the world without ever leaving the classroom! By showing them this captivating video, you’ll allow them to explore global ecosystems and discover unique food webs all from the comfort of your classroom.

35. Pop-Up Food Web Cards

food web activity for elementary students

In this activity, your little learners will create an interactive tool for learning. Engage them in crafting these pop-up food web cards by having them cut and fold colored paper before adorning their visual with labels and arrows to represent the flow of energy from producers to consumers.

Learn More: Stuff Students Say

36. Food Web Crossword Puzzle

food web activity for elementary students

Your pupils will discover new knowledge as you have them complete food web crosswords. Task them with filling in the blocks of this animal-themed puzzle by encouraging them to decipher the correct answers using the displayed clues.

Learn More: Yumpu

37. Life-Sized Food Web

food web activity for elementary students

Amp up lessons on food webs by involving your class in a jumbo food web! You’ll invite them to form a circle before providing them with facts and pictures to figure out how to connect their web using yarn or string.

Learn More: Science By Sinai

38. Food Web Journal

Invite your kiddos to make personalized textbooks with this food journal activity. Simply task them to fill their pages with fun facts and adorable doodles by having them complete various activities that can be recorded in their journals.

39. Food Web Quiz Show

Get your young minds excited for a quiz challenge! Engage them in this super fun video by encouraging them to answer the quiz questions that will be displayed. Time is ticking so they’ll need to think quickly to answer each food chain question.

food web activity for elementary students

Estimated Class Time for the Engagement: 20-30 minutes

FOOD-WEBS-5E-BANNER

EXPLORATION

This student-centered station lab is set up so students can begin to explore food webs. Four of the stations are considered input stations where students are learning new information about food webs, and four of the stations are output stations where students will be demonstrating their mastery of the input stations.  Each of the stations is differentiated to challenge students using a different learning style.  You can read more about how I set up the station labs here .

EXPLORE IT!

food-webs-fb

WATCH IT!

At this station, students will be watching a 4-minute video describing how wolves change rivers. Students will then answer questions related to the video and record their answers on their lab station sheet. For example, name 2 impacts the wolves had on the deer population at Yellowstone, how did the re-introduction impact tree populations, and how wolves impacted the flow of rivers in Yellowstone.

RESEARCH IT!

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READ IT!

This station will provide students with a one page reading about food webs. In the reading students will discover what the term ecology means and methods of ecological interdependence. Students will also learn from the reading that the many relationships that occur in an ecosystem that allows organisms to thrive an survive. There are 4 follow-up questions that the students will answer to show reading comprehension of the subject.

ASSESS IT!

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WRITE IT!

Students who can answer open-ended questions about the lab truly understand the concepts that are being taught.  At this station, the students will be answering three questions like describing the impact of removing an organism from a food web, describe the flow of energy in a marine food web, and explain the reason why humans are dependent on a healthy ecosystem.

ILLUSTRATE IT!

Your visual students will love this station.  Students will be creating a sample food web from an ecosystem they would find at a nearby park. Students will include the Sun, at least 7 organisms and arrows depicting the flow of energy.

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ORGANIZE IT!

The organize it station allows your students to place organisms on a food web template. The marine food web contains 9 cards that students will place in the correct order showing the correct flow of energy.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: 1-2, 45 minute class periods

EXPLANATION

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ELABORATION

food-webs-choice

The final piece of the 5E model is to evaluate student comprehension.  Included in every 5E lesson is a homework assignment, assessment, and modified assessment.  Research has shown that homework needs to be meaningful and applicable to real-world activities in order to be effective.  When possible, I like to give open-ended assessments to truly gauge the student’s comprehension.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: 1, 45 minute class period

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Build an Interactive Student Food Web!

Are you looking for a fun way to teach food webs that is guaranteed to be engaging?

food web activity for elementary students

Karen Sinai

Student food web. Science by sinai

Updated November 3, 2023

Grab some scissors, some yarn, and some plant and animal food chain pages, from your chosen ecosystem, and turn your class into a giant, interactive student food web!

Prepare to Build Your Web

Each of the ecosystems, such as the African Savanna, Deciduous Forest, Rainforest, Desert, Ocean, Tundra, have plant and animal images on pages to print. Each of the animal pages lists organisms that it eats and, if it’s not a top predator, animals that eat it. The plant pages list who eats it and mentions that it is a producer that makes its own food. For best results, print out the pages and laminate them.

food web activity for elementary students

Setting Up Your Food Web

Seat your students in a circle on the floor or in a circle of chairs . Evenly distribute the plant and animal pages throughout the students of the circle. Most of my sets are around 18 images. If your class is larger than eighteen, I recommend printing out some of the smaller creatures such as mice or rabbits. These animals reproduce quickly and many other animals eat them. You can also copy extra plant pages to distribute around the circle, which actually makes it easier when setting up the yarn. Seat your students in a circle on the floor or in a circle of chairs . Evenly distribute the plant and animal pages throughout the students of the circle. Most of my sets are around 18 images. If your class is larger than eighteen, I recommend printing out some of the smaller creatures such as mice or rabbits. These animals reproduce quickly and many other animals eat them. You can also copy extra plant pages to distribute around the circle, which actually makes it easier when setting up the yarn.

Build a student food web science by sinai

Tell the students that when they get yarn handed to them, they must wrap it around their finger tightly so that they don’t  drop it. Some students, particularly those with prey animals pages, end up with many strings to hold! This adds to the fun, but they need to be careful not to drop them.

Choose one child to be your helper, who is not in the circle. You have big plans for that student later so don’t worry if he/ she is not involved!

Hand one end of a piece of yarn to the first seated student to wrap on their finger and then have them read who they are attached to from their page.  You will walk around the outside of the circle and hand the other end of the yarn to the connecting animal or plant.

Hint: I keep the ball of yarn or string INTACT and hand the end of the yarn to one student. I walk around the circle to the connecting student and THEN cut the yarn. 

If time is short, or you have many students, I would only do one or two connections from each page, rather than doing everything that each animal eats.

The Finished Student Food Web!

It goes without saying that you should take many photographs! I like to refer back to these photos throughout the year, as I talk about ecosystems.

Once the web is built, you can have great discussions. Ask the students holding prey animals to slowly lift their hands and watch how many other strings are affected by that! Be very careful to warn students not to pull the strings out of other students hands. 

Try having the top predators raise their hand gently and watch how much of the web is affected. You can do the same with plants.

Build an interactive student food web science by sinai

The Final Surprise

Remember that student that you held back to be a helper?  Now is their shining moment. In each one of the ecosystems, I created a page that has a phrase or word on it, such as “pollution”. This is something that could affect the entire web . I give that page to this student and quietly whisper instructions.  On your signal, they are going to shout what is on their page and RUN FULL SPEED through the web, destroying it! The squeals from the student will last for a while, but they love it!

Once again, a new discussion is born!

What kind of things can destroy the food web in the different ecosystems?  Why was the entire web damaged? Would it be an easy task to repair the food web?

Student food web science by sinai

A Follow Up Food Web Activity

After the excitement has died down, I give students the printed food web of the same ecosystem that they did with the yarn.  They use either markers or colored pencils to connect animals and plants to each other. If you didn’t complete the written reflection questions from the yarn activity, then it is a good idea to do it while they have this printed web in front of them.

