Objective: students learn some of the relationships within a
food web Materials: multiple copies of The Food Web Story
Vocabulary: carnivore, decomposer, detritivore, herbivore,
omnivore, primary producer Comments: When scientists study the
structure and functioning of food webs, they use specific terms
to describe the relationships between various organisms. Plants
are called primary producers because they absorb the energy of
sunlight and convert it into food for other organisms. Organisms
that eat green plants are called herbivores, and those that eat
other animals are called carnivores. Organisms that feed on a
great variety of organisms, both plant and animal, are called
omnivores. Organisms that rely on dead animals or plant material
are called detritivores or decomposers. All of these eat-or-be-
eaten relationships make up a food web. 1. Explain the above
material and distribute copies of The Food Web Story to
students. Ask students to read the story and to place the
organisms discussed in the story in