Activity Overview
Animals rarely exist in single, one-dimensional food chains. In order to demonstrate a more realistic representation of how energy passes from living thing to another, students will create a food web from different food chains in a single habitat. In a similar way to food chains, the arrows represent the flow of energy from one animal to another. The different colors are there to emphasize the different trophic levels, but are not necessary.
As an alternative to this assignment, give students the example food web and get students to identify different food chains from it. As an extension, get students to start to thinking how the population of one type of living thing affects another. For example if the number of Mussels increase, how will this affect the population of whelk?
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
In the real world animals rarely exist in single food chains. Often animals need to eat different plants and animals to get all the nutrients they need. One way of showing more complex energy transfer relationships between living thing is using food webs. Create a food web from different food chains. Remember that all food webs start with energy from the Sun.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Use these food chains to put together your food web. Use Photos for Class to find images and label them with their names. Make sure to use arrows to show the flow of energy from one living thing to another.
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Zooplankton → Caridean Shrimp → Cod
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Zooplankton → Caridean Shrimp → Laughing Gull
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → Laughing Gull
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → Jonah Crab → Laughing Gull
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → Whelk
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → American Lobster
- Sun → Seaweed → Limpet → Jonah Crab
- Sun → Seaweed → Limpet → Whelk → Laughing Gull
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 16 Points | Beginning 0 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animals images and labels | There is a clear photo for every animal and every photo is labeled with the name of the aminal. | There is a clear photo for most animals and most photos are labeled with the name of the aminal. | There isn't a clear photo for most animals and most photos aren't labeled with the name of the aminal. |
| Energy Flow arrows | All the necessary arrows are drawn correctly. | Most of the necessary arrows are drawn correctly. | Not many of the necessary arrows are drawn correctly. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
Activity Overview
Animals rarely exist in single, one-dimensional food chains. In order to demonstrate a more realistic representation of how energy passes from living thing to another, students will create a food web from different food chains in a single habitat. In a similar way to food chains, the arrows represent the flow of energy from one animal to another. The different colors are there to emphasize the different trophic levels, but are not necessary.
As an alternative to this assignment, give students the example food web and get students to identify different food chains from it. As an extension, get students to start to thinking how the population of one type of living thing affects another. For example if the number of Mussels increase, how will this affect the population of whelk?
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
In the real world animals rarely exist in single food chains. Often animals need to eat different plants and animals to get all the nutrients they need. One way of showing more complex energy transfer relationships between living thing is using food webs. Create a food web from different food chains. Remember that all food webs start with energy from the Sun.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Use these food chains to put together your food web. Use Photos for Class to find images and label them with their names. Make sure to use arrows to show the flow of energy from one living thing to another.
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Zooplankton → Caridean Shrimp → Cod
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Zooplankton → Caridean Shrimp → Laughing Gull
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → Laughing Gull
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → Jonah Crab → Laughing Gull
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → Whelk
- Sun → Phytoplankton → Mussels → American Lobster
- Sun → Seaweed → Limpet → Jonah Crab
- Sun → Seaweed → Limpet → Whelk → Laughing Gull
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 16 Points | Beginning 0 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animals images and labels | There is a clear photo for every animal and every photo is labeled with the name of the aminal. | There is a clear photo for most animals and most photos are labeled with the name of the aminal. | There isn't a clear photo for most animals and most photos aren't labeled with the name of the aminal. |
| Energy Flow arrows | All the necessary arrows are drawn correctly. | Most of the necessary arrows are drawn correctly. | Not many of the necessary arrows are drawn correctly. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
How Tos about Creating Food Webs
Engage students with an interactive food web simulation
Boost student understanding by letting them manipulate virtual populations and observe how energy flow changes. Hands-on simulations make complex food web concepts memorable and fun for grades 2–8.
Choose a digital food web simulation platform
Pick an age-appropriate online tool (like PBS LearningMedia or Legends of Learning) that lets students add, remove, and adjust populations of plants and animals. Free versions are available for many platforms.
Set up your habitat and species
Guide students to select a habitat (pond, forest, ocean) and add relevant organisms. Encourage creativity while connecting choices to your science standards. Include producers, consumers, and decomposers for a complete web.
Let students experiment with population changes
Challenge students to increase or decrease the number of a species and observe the ripple effects on the food web. Ask guiding questions like, "What happens if we remove all the mussels?"
Facilitate a reflection discussion
Wrap up by having students share surprising results and reflect on how interconnected food webs are. Highlight real-world connections to ecology and conservation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Creating Food Webs
What is a food web and how is it different from a food chain?
A food web is a complex diagram showing how different food chains in a habitat are connected, illustrating the flow of energy between living things. Unlike a single, linear food chain, a food web shows multiple possible paths for energy transfer, making it a more realistic representation of how animals interact in nature.
How can students create a simple food web for a classroom lesson?
To create a simple food web, students can combine several food chains from the same habitat. Start with the Sun, add producers (like phytoplankton or seaweed), and connect consumers at different levels using arrows to show energy flow. Use images and labels to make it visual and engaging.
Why do food webs provide a better understanding of ecosystems than food chains?
Food webs show the multiple relationships and energy pathways among organisms, revealing how species are interconnected. This helps students understand ecosystem balance and how changes in one population affect others, which single food chains cannot explain.
What materials or tools are needed to build a classroom food web activity?
Students typically need photos or images of organisms, labels, colored markers for arrows, paper or digital tools, and example food chains. Online resources like Photos for Class can help find images, while chart paper or digital maps are great for assembly.
How does changing the population of one species affect a food web?
Altering the population of one species in a food web can impact others by increasing or decreasing available food sources. For example, more mussels may lead to more whelks, but could also affect predators like crabs or gulls. This demonstrates the interconnectedness of ecosystems.
More Storyboard That Activities
Food Chains
- Buccinum undatum (Common Whelk) • S. Rae • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- Cod • Cocayhi • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- fish1879 • NOAA Photo Library • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- fish3260 • NOAA Photo Library • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- Jonah crab • U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) • acryptozoo • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- limpet shell • S. Rae • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- Lobster • Jim, the Photographer • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- Mussel • Andy Gant • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- prawn • Dan Hershman • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- seaweed • cluczkow • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
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