Look at the diagram of the food web in a forest ecosystem. .

The class is asked to describe the flow of energy through this food web. The class brainstorms to come up with this list:

1. Snakes gain energy by eating rabbits.

2. Flowers and grasses use the sun’s energy to make sugars.

3. Energy flows into rabbits as they eat flowers and grasses.

4. Energy flows into the ecosystem from the sun.

5. Hawks gain energy by eating snakes and rabbits.

How would you sort these descriptions to explain how energy flows through this ecosystem?

• 1, 5, 4, 2, 3

• 4, 2, 3, 1, 5

• 2, 4, 3, 1, 5

• 5, 2, 1, 4, 3

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which organism in this wetland ecosystem is a decomposer that gets some of its energy from grass?

• Bacteria

• Snakes

• Snails

• Algae

Which organisms are wetlands consumers that feed on other consumers?

• Snail

• Frog

• Heron

• Cricket

Which producer in this ecosystem lives underwater and receives the sun’s energy through clear water?

• Reeds

• Algae

• Grasses

• Cattails

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Many wetland consumers survive by only eating producers. Which species does this describe?

• Hawks

• Snakes

• Frogs

• Crickets

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

An apple tree produces its food through photosynthesis. Which statement explains what matter the tree uses for photosynthesis and what matter it makes during this process?

• Sugars, sunlight, and oxygen are used to make carbon dioxide and water.

• Water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight are used to make sugars and oxygen.

• Oxygen and water is used to make carbon dioxide, water, and light energy.

• Water and sugars are used to make carbon dioxide, oxygen, and light energy.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

More than 200 million years ago, a crocodile died and was buried in mud. Last year, a fossil of that crocodile was found in the Sahara Desert.

Which of these describes the environment that existed when the crocodile was alive?

• The area where the crocodile lived was likely a desert 200 million years ago.

• The area where the crocodile lived was covered by a glacier 200 million years ago.

• The area where the crocodile lived was probably a prairie 200 million years ago.

• The area where the crocodile lived was likely a swamp or river 200 million years ago.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A rose bush takes in the sun’s energy, carbon dioxide, and (a)   . It uses that matter to produce (b)   and oxygen for food.

• sugars
• water
• carbon dioxide

• oxygen

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

This fossil was found in the Guadalupe Mountains. Maribel recognizes this as a horseshoe crab like the one she saw in the Gulf of Mexico.

What can Maribel determine about the environment of the Guadalupe Mountains millions of years ago?

• The area was a sandy desert.

• The area was once covered with grass.

• The area was a pine forest.

• The area was once underneath a sea.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

In a food web, the sun provides (a)   to (b)   which they use to make food.

• sugars
• heat energy
• decomposers
• light energy
• producers

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3