African savanna draw a food web activity science by sinai

Create An Awesome Bulletin Board

Do you have students looking for extra credit? It can be fun to take the pages, that you used for the yarn game, and put them on a large bulletin board. Students can connect them with the yarn pieces that you have left over. This can be a focal point that you refer back to often as you go through your ecology unit!

Teaching ecosystems and biodiversity, using the student food web, really nails the concept and the students always remember it! I’ve had kids come back years later to remind me how much fun they had. Please check out my blog post called How to Make Food Webs Interactive and Fun! with many other food web and food chain activities that I do to make this unit as interactive as possible. I also have pulled together my entire Ecology Unit into one bundle.

Entire ecology unit of activities science by sinai

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Hands-on Activity Got Energy? Spinning a Food Web

Grade Level: 4 (3-5)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $1.00

Group Size: 8

Activity Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Biology, Life Science, Science and Technology

NGSS Performance Expectations:

NGSS Three Dimensional Triangle

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

  • Population Density: How Much Space Do You Have?
  • Biodomes Engineering Design Project: Lessons 2-6
  • Plant Cycles: Photosynthesis & Transpiration
  • Biomimicry: Natural Designs

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Engineering connection, learning objectives, materials list, worksheets and attachments, more curriculum like this, introduction/motivation, vocabulary/definitions, troubleshooting tips, activity extensions, activity scaling, user comments & tips.

Engineers team up to tackle global challenges

Understanding energy flow and transfer helps many engineers do their jobs. Some engineers improve energy efficiency and develop viable renewable energy sources. Other engineers design and develop new technologies that improve food and energy production, or measure, model or predict the climate and weather energy cycles. Some engineers design and develop human-created environments, such as biodomes and space stations. Other engineers use their understanding of the natural energy cycles and food webs as they work to minimize the impact on ecosystems of a new dam or river re-routing.

After this lesson, students should be able to:

  • Compare and contrast producers and consumers in a food chain or food web.
  • Diagram the flow of energy through simple food chains and food webs.
  • Explain how engineers use knowledge of energy flow through food chains and webs to work with new energy sources, technologies and designed environments.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science, international technology and engineering educators association - technology.

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

State Standards

Colorado - science.

Each group needs:

  • 1 piece of cardboard or construction paper
  • 1 or 2 nature or wildlife magazines (such as National Geographic, Natural History, Ranger Rick, etc.)

For the entire class to share:

  • several balls of string or yarn (can be re-used for future projects)

In your own words, can you explain what makes an environment or an ecosystem ? (Key points: An environment is the surrounding area that an organism lives in, including the air, water, food and energy for that organism to survive. An ecosystem is a whole working unit that includes an area's living organisms and nonliving environmental conditions, linked by nutrient and energy cycles.) How is the environment you live in different from another animal's, say a frog or a deer? How are these environments the same? (Make a T-chart on the board or overhead projector to list environment similarities and differences.) What keeps an environment in motion? What fuels the animals and plants that live within these ecosystems? That's right, nutrients, water and energy!

Why do we eat breakfast, lunch, dinner (and maybe a snack) every day? We must eat to provide ourselves with the nutrients that help us to move, grow and stay healthy. Our food gives us the energy we need to perform daily activities. Do you know what is in food that gives us energy? (Answer: Nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates and amino acids.)

Who remembers what a food chain is? A food chain is a series of nutrients and energy moving through a chain of organisms. Can you trace a food chain of the vegetables, fruit, cheese, eggs or meat that you had for breakfast or will have for dinner? Who can give us an example of a food chain? (Examples: Sun --> grass --> cows [hamburger, milk, butter, cheese], Sun --> soybeans [tofu, soymilk], and Sun --> wheat plants --> wheat grain [bread].) Where do all of these food chains start? That's right, the sun! All food chains start with the sun, which provides energy to producers (organisms that are capable of making their own food, such as plants) that use photosynthesis to grow and become food for consumers like us (any organism that gets its food by eating producers or other organisms). Decomposers (such as bacteria, molds, mushrooms and mildew) break down discarded plant and animal (organic) materials into simpler substances, which returns nutrients to the soil and atmosphere for new plants to use to grow.

The sun provides energy to algae, insects and plants, which are, in turn, consumed by fish and animals, in turn consumed by larger animals and humans.

Now, why would an engineer care about a food chain? Well, because engineers are interested in everything that involves energy. It is the job of engineers to come up with new fuels and ways to conserve the energy we already use. Many types of engineers — chemical, mechanical and civil — work on projects that use energy flow and transfer. Energy efficiency (saving energy) and energy sources are incredibly important fields as everyone wants to find ways to use fewer natural resources, such as trees and fossil fuels, as energy sources. Can you name any renewable energy sources? (Examples: Wind, water and solar.) Engineers also investigate foods and how they grow and supply us with energy. Engineers look at how energy moves through a food chain and use that understanding to develop other energy technologies, even biodomes and space stations. Engineers ask questions such as, "How much energy is needed to grow plants in this environment?" and "How much food is needed to provide enough energy to the organisms or people living in this environment?" Those are some pretty important questions!

Today, we are going to learn more about food chains and a special type of food chain called a food web. Can anyone guess what a food web is? A food web is what happens when one organism gets energy from more than one source, such as people eating vegetables, chicken and milk for one meal. Food chains are often drawn with arrows that point in one direction, for example, from the sun to a plant. The arrows show us the direction that energy is moving through a food chain. Food webs are more complicated; they have arrows that go all over the place, from animals to both plants and other animals. Are you ready to look at some food webs? Let's go!

(Optional: This may be a good time to use the attached Example Food Web Worksheet to acquaint students with the concept of food webs before beginning the activity.)

Before the Activity

  • Gather materials.
  • Hold a class discussion. Explain the idea that food chains are sometimes too simple to show what is actually going on in an environment. For example, humans eat more than chicken; they also eat fish, vegetables, fruit, grains, cheese and other types of meat. Bears and mountain lions eat birds and fish, and bears also eat berries. Skunks eat insects, bird eggs, baby birds, as well as fruit and berries. If possible, have the class research food webs in a variety of ecosystems online or in natural history books.
  • Consider using the attached Example Food Web Worksheet to acquaint students with the concept before beginning the activity.

With the Students: Part 1 — Human Food Web

  • Divide the class into teams of eight students each. (Groups may be larger or smaller, if desired, but they must be at least five students each.)
  • Have all the students stand in a circle.
  • Distribute a ball of string or yarn to one member of each group. This person represents the sun and starts each food web.
  • Have the first student hold tightly to the end of the string and toss the ball of string to another person in the group, across the circle.
  • Have the second person name one thing in the ecosystem that uses energy from the sun. Next, have this person clasp the string with one hand and toss the ball of string on to another student in the circle with their other hand.
  • Have the third student name something that eats or is eaten by the previous item named.
  • Continue until all students in the circle are connected with the ball of string at least once.
  • Have the student groups stop and look at the web they have created. Are some webs more complex than others? Why? (Answer: Some species may have been named twice because they are consumers of multiple things; some ecosystems have more variety of food sources, etc.) Point out to students how they have modeled a food chain or food web.

With the Students: Part 2 — Drawing Food Chains and Webs

Sketch shows minnows and young fish eating plankton, in turn being eaten by larger predatory fish, in turn being eaten by bigger animals and humans.

