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Primary Science · Year 2Chapter 4 · Food chains
Year 2 · Chapter 4

Food chains

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Name where my food comes from: plants or animals
  • Say that a plant makes its own food, so it is a producer
  • Say that animals eat plants or other animals
  • Say which animal is the predator and which is the prey
  • Read a food chain and draw one with arrows
  • Never taste or touch a wild plant or animal

You should already know

  • Habitats (Year 2, Chapter 3)
  • Living, dead and never alive (Year 2, Chapter 2)
  • Parts of a plant and animal groups (Year 1 Science)

Where this leads

  • Seeds and bulbs (Year 2, Chapter 5)
  • What plants need (Year 2, Chapter 6)
  • Staying healthy and what humans eat (Year 2, Chapter 8)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 science, Year 2. Content: Identify and name different sources of food, Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, Use a simple food chain to show producers, predators and prey, Identify and name plants and animals in a food chain.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWhich living thing is a plant: a daisy or a ladybird? Write the word.
daisy
ladybird
2
FIs a leaf that has fallen off a tree living, dead or never alive? Write the word.
3
FWhich part of a plant takes in water from the soil: the roots or the flowers? Write the word.
4
FWhich animal is a mammal: a hedgehog or a frog? Write the word.
hedgehog
frog
5
PSA garden has 3 snails and 2 worms. How many living things in all? Write the number.
snails
worms
4.1

Where our food comes from

Year 2
Identify and name different sources of food, Food comes from plants or from animals
Video lesson: Where our food comes fromComing soon
In a kitchen, food comes from plants and animals.

Every living thing needs food. Food gives living things the energy to move and grow.

Most food comes from plants or from animals. These are the sources of food.

Apples and carrots come from plants. Bread is made from wheat, and wheat is a plant.

Eggs and milk come from animals. A hen gives eggs, and a cow gives milk. Fish come from the sea or rivers.

apple
carrot
egg
fish
Four foods. Two come from plants and two come from animals.

Key ideas

  • Food gives living things energy.
  • Most food comes from plants or animals.
  • Apples and carrots come from plants.
  • Eggs, milk and fish come from animals.
Worked example 4.1.1
Is an apple from a plant or an animal? Write the word.

Method. Think about where an apple grows.

  1. Check plant. An apple grows on an apple tree, which is a plant.
    plant
  2. Check animal. An apple is a fruit. It is not an animal.
    animal
  3. Write the answer.
    plant

Check. An apple comes from a plant. ✓

Watch out. Fruit and vegetables come from plants.

Worked example 4.1.2
Where does milk come from: a cow or a carrot? Write the word.
cow
carrot

Method. Think about which one gives milk.

  1. Check cow. A cow is an animal, and it gives us milk.
    cow
  2. Check carrot. A carrot grows in the ground. It does not give milk.
    carrot
  3. Write the answer.
    cow

Check. Milk comes from a cow. ✓

Watch out. Milk comes from an animal, not a plant.

Worked example 4.1.3
Name one food that comes from an animal. Write one word.
egg
apple

Method. Look at each food and think where it comes from.

  1. Look at the egg. An egg comes from a hen, which is an animal.
    egg: animal
  2. Look at the apple. An apple comes from a plant, so it is not an animal food.
    apple: plant
  3. Choose one word. Milk and fish also come from animals.
    egg
  4. Write the answer.
    egg

Check. Also accept: milk, fish. ✓

Watch out. Name one food, from the list of animal foods.

Watch out

Watch out: some foods come from plants, and some come from animals. Bread comes from wheat, which is a plant.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look in the fridge or the cupboard. Find one food from a plant and one food from an animal. Do not taste anything new. Wash your hands afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Did this food grow on a plant, or did it come from an animal?” Let your child point to each food and say where it comes from.

