a.

Title: Ecosystems: Food Chains

b. Author: Taylor Forest
c. Subject: Science
d. Grade Level: Elementary School- 5th grade
e. Duration: 2 class periods, ~2 hours
f. Unit Description
The following lesson would be part of a larger ecosystem/animal unit
based on interactions, energy and dynamics of an ecosystem. Learning
outcomes below are from the Next Generation Science Standards.
g. Lesson Goals

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to craft a food web
or food chain.
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to define a food
chain and track the energy throughout.
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify various
producers, consumers, predators and prey.

h. Common Core Standards

5-LS2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among
plants, animals, decomposers and the environment.
5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that energy in animals food (used for
body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once
energy from the sun.
NGSS Science and Engineering Processes:
Use models to describe phenomena.

Develop a model to describe phenomena.

NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:

A systems can be described in terms of its components and their

interactions.

Energy can be transferred in various ways and through objects.

i. Big Ideas

In order for ecosystems to exist, they must have some order of

energy consumption

In order for animals to receive the energy they need, they need
to consume plants or animals.
j. Barriers
Vocabulary
Self-Regulation
Working productively while working independently
Peer work check

k. Anticipatory Set
a) Ask students, What did you have for dinner last night?
b) Break down responses into individual food ingredients and write
on board
c) Break down responses even further by either a producer or
consumer. Since you have not reviewed these terms with your
students yet, ask them questions such as, Which of these foods
come from plants? and Which of these foods don't come from
plants?
d) Explain to students that they are going to first be learning about
producers, consumers, herbivores, omnivores and carnivores and
then learning about food chains and food webs.
l. Introduce and model new knowledge
1) Introduce the vocabulary words herbivore, carnivore, omnivore,
producer, consumer, predator and prey and give the formal
definitions.
2) Ask students if they know what a food chain is.
3) After a definition has been given, write a more formal/complete
definition (depending on what students have said) on the board
for all to see.
4) Choose a food written on the board (from the anticipatory set)
and have students assist you in following the energy flow.
5) Explain to students that all of the food chains will end with the
sun because the sun is the main source of energy.
m. Guided practice
1) Explain to students that we will doing a Think-Tac-Toe for this
lesson
2) Explain to students that they will be working independently
through the Think-Tac-Toe at their own pace. If needed, students
can work with a partner, at the teachers discretion.
3) Stress to the students that this activity is not about racing
through the Think-Tac-Toe. Tell them that they will most likely not
be able to complete all of the tasks in the allotted time period, so

please complete all of the tasks with meaning, taking

understanding from them.
4) Explain to students that they are able to work throughout the
Think-Tac-Toe in whatever order they choose to.
5) Explain to students that they should continue working on
activities from the Think-Tac-Toe until the teachers asks them to
stop. There will be a 5 minute warning/clean-up time given
Food Chain Think-Tac-Toe
Logical/Mathematic Verbal/Linguistic

Create a food
chain for a frog
Make sure you
include mosquitos
in your food chain
Imagine that
mosquitos
became extinct
Create a second
food chain for a
frog, but leave out
the mosquito and
see how it
impacts your food
chain
If there were no
more mosquitos
in the world, what
would happen to
our animal
population?

Visual/Spatial
Watch the video

about Food
Chains,
http://www.youtub
e.com/watch?
v=pasB5FxhVUk
Summarize what
you have watched
by either a)
writing a
paragraph, b)
drawing a picture,
or c) orally dictate

Pretend you are a

predator
Create a
television or radio
newscast from the
point of view of a
predator
If you are unsure
what a television
or radio newscast
consists of,
research the
avenues on a
computer

Bodily/Kinesthetic

Interpersonal

Find a partner.
Interview your
partner to find out
what he or she
knows about Food
Chains.
Together, create
a quiz to test
other classmates'
knowledge of
Food Chains and
information
related to them.