  • Divide the class into teams of two students each.
  • Ask each pair to think of a terrestrial food chain and an aquatic food chain, and create each of these with words on one side of a piece of paper, using arrows to show the energy flow.
  • Discuss the food webs they created as a class in Part 1, and tell them that they are now going to construct a food web in their pairs using pictures.
  • Pass out an assortment of nature and wildlife magazines.
  • Instruct the groups to make food webs on the other side of their paper by either drawing pictures of the living things in their food chains or finding them in the magazines and gluing them onto the paper. Suggest that they use arrows to show the direction of the flow of energy between the images.
  • Conclude with an informal discussion using the questions and answers provided in the post-activity assessment of the Assessment section.

Biodome: A human-made, closed environment containing plants and animals existing in equilibrium.

Consumer: An organism requiring complex organic compounds for food, which it obtains by preying on other organisms or by eating organic matter.

Decomposer: Organisms such as bacteria and fungi that decompose dead plants and animals.

Ecosystem: A functional unit consisting of all the living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in a given area, and all the nonliving physical and chemical factors of their environment, linked together through nutrient cycling and energy flow. An ecosystem can be of any size — a log, pond, field, forest or the Earth's biosphere — but it always functions as a whole unit.

Energy: The capacity for vigorous activity; available power; the capacity to do work. For example, I eat chocolate to get quick energy.

Engineer: A person who applies scientific and mathematical principles to creative and practical ends such as the design, manufacture and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes and systems.

Environment: The surroundings in which an organism lives, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans and their interrelationships. (Examples: Tundra, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, grassland prairie, mountains and rain forest.)

Food chain: A sequence of organisms, each of which uses the next, lower member of the sequence as a food source. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/fterms.html.

Food web: A complex network of many interconnected food chains and feeding interactions.

Photosynthesis: The process in green plants by which carbohydrates are made from carbon dioxide and water using sunlight as the energy source.

Producer: Any organism that is capable of producing its own food, usually through photosynthesis.

Pre-Activity Assessment

Idea Web : Ask students to brainstorm a list of environments. What different organisms live in these environments, both plants and animals? From where do these organisms get their energy and nutrients? Are there any energy or nutrient sources that are the same for all the environments?

Activity Embedded Assessment

Hypothesize : Ask each group what would happen if we combined two or more of their food webs. (Answer: If the food webs were combined, they would become more complex. More consumer food options might result. Fewer energy sources [plants or producers] might lead to more competition for food among the consumers.)

Drawing : Have students draw a diagram of their food web in the Part 1: Human Food Web activity.

Post-Activity Assessment

Informal Discussion: What Happens to the Energy ? Solicit, integrate and summarize student responses.

  • How do we use the energy that is in the food we eat? (Discussion points: We use energy to move, keep warm [we give off heat all the time, and this heat energy comes from the food we eat] grow, think, stay healthy, and stay alive. What is left is stored in our bodies.)
  • If only a fraction of the energy that an herbivore (plant eater) gets from plant food becomes part of the herbivore's body (its biomass), what happens to the rest of it? (Discussion points: The rest of the energy from the plant food is lost as waste [in droppings] or is used up for movement, keeping warm or just staying alive.)
  • Is the same true for carnivores? (Discussion points: Yes, when a carnivore eats another animal, only a fraction of the energy from its animal food is incorporated into the carnivore's body.)
  • Introduce the class to the idea that energy is lost at each link in the food chain or web because the living things pass on much less energy than they receive. This energy loss means that most food chains are only four or five links long. Can they find any long food chains within the food webs they made today?
  • Which item on their food web probably had the most energy? Which item had the least? (Discussion points: Many engineers work with energy efficiency and conservation. Engineers pay attention to when energy is gained and energy is lost. Engineers design technologies for alternate sources of energy and ways to keep more energy in a system.)
  • How do you think an engineer might use information about a food chain or web when designing a biodome or space station in which humans live? (Discussion points: To figure out how much energy is needed to grow plants in the artificial environment. To find out how much food is needed to provide enough energy to the organisms or people living in the environment. To make sure to include plants, animals and other organisms that are part of the same food web. To make sure the artificial ecosystem conditions provide the right kind and amount of resources [sunshine, air, nutrients, soil, water, climate, etc.] to support all the food web organisms. To conserve and re-use resources because they are important to survive and in limited supply.)

It may help to do an example food chain and/or web on the classroom board to clear up confusion before gluing begins. Or, use the attached Example Food Web Worksheet to acquaint students with the concept before beginning the activity.

Add-on to the Part 1: Human Food Web. Have one species in the web suddenly be threatened by extinction by asking that student to sit down. Which student(s) feel a tug on their string as a result of the first student sitting down? Those students should also sit down, and so on. Every student should end up sitting, since they are all connected. Make sure that one of the species in the web is a human; this helps to illustrate the human impact on other living things. (Adapted from: the Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Education Center, http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/education/school_grounds_activities).

Alternate project for Part 2: Drawing Food Chains and Webs. If string and wire or straws are available, have students construct their food webs as mobiles.

Assign students to research food webs in a variety of ecosystems online or in natural history books. Omnivores, such as humans, bears and skunks, often have more complicated food webs.

  • For lower grades, make less complicated food chains instead of food webs. For example, have students make paper food chains by drawing or gluing pictures of food chain components onto separate pieces of paper. Then tape them together in the appropriate order.
  • For upper grades, have students prepare their food webs and present them to the class discussing the interconnectedness and relationships of the animals and plants. Also, have students consider the effect of other nutrient cycles on their food web, such as carbon, nitrogen and water.

food web activity for elementary students

Students learn about energy and nutrient flow in various biosphere climates and environments. They learn about herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, food chains and food webs, seeing the interdependence between producers, consumers and decomposers. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in whic...

preview of 'Go with the Energy Flow' Lesson

With a continued focus on the Sonoran Desert, students are introduced to the concepts of food chains and food webs. They learn the difference between producers and consumers and study how these organisms function within their communities as participants in various food chains.

preview of 'Food Chains and Food Webs - Balance within Natural Systems' Lesson

Students gain an understanding of the parts of a plant, plant types and how they produce their own food from sunlight through photosynthesis. They learn how plants play an important part in maintaining a balanced environment in which the living organisms of the Earth survive. This lesson is part of ...

preview of 'Planting Thoughts' Lesson

Students must correctly determine whether a species is a producer or consumer, and what type of consumer; herbivore, omnivore, or carnivore. Students are provided with a list of Sonoran Desert species and asked to construct, within their groups, several food chains.

preview of 'Constructing Sonoran Desert Food Chains and Food Webs' Activity

Bush, Mark B. Ecology of a Changing Planet, Second Edition. Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000.

Dictionary.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Accessed December 5, 2006.

Food Chains and Webs, Making a Food Chain. Cornwall Wildlife Trust, UK. http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/ Accessed December 5, 2006. (Source of part of this activity; also includes additional fun and easy classroom and student activities)

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: October 21, 2020

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Food chain/web.

food web activity for elementary students

From plants and single cell organisms to humans, every organism on this planet needs a fuel source or energy to live. Plants use the sun and nutrients from the soil. Insects eat plants. Rodents eat insects. Reptiles eat rodents. You get the picture. The bigger animals eat the smaller animals. This is the essence of the food chain.

The food chain is an important concept for a young child to learn. It helps them see the world as a much larger and more unified place. Everything is linked and dependent on each other to survive. There are actually six levels or positions in the food chain. They include primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, and quaternary consumers. The food chain ends with the animals that have little or no natural enemies.