Exercise 4A  Where food comes from

1
FIs a carrot from a plant or an animal? Write the word.
2
FWhere do eggs come from: a hen or an oak tree? Write the word.
hen
oak tree
3
FIs fish from a plant or an animal? Write the word.
4
FName a food that comes from a plant. Write one word.
5
PSSam has an egg, an apple and a carrot. How many of these come from plants? Write the number.
egg
apple
carrot
6
FBread is made from wheat. Is wheat a plant or an animal? Write the word.
7
FWhich food comes from a cow: milk or bread? Write the word.
cow
bread
8
FDo eggs come from animals? Write yes or no.
9
FWhich food comes from an apple tree: apple or fish? Write the word.
apple tree
fish
10
PSName one food that comes from an animal. Write one word.
11
RBen says all food comes from plants. Is Ben right? Write yes or no.
12
PSWorking scientifically. We sort 6 foods into a table. Which group has the most foods? Write the word: plant or animal.
SourceFoods
plant4
animal2
13
RExplain why bread comes from a plant. Write one reason in a few words.
4.2

Plants make their own food

Year 2
Plants make their own food, using sunlight, A plant that makes its own food is a producer
Video lesson: Plants make their own foodComing soon
In a garden, plants grow in the sunlight.

A plant makes its own food. It uses sunlight to do this.

Leaves help a plant make its food. Leaves catch the sunlight.

A plant that makes its own food is called a producer.

Plants are the start of most food chains. Animals eat plants, so plants come first.

daisy
grass
oak tree
sunflower
Four plants. Each one makes its own food.

Key ideas

  • A plant makes its own food.
  • Plants use sunlight to make food.
  • Leaves help a plant make food.
  • A plant is called a producer.
Worked example 4.2.1
Do plants make their own food? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about how a daisy gets its food.

  1. Look at the daisy. A daisy is a plant, and it uses sunlight to make food.
    sunlight: food
  2. Check the answer. A plant makes its own food, so the answer is yes.
    yes
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. Plants make their own food. ✓

Watch out. Animals cannot make their own food, but plants can.

Worked example 4.2.2
Which part of a plant helps it make food: the leaves or the roots? Write the word.

Method. Think about which part catches sunlight.

  1. Check leaves. Leaves catch sunlight and make food for the plant.
    leaves
  2. Check roots. Roots hold the plant in the soil and take in water.
    roots
  3. Write the answer.
    leaves

Check. The leaves help a plant make food. ✓

Watch out. Leaves catch the sunlight.

Worked example 4.2.3
What is a plant called if it makes its own food: a producer or a prey? Write the word.

Method. Think about the word for a plant that makes food.

  1. Check producer. A plant that makes its own food is a producer.
    producer
  2. Check prey. Prey is an animal that is eaten, so a plant is not prey.
    prey
  3. Write the answer.
    producer

Check. A plant that makes its own food is a producer. ✓

Watch out. Prey is always an animal.

Watch out

Watch out: a plant makes food with sunlight, not with soil. Animals cannot make their own food.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at a leaf on a plant in the garden or park. Draw the leaf. Do not taste or touch any plant you do not know. Wash your hands afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Where does this plant get its food?” Let your child say that the leaves catch the sunlight.

Exercise 4B  Plants that make their own food

1
FCan an apple tree make its own food? Write yes or no.
2
FWhich needs sunlight to make food: a daisy or a ladybird? Write the word.
daisy
ladybird
3
FWhich part of a plant catches sunlight: a leaf or a root? Write the word.
4
FIs a snail a producer? Write yes or no.
5
FTrue or false? An animal can make its own food. Write true or false.
6
PSHow many of these are producers: a daisy, a snail and some grass? Write the number.
daisy
snail
grass
7
FHow many leaves are on the plant? Count each one once.
8
PSTwo daisies each have 5 leaves. How many leaves in all? Write the number.
daisy 1
daisy 2
9
FWhich gives a plant the energy to make its food: the sun or the soil? Write the word.
10
RAli says a leaf makes food only at night. Is Ali right? Write yes or no.
11
PSWorking scientifically. Predict which daisy will grow better: one in sunlight or one in a dark cupboard? Write the words.
12
RExplain why a plant needs leaves. Write one reason in a few words.
4.3

Animals eat plants and animals

Year 2
Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, Some animals eat plants, and some eat other animals
Video lesson: Animals eat plants and animalsComing soon
On a farm, animals eat plants and other animals.

Animals cannot make their own food. They must eat plants or other animals.

A rabbit eats grass. A cow eats grass too.

A fox eats other animals. It hunts small animals, such as rabbits.

A hedgehog eats snails and worms. A snail eats leaves.

rabbit
fox
cow
hedgehog
Four animals. Some eat plants, and some eat other animals.

Key ideas

  • Animals cannot make their own food.
  • Some animals eat plants.
  • Some animals eat other animals.
  • A fox eats rabbits. A rabbit eats grass.
Worked example 4.3.1
Does a cow eat plants or animals? Write the word.

