Assess Student Understanding With Our Food Chain Worksheet

What is a food chain? A food chain describes how energy moves through an ecosystem. It shows how organisms are related to each other by the food that they eat. Food chains always start with a producer and end with an apex predator or decomposer.

With this science worksheet, students will use their understanding of food chains to answer questions about how energy flows through the chain. Students are also asked to draw their own food chain to show understanding of how living things depend on others for survival.

An answer key is included with your download to make marking fast and easy! 

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

In addition to independent student work time, use this worksheet as an activity for:

• Guided science groups
• Lesson warm-up
• Lesson wrap-up
• Fast finishers 
• Homework assignment
• Whole-class review (via smartboard)

For students who need a bit of a challenge, encourage them to predict what might happen if one of the organisms becomes extinct or there are too many of that species. 

For students who may need additional support, invite them to review previous lessons. Additionally, this worksheet can be completed in a 1-to-1 setting or with a small group. 

Easily Download & Print

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or editable Google Slides version of this resource. 

Because this resource includes an answer sheet, we recommend you print one copy of the entire file. Then, make photocopies of the blank worksheet for students to complete. 

To save paper, we suggest printing this 2-page worksheet double-sided. 

Additionally, project the worksheet onto a screen and work through it as a class by having students record their answers in their workbooks.

This resource was created by Melissa McLaren, a Teach Starter collaborator. 

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities to shorten your lesson planning time:  

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Food Webs vs. Food Chains – Teaching Presentation

Learn about the difference between a food chain and a food web with this 18-slide teaching presentation.

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Food Chains and Food Webs – Vocabulary Booklet

Reinforce science vocabulary by creating a booklet to reference when studying food chains and food webs.

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Producer, Consumer, Decomposer - Poster

A poster explaining the roles of the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers in the food chain.