Teaching Your Young Students About the Food Chain

Teacher Planet offers lesson plans for teaching about the food chain and the food web. Resources include hands on activity plans, worksheets, clip art, printables and additional teaching resources to help you plan and organize your food chain unit.

Helping children understand their role in the food chain may make them more responsible citizens and increase their understanding of the environment and ecology.

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food web activity for elementary students

Step on it! A life-sized food web

Step on it! A life-sized food web (free printables!)

This is a fun idea to add to your unit on ecosystems.  Make a life-sized version of an ocean food web for students to work their way through.  How fun is this!

Print off the photos and at least 9 arrows. Set up the food web in a large open space. You can use sidewalk chalk instead of the paper arrows to make the area even larger for your whole class.  You can draw large circles around each organism with sidewalk chalk so students know where to stand.

Students each represent a unit of energy. Where did they come from before arriving at the phytoplankton?  Allow students to take any path they choose as long as they follow the arrows. Along the way, students record where they went.  Then, students write about how energy was transferred.

Students are each a unit of energy. They begin at Phytoplankton. Leave 3 students at phytoplankton. The rest move to krill. At this point, the group separates into 3 groups. Group #1 moves to jellyfish. Group #2 moves to the squid. Group #3 stays at the krill.

Group #1 at the jellyfish separates into two groups. One stays at the jellyfish and the other moves on to the loggerhead. Again, separate the group at the loggerhead into 2 groups. One group stays behind and the other moves to the orca.

Group #2 at the squid separates into 3 groups again. 1/3 go to the orca. 1/3 go to the tuna. 1/3 stays at the squid. Lastly, half of the group at the tuna goes to the orca and half of the group at the tuna stays there.

Finally, talk about what happens to all of the energy when those organisms die. Where does it go? Into decomposers! Break out the bacteria card and have everyone join together again there.

Make your way through an ocean food web!

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8 thoughts on “step on it a life-sized food web”.

Fianlly! This is just what I was looking for.

This is awesome. I was looking for ways to bring this unit into an observation type exercise. My kiddos will love this, so will my administrators!

Hi Ari, could I ask for some help. I’m a fully self contained teacher for middle schoolers. I have an assignment on ecosystems to complete with my students; however the final assignment needs to be on a DOK 3 level. Please LMK if you could help. Thanks Sheri

Hi Ari! I wanted to share a variation my teaching partner and I tried with this lesson that worked really well and had our 5th grade students making really good connections! We paired the students up and assigned each pair one of the organisms in your food web. The students were given 15 minutes to research their organism to find out what its role is in the ecosystem, and where it gets its energy from. We then had them work together to create the food web by talking about their research. Their conversations were so good! Once they had put the food web together, we “walked” through the web using Idea #2 so they could see how the energy is distributed. We used the response page and follow-up as a conclusion and had them add that to their science notebooks. This was such a great activity! I saw lightbulbs going off the whole time! Thank you so much for sharing it!

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Ari Mosquera

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As a new teacher, I struggled to plan engaging, rigorous science lessons. Throughout my time teaching upper elementary and in my graduate studies, I discovered what worked well and developed science curriculum for busy teachers.  Now, teachers across the country use Science Penguin activities every single day in their classrooms!

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food web activity for elementary students

Food Chain Activities and Games for Hands-On Learning

Michele is a writer who has been published both locally and internationally.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

Fun food chain games and food chain activities help kids understand this biology concept through hands-on learning. Teaching food chains, food webs, and food pyramids can be fun when you use a combination of food chain worksheets, DIY games, and a variety of activities.

Food Chain Activities for Young Children

Food chain lesson plans for kids in grades K-2 should include several short activities to hold their attention. If they get really involved in one activity, let them run with it and look for simple ways to extend it.

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Yarn Food Web

A food web activity with yarn is fun because it gets kids moving. You'll need some yarn, scissors, images of each part of the food web, and a few different people or some chairs to help complete the activity.

  • Assign each of the images to a separate person or place by sticking each to a child's shirt or setting each on a chair.
  • Arrange all the people and/or chairs in a circle, but try not to put them in the correct order around the circle.
  • Have your child take the ball or long piece of yarn and tie or tape it to one image.
  • Your child should then take the string to something that consumes that item or something that item consumes and tape the yarn there.
  • He can use the scissors to cut the yarn when needed.
  • In the end, he should have a big web of yarn connecting all the parts of the food web.

Toy Line Food Chain

A fun food chain STEM activity involves creating an actual line or pyramid food chain. Kids can use toy plants, animals, insects, or even blocks to show a food chain.

  • You can choose a few toys that make a basic food chain like fake corn, a chicken stuffed animal, and a superhero. Ask your child to line them up in consumption order.
  • For a food pyramid, kids can line up all the plants on the bottom, then stack herbivores on top of those and carnivores on top of those.
  • If you don't have toy plants and animals, use blocks. You can assign one color for each part of the food chain, then have your child line them up or build a pyramid.

Food Chain Scavenger Hunt

As you start to explore basic food chain vocabulary, a scavenger hunt can be a fun way to practice comprehension. After you introduce a word like "producers" or "consumers," ask your child to find a toy or image of a producer or consumers.

Food Chain Activities for Older Children

Older kids in grades 3-5 or even middle school can also have fun with food chains. Since they are learning more of the complexities of food chains, these activities can be more difficult.

You Are What You Eat Collage

Give kids magazines, scissors, and glue, or let them use clipart and a program like Google Slides where they can add the clipart in any pattern. Ask your child to think about the food chain they belong to and create a piece of art illustrating it. Kids should use images of the things they consume, the things those items consume, and so on to make a collage in the shape of their face or body.

Write a Food Diary

Get inspired by books like Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Worm and ask kids to keep a food diary. Kids can start a food diary that works backwords from themselves and shows the food chain under them, or follow a family pet, garden insect, or backyard bird's food chain. Give kids the freedom to write this as journal entries, a cartoon, or even a picture book.

Food Web Tower

Kids will need to use their engineering and creativity skills to create a food web tower. You'll need images of different plants and animals, tape, building blocks, and long, thin pieces like craft sticks.

  • This works best for a food chain from an ecosystem or environment where there are multiple layers of the food chain like elements in the sky, on the water, and in the water for example.
  • Your child can tape one image to each building block.
  • Your child should use those blocks build towers that show the different layers of the ecosystem. However, the blocks with images can't be touching each other unless they are directly related in the food chain.
  • Your child should use the craft sticks to show which elements of the food chain connect to each other directly.

Fun Food Chain Games for Kids

Fun food chain games for the classroom or at home provide the opportunity for kids to see how a food chain works.

Food Chain Red Rover

Play the classic game of Red Rover, only make it relate to food chains.

  • Give each child a food chain element they will be.
  • One team should include mostly plants and carnivores, while the other team should include mostly herbivores and decomposers or environmental elements.
  • The objective is for each team to call over other kids who will help their line make a complete food chain.
  • Teams take turns calling over one member of the opposite team until one team has a line that makes a complete food chain.

Food Chain Go Fish

Turn an ordinary card game of Go Fish into a fun food chain learning game with a few simple steps.

