This activity’s objectives are aligned with the National Science Education Standards, specifically those related to Science as Inquiry and Physical Science. In this activity, students will discover how pollutants can be disbursed throughout a food chain. Students will make a model of a simple food chain and observe how toxins can accumulate in consumers at the top of the chain. They will count, multiply, observe patterns, and draw conclusions.
- Pollutants often are absorbed by organisms near the base of a food chain.
- Toxic chemicals can become concentrated in the bodies of consumers, especially those near the top of the food chain.
Student pages in the teacher’s guide are provided in English and in Spanish.
Keywords: consumers | food chain | food web | pollution | producers | toxic chemicals | toxins | food
- Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Parks Service.
- Moreno N., and B. Tharp. (2011). The Science of Food: Teacher’s Guide. Fourth edition. Baylor College of Medicine. ISBN: 978-1-888997-76-7.
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Funded by the following grant(s)
My Health My World: National Dissemination
Grant Number: 5R25ES009259
The Environment as a Context for Opportunities in Schools
Grant Number: 5R25ES010698, R25ES06932