Animal Food - Teacher Explanation

Welcome to Lesson 2.13, 'Animal Food', part of the Year 2 Unit on Living things and their habitats. In line with the national curriculum, this lesson aims to teach pupils how to describe the way animals obtain food from plants and other animals, utilising the concept of a simple food chain. Additionally, we'll touch upon identifying various food sources from a health and safety standpoint. A word of caution as scissors will be in use during the lesson. There are also cross-curricular benefits, including mathematics, through the creation of bar charts, art in drawing animals, insects, and plants, and geography through exploring the habitats of different living beings worldwide. The initial activity serves as a refresher, where pupils will categorise animals into carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores using food chain and animal cards.

Moving on, pupils will delve into the dynamics of food chains by determining 'What eats me and what do I eat?' This foundational task preps them for later activities where they will construct their own food chains. We'll explore the predator-prey relationship using worksheets with statistical data and graphs, such as the fluctuating populations of wolves and bison in Yellowstone Park, illustrating the delicate balance of nature. Subsequently, pupils will craft their own food chain mobiles, illustrating the flow of energy from plants to apex predators, with the latter being creatures that are not hunted. The lesson provides a creative and hands-on approach to understanding food chains, from producer to apex predator, and culminates with pupils either taking their mobiles home or displaying them in the classroom. Enjoy the lesson, and I look forward to our next one!