Year 1 Science: Omnivores: eaters of both
Part of the Year 1 Science what animals eat chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Omnivores: eaters of both
An omnivore eats both plants and animals. The word omni means “all”.
People are omnivores. We eat bread, apples and carrots from plants. We eat eggs, cheese, fish and meat from animals.
Many omnivores have sharp teeth at the front and flat teeth at the back. A human has both kinds.
Key ideas
- An omnivore eats plants and animals.
- Humans, pigs, hens, bears and dogs are omnivores.
- Omnivores often have sharp teeth and flat teeth.
- A dog is an omnivore, even if it likes meat best.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Look at what a human eats, then use the rule for each group.
- Look at the food. Ask: is it a plant, an animal, or both?We eat bread and apples from plants, and eggs and fish from animals.
- Use the rule. An omnivore eats both plants and animals.A human eats both plants and animals.
- Write the group. omnivore
Check. Say the rule back: an omnivore eats both plants and animals. ✓
Watch out. Look at the food, not the size. A big animal can still eat only plants.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Look at what a hen eats, then use the rule for each group.
- Look at the food. Ask: is it a plant, an animal, or both?A hen eats seeds, which are plants, and worms, which are animals.
- Use the rule. An omnivore eats both plants and animals.A hen eats both plants and animals.
- Write the group. omnivore
Check. Say the rule back: an omnivore eats both plants and animals. ✓
Watch out. Look at the food, not the size. A big animal can still eat only plants.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Look at what a brown bear eats, then use the rule for each group.
- Look at the food. Ask: is it a plant, an animal, or both?A brown bear eats berries and roots, and it also eats fish and other animals.
- Use the rule. An omnivore eats both plants and animals.A brown bear eats both plants and animals.
- Write the group. omnivore
Check. Say the rule back: an omnivore eats both plants and animals. ✓
Watch out. Look at the food, not the size. A big animal can still eat only plants.
Watch out
Watch out: an animal that eats meat is not always a carnivore. A dog eats meat and plants, so it is an omnivore.
Try it at home
Stand in front of a mirror with a grown-up. Find your front teeth. Are they thin and sharp? Find your back teeth. Are they wide and flat? Tell a grown-up what you notice.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which food do we eat from plants? Which food do we eat from animals?” Let your child count the foods from each group on their fingers.
Exercise 5D Omnivores
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Remember the rule for an omnivore.
- Find the group word. The question names the group.omnivore
- Remember what it eats. An omnivore eats both plants and animals.Omnivore: eats both plants and animals
- Write the answer. plants and animals
Check. Read the rule back to yourself: an omnivore eats both plants and animals. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole rule, so you do not miss a word.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Check what each one eats.
- Look at the lion. A lion eats only other animals.lion = carnivore
- Look at the pig. A pig eats plants and animals, so it is an omnivore.pig = omnivore
- Write the answer. pig
Check. The lion is a carnivore. ✓
Watch out. An omnivore eats both kinds of food.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Check what people eat.
- Look at our food. We eat bread, apples, eggs and fish.plants and animals
- Use the rule. An omnivore eats both, so people are omnivores.human = omnivore
- Write the answer. True
Check. People eat plants and animals. ✓
Watch out. People are omnivores.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Check what a hen eats.
- Look at the food. A hen eats seeds, which are plants, and worms, which are animals.plants and animals
- Use the rule. A herbivore eats only plants, so a hen is not one.hen = omnivore
- Write the answer. False
Check. A hen eats worms as well as seeds. ✓
Watch out. Seeds are plants, but worms are animals.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Find the omnivores in the list. Check what each animal eats.
- Look at each animal. Find out what it eats.cat: carnivore; dog: omnivore; cow: herbivore; hamster: omnivore
- Pick out the omnivores. Keep only the animals that are omnivores.dog, hamster
- Write the answer. dog and hamster
Check. Check each one: the omnivores eat eats both plants and animals. ✓
Watch out. Do not pick an animal because it looks fierce. Check the food.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about what a dog eats.
- Look at the meat. A dog eats meat, which comes from an animal.meat = animal
- Look at the plants. A dog also eats plant foods, such as vegetables.plants too = omnivore
- Write the answer. A dog eats meat and plants.
Check. Eating both kinds of food makes it an omnivore. ✓
Watch out. A dog eats both, so it is an omnivore, even though it likes meat.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the teeth in your mouth.
- Look at the front teeth. They are thin and sharp, for biting.sharp front teeth
- Look at the back teeth. They are wide and flat, for chewing.flat back teeth
- Write the answer. sharp and flat
Check. Use the mirror to check. ✓
Watch out. Humans have both kinds of teeth, so we are omnivores.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Find the omnivores, then count them.
- Look at each animal. An omnivore eats plants and animals.human, hen and bear eat both
- Count them. Touch each one once: human, hen, bear.1 human, 2 hen, 3 bear
- Write the answer. 3 omnivores
Check. The lion is a carnivore and the cow is a herbivore. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the lion or the cow.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Check what a pig eats.
- Look at the pig in the picture. A pig eats roots and plants, and also some small animals.plants and animals
- Use the rule. An omnivore eats both kinds of food.pig = omnivore
- Write the answer. Yes. A pig eats plants and animals.
Check. A pig is an omnivore. ✓
Watch out. A pig is an omnivore, so the answer is yes.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Check what a bear eats.
- Look at the food. A brown bear eats berries and roots, and also fish and other animals.plants and animals
- Use the rule. It eats both, so it is an omnivore.bear = omnivore
- Write the answer. No. A bear eats plants as well as animals, so it is an omnivore.
Check. Eating fish does not make it a carnivore. ✓
Watch out. An animal can eat meat and still be an omnivore.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about your own food.
- Think of plant foods. Fruit, vegetables and bread come from plants.apple, bread
- Think of animal foods. Eggs, cheese, fish and meat come from animals.egg, fish
- Write the answer. Accept sensible answers, such as: apple and bread (plants); egg and fish (animals).
Check. A grown-up can check your list with you. ✓
Watch out. Cheese and milk come from animals, so they count as animal foods.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Look closely and write what you saw.
- Look at your teeth. Compare the front teeth with the back teeth.thin and sharp; wide and flat
- Think about how to find out more. A grown-up can help you look at a picture of teeth, or a dentist book.ask a grown-up
- Write the answer. Accept sensible answers, such as: my front teeth are thin and sharp, and my back teeth are wide and flat.
Check. Use the mirror again and check your answer. ✓
Watch out. Look at your own teeth carefully, with a grown-up.