Energy Explorers: Classifying Organisms by Food!

Science Grades 5th Grade 3:14 Video
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Lesson Description

Discover how living things get energy by exploring the roles of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, and how it all starts with the sun!

Video Resource

Feed Me: Classifying Organisms - Crash Course Kids #1.2

Crash Course Kids

Duration: 3:14
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Energy from the sun
  • Herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores
  • Classifying organisms by diet

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to define herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
  • Students will be able to explain how energy from the sun is used by plants and animals.
  • Students will be able to classify different animals based on their diet.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what they ate for lunch. Discuss how different people eat different things. Then, introduce the video and explain that they will be learning about how different animals get their energy.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the Crash Course Kids video: 'Feed Me: Classifying Organisms.'
  • Discussion (10 mins)
    After watching the video, lead a class discussion about the key concepts presented. Use the discussion questions provided.
  • Interactive Exercise (15 mins)
    Engage students in the 'Food Chain Creation' activity. This will help them solidify their understanding of the different feeding categories and how energy flows between them.
  • Wrap-up (5 mins)
    Summarize the key learning points of the lesson. Briefly review the definitions of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Assign the quizzes for assessment.

Interactive Exercises

  • Food Chain Creation
    Divide students into small groups. Provide each group with pictures of different plants and animals (e.g., sun, grass, deer, wolf, berries, bear). Ask them to create a food chain showing how energy flows from the sun to the different organisms. Each group should then present their food chain to the class.

Discussion Questions

  • What is the main source of energy for all living things?
  • What is the difference between a herbivore, a carnivore, and an omnivore?
  • Can you name some examples of each type of animal (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore)?
  • How do plants get their energy?
  • Why is it important to classify animals based on their diet?

Skills Developed

  • Classification
  • Critical thinking
  • Scientific reasoning

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What is the main source of energy for almost all living things?

Correct Answer: The sun

Question 2:

An animal that eats mostly plants is called a:

Correct Answer: Herbivore

Question 3:

An animal that eats mostly meat is called a:

Correct Answer: Carnivore

Question 4:

An animal that eats both plants and animals is called a:

Correct Answer: Omnivore

Question 5:

Which of these animals is an herbivore?

Correct Answer: Deer

Question 6:

Which of these animals is a carnivore?

Correct Answer: Lion

Question 7:

Which of these animals is an omnivore?

Correct Answer: Pig

Question 8:

Plants get their energy from the sun through a process called:

Correct Answer: Photosynthesis

Question 9:

What kind of energy do plants make from sunlight?

Correct Answer: Chemical

Question 10:

A raccoon eats berries and insects. What kind of animal is it?

Correct Answer: Omnivore

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

Living things need to eat to get _________ in order to survive.

Correct Answer: energy

Question 2:

Animals that eat mostly plants are called _________.

Correct Answer: herbivores

Question 3:

Animals that eat mostly meat are called _________.

Correct Answer: carnivores

Question 4:

Animals that eat both plants and animals are called _________.

Correct Answer: omnivores

Question 5:

Plants change energy from the _________ into sugar.

Correct Answer: sun

Question 6:

The sugar that plants make is a kind of _________ energy.

Correct Answer: chemical

Question 7:

A _________ is an example of an herbivore.

Correct Answer: deer

Question 8:

A _________ is an example of a carnivore.

Correct Answer: tiger

Question 9:

A _________ is an example of an omnivore.

Correct Answer: human

Question 10:

Plants use air, water, and sunlight to make their own _________.

Correct Answer: food

Educational Standards

5-PS3-1:Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun. 5.LS2.1:Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

Teaching Materials

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