KS3 ~ Year 8 ~ Food Chains & Food Webs

This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the B2 1.2 Ecosystem Processes.

For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.

The lesson begins with a diagram of a food chain, showing how energy is transferred from organism to organism and a definition for the term ‘food-chain’. This is then followed by a question, asking students to identify which of the organisms is a producer, a consumer, a herbivore and a carnivore. Students can discuss with their partner before feeding back to the class, the answers are then revealed and students can self-assess their work.

Next, students are given a match-up activity whereby they need to correctly match the type of organism (producer, primary/secondary/tertiary consumer) with the correct description and example. This task can be self-assessed using the mark scheme included once it is complete.

Students will now be given a selection of organisms - plant, aphid, hawk, vole, ferret, moth larva - using these organisms they will need to construct their own food chain, including labels and arrows. An example answer is provided for pupils to check their work, other examples could be made using the animal selection provided.

Next, students will focus on energy losses through a food chain. Firstly, students will be told that energy can be lost from animal to animal along a food chain, students should then ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas about why this happens. The answers can then be revealed using the PowerPoint presentation, students can check their answers and correct their work if necessary.

Lastly, students are introduced to the idea of a food web - giving an example of a marine food web. Students are then asked a set of questions about this food web, students can answer these questions in their books before self-assessing them using the mark scheme available.

The plenary task will then require students to spend a minute talking to the person next to them about what they have learned this lesson.

All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)