Summary
Venus flytraps, sundews, and pitcher plants turn the food chain upside down by trapping and digesting insects. Kenny Coogan explains how these plants evolved special structures to get the nutrients that poor, boggy soil can't provide.
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Ages 7+
TED-Ed lessons move quickly and use rich vocabulary — best for grades 5–6 (some grade 4 with support). No content concerns; preview once for pace.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Some plants eat bugs — this lesson shows how their special parts make it possible.
- Why do carnivorous plants trap insects instead of only using sunlight and soil?
- What special structures help a Venus flytrap catch its prey?
- How do these plants show that living things adapt to their environment?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: carnivorous, nutrients, adaptation, digest.
Try it: Design your own bug-trapping plant. Label the part that catches insects and say how it works.