Food Chain
A food chain is a way to demonstrate the relationships between living things in an
ecosystem. It shows the path that energy takes from the sun, through producers and
consumers to decomposers. Every living thing needs energy to survive, whether that energy
comes directly from the sun or via another living thing. The three things in a food chain
are producers, consumers and decomposers. Let’s read more about these three groups.
Producers
A producer is a living thing that makes its energy from the sun.
It absorbs sunlight and turns it into energy which it stores.
A perfect example of a producer is a vegetable or fruit plant.
These plants absorb sunlight through their leaves and store the
energy in the branches, trunks and other parts of the plant.
They can also absorb some nutrients from the soil to help them
survive. One important part of the plant that stores the energy
from sunlight is the fruit or the part of the plant that is eaten.
This part of the plant is what is most helpful to consumers.
Consumers
A consumer is a living thing in the food chain that relies on
producers or other consumers for energy. These consumers
are usually insects, animals and humans. Insects, such as
grasshoppers, eat producers and absorb their energy. Consumers
can also eat other consumers. Animals, such as lions, wolves and
dingoes, often consume other consumers below them in the food
chain. These may be other animals or insects. In the same way,
these consumers absorb the energy from their prey. This energy
can then be passed on to other consumers or decomposers.
Decomposers
A decomposer is a living thing in the food chain that absorbs the
energy from both consumers and producers by breaking down
the material that used to be another living thing. Worms, ants
and some other bugs are good examples of decomposers. These
living things consume dead plants and animals, absorbing their
energy to survive and producing nutrients that go into the soil.
Plants use these nutrients and the energy from the sun to make
energy of their own to start the cycle again.
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Food Chain
The Sun
These three groups rely on the sun for energy. Producers get their energy directly from
the sun. Consumers and decomposers get their energy from other living things below
them in the food chain that get their energy from the sun. So, without the sun, living
things would not survive.
The Food Chain
The food chain that contains every living thing on earth is very complicated. We can
make a more simple version of the food chain by selecting just one living thing in each
link. Here is an example of a simple food chain:
Plant
Insect
Mouse
Page 2 of 4
Owl
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Food Chain - Questions
After reading the information about food chains, read the questions below and answer the
questions from the text.
1. What are the three things in a food chain?
2. What do all three things need in order to get their energy to survive?
3. Where do producers get their energy directly from?
4. What are two places consumers can get their energy from?
5. What role does the sun play in the food chain?
6. What is the role of a decomposer in the food chain?
7. Draw and label an example of a simple food chain, including the names of living things
and whether they are producers, consumers, or decomposers.
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Food Chain - Answers
After reading the information about food chains, read the questions below and answer the
questions from the text.
1. What are the three things in a food chain?
Producers, consumers and decomposers.
2. What do all three things need in order to get their energy to survive?
Sunlight.
3. Where do producers get their energy directly from?
The sun.
4. What are two places consumers can get their energy from?
Producers and other consumers.
5. What role does the sun play in the food chain?
The sun provides energy to producers and also to consumers through producers.
6. What is the role of a decomposer in the food chain?
They break down the material that used to be another living thing.
7. Draw and label an example of a simple food chain, including the names of living things
and whether they are producers, consumers, or decomposers.
Answers may vary.
Page 4 of 4
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Food Chain
A food chain is a way to show the relationships between living things in an ecosystem.
It shows the path that energy takes from the sun, through producers and consumers
to decomposers. Every living thing needs energy to survive, whether that energy comes
directly from the sun or from another living thing. The three things in a food chain are
producers, consumers and decomposers. Let’s read more about these three groups.
Producers
A producer is a living thing that makes its energy from the sun.
It takes in sunlight and turns it into energy which it keeps.
A perfect example of a producer is a vegetable or fruit plant.
These plants take in sunlight through their leaves and keep the
energy in the branches, trunks and other parts of the plant.
They can also take in some nutrients from the soil to help them
survive. One important part of the plant that keeps the energy
from sunlight is the fruit or the part of the plant that is eaten.
This part of the plant is what is most useful to consumers.
Consumers
A consumer is a living thing in the food chain that needs
producers or other consumers for energy. These consumers are
usually insects, animals and humans. Insects, like grasshoppers,
eat producers and take in their energy. Consumers can also eat
other consumers. Animals, like lions, wolves and dingoes, often
eat other consumers below them in the food chain. These may be
other animals or insects. These consumers take in the energy from
their prey. This energy can then be passed to other consumers or
to decomposers.
