Science Activities to Teach About Producers and Consumers in Ecosystems

• A mantis is a consumer, feeding on others within a food chain. Jeremy Woodhouse/Photodisc/Getty Images

  An ecosystem's food chain is filled with decomposers, producers, and consumers. Producers are organisms that serve as a source of food for other organisms. They may produce fruits, nuts, or other byproducts on which animals feed, or they may be eaten whole. Consumers are organisms that feed on plants and smaller, weaker animals in order to survive. There are many ways in which to teach students about the different producers and consumers in a given environment.

Classroom Identification Exercises

• In order to give students a basic introduction to consumers and producers, show them examples of wildlife and ask them to identify each animal's place in a food chain. The examples can be captive live specimens, taxidermically preserved specimens, or pictures. Some science curricula call for students to capture and collect leaves or insects from the wild. Once these collections have been turned in, they can be used as a source of specimens for future identification exercises.

Aquarium and Terrarium Projects

• A small, simple freshwater aquarium can expose students to producers and consumers in a marine environment. Algae will naturally accumulate on aquarium glass and decorations, such as rocks and gravel. The algae in a tank is an example of a producer. Small omnivorous or herbivorous snails or crabs can be introduced into the aquarium. Many species of plecostomus will also scavenge the tank glass and bottom for food. These consumers occupy a low station within the spectrum of the food chain. To introduce students to higher ranks of consumers, aggressive carnivores such as cichlids can be added, with feeder guppies introduced regularly so that the cichlids can be seen hunting and feeding.

  Terraria and herbaria can also house examples of consumers and producers. Introduce moss, grass, and other plants on the habitat's floor and diurnal insects, which can be observed feeding on the plant life within the environment. Carnivorous animals such as mantises or small lizards may also be added to prey upon the smaller, less aggressive insects within the tank.

Local Real-World Observations

• At schools located near forested or grassy areas, students can take regular trips outside to observe the wildlife around them. As in classroom terraria, moss and other plant life can be catalogued and observed as examples of producers while local wildlife will provide examples of consumers. Identify and watch herbivorous insects, caterpillars, and birds as they consume the leaves and fruits of local plants and develop classroom exercises that follow up on the students' outdoor observations.