3rd Grade Energy Flow in a Food Chain

3rd Grade Energy Flow in a Food Chain Worksheet

The arrows in a food chain confuse a lot of students: does the arrow point to who eats, or who gets eaten? This energy flow worksheet makes it clear that the arrow points the way energy moves, starting with the Sun. Students build a backyard pond food chain from picture cards, then read a pictured chain to answer questions about where the frog and grasshopper get their energy.

Key Science Vocabulary

food chain, energy, arrow, Sun, producer, consumer, predator, prey

What's Inside

• Teach box with a full grass to snake chain
• Part A: number four picture cards 1 to 4 in food chain order
• Part B: a pictured Sun to snake chain with three circle the answer questions
• Answer key with a note on arrow direction

Standards

TEKS 3.12B: identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain. Builds toward NGSS 5-LS2-1.

Teaching Tip

Make a human food chain: give four students cards (grass, grasshopper, frog, snake) and pass a ball labeled "energy" down the line in the direction of the arrows.