Method. Think about what a cow eats.

  1. Check plants. A cow eats grass, which is a plant.
    plants
  2. Check animals. A cow is an animal, but it does not eat other animals.
    animals
  3. Write the answer.
    plants

Check. A cow eats plants. ✓

Watch out. A cow eats grass all day.

Worked example 4.3.2
What does a fox eat: rabbits or grass? Write the word.

Method. Think about what a fox hunts.

  1. Check rabbits. A fox hunts and eats other animals, such as rabbits.
    rabbits
  2. Check grass. Grass is a plant. A fox mainly eats animals, not grass.
    grass
  3. Write the answer.
    rabbits

Check. A fox eats rabbits. ✓

Watch out. A fox is an animal that eats other animals.

Worked example 4.3.3
Can an animal make its own food? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about how plants make food.

  1. Think about plants. Plants use sunlight to make their own food.
    sunlight
  2. Think about animals. Animals cannot make food, so they must eat.
    must eat
  3. Write the answer.
    no

Check. Animals cannot make their own food. ✓

Watch out. Animals must eat plants or other animals.

Watch out

Watch out: a fox is an animal, but it eats other animals. Being an animal does not mean eating plants.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, watch the birds in a garden or park for two minutes, from a safe distance. Do not feed them. Draw one bird and say what it might eat. Wash your hands afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What does this animal eat? Is it a plant or an animal?” Never feed a wild animal, even if it looks hungry.

Exercise 4C  What animals eat

1
FDoes a rabbit eat plants or animals? Write the word.
2
FDoes a fox eat plants or animals? Write the word.
3
FDoes a snail eat plants? Write yes or no.
4
FCan a cow make its own food? Write yes or no.
5
FWhat does a hedgehog eat: snails or sand? Write the word.
6
FWhich animal eats plants: a fox or a hen? Write the word.
fox
hen
7
FHow many rabbits are eating grass? Count each one once.
8
PSFour snails are on a leaf. Two more snails come. How many snails in all? Write the number.
on a leaf
came later
9
PSBen sees 5 rabbits in a field. 2 rabbits hop off to the wood. How many rabbits are left in the field? Write the number.
10
PSWorking scientifically. Predict which animal will eat more leaves: a snail or a fox? Write the word.
snail
fox
11
RTom says a fox eats grass. Is Tom right? Write yes or no.
12
RExplain why a rabbit eats grass. Write one reason in a few words.
4.4

Predators and prey

Year 2
Use the words predator and prey, A predator hunts other animals; its prey is eaten
Video lesson: Predators and preyComing soon
In the woods, some animals hunt and some are hunted.

A predator is an animal that hunts other animals and eats them.

The animal that a predator hunts and eats is its prey.

A fox is a predator. A rabbit is its prey.

A hedgehog is a predator. A snail is its prey.

Prey is always an animal. Plants are not prey.

rabbitfox
The arrow points from the prey to the predator that eats it.

Key ideas

  • A predator hunts and eats other animals.
  • Prey is the animal that gets eaten.
  • A fox is a predator. A rabbit is its prey.
  • Prey is always an animal.
Worked example 4.4.1
In grass → rabbit → fox, which animal is the predator? Write the word.
grassrabbit?

Method. Look at the arrows and find the animal that hunts.

  1. Look at the arrows. Each arrow points from the food to the animal that eats it.
    fox is last
  2. Find the hunter. The fox hunts and eats the rabbit, so the fox is the predator.
    fox hunts rabbit
  3. Write the answer.
    fox

Check. The fox is the predator. ✓

Watch out. The predator is the animal at the end of the arrow.

Worked example 4.4.2
In grass → rabbit → fox, which animal is the prey? Write the word.
grass?fox

Method. Find the animal that is hunted and eaten.

  1. Look at the fox. The fox eats the rabbit.
    fox eats rabbit
  2. Find the one that is eaten. The rabbit is eaten, so the rabbit is the prey.
    rabbit is eaten
  3. Write the answer.
    rabbit

Check. The rabbit is the prey. ✓

Watch out. Prey is the animal that is eaten.

Worked example 4.4.3
In daisy → snail → hedgehog, is the snail a predator or prey? Write the word.
daisysnailhedgehog

Method. Think about whether the snail hunts or is hunted.