Decomposers
A decomposer is a living thing in the food chain that gets its
energy from consumers and producers by breaking down dead
plants and animals. Worms, ants and some other bugs are
good examples of decomposers. These living things eat dead
plants and animals, taking the energy to survive and producing
nutrients that go into the soil. Plants use these nutrients, along
with the energy from the sun, to produce energy of their own
to start the cycle again.
Page 1 of 4
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Food Chain
The Sun
These three groups rely on the sun for energy. Producers get their energy straight from
the sun. Consumers and decomposers get their energy from other living things below
them in the food chain that get their energy from the sun. So, without the sun, living
things would not survive.
The Food Chain
The food chain that contains all the living things on the earth is very complicated. We
can make a more simple version of the food chain by selecting just one living thing in
each link. Here is an example of a simple food chain:
Plant
Insect
Mouse
Page 2 of 4
Owl
visit twinkl.com.au
Food Chain - Questions
After reading the information about food chains, read the questions below and answer the
questions from the text.
1. What are the three things in a food chain?
2. What do all three things need in order to get their energy to survive?
3. Where do producers get their energy directly from?
4. What can consumers get their energy from?
5. What role does the sun play in the food chain?
6. What is the role of a decomposer in the food chain?
7. Draw and label an example of a simple food chain, including the names of living things
and whether they are producers, consumers, or decomposers.
Page 3 of 4
visit twinkl.com.au
Food Chain - Answers
After reading the information about food chains, read the questions below and answer the
questions from the text.
1. What are the three things in a food chain?
Producers, consumers and decomposers.
2. What do all three things need in order to get their energy to survive?
Sunlight.
3. Where do producers get their energy directly from?
The sun.
4. What are two places consumers can get their energy from?
Producers or producers and consumers or other consumers.
5. What role does the sun play in the food chain?
The sun provides energy to producers and also to consumers through producers.
6. What is the role of a decomposer in the food chain?
They break down the material that used to be another living thing.
7. Draw and label an example of a simple food chain, including the names of living things
and whether they are producers, consumers, or decomposers.
Answers may vary.
Page 4 of 4
visit twinkl.com.au
Food Chain
A food chain is a way to show the relationships between living things in an ecosystem.
It shows the path that energy takes from the sun, through producers and consumers to
decomposers. Every living thing needs energy to survive. The three things in a food chain
are producers, consumers and decomposers. Let’s read more about these three groups.
Producers
A producer is a living thing that makes its energy from the
sun. It takes in sunlight and turns it into energy that it keeps.
A perfect example of a producer is a vegetable or fruit plant.
These plants take in sunlight through their leaves and keep the
energy in the branches, trunks and other parts of the plant. One
important part of the plant that keeps the energy from sunlight
is the fruit or the part of the plant that is eaten. This part of the
plant is what is most useful to consumers.
Consumers
A consumer is a living thing in the food chain that needs
producers or other consumers for energy. These consumers can
be insects, animals and humans. Insects, like grasshoppers,
eat producers and take in their energy. Consumers can also eat
other consumers. Animals, like lions and dingoes, often eat other
consumers below them in the food chain. These consumers take
in the energy from their prey. This energy can then be passed to
other consumers or to decomposers.
Decomposers
A decomposer is a living thing in the food chain that gets its
energy from consumers and producers by eating dead plants and
animals. Worms and ants are good examples of decomposers.
These living things eat dead plants and animals and take the
energy to survive.
Page 1 of 4
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Food Chain
The Sun
These three groups rely on the sun for energy. Producers get their energy straight from
the sun. Consumers and decomposers get their energy from other living things below
them in the food chain that get their energy from the sun. So, without the sun, living
things would not survive.
The Food Chain
The food chain that contains all the living things on the earth is very hard to read. We
can make a more simple version of the food chain by choosing just one living thing in
each link. Here is an example of a simple food chain:
Plant
Insect
Mouse
Page 2 of 4
Owl
visit twinkl.com.au
Food Chain - Questions
After reading the information about food chains, read the questions below and answer the
questions from the text.
1. What are the three things in a food chain?
2. Where do producers get their energy from?
3. Where can consumers get their energy from?
4. What does a decomposer do in the food chain?
5. Draw and an example of a simple food chain.
Page 3 of 4
visit twinkl.com.au
Food Chain - Answers
After reading the information about food chains, read the questions below and answer the
questions from the text.
1. What are the three things in a food chain?
Producers, consumers and decomposers.
2. Where do producers get their energy from?
The sun.
3. Where can consumers get their energy from?
Producers or producers and consumers or other consumers.
4. What does a decomposer do in the food chain?
They break down the material that used to be another living thing.
5. Draw and an example of a simple food chain.
Answers may vary.
Page 4 of 4
visit twinkl.com.au