Third Grade
Worksheets
The Circle of Life
Plants are special living things. They are special because they can make their own food. Plants use energy from the sun, along with air and water, to make sugars for the plant to use as food. Plants are primary producers. Plants are the beginning of most food chains.
Animals cannot make their own food. Animals are consumers. They must consume, or eat, food to get energy to live. Some animals eat plants. Some animals eat other animals.
When an animal eats food, it uses some of the food's energy. Animals need energy to breathe. They need energy to keep their hearts beating. They need energy to get rid of wastes. They need energy to move around and get more food. Whatever food energy isn't used by the animal is stored in its tissues.
