Adaptations and Food Webs

Transcription

1 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 1 of 10 Adaptations and Food Webs (Life Science) Academic Standard: TLW explain how variations in physical characteristics can give organisms an advantage and how environmental changes can produce changes in food webs. A. TLW identify five needs of organisms. Directions: Put an x in the box to tho show those needs which plants require. Put an X in the box to show those needs which animals require. 1. Needs Plants Animals Air Water Light Food 2. Draw a picture of a plant and its basic needs. 3. Draw a picture of an animal and its basic needs. Criteria: As directed Proficiency: 5 out of 10

2 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 2 of 10 B. TLW design and create an illustration featuring a fictitious animal in its habitat. Directions: Use paper, markers, natural items (rocks, grass, leaves) cotton balls or other materials or technology such as a computer program, your knowledge of living things, and your imagination to create an illustration with a make-believe animal in its habitat. Include all items from the Habitat Sketch Checklist. Keep in mind that your animal must be able to fulfill its needs and survive in the habitat you create. Habitat Sketch Checklist Organism Body part characteristics are shown Body covering characteristic is shown Habitat Food source is evident Water source is evident Shelter is evident Landforms and vegetation are evident Sketch Construction Sketch shows care in construction and color Yes In Progress Criteria: Accurate depictions show the relationship between an animal s physical adaptations to its ability to survive in an environment. Proficiency: 6 out of 7 responses listed on Habitat Sketch Checklist for Organism and Habitat must be accurate with regard to the animal chosen for the sketch. Sketch shows care in construction and color.

3 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 3 of 10 C. TLW describe the physical characteristics that allow an animal to survive in its environment and reproduce. Directions: Write a story about your fictitious animal from Part B. Describe the environment and the physical characteristics that allow your animal to survive in that environment. Story Checklist Story includes written explanation of how physical characteristics help the fictitious animal survive and reproduce. Body part characteristic is included. Body covering characteristic is included. Story includes description of how basic needs of the fictitious animal are satisfied. Food source is evident. Water source is evident. Shelter is evident. Yes In Progress Criteria: Adherence to Story Checklist. Accurate written responses show the relationship between an animal s physical characteristics to its ability to survive in an environment. Proficiency: 4 out of 5 responses listed on the Story Checklist must be accurate with regard to the animal created in Part B.

4 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 4 of 10 D. TLW describe how variations in physical characteristics of individual organisms give them an advantage for survival and reproduction. Directions: Answer the questions below using scientific terms. 1. Explain how having longer legs may help an animal survive. 2. How would being camouflaged to the environment help an animal survive? 3. How would being the tallest tree in the forest help the tree survive? 4. Look at the beaver tail in the picture above. This tail is adapted to help the beaver move swiftly through the water when swimming. Which of the following foot structures most likely belongs to the beaver? Source: Fall 2005 MEAP Released Items Criteria: Accurate responses; examples will vary. Proficiency: 13 out of 16

5 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 5 of 10 E. TLW identify common patterns of feeding relationships of living things. Directions: Match the term with the correct definition and give an example. Definition Term Example a. A living thing that can use sunlight to make its own food. b. An organism that puts materials from dead plants and animals back into soil, air, and water. c. The transfer of energy from Sun to producer to consumer. d. Places where living and non-living things interact. e. All the feeding relationships in an ecosystem. producer decomposer predator prey food web f. An animal that is hunted by another animal for food. g. An animal that hunts other animals for food. h. A living thing that depends on producers for food. food chain ecosystems consumer Criteria: Accurate responses; examples will vary. Proficiency: 13 out of 16

6 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 6 of 10 F. TLW identify organisms as part of a food chain or food web. Directions: Write the names of all Word Bank items in the circles. Draw arrows to show the direction of the transfer of energy in this food web. Word Bank grass, raccoon, mushroom, garter snake, mouse, hawk, Sun, grasshopper, fox, frog Criteria: Placement of words will vary as will pattern of arrows, but food web must accurately demonstrate transfer of energy. Proficiency: 100%

