What is the food chain?

1. What is the food chain? Presentation by Lindsey Small

2. Why the food chain is important… • Chain means that all animals are linked together. If something affects one “link”, it affects the whole chain. • The food chain helps to keep all animals from becoming extinct. • The food chain keeps animals alive and healthy by allowing them to eat things that gives them nourishment.

3. What animals make up the food chain? • The food chain is split into different categories. • There are Omnivores, Herbivores, and Carnivores. • All animals are apart of the food chain. Even we are apart of the food chain! • From least to greatest, everyone takes part.

4. What are Omnivores? • An omnivore is an animal that eats other animals and plants. • Some Omnivores will hunt and eat their food • Some Omnivores are called scavengers, which means they eat things that have already been killed. • Omnivores can eat plants but not all plants, sometimes they can not digest some substances in some types of plants. • Omnivores include bears, humans, chickens, raccoons, and smaller insects like a fly.

5. What are Herbivores? • Herbivores are animals that eat only plants. • Many herbivores have special digestive systems called a rumen that allow them to break down all kinds of different plants. • Herbivores need a lot of energy to stay alive, that is why many herbivores like sheep and cows eat all day long! • Types of animals that are herbivores are : Honey bees, deer, rabbits, cows, grasshoppers, and many more animals!

6. What are carnivores? • A carnivore is an animal that eats other animals. • Carnivores usually eat herbivores (plant eaters) but sometimes eats omnivores ( both plant and meat eaters). • Animals, like carnivores, that eat other animals are important to the ecosystem because they keep other species from becoming over populated. • Some types of animals that are carnivores are: wolves, hawks, snakes, frogs, lions, tigers, and dogs.

7. Food Chain Websites • Carnivores http://www.wildnature.us/carnivores-a.htm http://www.iwrc-online.org/kids/Facts/Mammals/carnivores.htm http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/AnimalsNature/Meat-eating-plants • Herbivores http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/herbivore.htm http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep9a.htm • Omnivores http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep10b.htm http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/omnivore.htm