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Science lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 30 minutes

Simple food chains

Ecosystems and food chains

CCSS NGSS.5-LS2-1England: KS1 Y2 Living things and their habitatsEngland: KS2 Y4 Animals, including humans

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Simple food chains.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: no earlier skill in the map; start from what students know.

Leads to: Producers, consumers, predators and prey; Environments change: human impact

Materials: Food web cards, Arrows to build chains, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval: three short questions students should already manage. Answers on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? acacia leaves → ___ → lion (phytoplankton / grass / giraffe / owl) → giraffePrompt: It must eat the thing before it in the chain.
  2. What does every food chain start with? (the soil / a big predator / a mushroom / a plant or other producer) → a plant or other producerPrompt: Which living things make their own food?
  3. Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? grass → ___ → fox (phytoplankton / snake / rabbit / oak leaves) → rabbitPrompt: It must eat the thing before it in the chain.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a food web and ask what would happen if one animal disappeared.
  • Share the objective: Simple food chains. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? phytoplankton → ___ → penguin → leopard seal
  • Step 1: phytoplankton → krill → penguin → leopard seal
  • Step 2: So the answer is: krill
  • Answer: krill
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? grass → ___ → frog → snake (grasshopper / lion / algae / acacia leaves) → grasshopperPrompt: It must eat the thing before it in the chain.
  2. In a food chain, what does the arrow mean? ("lives next to" / "is eaten by" (energy passes along) / "is bigger than" / "eats") → "is eaten by" (energy passes along)Prompt: Think: grass → rabbit. Which way does the food go?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? grass → ___ → lion (badger / seeds / acacia leaves / zebra) → zebraPrompt: It must eat the thing before it in the chain.
  2. In a food chain, what does the arrow mean? ("is bigger than" / "is eaten by" (energy passes along) / "lives next to" / "eats") → "is eaten by" (energy passes along)Prompt: Think: grass → rabbit. Which way does the food go?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Use concrete materials: food web cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Producers, consumers, predators and prey; Environments change: human impact.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-1.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Simple food chains

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Where does the energy in a food chain first come from?

    • A. the top predator
    • B. the Sun
    • C. the rain
    • D. the soil

  2. Question 2

    Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? algae → tadpole → ___ → heron

    • A. badger
    • B. fish
    • C. leopard seal
    • D. fox

  3. Question 3

    What does every food chain start with?

    • A. the soil
    • B. a big predator
    • C. a plant or other producer
    • D. a mushroom

  4. Question 4

    Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? grass → ___ → fox

    • A. owl
    • B. rabbit
    • C. acacia leaves
    • D. lettuce

  5. Question 5

    In a food chain, what does the arrow mean?

    • A. "is bigger than"
    • B. "eats"
    • C. "is eaten by" (energy passes along)
    • D. "lives next to"

  6. Question 6

    Which living thing fills the gap in this food chain? ___ → mouse → owl

    • A. krill
    • B. tadpole
    • C. seeds
    • D. zebra

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Answer key: Simple food chains

  1. 1. B. the Sun

  2. 2. B. fish

  3. 3. C. a plant or other producer

  4. 4. B. rabbit

  5. 5. C. "is eaten by" (energy passes along)

  6. 6. C. seeds