Changes in food chains (non-statutory) | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

A caterpillar eating a plant is an example of ...

a producer eating a consumer.

a consumer eating a producer. ✓

a predator eating prey.

prey eating a predator.
A blue tit eating a caterpillar is an example of ...

a producer eating a consumer.

a consumer eating a producer.

a predator eating prey. ✓

prey eating a predator.
Which living thing in this food chain is both a predator and prey?

grass

scrub hare

baboon ✓

cheetah
What is an environment?

All the animals in the world.

What the weather is like on Earth.

The surroundings that an animal or plant lives in. ✓
The place where a plant or animal lives is called its ______.

'habitat' ✓
What does it mean if a plant or animal has become extinct?

There are too many of them on Earth.

There are not many of them on Earth.

There are no living ones left on Earth. ✓

Exit quiz

True or false? This food chain means that one cabbage is food for one greenfly, which is food for one ladybird.

True
False ✓
Which statement is correct?

A change to one living thing can affect other living things in a food chain. ✓

A change to one living thing doesn't affect other living things in a food chain.

A change to one living thing only affects the producer in a food chain.

A change to one living thing only affects the consumers in a food chain.
True or false? A dramatic decrease in the population of a plant or animal can have a negative effect on the food chain.

True ✓
False
True or false? A dramatic increase in the population of a plant or animal can have a negative effect on the food chain.

True ✓
False
The population size of orangutans is becoming very small. How would we describe this population?

extinct

eroded

protected

endangered ✓
Changes in food chains may lead to animals and plants dying out completely and becoming ______.

'extinct' ✓

Worksheet

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Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

The name or picture of each living thing in a food chain represents the whole population of that plant or animal.
A change to one living thing can affect other living things in the same food chain.
An increase or decrease in the population of a plant or animal can have an effect on the food chain.
Changes in food chains may lead to animals and plants becoming endangered or even extinct.

Common misconception

Pupils often think that the words and pictures in a food chain represent an individual plant or animal rather than populations of living things within a habitat.

It is made explicit within the examples in this lesson that each living thing named in a food chain represents a population of that type, or species, of plant or animal within a habitat.

Keywords

Food chain - A food chain shows how living things depend on each other for food.
Population - The population is the total number of something living in a particular area in a particular period of time.
Habitat - The place where a plant or animal lives is called its habitat.
Extinct - Animals or plants that have died out completely are extinct.
Endangered - An endangered plant or animal is one that is at risk of becoming extinct.