  1. Check predator. A predator hunts and eats other animals. The snail is not the one that hunts.
    predator
  2. Check prey. The hedgehog eats the snail, so the snail is prey.
    prey
  3. Write the answer.
    prey

Check. The snail is the prey. ✓

Watch out. The snail is eaten by the hedgehog.

Watch out

Watch out: prey is the animal that is eaten, not the one that eats. The predator is the one that hunts.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at a book or a poster about garden animals. Find one predator and its prey. Do not go near any wild animal. Wash your hands afterwards if you touched soil.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which animal hunts? Which animal is hunted?” Use the words predator and prey, and let your child point to each one.

Exercise 4D  Predators and prey

1
FIs a fox a predator or prey? Write the word.
2
FIn grass → rabbit → fox, is the rabbit a predator or prey? Write the word.
grassrabbitfox
3
FA hedgehog eats snails. Is the snail the predator or prey? Write the word.
hedgehog
snail
4
FWhich word means the animal that is hunted and eaten? Write the word: predator or prey.
5
FTrue or false? A predator hunts and eats other animals. Write true or false.
6
FTrue or false? Prey is the animal that eats other animals. Write true or false.
7
FName the predator in daisy → snail → hedgehog. Write the word.
daisysnail?
8
FName the prey in daisy → snail → hedgehog. Write the word.
daisy?hedgehog
9
PSBen sees 3 rabbits and 1 fox. How many prey animals are there? Write the number.
rabbits
fox
10
FHow many animals are in the chain grass → rabbit → fox? Write the number.
grassrabbitfox
11
PSWorking scientifically. Predict which animal a hedgehog will hunt: a snail or a daisy? Write the word.
snail
daisy
12
RTom says a rabbit is a predator of a fox. Is Tom right? Write yes or no.
rabbit
fox
13
RExplain why a fox is a predator. Write one reason in a few words.
4.5

Making a food chain

Year 2
Use a simple food chain to show producers, predators and prey, Read and draw a food chain with arrows
Video lesson: Making a food chainComing soon
In a park, a food chain links a plant, an animal and a predator.

A food chain shows what eats what. It starts with a plant.

Read a food chain from left to right. Each arrow points from the food to the animal that eats it.

In daisy → snail → hedgehog, the daisy is the producer. The snail is the prey. The hedgehog is the predator.

daisysnailhedgehog
A food chain: daisy, snail and hedgehog.

Key ideas

  • A food chain shows what eats what.
  • Arrows point from the food to the animal that eats it.
  • The producer is the plant at the start.
  • Prey is in the middle. The predator is at the end.
Worked example 4.5.1
In daisy → snail → hedgehog, which is the producer? Write the word.
?snailhedgehog

Method. Look at the first link of the chain.

  1. Look at the first link. The producer is the plant at the start of the chain.
    first link = plant
  2. Check the daisy. A daisy is a plant that makes its own food.
    daisy: producer
  3. Write the answer.
    daisy

Check. The daisy is the producer. ✓

Watch out. The producer is always the plant at the start.

Worked example 4.5.2
In daisy → snail → hedgehog, which is the predator? Write the word.
daisysnail?

Method. Look at the last link of the chain.

  1. Look at the last link. The predator is at the end, because it eats the prey.
    end = predator
  2. Check the hedgehog. A hedgehog hunts and eats snails.
    hedgehog eats snail
  3. Write the answer.
    hedgehog

Check. The hedgehog is the predator. ✓

Watch out. The predator is the animal at the end of the arrow.

Worked example 4.5.3
In grass → rabbit → fox, which animal is the prey? Write the word.
grass?fox

Method. Find the animal that is eaten.

  1. Look at the fox. The fox eats the rabbit.
    fox eats rabbit
  2. Find the one that is eaten. The rabbit is eaten, so it is the prey.
    rabbit is eaten
  3. Write the answer.
    rabbit

Check. The rabbit is the prey. ✓

Watch out. The prey is in the middle of the chain.

Watch out

Watch out: arrows point to the animal that eats, not to the food. Read the arrows, not only the names.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at a daisy, a snail and a bird in the garden or park, from a safe distance. Draw a food chain with arrows. Do not touch any wild animal. Wash your hands afterwards.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Where does the arrow go? Which animal eats which?” Let your child draw the arrows from the food to the eater.

