All lessons › Survival in habitats › Lesson 3
Australian primary science · Years 5–6 · Lesson 3 of 3
Food web what-ifs
Inquiry question: What happens when one living thing in a habitat changes?
Marked no materials needed
Using a model
What students learn
Living things in a habitat are linked in food webs. A change to one living thing can affect many others.
Success criteria
- I can read the arrows in a food web.
- I can predict the effect of a change.
- I can explain a chain of effects.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Students know animals need food and that habitats differ.
- iPads with Bottlebrush Education open (nothing else needed) — 13 (one per pair)
- Projector or big screen — 1
Teacher setup
- Open Living things › Lab › Food web what-ifs on your screen to demonstrate.
- Check the iPads are charged.
Safety and adaptations
Follow school science and equipment risk assessment procedures for the materials used.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Pairs read each what-if.
- Predict the effect before checking.
- Follow the arrows and record what the web shows.
- Mark where your prediction was different and why.
Teacher modelling prompt
On the big screen, read one arrow aloud: “Grass → grasshopper means the grasshopper eats the grass.” Then predict one what-if and follow the arrows to check.
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: What happens when one living thing changes?
| Change | My prediction (up, down or same) | What the web showed |
|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Use the web to decide which claim is better.
Check understanding
What should pupils know? In a food web, which way do arrows point?
Explain with evidence: If grass dies in a drought, why might dingoes be affected?
Apply the idea: All the fungi and worms disappear from the soil. Use the web to predict two effects.
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.