  • Create a deck of cards that features at least 10 different elements of one food chain.
  • There should be two cards made for each element. You can use images or words.
  • Deal out all the cards to the players.
  • The object of the game is to get as many direct food chain matches as you can. On a turn, ask for a card that either consumes or is consumed by one of the cards in your hand.
  • When there are no direct food chain matches left, count your pairs. The person with the most matches is the winner.

Online Food Chain Games

Kids can explore different types of food chains with interactive food chain games online.

  • The Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center (CSERC) offers an easy quiz-style game for kids featuring several food chains.
  • Explore food chains in the savannah with the BBC Bitesize Food Chain Challenge where you have to add a certain number of producers and consumers to create a food chain.
  • Younger kids can help make a food chain using click and drag skills with Sheppard Software's The Food Chain Game . After completing the chain, there's a fun animation showing the chain in action.

Play With Your Food

Food chain lessons are more fun and impactful for kids when they include cool games and activities. You can use activities to teach food chain concepts or for review.

food web activity for elementary students

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food web activity for elementary students

Food Chains and Food Webs Lesson Plan: Understanding Energy Flow

In this Food Chains and Food Webs lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades K-8, students use BrainPOP resources to construct a food chain and explain how energy flows through the chain. Students will explore how all living things depend directly or indirectly on green plants for food. They will then use pictures and arrows to create a food web that includes the sun, green plants, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:.

  • Construct a food chain and explain how energy flows through the chain.
  • Explain how all living things depend directly or indirectly on green plants for food.
  • Use pictures and arrows to create a food web that includes the sun, green plants, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores.
  • Photocopies class set of BrainPOP food chain Worksheet
  • Pictures of plants and animals
  • Ball of yarn

Vocabulary:

Preparation:, lesson procedure:.

  • Show the Food Chains movie on either  BrainPOP or  BrainPOP Jr. (depending on your students' age and ability levels) and complete either the  BrainPOP Worksheet or a BrainPOP Jr. activity .
  • Tell students they will be creating their own food web. Have them stand in a large circle. The student with the sun picture should be in a very clear spot in the circle. The students should look around and ask themselves: Who in this circle could I give my energy to? (Who might eat me?) Who in the circle could give me energy? (Who might I eat?)
  • Explain to the students that the ball of yarn represents the energy in the environment. Ask the student who represents the sun to hold the end of the yarn tightly and toss the ball to someone who can use that energy. When that student catches the yarn, they should pass the yarn to someone else who could use the energy. (Example: Sun->green plant->rabbit->fox) The ball of yarn should then be returned to the sun and repeated until every student is part of the food web.
  • As an extension, I ask certain students to gently tug on the string they are holding. I then ask any students who feel the tug to begin tugging on their string, very quickly, all of the students begin feeling their string being pulled. We then discuss the effects of even one small organism dying out in an ecosystem.
  • As a closing activity for this lesson, older students can use the  Graphic Organizer . Have the students fill in three of the food chains they observed while "weaving" the web today.

food web activity for elementary students

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Food Webs Lesson Module

The first module, Food Webs, explores the links between living things and their energy sources. Linking back to the Energy Sources module in the Physical Science Book, Food Webs shows how food chains are built linking the sun, plants, and animals as energy sources and/or users.

Core Concept

Food chains and food webs illustrate the flow of energy through a system of living things.

Essential Vocabulary

Carnivore, depend, energy, energy flow, food chain, food web, herbivore, omnivore, predator, prey

Lesson Plan

Interactive Demos

The Explore session promotes interest in and curiosity about food webs. In this session students attempt to solve a puzzle by following a set of rules. Students also participate in a teacher-led discussion that encourages them to wonder about where different animals get their energy. To complete the session, students work collaboratively offline and further explore the living parts of a food web.

Go With The Flow

This Elaborate session allows students to apply what they have learned to new situations. In this session students participate in a selection of activities that focus on science process skills and content understanding. To complete the session, students work independently or with peers to complete an offline activity that reinforces science process skills.

Professional Development

Science4Us provides the essentials that teachers need to confidently and effectively lead a classroom in any science lesson. This demo shows:

  • One section of the "Teacher Explain"
  • One of the 40 teacher support documents

Additional Information

Once students explore the concept of food chains through lessons and hands-on activities, they learn that many food chains are connected in a food web. Through this study, students are introduced to the concepts of carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores as well as predators and prey, paving the way for later learning about animals and the natural world.

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Food Chains for Kids

January 14, 2015 By Emma Vanstone 4 Comments

All living things need food to be able to survive. Food chains are one way to demonstrate how energy is transferred between plants and animals.

Food chains show the way in which energy is passed from the sun to plants which are then eaten by animals, who are then eaten by other animals, until you get to the top of the food chain. All energy comes from the sun, plants use sunlight to make their own food by a process called photosynthesis .

Plants are called producers as they make their own food and are the start of the food chain.

Animals are called consumers as they eat plants and other animals and are further up the food chain.

If one part of a food chain is reduced or changes, the whole food chain is affected. For example if there was a shortage of fish for penguins to eat, penguins would survive less well reducing the food supply for animals further up the food chain.

Marine Food Chain

Example Food Chains

sun – pondweed – tadpole – duck

grass – rabbit -fox

grass – rabbit – owl -snake – fox

grass – cow – human

carrot – rabbit – fox – lion

Fish – penguin – shark

Easy Food Chains for Kids

Build a food chain.

Collect small toy animals and create a food chain with arrows.

Selection of toys for an easy food chain activity for kids

Stack them up

Choose a food chain and print out images for each part.

Attach each image to a different sized tube. The tubes should fit inside each other with the widest at the bottom.

Fit the tubes together to make a food chain.

Food chain craft - fox food chain - food chains for kids

Make a paper food chain

Make a paper chain food chain!

Paper chain food chain - food chains for kids

We also love these food chain collages !

Food chain questions to ask

What is a herbivore.

A herbivore is an animal that eats plants. In a food chain we call the herbivore the primary consumer. It is the first consumer.

What is a carnivore?

A carnivore is an animal which eats other animals, in a food chain carnivores ( predators ) are known as secondary or tertiary consumers.

What is a predator?

A predator is an animal which kills another animal to eat.

What is a food web?

A food web is similar to a food chain, but shows a more complicated feeding relationship.

More Easy Science for Kids!

Learn about photosynthesis with a cress caterpillar.

Try one of our easy activities for science at home !

Learning Outcomes

Key stage 1.

Understand that all living things need food to be able to survive.

Key Stage 2

Understand the meaning of producers, predators and prey.

Construct and interpret food chains.

Understand that if one part of a food chain is altered it affects the whole chain.

Food Chains for Kids - fun food chain activities for kids #FoodChains #ScienceforKids

Last Updated on April 28, 2020 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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Exploring the Food Chain: A Hands-On Lesson Plan for Students

The food chain is a fundamental concept in ecology and plays a crucial role in understanding the interconnectedness of organisms within ecosystems. Teaching students about food chains can be an engaging and interactive experience, whether in a traditional classroom setting or through online learning platforms. In this article, we will explore 17 cool ways to teach food webs and food chains, both in person and online.

1. Start with an anchor chart: Begin your food chain lesson plan by creating an anchor chart that visually represents the concept. Include illustrations or pictures of different organisms and use arrows to show the flow of energy from one organism to another.

2. Introduce food webs and food chains during storytime: Engage students by reading a story or book that emphasizes the concept of food chains. Discuss the characters’ roles in the food chain and how they depend on each other for survival.

