S2.2.6 For the adult
Plant eaters, meat eaters and both
How can I tell what an animal eats?
What this chapter teaches
Herbivores eat only plants, carnivores eat other animals, and omnivores eat both. Teeth and beaks fit the food: flat back teeth grind plants and pointed teeth grip meat. Size and strength do not say what an animal eats.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- What can the teeth of an animal tell you about its food?
- Why can you not tell what an animal eats from its size?
- Are you a herbivore, a carnivore or an omnivore, and how do your teeth show it?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Sort animals into herbivores, carnivores and omnivores
- Tell from teeth or beaks what an animal eats
What they copy into their notebook
A herbivore eats plants. A carnivore eats animals. An omnivore eats both. Flat back teeth grind plants. Pointed teeth grip meat. Beaks fit food too. Size does not tell you what an animal eats.