5th grade science - ecosystems assessment test.pdf · 5th grade science - ecosystems assessment 1....

Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE! Revised 11/7/13

5th Grade Science - Ecosystems Assessment 1. In the daylight, organisms that have chlorophyll, such as plants, algae, and some bacteria, can use

the sun’s energy, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food. What is this process called? A. petroleum B. photosynthesis C. food cycle D. ecosystem 2. The three main groups that can be found in all ecosystems are the producers, consumers, and

decomposers. Which choice gives an example of an organism from each group? A. bacteria, grass, flower B. clover, rabbit, mushroom C. fungi, mushroom, flower D. cow, eagle, mouse 3. A snowshoe hare lives in the Tundra and has white fur. This fur helps it blend in with the snow and hide from predators. This is an example of a(n): A. symbiosis B. herbivore C. ecosystem D. adaptation 4. Photosynthesis is an example of an energy transformation. Which statement best describes how

the energy is transformed? A. chemical energy to heat energy B. light energy to chemical energy C. heat energy to chemical energy D. chemical energy to light energy 5. Producers are the basis of all food chains. Where do producers get their energy? A. from the sun B. from eating consumers C. from decomposers D. from eating other producers


6. Oak trees produce seeds that are contained in acorns. Blue jays eat the seeds in acorns. Blue jays also collect acorns and hide them in the ground, often far away from the parent oak tree. Blue jays do not eat the seed of every acorn they hide.

How do oak trees benefit from blue jays’ collecting and hiding acorns?

A. The oak trees are harmed by the blue jays. B. The oak trees are protected from other herbivores.

C. The seeds of oak trees are protected from the sun. D. Blue jays help with the reproduction of oak trees

7. In a forest, how do decomposers help other organisms survive?

A. They release oxygen into the air that animals breathe. B. They put nutrients back into the soil that plants use to grow. C. They provide shelter in forests where animals can hide. D. They use sunlight to make food for plants and animals.

Use the Food Web below to Answer Questions 8-10: 8. According to the diagram, what organism is the producer? A. mayfly B. phytoplankton C. frog D. salamander


9. Which organisms are an example of secondary consumers? A. frog, salamander B. dragonfly, mayfly C. phytoplankton, mayfly D. snake, bald eagle 10. According to the food web, which organism(s) is the top consumer? A. frog B. phytoplankton C. snake D. salamander 11. Which species of plant would be most likely to survive in a desert? A. a species that needs large amounts of water B. a species that grows well only in the shade C. a species that is able to store a large amount of water

D. a species that survives only in moderate temperatures 12. When creating a food web, students include arrows. What do the arrows in a food web represent?

A. Arrows show the transfer of energy between organisms B. Arrows show symbiotic relationships between species C. Arrows show the life cycle between species D. Arrows show which animals have adaptations in an ecosystem 13. Salmon live in the ocean near the mouths of rivers. They migrate up the rivers to mate and lay

eggs. When the hatched salmon are big enough, they migrate back to the sea. Migration, or movement from one location to another, is an example of which type of adaptation?

A. a physical adaptation B. a structural adaptation C. a behavioral adaptation D. a protective adaptation


14. The Emerald Ash Borer is an ash tree-killing insect from Asia. It was discovered in Ohio in

2003. Ohio Department of Agriculture has been battling the pest in an attempt to protect the state's 3.8 billion ash trees. The pest has since spread from Toledo throughout Ohio. The Emerald Ash Borer kills ash trees within three to five years of infecting the ash tree. The larvae spend approximately one year developing beneath the bark of the ash tree eating the nutrients and water that should support the tree. The Emerald Ash Borer is an example of:

A. Mutualism B. Symbiosis C. Commensalism D. An invasive species 15. What is one way in which plants depend on animals? A. Animals give off the oxygen plants need. B. Animals produce the water plants need. C. Animals give off the carbon dioxide the plants need. D. Animals produce the glucose the plants need. 16. One of the energy transformations is shown incorrectly in the food web above. Identify the mistake: A. The arrows are pointed in the wrong direction B. The owl wouldn’t eat a mouse because it’s an herbivore C. A deer wouldn’t eat a mouse because it’s an herbivore D. There is no producer shown in this food web


Use the following information to answer questions 17-19. The picture shows a pond ecosystem. Many plants and animals live in and around the pond. 17. Many organisms have adaptations. For example, organisms that live in the water breathe in

oxygen from the water through their gills. Organisms that live outside the pond breathe oxygen from the air through their lungs. Some animals can swim in the water but still breathe once out of the pond on land. One year the pond dried up. Which organism has the breathing adaptation needed to survive in the pond ecosystem once the water has dried up?

