L.O. I will describe food chains in detail. Life Science – 4th Grade L.O. I will describe food chains in detail.

Food Chains Shows path of food energy *The first link in a food chain is a producer. All living things need energy to survive They get energy from food Some eat plants Some eat other animals Plants don’t eat food, they make their own

*Producers *Plants and trees are the producers *main source of energy in food chain Use sunlight to make food - Photosynthesis Get their energy from the sun *Original source of energy for living things is the sun

*Consumers *Animals that consume or eat They eat other animals and/ or They eat producers (plants) * Energy flows from the sun to PRODUCERS (plants producing food) to CONSUMERS *The other 3 links in a food chain are Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores

1st type of consumer - Herbivores *Eat only producers -plants butterfly grasshopper mouse bison

2nd type of consumers – Carnivores *Only eat other animals – consumers snake hawk coyote

3rd type of consumer – Omnivores Animals that eat both producers and consumers raccoon grizzly bear pig And don’t forget HUMANS!

Food Chain owl *DEPEND ON EACH OTHER, But also COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER energy flows to owl energy flows to *DEPEND ON EACH OTHER, But also COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER energy flows to grass Producer Mouse 1st Consumer Herbivore coyote

DAY 2

Organism – a living thing Cell is basic unit that makes up all living things Microorganism- organism that cannot be seen without microscope

Some microorganisms have one cell – algae, amoeba, yeast, and bacteria Bacteria are microorganisms found in all living organisms and everywhere on earth Some bacteria can be bad and make you sick – but most are good

*Fungi are organisms – examples are *mushrooms and mold Mold can spoil food, but mushrooms are yummy to eat and are good for you

Producer (plant/tree) dies Microorganisms start using dead producer to grow, but in the process are breaking down the dead producer

Decomposers They are consumers *They break down the remains of dead organisms *So, bacteria and fungi helps in decomposition of a fallen tree They connect both ends of the food chain maggots mushrooms bacteria earthworms

*Bacteria helps to recycle matter and nutrients from dead plants back into the soil So all food chains end with decomposers

Decomposers break down dead stuff, recycling nutrients back into soil to be used by new plants, starting the process all over again *Microorganisms are important to the ecosystem

What is an ecosystem? Ecosystems are made up of living and non-living things that interact in an area

**In a tropical rainforest: Colorful birds Fruit and nut trees Warm all the time Lots of rain

*Non-living is water, air, soil, and light In a desert: Cactus Lizards Snakes Tortoise *Non-living is water, air, soil, and light *The differences in non-living elements determine life or death in an ecosystem.

*2 ways animals can help in the dispersal (spreading) of seeds so plants can grow in different areas *Birds drop them *Seeds stick on animal fur – animal drops seeds in other places, new plants grow there