Grade 3ScienceTEKS 3.12B

Grade 3 Science TEKS 3.12B:Energy Flow in Food Chains

Free, teacher-ready lessons and worksheets for Energy Flow in Food Chains in Grade 3 Science, fully aligned to Texas TEKS 3.12B.

Identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field affect the ecosystem

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      Grade 3 Science TEKS Lessons

      TEKS 3.12B: Energy Flow in Food Chains

      • Understanding the Food Chain

        About this lesson

        Learning Target: I can model a food chain and describe the flow of energy in it.

        Focuses On:

        • The individual players in a food chain
        • What direction energy flows in a food chain, and where it originates

        Builds On:

        2.12B:

        create and describe food chains identifying producers and consumers to demonstrate how animals depend on other living things

        Next Level:

        4.12B:

        describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy through food webs, including the roles of the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers

        Read More:

        This lesson is designed to support students' understanding of the roles in a food web and the direction of energy flow.


        The lesson begins with an in-depth look at the roles of the sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food chain. It then informs students about the direction energy flows, explaining that arrows point in the direction of energy transfer and that all energy originates from the sun.


        This lesson builds on standard 2.12B, where students are introduced to food chains, and supports standard 4.12B, where students learn about energy flow at a broader scale in a food web.

        Grade 3ScienceTEKS 3.12B

      • Changes in a Food Chain

        About this lesson

        Learning Target: I can predict how changes in a food chain affect an ecosystem.

        Focuses On:

        • The removal of an organism from a food chain, and the effects it has on it

        Builds On:

        2.12B:

        create and describe food chains identifying producers and consumers to demonstrate how animals depend on other living things

        Next Level:

        5.12B:

        predict how changes in the ecosystem affect the cycling of matter and flow of energy in a food web

        Read More:

        This lesson is designed to support students' understanding of what happens to a food chain when one population decreases or is removed.


        The lesson begins by examining the effects on organisms below the removed link in a food chain. It then explores the effects on the organisms above the removed link.


        The lesson builds on students' knowledge of food chains and prepares them for understanding changes in a food web, as covered in standard 5.12B.

        Grade 3ScienceTEKS 3.12B

      Grade 3 Science TEKS Worksheets

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      How do you teach Energy Flow in Food Chains to 3rd graders?

      To teach Energy Flow in Food Chains to 3rd grade Science students, anchor the concept in a hands-on investigation or real-world phenomenon, then build academic vocabulary and scientific reasoning through guided practice. TEKS 3.12B asks students to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field affect the ecosystem. Crystal Instruction's free ClearLessons for 3.12B walk through this progression with modeling, guided practice, and built-in checks for understanding, while the ClearSheets provide scaffolded practice. You can download both free on this page.

      What is 3.12B in 3rd grade Science?

      TEKS 3.12B is a 3rd grade Science standard for Energy Flow in Food Chains. It requires students to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field affect the ecosystem. It is part of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 3 Science.

      Where can I find free TEKS 3.12B lessons and worksheets?

      You can download free TEKS 3.12B lessons and worksheets directly on this page — no login or account required. Crystal Instruction provides free PDF versions of our Energy Flow in Food Chains ClearLessons and ClearSheets for Grade 3 Science, and each one is also available as an interactive lesson inside the full Crystal Instruction platform.

      What skills are included in 3rd grade Energy Flow in Food Chains?

      TEKS 3.12B (Energy Flow in Food Chains) covers the following 3rd grade Science skills: students learn to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field affect the ecosystem. Free resources for this standard include Understanding the Food Chain, Changes in a Food Chain.

      Are TEKS 3.12B resources aligned to STAAR?

      Although Grade 3 Science is not directly tested on the Texas STAAR test, TEKS 3.12B builds the foundational skills students need for later STAAR assessments. Every Crystal Instruction ClearSheet for 3.12B is STAAR-aligned, and our ClearLessons are built to STAAR rigor using released STAAR test items, so students practice Energy Flow in Food Chains at the depth STAAR expects.