Pollution and Conservation (S3L2) 2025

A plastic bag blows into the ocean. It looks like a jellyfish to a passing sea turtle. The sea turtle eats it.

What will the plastic bag most likely do to the sea turtle?

• It will get stuck in its throat.

• It will make the turtle throw up.

• It will pass out of the turtle.

• It will not cause any harm.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A power plant leaks poisonous chemicals into the water in a habitat. What is the most likely effect on the habitat's animal population?

• The population will become larger because the water will be colder.

• The population will become larger because of the new minerals in the water.

• The population will become smaller because there will be less clean drinking water.

• The population will become smaller because there will be more plants living in the water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which picture shows air pollution?

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

The picture shows a pelican, a kind of sea bird that eats mostly fish.

An oil tanker spills a lot of oil in the ocean near Savannah. Many fish are covered in oil. The pelicans in the area become sick from eating the fish. Which question can be answered with this information?

• What other foods do pelicans eat?

  Fish are the only food source mentioned. Information about another food source is not provided.

• Where do pelicans build their nests?

  The information does not describe where pelicans build their nests, only what they eat.

• How does water pollution affect pelicans? 

  The information describes the pelicans as eating mostly fish. After the oil spill, consuming the affected fish made the pelicans sick.

• How does water temperature affect pelicans?

  Information about the temperature of the water is not mentioned. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Emily is reading an article in science class about waste and pollution. She takes some notes as shown.
 

• waste from factories

• litter

• wastewater

• chemicals

• runoff from roads

What question could Emily use as the title of her notes?

• What are the effects of air pollution?

• What are the sources of air pollution?

• What are the effects of water pollution?

• What are the sources of water pollution?

A power plant is built near a water source in a habitat. A scientist wonders if the power plant is leaking bad chemicals into the habitat. Which question would best help the scientist to know?

• Has there been more rainfall in the habitat?

  An increased amount of rainfall would not indicate that chemicals had leaked into the habitat.

• Has the weather been warmer in the habitat? 

  Warm weather would not indicate that chemicals had leaked into the habitat.

• Are there fewer plants and animals in the habitat? 

  Fewer plants and animals would indicate that bad chemicals have entered the habitat and affected food sources and clean water availability.

• Are the animals eating different plants in the habitat?

  Animals eating different plants may indicate that bad chemicals have affected the habitat, but it may be due to other factors.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Read about the farmer and look at the picture of the algae bloom.

A farmer uses fertilizer on her fields to help her crops grow. This farmer also has a pond near the fields.  The pond is a natural body of water that is much smaller than a lake. The extra fertilizer that the farmer uses runs off into this pond. This causes harmful algae in the pond to grow very quickly. The algae form a thick, green layer over the surface of the water called an algae bloom. The harmful algae bloom is shown.

Which question will the farmer need to think about?

• How will underwater plants in the pond get enough sunlight?

  The algae bloom blocks sunlight from reaching the plants underwater. Without sunlight, the plants will not be able to make food.

• How can the fish in the pond use the fertilizer to grow bigger?

  The fish in the pond will not benefit and grow bigger with the addition of the fertilizer.

• How can the algae help the fish to survive longer in the pond?

  Without underwater plants receiving enough sunlight to perform photosynthesis, the fish will likely not survive longer with the harmful algae.

• How can the algae become food for underwater plants in the pond?

  Plants do not eat other plants for food. They create their own food using energy from the Sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which type of breakfast cereal would help conserve the most resources?

• cereal that comes with a toy inside

• cereal that is colorful and very sweet

• cereal that is packaged in a bag without a box

• cereal that is packaged in a bag inside of a box

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources wants to protect its plants and animals. It has set aside some coastal land to stay in its natural state. This is an example of...

• conservation.
   

  This is the result of recognizing a specific method of protecting plants and animals in Georgia.

• pollution.
   

  This is a misunderstanding of the concept of pollution. 

• development.
   

  This is a misinterpretation of the action taken for the environment in this situation.

• recycling.
   

  This is a misinterpretation of how people affect the environment in this situation. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Which way of drinking water uses the least amount of resources?

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