Have you ever thought about how important lunch is? Sometimes, it might not be the tastiest meal, like a banana and ketchup sandwich, but when we’re hungry, we’ll eat it! That’s because all living things need food to get energy and survive.
Everything starts with the sun. While we might use sunscreen and sunglasses to protect ourselves from the sun, plants love it! They do something amazing that only a few living things can do. Plants capture energy from the sun’s rays and turn it into chemical energy, specifically a kind of sugar. When we eat plants, we use that sugar as energy in our bodies. It’s like eating sunshine, but much tastier and more filling!
Scientists group animals based on how they get their energy. Some animals, like deer and cows, eat mostly plants or parts of plants like fruits and seeds. These animals are called herbivores. Even though they eat all kinds of plants, not just herbs, they’re still herbivores.
If you’re looking for an animal to share a burger with, you might want to call a tiger or a hawk. These animals are carnivores, which means they eat mostly meat. Humans, bears, raccoons, and other animals that eat both plants and animals are called omnivores.
Let’s imagine we’re out for a walk. The sun is shining on an apple tree, a raccoon is hiding in the tree’s branches, some insects are munching on the tree’s leaves, and a hawk is circling overhead. How do these living things get their energy?
The apple tree doesn’t eat anything. It’s a plant, so it uses the sun’s energy, air, and water to make sugar. The insects eating the tree’s leaves are herbivores because they eat plants. The raccoon can eat both the apples from the tree and the insects, making it an omnivore. If the raccoon leaves the tree, it might get caught by the hawk, a carnivore that loves meat.
As you can see, all living things get energy that starts with the sun. Plants take this energy and turn it into chemical energy. Herbivores get their energy by eating mostly plants, carnivores get theirs by eating mostly meat, and omnivores, like humans, get energy by eating both plants and animals.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for this omnivore’s lunch!
Let’s see how plants use sunlight to grow! Plant a small seed, like a bean, in a cup with soil. Place it on a windowsill where it can get sunlight. Water it regularly and watch it grow over a few weeks. Draw a picture of your plant each week and notice how it changes. Discuss with your friends or family how the sun helps the plant grow and how this relates to the energy we get from eating plants.
Go on a nature walk or look at pictures of different animals. Try to identify which animals are herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores based on what they eat. Make a simple chart with three columns labeled “Herbivores,” “Carnivores,” and “Omnivores,” and draw or write the names of animals you find in the correct column. Talk about why it’s important for different animals to have different diets and how this helps them survive.
Create a story about a day in the life of an animal of your choice. Include how it gets its energy from the food it eats. For example, if you choose a rabbit, describe how it finds plants to eat and how this gives it energy to hop around. Share your story with your class or family and discuss how the sun plays a role in the energy flow for all living things.