Find 4 other
classmates to
complete this
activity with (5
students total)
Each student will
pick an index card
necklace (sun,
plant, mouse,
hawk and energy)
Construct a food
chain with the 5
different
components you
have
encompassed
Create a story to
accompany your
food chain

Intrapersonal

Write a journal
entry in your
Science Journal
about your
favorite animal.
Include their
classification
(herbivore,
omnivore,
carnivore and
producer/consum
er.)
Create a food

to your teacher

Musical

Create a
song/rap/poem
about food chains
Include the words
producer and
consumer, and at
least one of the
following:
herbivore,
omnivore or
carnivore.
Share your
song/rap/poem
with a classmate

Make sure you

create an answer
key with correct
information.

Interactive
Play the Food

Chain game at
http://www.ecokid
s.ca/PUB/eco_info/
topics/frogs/chain
_reaction/play_ch
ainreaction.cfm
Choose either the
Northern Food
Chain or the
Forest Food Chain
Work through the
food chain until
you successfully
complete it
Once you have
completed one,
work through the
other Food Chain

chain for that

animal.
Make sure your
journal entry is
thoughtful and
thorough!

Naturalistic

Choose an animal
from the list at
the front of the
room
Find the
Put all of the
components in
the correct order
to complete the
food chain
Find one
classmate to
check your food
chain and explain
the choices you
made to complete
the food chain
Have your teacher
check your food
chain for
completeness/corr
ectness before
moving on

n. Independence Practice
1) Introduce the Food Chain Project to students
a) Students will be assigned an animal
b) Each student must create a food chain for their animal
Food Chain Assignment Description
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Build a food chain for your assigned animal

Your food chain must have at least 10 elements
Your food chain must begin with the sun
Your food chain should include energy arrows through
Your food chain must be labeled throughout
You will have access to books and the internet to do
research on your particular animal, if needed

7. You should include a 2-3 paragraph summary of your

animal including diet, habitat, characteristics and anything
else you think is important to include
8. You may create your food chain in whatever media you
prefer. Posters, PowerPoint, movie form, etc
9. Be creative! Bright colors and extra detail is encouraged!
o. Assessment
1) Students will individually complete the exit ticket before leaving
for the day (or the class period, depending on when scheduled
science time is)
Food Chain Exit Ticket
Name: ____________________
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

What
What
What
What
What
What
What

do all food chains begin with? Why?

type of animals produce their own food?
are herbivores?
are omnivores?
are carnivores?
are food chains? What do they show?
the arrows of a food chain represent?

3) The Food Chain Assignment will also serve as an assessment.

Wrap Up:
1) Review key vocabulary terms: herbivore, carnivore, omnivore,
producer, consumer, predator and prey.
2) Review as a class what a food chain is.
3) Review the key parts of a food chain with the class.
p. Materials
Paper and writing utensils for each student
Index card necklaces (for bodily/kinesthetic activity)
Plastic bag filled with arrows, boxes and animal/plant pictures
(for naturalist activity)
Access to a computer for several students at one time
Access to a computer for students to complete the Food Chain
Activity
Art supplies for students to complete the Food Chain Activity

Rubrics:
Food Chain Project Rubric
4

Procedure/Conten The project

ts
contains all
required
elements.

The project is
missing one
required
element or all
elements are
present but
not fully
completed.

The project is
fully missing
more than
one required
element.

The project
contains one
or less
required
element (s).

Vocabulary

The student
uses proper
vocabulary
throughout
the project

The student
uses mostly
proper
vocabulary
throughout
the project

The student
makes
several
vocabulary
mistakes
throughout
the project

The student
makes
frequent
vocabulary
mistakes
throughout
the project
that interfere
with
comprehensio
n

Science Content

The
information
included is
accurate and
valid science
content and
information.

The
information
included is
mostly
accurate and
valid science
content and
information.

The
information
included
shows little
accurate and
valid science
content and
information.

There is no
accurate and
valid science
content and
information
provided.

Creativity

The project
contains
pictures,
multiple
colors and is
well put
together.

The project
contains
some
pictures,
multiple
colors and is
mostly well
put together.

The project
contains few
pictures,
multiple
colors and
there are
several
problems
with
organization.

The project
does not
contain
pictures,
multiple
colors and is
difficult to
follow.

Total Score

Exit Ticket Rubric:

The rubric for the exit ticket is more up to the discretion of the teacher.
This is graded as more of a participation grade. It will be used for the
teacher to access where each student is at after this lesson.