Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Energy Pyramid Lesson Plan.

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Energy Pyramid, and supports the standard of developing models to describe that energy in animals’ food was once energy from the Sun. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask students:

  • How do humans and animals get their energy? 
  • How does this compare to how plants gain energy?

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND

  • Read aloud the description on the Energy Pyramid topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: ENGAGE

Students express what they learned about the energy pyramid while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a tutorial that answers this question:  How does energy change as it moves from producers to different consumers, like herbivores, carnivores, and top predators? (Essential Literacy Skill: Determine central ideas) 
  • Make-a-Map: Make a concept map identifying the levels of the energy pyramid and providing examples of plants and animals in each. (Essential Literacy Skill: Summarize key details)
  • Creative Coding: Code a learning game challenging players to sort plants and animals as consumers or producers. (Essential Literacy Skill: Acquire and use domain specific words and phrases)

Step 4: APPLY & ASSESS 

Apply: Students complete the Energy Pyramid Graphic Organizer, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Energy Pyramid Quiz

Step 5: EXTEND LEARNING

Food Fight Game: Students apply understanding of ecosystems by creating food webs that increase species’ populations.

Energy Unit: Continue to build understanding of interactions, energy, and dynamics with more BrainPOP topics.

Additional Support Resources: