The Story of the Food Chain

All living things need energy to grow and move. This energy starts with the bright sun in the sky. Green plants take the sunlight and turn it into food. We call these plants producers because they produce their own food. Every food chain begins with a producer like grass or a tall tree. Without these plants, no animals could live on Earth.

Some animals eat only the plants to get their energy. These animals are called primary consumers. They are the first animals in the food chain. A small grasshopper is a primary consumer because it eats green leaves. A big cow is also a primary consumer because it eats grass. They spend most of their day looking for plants to eat.

The next part of the chain has animals that eat other animals. These are called secondary consumers. They get their energy by eating the primary consumers. A hungry frog might jump out and catch a grasshopper. The frog is a secondary consumer because it eats the insect. This moves the energy from the plant to the bug and then to the frog.

Some food chains are even longer and have tertiary consumers. These are often big animals that hunt for their food. A hawk flying high in the sky is a tertiary consumer. It might eat the frog or a small snake. These hunters are usually at the very top of the food chain. They help keep the number of other animals in balance.

A food chain shows us how all living things are tied together. It is like a big circle of life where everyone has a job. The sun gives power to the plants. The plants give food to the small animals. The big animals eat the small ones to stay strong. Nature is amazing because everything works together to stay alive.