Consumers in a food chain
I can identify and name consumers in different food chains.
Consumers in a food chain
I can identify and name consumers in different food chains.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A food chain shows how living things depend on each other for food. The arrows in a food chain represent 'is food for'.
- Animals do not make their own food. They need to hunt or find plants or other animals to eat to survive.
- Animals are called consumers in a food chain because they eat plants or other animals.
- The first consumer in a food chain (primary consumer) can be a herbivore or an omnivore.
- Consumers are not arranged in order of importance, rather they all depend on each other for survival.
Common misconception
Pupils may think that the consumers in a food chain are organised in order of importance.
This lesson focuses on food chains showing how living things depend on each other for food. Individual living things in a food chain are just as important as each other.
Keywords
Food chain - A food chain shows how living things depend on each other for food.
Producer - A producer in a food chain makes its own food.
Consumer - A consumer in a food chain is an animal which eats other animals or plants.
Herbivore - A herbivore is an animal which eats only plants.
Omnivore - An omnivore is an animal which eats both plants and other animals.
Equipment
Pupils may wish to draw their food chains so will need access to pens, pencils, rulers and paper.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
Loading...
Starter quiz
6 Questions
eats only other animals
eats only plants
eats other animals or plants
Exit quiz
6 Questions
