Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE!
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. mushroom, grass, tree B. grass, grasshopper, mushroom C. fungi, mushroom, flower D. dog, cat, mouse
3. A behavior or physical structure that helps an organism to survive in their habitat is called a(n):
A. symbiosis B. herbivore C. ecosystem D. adaptation
4. Which statement best describes how energy is transformed during photosynthesis?
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. Where does most of the energy on earth originate (come from)?
A. with the sun B. with consumers C. with decomposers D. with producers
Revised on Jan 8.2013 Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE!
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 pollinated 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. The seeds of oak trees are planted in new environments.
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.
8. 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
9. Which of these eats producers?
A. green plants B. first-level consumers C. second-level consumers D. carnivores
10. Which of the following statements is true of all ecosystems?
A. All ecosystems involve the constant transfer of energy. B. All ecosystems are the same size. C. All ecosystems contain identical weather patterns. D. All ecosystems contain the same kind of organisms.
Revised on Jan 8.2013 Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE!
11. 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
12. 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
13. 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.
14. What is the role of decomposers in a food web?
A. Decomposers use sunlight to make food. B. Decomposers are a food source for plants. C. Decomposers break down dead plants and animals. D. Decomposers only eat plants that grow underground.
Revised on Jan 8.2013 Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE! Use the following information to answer questions 15-18.
The picture shows a pond ecosystem. Many plants and animals live in and around the pond.
15. 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
16. 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.
17. 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
18. Which of the following things in the pond ecosystem (shown above) is abiotic?
A. Duck B. Water C. Trout D. Butterfly
Revised on Jan 8.2013 Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE!
19. 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?
20. Butterflies get food from the flowers of a plant. They land on the plant and collect the nectar from the flower. Pollen from the flower also collects on their legs. They also lay their eggs on the leaves of the plant. As the caterpillars develop, they eat the leaves of the plant.
How does the plant benefit from butterflies?
A. Butterflies help the plant grow larger flowers. B. Butterflies’ eggs help the leaves to fall off the plant. C. Butterflies help pollinate flowers so that seeds can form. D. Butterflies help add nutrients to the nectar of the flowers.
Use the picture to answer question 21.
21. 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 enemies. D. It helps the butterfly absorb sunlight.
Revised on Jan 8.2013 Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE! 22. When two different organisms live together and interact with one another, it is known as:
A. Symbiosis B. Mutualism C. Commensalism D. Parasitism
23. The Plover bird eats insects from the crocodiles mouth, keeping the crocodile’s teeth clean. When two different organisms live together and interact with one another and both have a positive effect on each other, it is known as:
A. Symbiosis B. Mutualism C. Commensalism D. Parasitism
24. 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
25. The remora is a small fish that lives alongside a shark. After the shark attacks its prey, the remora will eat the remaining bits of fish. The shark is neither hurt nor helped by the remora, but the remora gets to eat. This is an example of what symbiotic relationship?
A. Symbiosis B. Mutualism C. Commensalism D. Parasitism
Revised on Jan 8.2013 Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE! Use the following Ecosystem Card to answer questions 26 and 27.
26. 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
27. Short Answer: Abiotic factors often affect biotic factors in an ecosystem. Using information from the Ecosystem Card above, in your Answer Document, describe two ways that a forest fire would affect the Red-backed Salamander. (2 points)
28. Extended Response: A class observed a pond ecosystem with many organisms. Students combined their observations of what the organisms eat in the table. (4 points)
WH AT EATS WHAT? Organism Food Eaten Duckweed Energy through photosynthesis Insect Duckweed Snapping Turtle Small fish, duck, insect Small fish Duckweed, insect Duck Duckweed
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.
Revised on Jan 8.2013 Class Copy – DO NOT WRITE!
Use the following food web to answer question 29.
29. 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)
30. 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)
Revised on Jan 8.2013