Food Chains for Kids: Producers, Consumers and Decomposers (Grade 5 Science)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Today we are learning about food chains. A food chain shows who eats whom in nature, and how energy passes from one living thing to the next.

Every food chain starts with the Sun. Plants are producers. They use sunlight, water and air to make their own food. This is called photosynthesis. Plants do not need to eat anything.

Animals are consumers, because they eat to get energy. Herbivores, like rabbits, eat only plants. Carnivores, like wolves, eat other animals. Omnivores, like bears, eat both plants and animals.

In a food chain, the arrow points to the one doing the eating. Grass, to grasshopper, to frog, to snake, to hawk. The arrow shows energy moving from the food into the eater.

Look again. Each arrow goes from the food to the eater. The frog eats the grasshopper, so the arrow points to the frog. Energy flows along the chain, one step at a time.

When plants and animals die, decomposers get to work. Mushrooms, worms and tiny bacteria break down dead things. This puts nutrients back into the soil, so new plants can grow.

Now it's your turn. Put these in food chain order. Owl, grass, mouse. Pause and try. Grass is the producer, the mouse eats the grass, and the owl eats the mouse. Grass, mouse, owl.

Great job! Remember, food chains start with the Sun, plants are producers, animals are consumers, and decomposers recycle nutrients. Arrows point to the eater. Practice food chains in the Science Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!