3. Let The Lion King explain the concept: Use the popular Disney movie, The Lion King, as a teaching tool. Analyze the characters and their roles in the food chain, from herbivores like zebras to predators like lions.

4. Put together a food chain puzzle: Create a hands-on activity where students can assemble a puzzle that depicts a food chain. Provide them with different organisms, and they must arrange them in the correct order to show the flow of energy.

5. Use a paper plate to show the circle of life: Draw a large circle on a paper plate and divide it into sections. Each section represents a different organism in a food chain. Students can then use cut-out pictures or drawings to fill in the sections and create their own food chain.

6. Try some StudyJams: Use online resources like StudyJams, which offer interactive lessons and videos on food chains and food webs. These resources can be accessed by students individually or used during whole-class instruction.

7. Create food chain art: Encourage students to express their understanding of food chains through art. They can draw or paint their own food chains, incorporating different organisms and illustrating the flow of energy.

8. Conduct a food chain scavenger hunt: Take students outdoors or provide them with pictures of different organisms. They must identify and categorize the organisms into different trophic levels, creating a visual representation of a food chain.

9. Role-play as organisms in a food chain: Divide students into groups and assign each group a different organism from a food chain. They must act out their role and demonstrate how they depend on other organisms for food.

10. Create a digital food web: Utilize online tools or apps that allow students to create digital food webs. They can drag and drop different organisms, connect them with arrows, and add labels to demonstrate the relationships within the food web.

11. Conduct a virtual field trip: Take students on a virtual field trip to a local ecosystem or nature reserve. Discuss the different organisms they observe and how they are interconnected in food chains.

12. Use interactive quizzes or games: Engage students through online quizzes or games that test their knowledge of food chains. These interactive activities can be a fun way to reinforce concepts and assess understanding.

13. Analyze real-world examples: Explore real-world examples of food chains, such as the Arctic or the African savannah. Discuss the unique characteristics of these ecosystems and the specific organisms that inhabit them.

14. Create food chain diagrams: Provide students with blank diagrams of food chains and ask them to fill in the missing organisms and arrows. This activity allows them to practice their understanding of the concept and reinforce their knowledge.

15. Conduct a hands-on experiment: Set up a simple experiment where students observe the effects of disrupting a food chain. For example, remove a key organism and discuss the consequences it has on the other organisms in the chain.

16. Use digital simulations: Utilize online simulations or virtual labs that allow students to manipulate and observe the interactions between organisms in a food chain. These simulations can provide a dynamic and immersive learning experience.

17. Collaborative research projects: Assign students to research different ecosystems and create presentations or posters that depict the food chains within those ecosystems. This encourages collaboration and deeper understanding of the concept.

Teaching food chains and food webs is essential for students to comprehend the intricate relationships between organisms in ecosystems. By incorporating hands-on activities, digital resources, and real-world examples, educators can create engaging and interactive lesson plans that foster a deeper understanding of this important ecological concept.

How Do You Introduce A Food Chain To A Lesson?

To introduce a food chain to a lesson, you can use various strategies and activities to engage your students. Here are some detailed steps you can follow:

1. Start with an anchor chart: Begin the lesson by creating an anchor chart that visually represents the concept of a food chain. Include labels for producers, consumers, herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers. This will serve as a reference point throughout the lesson.

2. Introduce food webs and food chains during storytime: Use books or short stories that feature animals and their interactions within ecosystems. Discuss the different roles each animal plays in the food chain and how they are connected.

3. Let The Lion King explain the concept: Show a clip from The Lion King or any other nature documentary that illustrates the concept of a food chain. Discuss the different animals shown and their roles as predators or prey.

4. Put together a food chain puzzle: Prepare a set of cards with pictures or names of different organisms. Have your students work in pairs or small groups to arrange the cards in the correct order to create a food chain. This will encourage critical thinking and collaboration.

5. Use a paper plate to show the circle of life: Give each student a paper plate and ask them to draw or paste pictures of various organisms to create a food chain. Then, cut the plate into sections representing trophic levels. Connect the sections with arrows to demonstrate the flow of energy in the food chain.

6. Try some StudyJams: Utilize online resources like StudyJams, which offer interactive videos and quizzes about food chains. This will provide a fun and engaging way for students to learn and reinforce their understanding.

7. Create food chain art: Encourage creativity by having students create visual representations of food chains using art supplies. They can draw or paint different organisms, arrange them in a sequence, and label them accordingly. Display their artwork around the classroom to celebrate their efforts.

8. Play food chain games: Incorporate educational games such as “Who Am I?” or “Chain Reaction” to reinforce the concept of food chains. These games involve students guessing the role of an organism or identifying the correct sequence in a food chain.

Remember to continually reinforce the vocabulary associated with food chains, such as producers, consumers, herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers. Use a combination of visual aids, hands-on activities, and interactive resources to cater to different learning styles and keep students engaged.

food chain lesson plan

How Do You Write A Food Chain Lesson Plan?

Title: Exploring Food Chains: A Hands-on Lesson Plan

Introduction: This lesson plan aims to engage students in learning about food chains through an interactive and hands-on activity. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to understand what a food chain is, differentiate it from a food web, discuss the key factors and components involved, and identify the trophic levels of a food chain.

Learning Objectives: – Explain the concept of a food chain – Differentiate between a food chain and a food web – Discuss the key factors, processes, and components involved in a food chain – Identify and understand the trophic levels of a food chain

Materials Needed: – Index cards or small pieces of paper – Markers or colored pencils – Small objects representing organisms (e.g., plastic animals, toy figures, or pictures) – Large poster paper or whiteboard

1. Introduction (5 minutes): – Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever wondered how energy flows through an ecosystem or how organisms are interconnected. – Share that we will be exploring the concept of food chains, which help us understand these connections.

2. Explanation of Food Chains (10 minutes): – Define a food chain as a series of organisms in which each one is eaten by the next, creating a flow of energy. – Use visual aids, such as diagrams or illustrations, to explain the basic structure of a food chain. – Emphasize that a food chain starts with a producer (plants) and ends with a top consumer (predator), and that each organism occupies a specific trophic level.

3. Differentiating Food Chains from Food Webs (5 minutes): – Clarify the difference between a food chain and a food web. – Explain that a food web is a network of interconnected food chains, showing the complex relationships between different organisms in an ecosystem. – Highlight that while a food chain shows a linear flow of energy, a food web demonstrates the multiple interactions and interdependencies among organisms.

4. Hands-on Activity: Creating Food Chains (15 minutes): – Divide the class into small groups or pairs. – Distribute index cards or small pieces of paper to each group. – Instruct students to write the name of an organism on each card and draw or paste a picture of it. – Encourage them to use different colors to represent different trophic levels. – Once the cards are ready, ask each group to arrange them in a linear sequence, representing a food chain. – Remind students to consider the flow of energy, starting with a producer and ending with a top consumer.

5. Presenting and Discussing Food Chains (10 minutes): – Ask each group to present their food chain to the class. – As they present, have them explain the trophic levels and the flow of energy within their chain. – Facilitate a class discussion by asking questions like: “What happens if one organism is removed from the chain?” or “What are the consequences of having multiple chains in an ecosystem?”

6. Wrap-up and Conclusion (5 minutes): – Recap the main points covered in the lesson, including the definition of a food chain, the difference between a food chain and a food web, and the significance of trophic levels. – Emphasize the importance of understanding food chains in comprehending how energy flows and cycles through ecosystems.

