Scientists make models to show how things work. A model is a small copy of something real. Today you will make a model of a food chain!
You will draw or cut out pictures of plants and animals. Then you will put them in order. Remember the rules. Every chain starts with the sun. Plants come next. Then come the animals that eat plants. Last come the animals that eat other animals.
Later, you will go outside like a real scientist. You will look for eating clues. A chewed leaf means a bug was eating. A bird pecking the ground is hunting worms. Nature is full of food chains in action!
1. What is a model?
2. What always comes first in a food chain?
3. What is one eating clue you might find outside?
You will need: paper, scissors, crayons, tape or glue, and string (optional).
Steps:
1. Draw and cut out these cards: sun, grass, grasshopper, bird, cat.
2. Mix up your cards on the table.
3. Put them in the right food chain order.
4. Tape them to paper with arrows in between.
5. Make a second chain with your own animals!
⚠️ Safety: Ask an adult for help with scissors. Cut slowly and point scissors away from your body.
Number these from 1 to 4 in food chain order. Write 1 for first.
| Living Thing | Order Number (1-4) |
|---|---|
| bird | |
| grass | |
| cat | |
| grasshopper |
Go outside with an adult. Look for signs of eating. Record what you find.
| Clue I Found | Who Was Eating? | What Were They Eating? |
|---|---|---|
Hints: chewed leaves, birds pecking, squirrels with nuts, spider webs, bug bites on plants.
Draw the food chain model you built. Include the arrows!
Explain your food chain model. Tell how the energy moves from the sun to the last animal.
Make up a food chain from a habitat you choose. Pick ocean, desert, Arctic, or forest.
My habitat:
Draw your food chain with arrows. Start with the sun!
Which animal in your chain is a carnivore?
What eating clues did you find outside today? What food chain might they belong to?