Purdue University
Mammal Food Webs
You are what you eat—or at least a part of what you eat. Budding scientists examine owl pellets to develop their own food webs. They use tooth and skull identification techniques to classify what they find.
Curated OER
Food Chains
Learners take a look at the relationship between organisms in food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids. After an opening demonstration by the teacher, pupils are split up into groups. Each one is assigned an environment such as:...
Curated OER
Great Lakes Food Web
Students identify species and components of a Great Lakes food web. Using note cards, they place themselves in the correct order of the food chain based on the species present. They discuss what they believe happens to various species...
Curated OER
Electricity and Food: From Glowing Pickles in Citrus Batteries
Fifth graders explore electrical concepts and host a guest speaker. This lesson sets up guidelines for students to follow when they have a guest speaker. Students are primed to become actively involved in a lecture or discussion, while...
Curated OER
Fun With Food Chains
Students explore our ecosystem by researching animal eating habits. In this food chain lesson, students identify the links between predator and prey and the energy that passes between organisms based on what their diet consists of....
Cornell University
The Science of Snowflakes
Who can grow the best crystals? Challenge class members to develop strategies for enhancing growth in the crystals. Through a lab investigation, learners study the properties of crystals and test the effectiveness of different growth...
Cornell University
Glued into Science—Classifying Polymers
Explore the unique characteristics of polymers. A complete lesson begins with a presentation introducing polymers. Following the presentation, young scientists develop a laboratory plan for creating substances using polymers. They test...
Curated OER
Sustainable Livestock
Students investigate healthy eating habits by researching livestock. In this food sustainability instructional activity, students research the negative impact factory farming has on our environment due to pollution. Students define...
Michigan Sea Grant
Food Web II
A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...
Teach Engineering
Considering Trade-Offs and Maximizing Efficiency in a Fast Food Restaurant
Make fast food restaurants even faster. Groups consider trade-offs when maximizing efficiency in fast food restaurants. Restructuring schedules and floor plans, as well reassigning job duties, all fall under this directive.
Curated OER
Plant Part Exploration: Stems
Explore water transport in plant stems using this fun experiment! Your scientists will start by reading Stems by Vijaya Bodach. Then, activate prior knowledge about plant stem functions and water transportation. Demonstrate this concept...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Ecological Mismatches
Modeling is a powerful teaching tool. The final installment in a six-part series has pupils complete an activity to model a food web and discover the interconnected relationships in an ecosystem. They then read about changes in migratory...
Curated OER
Down with Dairy and the Food Pyramid
Students discuss food pyramid, name parts of pyramid, discuss dairy products and how they are beneficial to people, and participate in dairy taste testing.
Curated OER
Food Chains
Students describe food cahins and the role of organisms. Using a set of organism cards, they color code the organisms on their cards by their role in the food chain. Once a complete chain is identified, they glue it on a sheet of paper.
Curated OER
Creating a Food Web
Young scholars investigate hunters and prey by creating a food web. In this animal life lesson, students investigate a single organism in preparation for a field trip, discovering its diet and habitat. Young scholars each discuss their...
Agriculture in the Classroom
"Steer" Toward STEM: Careers in Animal Agriculture
Think like an engineer and an agricultural scientist over the course of 12 lessons in a STEM based unit. Young scientists take on the roles of animal physiologists, animal geneticists, agricultural engineers, animal nutritionists, and...
Curated OER
Microbes and Our Food
Students investigate foodborne illnesses and involved microbes. They identify major pathogens and then research and explain how they contaminate foods and how people are affected.
Curated OER
Hide and Seek Science
Students examine macro-invertebrates in order to better understand their link to the food web. Working in groups, they record observations of several areas of a stream or river, collect samples from the river bottom, and identify the...
Curated OER
Breaking the Food Chain
Students investigate the food chain. They brainstorm questions about the human food chain and explain what would happen to living things in the food chain if organisms or resources were removed. They role-play situations in which the...
Curated OER
The Effects of Pesticides on the Food Chain
Fourth graders generalize that all animals, including people, depend on plants as a food source. In this science lesson plan, 4th graders describe and construct a food chain, tell how pesticides enter the food chain, and discuss possible...
Curated OER
Measuring Calories in Food
Students measure the amount of calories in food. In this food energy lesson, students discuss what a calorie is, how our bodies use a calorie, and how many we need. Then, students use a calorimeter to calculate the amount of energy in a...
Beyond Benign
Lucky Brand Genes: Chromosome Cookies
Mutations are not just deformed creatures we see in movies—they happen every day! Scholars study the different types of genetic mutations in the 12th installment of a series of 18 lessons. A creative activity uses candy and other food...
Curated OER
Food Pyramid Menu
Students analyze the food pyramid. In this food pyramid lesson, students evaluate their nutritional needs. Students record their eating habits and determine if their food choices were healthy.
Curated OER
Food Chains Are Not A Necklace!
Second graders examine how food chains interact with different plants and animals. They practice using new vocabulary. They also discover the role of pesticides in the environment.