Energy from Food & the Sun

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Organisms & Life Processes|Ages 10—11|ID: mt_PYPs2yD2sn

Use models to describe that energy in animals' food was once energy from the sun, transferred through plants or other organisms

Mastery Evidence

Explain that plants capture energy from sunlight to make food (photosynthesis)
Trace an energy pathway: sun → plant → animal → another animal
Explain that animals use food energy for body repair, growth, movement, and warmth

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] trace the energy in their breakfast cereal all the way back to the sun, explaining each step?”

Curriculum Standards1 alignment

5-PS3-1Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) K-5codes only

Standard code — full text not included in this dataset.

Prerequisites2

Plants Grow from Air & Water
hardAges 10—11
Animal Nutrition
hardAges 7—8

Show full prerequisite tree

Plants Grow from Air & Water hard
Must know plants get materials from air/water (photosynthesis) before tracing sun energy through food
- Water Transport in Plants soft
  Water transport investigation supports understanding water as a plant growth material
  - How Plant Parts Work hard
    Must know stem function before investigating water transport through stems
    - Parts of a Plant hard
      Must know basic plant structure before learning about function of each part
      - Common Plants & Trees hard
        Must know plant names before learning about their parts
- What Plants Need to Thrive hard
  Must know plant growth requirements before arguing that most material comes from air and water
  - What Plants Need to Grow hard
    Must know basic plant needs before exploring how needs vary between plants
    - What Living Things Need hard
      Must know basic survival needs before investigating specific plant growth conditions
      - Common Plants & Trees soft
        Knowing plants helps understand what they need
      - Living Things Vocabulary soft
        Describing what plants and animals need to survive uses life processes vocabulary: nutrition, growth, sensitivity
      - Naming Common Animals soft
        Knowing animals helps understand what they need
Animal Nutrition hard
Must understand nutrition and food before tracing energy from sun through food chains
- Herbivores, Carnivores & Omnivores soft
  Carnivore/herbivore/omnivore classification supports understanding nutrition differences
  - Naming Common Animals hard
    Must identify animal groups before classifying by diet
- What Living Things Need hard
  Must know basic survival needs before learning about nutrition types and food groups
  - Common Plants & Trees soft
    Knowing plants helps understand what they need
  - Living Things Vocabulary soft
    Describing what plants and animals need to survive uses life processes vocabulary: nutrition, growth, sensitivity
  - Naming Common Animals soft
    Knowing animals helps understand what they need

Unlocks1

Matter Cycling in Ecosystems
softAges 10—11