Investigating Organisms and Their Environments

Students in two different schools created gardens at their campus. They only planted native plants that do not require extra care. Students from each of the schools were asked to sketch some of the native plants included in their gardens. Sample images from each school are included below.

Which of the following characteristics of the garden environments pictured above has the greatest affect on the types of plants that grow in them?

• Temperature

• Amount of rainfall

• Amount of light

• Space

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

If your local environment begins to turn into a desert, what will most likely happen to the organisms in the environment?

• The populations of organisms currently existing in the environment will increase.

• The populations of organisms currently existing in the environment will not be affected.

• The new desert environment will be unable to support any populations of organisms.

• A different variety of organisms will be supported rather than the ones that currently exist.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which statement best describes the comparison of lake and ocean environments?

• The lake and ocean environments support the same organisms because they are both water and are made up of the same elements.

• The lake and ocean environments support different organisms because most freshwater organisms cannot live in saltwater.

• The lake and ocean environments support the same organisms, but they will look different because of the type of water.

• The lake and ocean environments support different organisms because ocean organisms are blocked by land from getting into lakes.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-2

The Texas Mock Orange is a type of flowering plant that is only found growing naturally in Texas. Which of the following is the most likely reason that they only grow naturally in Texas?

• The type of animals that eat the Texas Mock Orange are not found in other environments.

• The amount of sunlight the Texas Mock Orange needs is not found in other environments.

• The type and amount of water the Texas Mock Orange needs is not found in other environments.

• The types of organisms that pollinate and help the Texas Mock Orange reproduce are not found in other environments.

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NGSS.MS-LS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

5 Four students were asked to observe microhabitats of their schoolyard and describe how microhabitats are able to support different varieties of organisms. Their observations and responses are shown below.

Which student best describes how microhabitats are able to support a variety of organisms?

• student 1

• student 2

• student 3

• student 4

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NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A student rolled over a wooden log and made the following observations.

Which observations support the student’s claim that the log represents a microhabitat?

• Observation 1 and 2

• Observation 1, 2, and 3

• Observation 1, 2, and 4

• Observation 3 and 4

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Students created the table below based on observations of two microhabitats near their school.

Based on the information above, what is the best explanation for the different variety of organisms in the two microhabitats?

• The rotting log and grassy area are in different biomes.

• Conditions for survival are different in each location.

• The rotting log has predators while the grassy area does not.

• There is more space in the rotting log than in the grassy area.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

The more diverse an ecosystem is --

• the more threatened its populations are

• the more similar the species will be

• the more sustainable it is

• the fewer varieties of species are present

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Refer to the food webs above. If the grasses in each ecosystem are attacked or killed by a disease, which ecosystem will most likely survive?

• The prairie ecosystem, because fewer organisms eat grass

• The tundra ecosystem, because there is a variety of producers

• The prairie ecosystem, because there are fewer top predators

• The tundra ecosystem, because it has more herbivores

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which statement below best describes how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

• A variety of plant and animal species allows for more survivors of a natural disaster.

• Having more species in an ecosystem allows the human population to increase in size.

• Low biodiversity reduces the competition for resources, which helps native species survive.

• Fewer species in the ecosystem reduces the likelihood that disease spreads through the ecosystem.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-5