Food Chain Card
You will create a card that explores the cyclical effect of a food chain and the interdependence of plants and animals for their continued growth and survival.
Creating the Cycle Card
· Take two sheets of 8½- by 11-inch white construction paper. Lay the construction paper in front of you horizontally.
· Draw a line 4¼ inches from the left edge and another line 8½ inches from the left edge (figure 1). Do this to both sheets. Cut along these lines so you have four sheets of card stock that measure 4¼ by 8½. Discard the two thin strips.
· Lay these four sheets in front of you horizontally and draw a line 2 1/8 inches from the left edge of each sheet and another line 2 1/8 inches from the right edge of each sheet (figure 2).
· Fold all four sheets along both lines so the edges meet in the center. The edges should not overlap. If they do, you should trim them a little. Now, reopen the sheets.
· Fold two of the pieces in half horizontally (figure 3). Then, fold and unfold all of the creases so they are pliable. Lay the two pieces you just folded–one above the other–so the bottom edge of one abuts the top edge of the other (figure 4).
· Put glue in the four corners, making sure not to let it go over the score lines (figure 5).
· Lay the other two sheets of card stock on top of the sheets that have glue on them, attaching them one corner at a time (figure 6). The cycle card is now ready to be decorated (figure 7).
Completing the Cycle Card
· Pick a biome (such as a pond, a rain forest, a desert, or a coniferous forest—as is shown in the sample project). You will create a cycle card that examines a simple food chain found in the biome you selected.
· On the cover, use creative lettering to write the title Producers. Draw a picture of producers found in the chosen biome and write a couple of sentences about them, describing their role in the food chain (figure 8).
· Open the center of the cover panel to reveal the second panel (figure 9). On this panel, write about herbivores found in the biome and draw a related picture. (Note: The sides of this panel can also be seen when the third panel is revealed)
· Lift the center of the second panel to reveal the third panel (figure 10). On this panel, write about carnivores found in the biome and draw a related picture.
· Open the center of the third panel to reveal the fourth panel (figure 11). On this panel, write about the role of decomposers found in the biome and draw a related picture.
Open the fourth panel to reveal the cover panel, cycling through the never ending process of the food chain.