---
title: "Ocean Food Chains"
description: "Describe a simple ocean food chain: tiny plants (phytoplankton) are eaten by small animals, which are eaten by bigger fish, which are eaten by top predators like sharks, showing that all ocean life de"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/ocean-food-chains-mt_l6OpmOKMuT
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/ocean-food-chains-mt_l6OpmOKMuT.md
retrieved: 2026-11-12
---

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# Ocean Food Chains

Describe a simple ocean food chain: tiny plants (phytoplankton) are eaten by small animals, which are eaten by bigger fish, which are eaten by top predators like sharks, showing that all ocean life depends on others for food

Subject: Science · Area: Ocean Life · Ages 5 to 7
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/ocean-food-chains-mt_l6OpmOKMuT

## Ready when they can

- Describe a food chain with at least three levels
- Identify that ocean food chains start with tiny plants or algae
- Explain that bigger animals eat smaller ones in a chain of dependence

## Lesson: The Ocean Food Chain

Every ocean animal needs food. Food connects them in a chain. Tiny plants start every ocean food chain.

*(drawing: Follow the chain: tiny plants, small fish, big fish, then shark.)*

**Example.** Tiny plants called phytoplankton float in the water. Small fish eat the phytoplankton. A big fish eats the small fish. A shark eats the big fish.

**Tip.** Every animal in the chain needs the one before it. If tiny plants disappear, the whole chain breaks.

**Recap.** Tiny plants feed small fish, which feed big fish, which feed sharks.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Optional connections

- [What Ocean Animals Need](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/what-ocean-animals-need-mt_m31_gPS8F1)
- [Ocean Animal Variety](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/ocean-animal-variety-mt_ytUG3yjCYt)

## Opens up

- [Simple Food Chains](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/simple-food-chains-mt_EygMHKs8Ed)
- [Ocean Food Webs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/ocean-food-webs-mt_OnV_DTp5i8)