Food Chain Reading

Non-fiction: The Food Chain

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The Food Chain

In order to understand the food chain, there are some vocabulary words

you should learn. Look at the words and definitions below.

Producers – Organisms that make their own food. For example: grass

Consumers – Animals that eat other animals or producers.

Herbivores – Animals that eat only plants, no meat. For example: zebras

Carnivores – Animals that usually eat meat. For example: lions

Decomposers – Organisms that break down deceased animals into tiny pieces

that can be used by producers. For example: earthworms

All food chains begin with a producer. A producer is usually a type of

plant. That producer is then eaten by a consumer. There are usually two types

of consumers, primary1 and secondary2. Herbivores are primary consumers.

They eat plants. Carnivores, secondary consumers, often eat primary

consumers. For example: a zebra (a primary consumer) eats grass (a producer).

A lion (a secondary consumer) eats the zebra.

When an animal or a plant dies, decomposers break down the animal or

plant, returning nutrients back into the environment. These nutrients then feed

the producers, which completes the cycle.

1 primary: first 2 secondary: second

Questions: The Food Chain


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Name: ___________________________ Date: ______________________ 1. The author lists vocabulary words

a. to give the reader more work. b. to help the reader understand the passage. c. to confuse the reader. d. from the most important word to the least important word.

2. What is the difference between the two types of consumers?

a. Primary consumers eat plants. Secondary consumers often eat

secondary consumers. b. Secondary consumers eat plants. Primary consumers often eat

primary consumers. c. Secondary consumers eat plants. Primary consumers often eat

secondary consumers. d. Primary consumers eat plants. Secondary consumers often eat

primary consumers. 3. __________ is an example of a carnivore.

a. Grass b. A zebra c. A lion d. An earthworm

4. __________ is an example of an herbivore.


5. Which part of the food chain is responsible for breaking down dead animals into tiny pieces?

a. Carnivores b. Herbivores c. Producers d. Decomposers

Questions: The Food Chain


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6. In a typical food chain, what would happen after a primary consumer eats a producer? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

7. What is an effect of decomposers breaking down animals and plants after they die? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

8. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Nutrients from deceased animals and plants feed producers, _______ completes the cycle of the food chain.

a. after b. which c. because d. despite

9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.

In the savanna, when lions become hungry, they hunt for primary consumers such as zebras in order to get rid of their hunger. What? ___________________________________________________________ (do) What? hunt for primary consumers such as zebras Where? _________________________________________________________ When (they become)? ______________________________________________ Why? ___________________________________________________________

10. Vocabulary Word: environment: everything that surrounds living things and affects growth and health; the natural world.

Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

Answers: The Food Chain


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Teacher Guide and Answers

Passage Reading Level: Lexile 620

1. The author lists vocabulary words

a. to give the reader more work. b. to help the reader understand the passage. c. to confuse the reader. d. from the most important word to the least important word.

2. What is the difference between the two types of consumers?

a. Primary consumers eat plants. Secondary consumers often eat

secondary consumers. b. Secondary consumers eat plants. Primary consumers often eat

primary consumers. c. Secondary consumers eat plants. Primary consumers often eat

secondary consumers. d. Primary consumers eat plants. Secondary consumers often

eat primary consumers. 3. __________ is an example of a carnivore.


4. __________ is an example of an herbivore.


5. Which part of the food chain is responsible for breaking down dead animals into tiny pieces?

a. Carnivores b. Herbivores c. Producers d. Decomposers

Answers: The Food Chain


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6. In a typical food chain, what would happen after a primary consumer eats a producer?

Suggested answer: After a primary consumer eats a producer, that primary consumer will be eaten by a secondary consumer.

7. What is an effect of decomposers breaking down animals and plants after they die?

Suggested answer: Decomposers break down animals and plants after they die, and it has the effect of returning vital nutrients back into the environment.

8. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Nutrients from deceased animals and plants feed producers, _______ completes the cycle of the food chain.

a. after b. which c. because d. despite

9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. In the savanna, when lions become hungry, they hunt for primary consumers such as zebras in order to get rid of their hunger. What? lions (do) What? hunt for primary consumers such as zebras Where? in the savanna When (they become)? hungry Why? in order to get rid of their hunger 10. Vocabulary Word: environment: everything that surrounds living things and affects growth and health; the natural world. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.

Food Chain Reading

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