Assessment: – Assess students’ understanding by reviewing their food chain creations, ensuring they accurately represent the flow of energy and include appropriate trophic levels. – Conduct a class discussion to gauge comprehension and address any misconceptions.

Extension Activities: – Explore the concept of energy transfer and loss in food chains. – Research and discuss real-life examples of food chains in different ecosystems. – Investigate the impact of human activities on food chains and the consequences for the entire ecosystem.

By following this lesson plan, students will gain a deeper understanding of food chains, their importance in ecosystems, and the interrelationships between organisms within them.

What Is The Lesson Objective Of Food Chain?

The lesson objective of studying the food chain is to help students understand the interdependence of plants and animals in an ecosystem. By learning about the food chain, students can grasp the concept that all living organisms are part of a complex system where each species relies on others for survival.

Specifically, the objective of teaching the food chain is to:

1. Explain the concept of a food chain: Students will learn that a food chain is a linear sequence of organisms, starting with a producer (usually a plant) that converts sunlight into energy, followed by consumers (animals) that feed on the producers, and ending with decomposers (such as fungi and bacteria) that break down organic material.

2. Illustrate energy flow: Students will understand that energy flows through the food chain, starting from the sun and passing through each organism as it is consumed. They will learn that energy is transferred from one organism to another, with only a small percentage being passed on at each trophic level.

3. Demonstrate the importance of biodiversity: Students will recognize that a diversity of plants and animals is necessary for a healthy food chain. They will understand that if one species is affected or removed from the chain, it can disrupt the entire ecosystem, leading to imbalances and potential collapse.

4. Highlight the concept of trophic levels: Students will learn about the different trophic levels in a food chain, including producers (primary producers), primary consumers, secondary consumers, and so on. They will understand that each trophic level represents a different level of energy transfer and that organisms within each level have specific roles and dependencies.

5. Emphasize the impact of human activities: Students will explore how human activities, such as deforestation, pollution, and overfishing, can disrupt food chains and lead to negative consequences for ecosystems. They will be encouraged to consider sustainable practices and understand the importance of preserving biodiversity.

The objective of studying the food chain is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate connections between plants and animals in ecosystems. By grasping this concept, students can develop a greater appreciation for the delicate balance of nature and the importance of preserving it for the well-being of all living organisms.

What Are The Objectives Of Food Chain And Food Web?

The objectives of a food chain and food web are to illustrate the interactions and interdependencies between organisms in an ecosystem. Here are the specific objectives of both:

1. Food Chain: – To demonstrate the flow of energy and nutrients through a linear sequence of organisms. – To show the transfer of energy from one organism to another. – To highlight the feeding relationships within an ecosystem. – To depict the direction of energy flow, starting from producers (plants) to consumers (herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores). – To illustrate the concept of trophic levels and energy transfer efficiency. – To emphasize the importance of maintaining a balanced and stable ecosystem.

2. Food Web: – To provide a more comprehensive representation of the complex feeding relationships in an ecosystem. – To show the interconnectedness of multiple food chains within an ecosystem. – To demonstrate the various pathways through which energy and nutrients flow. – To depict the interactions between different species and the potential impacts of changes in one population on others. – To highlight the importance of biodiversity and the role of keystone species in maintaining ecosystem stability. – To illustrate the concept of energy transfer through multiple trophic levels.

The objectives of food chains and food webs are to visually represent the flow of energy, nutrients, and feeding relationships within an ecosystem, and to emphasize the interconnectedness and interdependencies among organisms.

Teaching about food chains and food webs is essential for helping students understand the intricate connections between organisms in an ecosystem. By introducing this concept through anchor charts, storytime, and multimedia resources like The Lion King and StudyJams, educators can engage students and make the learning experience more interactive.

Hands-on activities such as creating a food chain puzzle or using a paper plate to show the circle of life provide a tangible and visual representation of how organisms rely on each other for food. These activities not only reinforce the concept of trophic levels but also allow students to see the real-life applications of food chains in nature.

By incorporating art into the lesson, students can express their understanding of food chains creatively. Whether it’s drawing or painting a food chain or creating a collage, this artistic approach adds a fun and personal touch to the learning experience.

The goal of teaching food chains is to help students grasp the importance of the interdependence of plants and animals in ecosystems. By understanding the relationships and connections within a food web, students can develop a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance that exists in nature and the impact that disruptions in these chains can have on the entire ecosystem.

By utilizing a variety of teaching methods, educators can cater to different learning styles and make the lesson engaging and memorable. Whether in-person or online, these strategies can help students develop a solid understanding of food chains and their significance in ecological systems.

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Photo of author

An Interactive Food Web Game for the Classroom

Matthew C Perry/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

  • Habitat Profiles
  • Marine Life
  • B.S., Biology, University of Missouri in Columbia

A  food web diagram illustrates links among species in an ecosystem according to "who eats what" and shows how species depend on one another for survival.

When studying an endangered species, scientists must learn about more than just one rare animal. They have to consider the animal's entire food web in order to help protect it from the threat of extinction.

In this classroom challenge, student scientists work together to simulate an endangered food web. By assuming the roles of linked organisms in an ecosystem, kids will actively observe interdependence and explore the repercussions of breaking vital links.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 45 minutes (one class period)

Here's How

  • Write the names of organisms from a food web diagram on note cards. If there are more students in the class than species, duplicate lower level species (there are generally more plants, insects, fungi, bacteria, and small animals in an ecosystem than large animals). Endangered species are assigned only one card each.
  • Each student draws one organism card. Students announce their organisms to the class and discuss the roles they play within the ecosystem.
  • One student with an endangered species card holds a ball of yarn. Using the food web diagram as a guide, this student will hold the end of the yarn and toss the ball to a classmate, explaining how the two organisms interact.
  • The recipient of the ball will keep hold of the yarn strand and toss the ball to another student, explaining their connection. The yarn toss will continue until every student in the circle is holding at least one strand of yarn.
  • When all organisms are connected, observe the complex "web" that has been formed by the yarn. Are there even more connections than students expected?
  • Single out the endangered species (or the most critically endangered if there are more than one), and cut the yarn strand(s) that are being held by that student. This represents extinction. The species has been removed from the ecosystem forever.
  • Discuss how the web collapses when the yarn is cut, and identify which species appear to be most affected. Speculate about what might happen to other species in the web when one organism goes extinct. For example, if the extinct animal was a predator, its prey may become overpopulated and deplete other organisms in the web. If the extinct animal was a prey species, then predators that relied on it for food may also go extinct.
  • Grade Level: 4 to 6 (ages 9 to 12)
  • Examples of endangered species' food webs: Sea Otter , Polar Bear , Pacific Salmon , Hawaiian Birds, and Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
  • Be ready to look up different species on the internet or in textbooks to answer questions about an organism's role in the ecosystem.
  • Offer a large-sized food web diagram that all students can see (such as an overhead projector image), or pass out one food web diagram to each student for reference during the challenge.

What You Need

  • Food web diagram for an endangered species (See examples in "Tips" section.)
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  • Marker or pen
  • Ball of yarn
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NGSS Life Science

Food web worksheets.

