Food Chains: Math Lesson
I.
Purpose:

This lesson will be taught on the second day of the food chain unit plan.The purpose
of this lesson is to enhance the learning of producers, consumers, and decomposers by
creating a square pyramid food chain and asking students the characteristics (faces,
edges, vertices, and angles) of the geometric shape.
 VA Science SOL 3.5: Food Chains
 The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and
terrestrial food chains. Key concepts include
a) producer, consumer, decomposer;
b) herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and
c) predator and prey.

VA Math SOL 3.14
The student will identify, describe, compare, and contrast characteristics of plane and solid
geometric figures (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, cube, rectangular prism, square pyramid,
sphere, cone, and cylinder) by identifying relevant characteristics including the number of
angles, vertices, edges, and the number and shape of faces using concrete models.
II.
Objectives:

The student will be able to create a food chain of grassland animals by making a
square pyramid and identify characteristics (number of angles, vertices, edges, and the
number of faces) with 80% accuracy.
III.
Procedure:
Introduction

The lesson will be introduced by a short clip from the movie Lion King when they
explain the food chain. After the clip has been viewed, the teacher will review with
students that a food chain is sequenced by the producer, consumer and decomposer. The
teacher will also explain to the students the passing of energy from one organism to
another in the food chain and that only 10% of what was consumed turned into energy for
that organism.
 The students will then be told they will be working with geometry today and will identify
the square pyramid geometric figure according to its characteristics.
 The teacher will tell the students they will be creating a grassland food chain on their
geometric figure, and will be instructed to label the food chain by naming terrestrial
animals according to if they are a producer, consumer, or decomposer. The teacher will
show examples of three different grassland food chains and show the completed model of
the square pyramid.
 Lion King Food Chain Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7PlTaawfQ
Development

The teacher will review geometrical math terms that have already been taught and
write the definitions on the board that the students will be focusing on during the lesson.

Square pyramid: is a solid figure with one square face and four triangular faces that
share a common vertex

Face: is a polygon that serves as the side of a solid figure

Angle: is formed by two rays with a common endpoint.

Edge: is the line segment where two faces of a solid figure intersect


Vertex: the point at which the sides of an angle intersect
The teacher will then hand out a square pyramid net for students to cut out and glue
together as well as the grassland animals they can use for their food chains:
o Producers: grass, trees
o Consumers: zebra, antelope, giraffe, elephants, snakes
o Decomposers: fungi, termites, bacteria

After the students have glued their square pyramid together, they will
be instructed to choose at least two producers, consumers, and
decomposers to place on their square pyramid. Producers will be on the
base of the pyramid, consumers will be in the middle, and decomposers
will be towards the apex of the square pyramid. Once students have
finished putting their food chain on their square pyramid, they will be
instructed to find the number of faces, vertices, edges, and angles of their
geometric figure. Students will be referred to look at the math terms on the
board if they are unsure of the words. (Visual)

The teacher will monitor and check for understanding throughout the
lesson by making sure students are following directions and are finding
the characteristics of their pyramid by counting the number of faces,
vertices, edges, and angles.

For students who are having difficulties, the teacher will choose the
grassland animals for the student and assist them in creating their square
pyramid. (Auditory, Visual)

For students who will master the concepts easily, the teacher will have
the student create a food web with a primary and secondary consumer.
Summary

The teacher will end the lesson by having several students show
their square pyramid food chain and say how many faces, vertices,
and angles a square pyramid has. The teacher will then ask
students what they learned during the lesson to review the concept
with students. (Auditory)
IV.
Materials:
 square pyramid net,
 grassland animal cut-outs, glue,
 markers,
 short clip from Lion King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7PlTaawfQ
V.
Evaluation Part A:
 The teacher will assess the students’ knowledge by examining their square pyramid food
chain to ensure accurate placement as well as the correct number of faces, vertices, edges,
and angles for the geometric figure. If students have an incorrect number for one of their
characteristics for their geometric figure, the teacher will ask the student how they found
their answer and will recount in front of the teacher.
VI. Evaluation Part B:
 Did the student meet your objectives?
 Did your lesson accommodate/address the needs of all your learners?
 What were the strengths of the lesson?
 What were the weaknesses?

How would you change the lesson if you could teach it again?