What Is a Food Chain?

A food chain shows how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem. For example, the sun gives energy to plants (producers), which are then eaten by animals (consumers). Other animals break down dead organic matter and return key nutrients to the soil (decomposers).

This interactive activity presents a fun and engaging way to review producers, consumers and decomposers with your students. It provides an opportunity for students to review key definitions, then test their knowledge through a series of questions. Once they choose a response, feedback is provided as to whether the answer was correct (Great job! You got it right!)) or incorrect (Sorry, wrong answer. Try again.) Questions include:

1. Select which one is not a producer.
2. Select which one is not a decomposer.
3. Select which one is not a consumer.
4. In the food chain, which animal is the decomposer?
5. In the food chain, which living thing is the producer?
6. In the food chain, which living thing is not a consumer?
7. In the food chain, what could happen if the grasses were burned in a fire?
8. In the food chain, what could happen if the zebras were hunted by humans?
9. In the food chain, what could happen if the lions were hunted by humans?

Tips for Extension and Support

We know that teachers are doing their absolute best to provide differentiated instruction for the diverse needs of the learners in their classrooms. To help you achieve the next outcomes for your learners, here are some ideas for how you might differentiate the application of this resource.

• Extend Your High Fliers: Have more-capable students write an explanation of how energy flows through the grasslands food chain used in the activity. 
• Support Your Less-Confident Students: Allow your less-confident students to access support materials, such as this poster, to assist them in completing the activity.

Lesson Reviews Have Never Been So Easy!

Use the dropdown menu next to the Download button to choose between the Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides version of this resource.

Be sure to use this presentation in Slideshow mode in order to enable the interactive features.

This resource was created by Brittany Kellogg, a Teach Starter collaborator.

Explore more great food chain and food web resources below!

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Introduction to Food Chains – Teaching Presentation

Learn about the flow of energy in a food chain with this 12-slide teaching presentation.

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Food Chain Imbalance – Worksheet

Predict how changes in a food chain affect species in an ecosystem with this worksheet.

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Producer, Consumer and Decomposer - Sorting Activity

Explore the roles and relationships of producers, consumers and decomposers in food chains with this hands-on sorting activity.