Friday 30th April 2021

LC: To use food chains to identify producers, predators and prey.

Over the last few weeks, we have discussed what an ecosystem is.

An ecosystem is a community of animals, plants and microorganisms, together within their habitat.

For example, a pond ecosystem may consist of a pond habitat, inhabited by aquatic plants, microorganisms in the mud at the bottom, fish in the water and a heron on the bank.

A habitat is a place where plants and animals live. Habitats are places like woodlands, deserts, ponds and oceans.

Frog spend their time near water when it’s time to lay their eggs.

Camels can go for weeks without water, making life in the desert easier.

Polar bears have long claws to help them move about in the snow and ice. 

Whereas humans have to adapt to the environment and the climate they are in by wearing less clothes in hot places and more clothes in cold places.

Within an habitat, there are many food chains.

A food chain shows how plants and animals get their energy, in order to survive.

A food chain always starts with a producer. This is an organism that makes its own food. Most food chains start with a green plant, because plants can make their own food by photosynthesis.

A predator is an animal that eats other animals. The animals that predators eat are called prey. Predators are found at the top of a food chain.

Watch the video by clicking the picture below.

Let's look at an example together.

The arrow means 'is eaten by'.

In this food chain, which is the producer?

Which is the predator?

Which is the prey?

To summarise this food chain, we can write the following sentence.

A leaf is eaten by a worm, which is then eaten by a bird.

Here is another example.

To summarise this food chain, we would write the following sentence.

A flower is eaten by a caterpillar, which is then eaten by a mouse, which is then eaten by an owl.

On Seesaw, you have been some a table showing many animals. You need to tick the correct box to show which habitat you would find each animal in. Next, you will find some food chains to complete. Under each, you must complete the sentence.