7 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 7 of 10 G. TLW trace the transfer of energy through a simple food chain. Directions: Sort the members of this food chain to show the energy transfer and complete the following parts. 1. a. Put the following items in order to show the transfer of energy through a food chain: coyote, plant, sunlight, rabbit. b. What is the direct source of energy for each of these organisms? 1. coyote 2. plant 3. rabbit c. Name the original source of energy for the food chain above: 2. Melanie and Erin went on a nature hike and observed the following plants and animals: dragonfly, frog, garter snake, mosquito, great blue heron, earthworm, fish, cattails, black willow tree, water lily, red winged blackbird, and bacteria. In which habitat would you MOST LIKELY find the above listed plants and animals? A wood lot B desert C wetland D aquarium

8 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 8 of Group the different organisms from Question 2 into the following groups: Producers Consumers Decomposers 4. Energy comes from the Sun. It moves through a food chain after a plant traps it to make food. Arrows mean energy goes to a. Which answer would make a correct food chain? A grass fox rabbit B owl mouse seed C leaf deer wolf D leaf garter snake tomato worm 5. Draw a food chain that includes a sunfish, waterflea, and heron.? Criteria: Correct responses Proficiency: 80%

9 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 9 of 10 H. TLW explain how environmental changes can produce a change in the food web. Directions: Write your answers in the space below each question. 1. Explain what could happen to other members of the ecosystem if the coyote population was greatly reduced in the following food chain. Sun grains and grassess Mouse Coyote 2. Explain what may happen in the same food chain if there was a drought and the grains and grasses dried up and died. 3. List 3 natural environmental changes that could affect the survival of our planet. 4. What natural environmental changes could affect the survival of an animal? 5. A population of giraffes of different heights line in Africa and eat tree leaves. Which giraffes would be most likely to survive and reproduce if the food became scarce? Why? Criteria: Sentences explain impact on the food chain. Proficiency: 80%

10 Fourth Grade Science Assessments page 10 of 10 A. Adaptation and Food Web (Answer Key) Needs Plants Animals Air X X Water X X Light X Food X x Both plants and animals need food. Plants make their own food, while animals eat their food. Animals do not require light. B. Adherence to Habitat Sketch Checklist C. Adherence to Story Checklist; Characteristics could include color, size, wing size or shape, camouflage, longer legs, taller, shorter, leaf size or shape, etc. D. 1. run faster to escape predators 2. blend in and not be eaten 3. get sunlight 4. D E. (many possible examples) producer, a apple tree, algae, etc. decomposer, b bacteria, fungus, etc. predator, g coyote, hawk, etc. prey, f mouse, rabbit, etc. food web, e plant, deer, wolf, coyote, etc. food chain, c Sun, grass, rabbit, fox, etc. ecosystems, d forest, desert, beach, etc. consumer, h human, dog, eagle, bear, etc. F. Placement of words will vary as will pattern of arrows but the food web must accurately demonstrate transfer of energy from producers to consumers starting with the sun. G. 1. a. sunlight plant rabbit coyote 1. b. 1. coyote - rabbit; 2. plant - sunlight; 3. rabbit - plant 1. c. Sun 2. C 3. Producers black spruce, water lily, cattail Consumers dragonfly, garter snake, mosquito, Great Blue Heron, fish, red-winged black bird Decomposers mushroom, earthworm 4. C 5. waterflea sunfish heron H. 1. Sentences refer to a break down or change in the food chain. Sample response: The mouse population will increase. The grains and grasses will decrease as the overpopulation of mice eats more grains and grass than before. Eventually, there will not be enough food for the mice and their population will decrease. 2. The mouse would not have enough to eat and its population would go down, the coyotes may not have enough to eat and it would decrease their population. 3. light, water, temperature 4. shelter, food, water, temperature 5. Giraffes with long necks; they could reach more food.