Energy for Animals

Level 1

Curriculum Area Energy and Change - energy sources and receivers

Life and Living - Living together, structure and function,biodiversity, change and continuity

Activity: Discussion, writing

Theme: Food and energy

Outcomes

• understand that animals depend on each other for energy
• identifies sources of energy in daily life
• talks about animals active in daytime and animals active at night
• recognise sources of energy that animals depend on for food
• lists sources of food and shelter of animals

Activities

Talk about the food requirements of animals seen during the day kookaburra eats frog, magpie eats cricket, lizard eats ant (or snail) koala eats eucalypt leaves and flowers galah eats gum nut seeds rabbit eats grass

Using the cutouts from the Australian Food Web, match each of the above animals with their food.

Talk about the food requirements of animals seen during the night.

Using the pictures of the living things from the Australian Food Web, match the animals listed above with their food.

Undertake the same activities with the African and Antarctic cutouts - ask students to select animals and identify their food.

Extension

Imagine that the class is organising a banquet for either Australian, Antarctic or African animals. Ask them to work out who they would invite, the venue (an ice cave in Antarctica, picnic under a eucalypt or acacia etc.) and design a menu including food items or recipes.

Ask students to think about their own food requirements. (Breakfast, play lunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner). Questions to ask include: why do we need to eat, where does our food come from.