A. Turtle B. Trout C. Sunfish D. Tadpole 18. In the winter, the pond starts to freeze. The ducks leave the pond. They migrate to warmer

climates. Which statement explains one reason why ducks migrate? A. The ducks have too many enemies. B. The ducks have difficulty finding food. C. The ducks have to lay eggs near water. D. The ducks have too few places to hibernate. 19. Look at the picture of the pond ecosystem. Which organism uses sunlight to produce food that

others eat? A. Snail B. Sunfish C. Butterfly D. Green Algae


20. Which of the following things in the pond ecosystem (shown above) is abiotic? A. Duck B. Water C. Trout D. Butterfly 21. In the forest, there are many seeds from many types of plants and trees that creatures collect for

food. Some seeds are not eaten by creatures, but are caught in the fur of these animals. Which seed has structures that allow animals to transport the seed on their fur?

22. Bees get pollen from the flowers of a plant. Pollen from the flower collects on their legs. How

does the plant benefit from bees? A. Bees help the plant grow larger flowers. B. Bees eggs help the leaves to fall off the plant.

C. Bees help pollinate flowers so that seeds can form. D. Bees help add nutrients to the nectar of the flowers.

Use the picture to answer Question 23.

23. The owl butterfly has patterns on its wings that look like large eyes.

How does this physical adaptation help the butterfly survive in its habitat? A. It helps the butterfly fly faster B. It helps the butterfly see better C. It helps the butterfly scare away enemies D. It helps the butterfly absorb sunlight.


24. Oxpeckers land on rhinos or zebras backs and eat ticks and other parasites that live on their skin.

The oxpeckers get food and the zebra get pest control. Also, when there is danger, the oxpeckers fly upward and scream a warning, which helps the zebra be aware of predators.

A. Symbiosis B. Mutualism C. Commensalism D. Parasitism

25. A mosquito bites its host organism, drinking its blood.

Mosquitos are known to carry diseases and can hurt the host. When one species harms another, this is an example of what symbiotic relationship?

A. Symbiosis B. Mutualism C. Commensalism D. Parasitism

26. Cattle egrets live in fields with cows and other livestock. As the cattle and horses walk through

the fields eating, they stir up bugs from the ground. The egrets follow the livestock to catch and eat the bugs. The cows and horses are unaffected by the egrets. This is an example of what symbiotic relationship? A. Symbiosis B. Mutualism C. Commensalism D. Parasitism


Use the following Ecosystem Card to answer Questions 27 and 28.

27. The Red-backed Salamander is unlike other salamanders. How so? A. they are nocturnal B. they don’t spend any part of their life in water C. they live under rocks, logs and dead leaves D. the are eaten by barred owls 28. Short Answer: Abiotic factors often affect biotic factors in an ecosystem. Using details from the

Red-Backed Salamander Card above, in your Answer Document, describe two ways that a forest fire would affect the Red-backed Salamander. (2 points)

29. Extended Response: A class observed a forest ecosystem with many organisms. Students

combined their observations of what the organisms eat in the table. (4 points)

WHAT EATS WHAT?

In your Answer Document, draw a food web using these five organisms. When drawing the food web, be sure to use the names of the five organisms and draw arrows to trace the energy flow among the organisms.

Organism Food Eaten Tree with berries and acorns Energy through photosynthesis Mouse Acorns, berries Snake Mouse, grasshopper, eggs Grasshopper Leaves from trees Owl Snake, mouse




30. Short Answer: An herbicide (a chemical used to kill plants) was used on the plant shown in the diagram below. In your Answer Document, describe two ways the use of an herbicide can affect the food web. (2 points) 31. Short Answer: Sugars and starches are created by plants and eaten by many living organisms as

a source of energy. Some organisms consume (eat) other organisms to obtain energy. In your Answer Document, describe how a caterpillar indirectly obtains its energy from the sun. (2 points)

5th grade science - ecosystems assessment test.pdf · 5th grade science - ecosystems assessment 1....

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