A food chain shows how living things depend on each other for food.

A predator is an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals.

An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal is called prey.

We compare things by looking at what is the same and what is different.

Secondary sources are texts, images or objects created using information gathered by others.

Comparing different food chains

Science

In this More about food chains unit, pupils learn to identify producers, predator and prey in a food chain. In the Why we group and classify living things unit, they will build on this knowledge to learn that living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences

In the Introduction to food chains unit, pupils learnt to use the idea of a simple food chain to identify and name different sources of food. In this More about food chains unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to construct and interpret a variety of food chains

This unit involves constructing and interpreting food chains and identifying producers, predators, and prey. It focuses on asking questions, gathering and presenting data, recording findings with diagrams and charts, and using scientific evidence to answer questions and support findings.

More about food chains

Physical activity and equipment requiring safe use

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

We can {{}} food chains by looking at what is similar and what is different.

Compare these food chains. What is the same about them?

They have a different number of consumers.

Compare these food chains. What is different about them?

True or false? An animal can only be part of one type of food chain. 

magazine articles and leaflets about animals

Which of these can be used as secondary sources of information to find out what animals eat?

Consumers in a food chain include predators and producers.

Consumers in a food chain include predators and prey.

Which statement about food chains is correct?

We look at what is interesting about objects.

We look at what is the same and what is different.

What does it mean to look for similarities between objects?

To research something is to discover information about it.

To research something is to write a report about it.

True or false? The plants in a food chain are producers.

True or false? Some producers in a food chain can also be predators.

An animal that is a predator cannot be prey.

An animal that is a prey cannot be a predator.

Some animals in a food chain can be both predator and prey.

Which statement about predators and prey is correct?

Content guidance

Exploration of objects

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Adult supervision required

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Comparing different food chains

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.