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3rd Grade Food Chains and Ecosystems worksheets

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Food Chains and Ecosystems

Grade 3 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the answer.

  1. In grass → grasshopper → frog → hawk, if the frogs disappear, what happens to the grasshoppers at first?

    • they increase, because fewer frogs eat them
    • they decrease, because hawks eat them instead
    • they decrease, because they have less grass
    • they stay the same, because they eat grass
  2. In grass → grasshopper → frog → hawk, what happens to the grass if the grasshoppers increase a lot?

    • it stays the same, because grass makes its own food
    • it decreases, because more of it gets eaten
    • it increases, because hawks protect it
    • it increases, because frogs eat less
  3. In a meadow, rabbits and mice both eat grass and seeds. Hawks eat rabbits and mice. If the rabbits leave, why might the hawks still survive?

    • the hawks can start eating grass
    • the mice will make food for hawks
    • the hawks need no food for a while
    • the hawks can still eat mice
  4. A wetland is drained to build houses. Which animal would most likely not survive there anymore?

    • a frog that lays eggs in water
    • a pigeon that nests on roofs
    • a squirrel that lives in trees
    • an ant that lives in soil
  5. Which food chain shows energy moving through four living things in the right order?

    • algae → big fish → small fish → heron
    • small fish → algae → big fish → heron
    • heron → big fish → small fish → algae
    • algae → small fish → big fish → heron
  6. A farmer sprays a field and most insects die. Birds in the field eat insects. What will most likely happen to the birds?

    • fewer birds can live there
    • more birds will move there
    • the number of birds will not change
    • the birds will make their own food
  7. Deer eat young trees. Wolves eat deer. Wolves return to a forest after many years. What happens to the young trees?

    • more young trees grow, because there are fewer deer
    • nothing changes for the trees
    • the young trees stop growing
    • fewer young trees grow, because wolves eat trees
  8. Sea otters eat sea urchins, and sea urchins eat kelp. If the sea otters disappear, what happens to the kelp forest?

    • it stays the same, because kelp makes its own food
    • it grows, because the urchins leave
    • it shrinks, because more urchins eat the kelp
    • it grows, because otters no longer eat kelp
  9. A long drought dries up a small pond until no water is left. What will most likely happen to the fish that lived in it?

    • they move to the grass and eat seeds
    • they die, because their water habitat is gone
    • they grow larger, because there is less water
    • they swim away to find a bigger pond
  10. In a pond, ducks and fish both eat insects. If the ducks increase, what might happen to the fish?

    • they will make their own food
    • they will start eating the ducks
    • they will have more insects to eat
    • they may have fewer insects to eat
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3rd Grade Food Chains and Ecosystems worksheet 1 – printable PDF
Download PDF: 123456

About this worksheet

Food chains and ecosystems show how energy moves from plants to animals and decomposers, and how a habitat change affects the living things in it helps third graders connect observations with scientific explanations instead of memorizing isolated facts. Students may read arrows as decoration or start with a predator instead of the producer that captures energy first. This worksheet uses short evidence-based situations so students must read the setup, identify the pattern, and choose the answer that fits the science idea named in the title. Students order food chains, identify producers, consumers and decomposers, and predict what happens to populations when a habitat or food source changes.

Support versions use familiar examples and direct wording. Standard and challenge versions add closer distractors and require more comparison. Encourage your child to point to the evidence in the prompt before choosing an answer. If the answer does not explain the observation or solve the stated problem, it is probably a distractor. That habit builds careful science reasoning and prepares students for longer investigations.

What your child will learn

  • Order a food chain
  • Identify producers, consumers and decomposers
  • Predict population changes
  • Explain how habitat changes affect survival

NGSS standard: 3-LS4-3

Worked example

In grass → rabbit → hawk, grass is the producer. If the rabbits leave, the hawks have less food.

Common mistake

Starting the food chain with the animal that looks strongest.

Helpful hint

Start with the producer, then follow who eats what.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with food chains and ecosystems?

Starting the food chain with the animal that looks strongest.

How can I help my child with food chains and ecosystems?

Start with the producer, then follow who eats what.

Are these 3rd grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Plant Life Cycles · Animal Life Cycles

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