Food Web Ecology

Membership Includes: All Lesson Plans + Editable Files + Answer Keys + Test Question Banks

Energy Pyramid

Energy Pyramid Concepts

  • Food Chain - feed from lower trophic level.
  • Food Web - multiple food chains.
  • Energy Pyramid - energy transfer, 10%, energy efficiency, biomass.
  • Trophic Levels - producers, consumers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritivores, decomposers.

Lessons Organized by NGSS Standard

  • LS1 From Molecules to Organisms
  • LS2 Ecosystems
  • LS3 Heredity
  • LS4 Biological Evolution

COMMENTS

  1. 25 Fun Food Web and Food Chain Activities

    1. Start with an anchor chart Food Chain Web via Shannon McCoy/Pinterest A food chain follows the direct path of energy between species. Food webs are more complex and involve a give-and-take between many organisms in an environment. This clever anchor chart helps explain the difference between the two. 2.

  2. How to Make Food Webs Interactive and Fun!

    Karen Sinai How to Make Food Webs Interactive and Fun! Updated October 25, 2021 Here are some super fun activities that involve every student in a memorable, exciting way! They will completely understand the interdependence of food webs and the energy levels of food chains. NGSS Standards

  3. 39 Awesome Ways To Teach Food Webs

    4. Food Chain Toy Path Here's a perfect activity that's great for engaging your more visual learners. Have them gather a variety of toy animals and plants and then challenge them to set up their toys to create a food web, using arrows to show the transfer of energy. Learn More: Science Sparks 5. Assemble Food Chain Paper Links

  4. 7 Ideas to Teach Ecosystems and Food Webs

    1. 🐘 Phenomena-based Science Unit How can a single species in an ecosystem affect the whole food web? Designed for 5th grade NGSS, this phenomena-based science unit focuses on keystone species. Rather than learning facts about food webs, students figure out how keystone species impact an ecosystem. New to this style of teaching? Don't worry!

  5. How to Teach Food Webs: 9 Exciting Hands-on Activities for 4th grade

    1. Back to the Basics with Food Chains Before students can understand food webs, they need to understand food chains and that the arrows represent the path of energy. Check out our Food Chains Labs in a Snap if students need a review. This isn't your average food chains worksheet.

  6. FOOD WEBS LESSON PLAN

    FOOD WEBS LESSON PLAN - A COMPLETE SCIENCE LESSON USING THE 5E METHOD OF INSTRUCTION At the end of this comprehensive food webs lesson plan, students will be able to diagram the flow of energy through living systems, including food chains and food webs.

  7. Build an Interactive Student Food Web!

    Updated November 3, 2023 Grab some scissors, some yarn, and some plant and animal food chain pages, from your chosen ecosystem, and turn your class into a giant, interactive student food web! Subscribe To Access Free Science Resources Prepare to Build Your Web

  8. PDF Weaving the Web

    Students construct food webs to learn how food chains are interconnected. Suggested Grade Level 2 - 5 Estimated Time 30 - 40 minutes Objectives Students will be able to: 1. construct a food chain and explain how energy flows through the chain. 2. explain how all living things depend directly or indirectly on green plants for food.

  9. Food Webs

    Customized Dashboard Get More Features Free Find lessons on Food Webs for all grades. Free interactive resources and activities for the classroom and home.

  10. Got Energy? Spinning a Food Web

    8 Subject Areas: Summary Students learn about energy flow in food webs, including the roles of the sun, producers, consumers and decomposers in the energy cycle. They model a food web and create diagrams of food webs using their own drawings and/or images from nature or wildlife magazines.

  11. Food Chain/Web Lessons, Worksheets and Activities

    Rodents eat insects. Reptiles eat rodents. You get the picture. The bigger animals eat the smaller animals. This is the essence of the food chain. The food chain is an important concept for a young child to learn. It helps them see the world as a much larger and more unified place. Everything is linked and dependent on each other to survive.

  12. Step on it! A life-sized food web

    Students are each a unit of energy. They begin at Phytoplankton. Leave 3 students at phytoplankton. The rest move to krill. At this point, the group separates into 3 groups. Group #1 moves to jellyfish. Group #2 moves to the squid. Group #3 stays at the krill. Group #1 at the jellyfish separates into two groups.

  13. Food Webs and Food Chains Video For Kids

    Intro to Climate Change. Natural Resource Distribution. Human Impacts on the Environment. The Fossil Record. How To Be A Scientist (College & Careers) Food chains show how living things in an ecosystem interact! A food web is made of intersecting food chains. Our science video for kids helps you learn!

  14. Food Chain Activities and Games for Hands-On Learning

    Turn an ordinary card game of Go Fish into a fun food chain learning game with a few simple steps. Create a deck of cards that features at least 10 different elements of one food chain. There should be two cards made for each element. You can use images or words. Deal out all the cards to the players.

  15. Food Chains and Food Webs Lesson Plan: Understanding Energy Flow

    Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, K-3. In this Food Chains and Food Webs lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades K-8, students use BrainPOP resources to construct a food chain and explain how energy flows through the chain. Students will explore how all living things depend directly or indirectly on green plants for food.

  16. Hands-on Ecosystem Activities for Elementary Students

    Create a Food Web. A food web is similar to a food chain, but it shows the interconnectedness of all the organisms in an ecosystem. It includes more than one predator and prey. Students can create a paper plate food web or a construction paper food web to study food webs. You can create a food web using construction paper, scissors, and glue.

  17. Food Webs

    Food Webs Food Webs Lesson Module The first module, Food Webs, explores the links between living things and their energy sources. Linking back to the Energy Sources module in the Physical Science Book, Food Webs shows how food chains are built linking the sun, plants, and animals as energy sources and/or users. Core Concept

  18. Food Chains for Kids

    What is a food web? A food web is similar to a food chain, but shows a more complicated feeding relationship. More Easy Science for Kids! Learn about photosynthesis with a cress caterpillar. Try one of our easy activities for science at home! Learning Outcomes Key Stage 1. Understand that all living things need food to be able to survive. Key ...

  19. Food Web Activities Teaching Resources

    Browse food web activities resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. Browse Catalog Grades Pre-K - K 1 - 2 3 - 5 6 - 8 9 - 12 Other Subject Arts & Music English Language Arts World Language Math Science Social Studies - History Special Education Holidays / Seasonal Price

  20. Exploring the Food Chain: A Hands-On Lesson Plan for Students

    Introduce food webs and food chains during storytime: Engage students by reading a story or book that emphasizes the concept of food chains. Discuss the characters' roles in the food chain and how they depend on each other for survival. 3. Let The Lion King explain the concept: Use the popular Disney movie, The Lion King, as a teaching tool.

  21. An Interactive Food Web Game for the Classroom

    An Interactive Food Web Game for the Classroom Example of a food web. Matthew C Perry/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain By Jennifer Bove Updated on August 04, 2018 A food web diagram illustrates links among species in an ecosystem according to "who eats what" and shows how species depend on one another for survival.

  22. Food Webs Worksheets: Energy Pyramid & Energy Flow

    Food Web Worksheets. Food web worksheets, energy pyrmaid worksheets, and energy flow lesson plans that are designed for high school, middle school, and elementary school life science teachers. Energy pyramid worksheets include the 10% rule through the trophic levels. Food chain worksheets allow students to see the basics on how energy flows ...

  23. Food Web Activities & Games

    Exploring the Food Web. The food web is a fascinating topic for most students, but we have to be careful to keep their enthusiasm up. You can take learning to another level by incorporating these ...