ANTICIPATORY SET
Begin with review of the terms decomposer, producer, and consumer. Ask students what each means and for an example of each.
INPUT/INSTRUCTION
Ask students what every food chain starts with. If they say plants or producers, then remind students that they plants have to get their energy from somewhere. Where do they get their energy from? The sun. Reiterate that all food chains start with the sun, no matter what kinds of plants or animals are in the food chain. Also point out where decomposers would be seen in the food chain. (at all stages)
Ask why decomposers are important. They break down dead material and allow it to be recycled. Decomposer activityslice of bread and apple slices in two sealed bags left for a week. Watch what the decomposers do to them!
GUIDED PRACTICE
Ask students for any animal. Then work together to think of the food chain that ends back up at the sun. Repeat this. Make it fun for the students by challenging them to think of food chains as a class that are 5 or 8 steps long.
Example food chains: fox, rabbit, grass, sun. human, bear, fox, rabbit, grass, sun. fox, weasel, mouse, grass, sun.
As students get more practice, give them an animal to start out with and challenge them to think of the food chain on their own.
CLOSURE
Ask students again for the start of every food chain. The sun. What are the organisms called that can make their own food? Producers. What are the organisms called further up the food chain who depend on the producers for their energy? Consumers. How many producers are there relative to consumers? More producers than consumers.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Students will draw their own food chain. Have them write one on their paper and have it checked by a teacher. Then they will draw one on white construction paper. Have students label consumers, producers, where decomposers would be in the food chain, herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
CHALLENGE: see if you can draw a food web, showing how different animals can interact with each other.

Title: Review of Food ChainsSubject: Science

Time Frame: 45 minutesDate: December 1, 2009

SOL: 3.5The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains. Key concepts include

a)producer, consumer, decomposer;

b)herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and

c)predator and prey.

Objective: The student will:

State the steps in multiple food chains

Draw a food chain

Assessment: food chains written independently and as a class, drawn food chains, class discussion

Differentiation: picture of a food chain where student had to label the correct parts rather than drawing the whole thing