Exercise 4E  Reading and making food chains

1
FIn grass → rabbit → fox, which is the producer? Write the word.
?rabbitfox
2
FIn grass → rabbit → fox, which is the predator? Write the word.
grassrabbit?
3
FIn grass → rabbit → fox, which is the prey? Write the word.
grass?fox
4
FWhich word names the plant at the start of a food chain? Write the word.
5
FIn a food chain, an arrow points from the eater to the food. True or false? Write true or false.
snailhedgehog
6
PSPut these in order, starting with the producer: fox, grass, rabbit. Which animal comes second? Write the word.
fox
grass
rabbit
7
FHow many animals are in the chain daisy → snail → hedgehog? Write the number.
daisysnailhedgehog
8
PSA garden has 2 snails under a leaf and 4 snails on a wall. How many snails in all? Write the number.
under a leaf
on a wall
9
RChoose a or b. (a) grass → rabbit → fox. (b) fox → rabbit → grass. Which chain is correct? Write a or b.
10
RTom draws an arrow from the fox to the rabbit. Is Tom right? Write yes or no.
rabbitfox
11
PSWhich animal eats the daisy first in daisy → snail → hedgehog? Write the word.
daisy?hedgehog
12
PSWorking scientifically. Predict what happens to the snails if there are fewer daisies: more or fewer snails? Write the word.
daisysnailhedgehog
13
RExplain how a hedgehog depends on a daisy. Write one reason in a few words.
?snailhedgehog

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Food sourcesFood comes from plants (apples, carrots, bread) or from animals (eggs, milk, fish).
ProducerA plant makes its own food using sunlight. It is the start of a food chain.
Animal dietAnimals cannot make their own food. They eat plants or other animals.
Predator and preyA predator hunts and eats other animals. Its prey is the animal that is eaten.
Food chainShows what eats what, with arrows from the food to the eater: producer, prey, predator.

Can you…?

  • I can name where my food comes from: plants or animals
  • I can say that a plant makes its own food, so it is a producer
  • I can say that animals eat plants or other animals
  • I can say which animal is the predator and which is the prey
  • I can read a food chain and draw one with arrows
  • I never taste or touch a wild plant or animal

Key terms

food source
where food comes from: a plant or an animal
producer
a plant, which makes its own food and starts a food chain
predator
an animal that hunts and eats other animals
prey
an animal that is hunted and eaten by a predator
food chain
a drawing that shows what eats what, with arrows
arrow
shows the way the food goes, from the food to the animal that eats it
energy
the strength that living things need to move and grow
sunlight
light from the Sun, which plants use to make food

Exercise 4Z  Check-up

1
Which living thing is a producer: a daisy or a snail? Write the word.
daisy
snail
2
In daisy → snail → hedgehog, which animal is the prey? Write the word.
daisy?hedgehog
3
Does a fox eat plants or animals? Write the word.
4
Name one food that comes from a plant. Write one word.
5
Sam has a rabbit, a fox and some grass in a food chain. How many producers are there? Write the number.
rabbit
fox
grass
6
Count the eggs in the nest. Count each one once.
7
Which is the predator: a hedgehog or a snail? Write the word.
hedgehog
snail
8
Which part of a plant catches sunlight: the leaf or the root? Write the word.
9
A garden has 3 snails near the daisies and 2 snails under a stone. How many snails in all? Write the number.
near the daisies
under a stone
10
Explain why a rabbit cannot make its own food. Write one reason in a few words.

Total 14 marks. Allow about 14 minutes.

Exercise 4X  End-of-chapter quiz

1
FIs an egg from a plant or an animal? Write the word.[1 mark]
2
FName a plant that makes its own food. Write one word.[1 mark]
3
FWhich animal is a predator: a fox or a rabbit? Write the word.[1 mark]
fox
rabbit
4
FIn daisy → snail → hedgehog, is the snail a predator or prey? Write the word.[1 mark]
daisysnailhedgehog
5
FHow many rabbits are eating grass? Count each one once.[1 mark]
6
RIn a food chain, the arrow points to the ___: the food or the animal that eats it? Write the word: food or eater.[1 mark]
7
PSName one food that comes from an animal. Write one word.[2 marks]
8
PS4 snails are on a daisy and 3 snails are on a leaf. How many snails in all? Write the number.[2 marks]
on a daisy
on a leaf
9
RBen says a fox is prey. Is Ben right? Write yes or no.[2 marks]
10
RExplain why a daisy is the start of the food chain daisy → snail → hedgehog. Write one reason in a few words.[2 marks]
← Chapter 3: HabitatsChapter 5: Seeds and bulbs →

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