---
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 d"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/ocean-food-chains-mt_l6OpmOKMuT
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/ocean-food-chains-mt_l6OpmOKMuT.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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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.

## Needs first

- [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)