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Early Childhood

Introducing Food Chains to Elementary

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Jasmine Mercier Jasmine Mercier 1120 Points

Hello everyone!

I am currently a student teacher and am working on creating a lesson plan where I teach about the flow of energy in a food chain. How can I properly tie this with the childrens' everyday lives? I want to make this content meaningful to my students. If anybody has some ideas for some activities for this kind of lesson I would really appreciate it!

 

Hi Jasmine,

Have you thought about asking your students to list x number of foods that they consume and they can trace it back to where it grows or lives? I don't know if that is practice for your age group but it could be a start to the discussion of food webs.

In the attached collection is one that may help you but I wasn't able to attach just the file, Whoo Eats What?

Another way is to have students think about local animals, and then figure out what they eat, etc. After you have a web or list, then talk about food as fuel. 

The Cycle of Life lesson is for grades 3-5 but it may give  you more specific ideas. 

Project Learning Tree has lessons about ecosystems that introduce food webs & chains as well. 

Hope this gives you ideas and activities you can use!

Energy Collection (5 items)
Christopher Ernstes Christopher Ernstes 120 Points

Hi Bev,

 

I'm not the original poster, but I wanted to comment and say that I love these resources that you shared! As a future teacher, I am always looking for new information that I can file away and use for another day in my classroom. :)

Project Learning Tree is very intriguing and has plenty for me to utilize with the younger students.

Thanks again!

Katie Casablanca Katie Casablanca 33 Points

Hi! I am currently a pre-service teacher looking around on this site for ideas to use in my future classroom. I wanted to say thank you for putting these resources out there, they seem super helpful for teaching kids about ecosystems and food chains and I am so excited to implement them into my future lessons! Thank you for your help!

Jasmine Mercier Jasmine Mercier 1120 Points

Thanks for the response!

I also want to focus on the energy that flows within the food chain. As for the tracing back the children's food I feel there might be backlash (on the parents side) if I tell their child that they have eaten other animals (e.g bacon --> pig, beef --> cow). I just want to cover all the pros and cons of the lesson. 

Thank you so much for the resources I will definitely look into them!

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