Herbivores, Carnivores & Omnivores
Classify common animals as carnivores (eat meat), herbivores (eat plants), or omnivores (eat both)
What a learner can do afterwards
- Define carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore in own words
- Sort at least six common animals into the three diet groups
- Give a reason for each sorting decision based on what the animal eats
1 · Read
Animals eat different kinds of food. Herbivores eat only plants. Carnivores eat only meat. Omnivores eat both plants and meat.
A cat only eats meat, so it is a carnivore. A rabbit only eats plants, so it is a herbivore. A bear eats plants and meat, so it is an omnivore.
To sort an animal, think about what it eats each day. That one clue tells you its group.
Herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat meat, and omnivores eat both.
More to read
What's for Dinner?
You can tell what an animal eats by looking at its teeth. Sharp, pointy teeth are for tearing meat. Animals with sharp teeth are carnivores. Flat teeth are for grinding plants. Animals with flat teeth are herbivores. Look at a lion's teeth. They are sharp. Lions eat meat. Now look at a cow's teeth. They are flat. Cows eat grass. Some animals have both kinds of teeth. They eat both meat and plants. They are omnivores. Even animal fossils can show us this. Long ago, animals had the same kinds of teeth.
How to Care for a Siamese Cat
Cats are carnivores. That means they eat meat. A cat's body needs meat to stay strong and healthy. Meat gives cats protein. Protein helps their muscles grow. Siamese cats are friendly and love to talk. But no matter how sweet they are, they still need to eat like little hunters. In the wild, cats catch mice, birds, and fish. Pet cats eat cat food made from meat. A cat cannot be healthy on plants alone.
3 Ways to Feed Goldfish
Goldfish are omnivores. That means they eat both plants and meat. A goldfish will nibble soft green plants. It will also eat tiny water bugs and worms. Both kinds of food help it grow. This is different from a carnivore, which eats only meat. It is also different from a herbivore, which eats only plants. Omnivores like goldfish get to enjoy both. When you feed a pet goldfish, you give it a little bit at a time. Too much food can make the water dirty and the fish sick.
How to Feed a Baby Turtle
Most turtles are omnivores. That means they eat both plants and animals. A turtle might munch on lettuce and water plants. It might also eat worms, small fish, and bugs. Baby turtles need good food to grow big and strong. Their shells and bodies need vitamins. Some turtles change what they eat as they grow up. A turtle that ate mostly meat when young may eat more plants when it is older. But most turtles stay omnivores their whole lives.
Combining information from two sources | Guided practice
Bears are omnivores. That means bears eat both plants and meat. A bear might snack on berries and nuts. The same bear might catch a fish or eat honey from a hive. One book might tell you what bears eat. Another book might tell you why bears guard their food. Reading both helps you learn the whole story. Bears eat many things, so they can live in many places. When one food is hard to find, an omnivore can just eat something else.
2 · Watch
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Where it sits
Learn first
Nothing; this is a starting point.
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.