Background

Food chains show the linear feeding relationships within an ecosystem. Almost always, food chains begin with plants as their primary source of food. Next would be an animal that eats the plant, then, would be an animal that eats those plants.

Vocabulary

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Attention Grabber

Today we are going to become actors and act in a play called the “Food Chain” (write the words on the board). It will be a very short play, but you will all have a role. Ready? Lights! Camera! Action! Share a small snack from the garden with the students. Use your puppet to pretend that is a monster that eats a student. Ta Da! That was our show. What was it about? A food chain. Use the white board to show the make believe food chain. It started with the snack from the garden, then the students ate the snack, and then the puppet ate a student. Shall we look at a food chain that maybe doesn’t include something that is make believe?

Garden Activity   

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Part 1

• Show the students a picture of the hawk. Ask the students what they think a hawk eats.
• Use the pictures to show the students a food chain of what it eats. Tape the pictures on a board to display the food chain.

Part 2

• Have students look around the garden for other examples of food chains with a partner. Direction may need to be given for some students to look in the beds to find a food chain (insects), or in the trees for birds or squirrels. They need to include at least three things and need to be found in our garden area.
• Have the partners share their food chain. Record the food chains on a whiteboard.
• Ask the students if they notice anything interesting about what is at the bottom of the food chains.

Wrap Up 

• Have a discussion with the students about how their garden, because it is made of plants, is at the bottom of the food chain. Challenge the students to think of a food chain that does not start with plants. Even if we wanted chicken or hamburger, we still need to grow the food for those animals to eat.

What's Next?

• Have the students make a realistic food chain that includes themselves.
• Students can illustrate a food chain.
• Introduce a food web. A food web is different from a food chain, because it includes the different possibilities that an animal might choose to eat and shows how plants and animals within an ecosystem are connected. Students can become different parts of the ecosystem (have them write a name tag to wear so they can keep track of what each other are) and use pieces of yarn to connect the food web.

Download Materials

Lesson Materials

Plant, Mouse, Hawk Food Chain