5th Grade: Energy in Ecosystems Assessment Rationale This ACT Aspire­inspired assessment was developed to assess students understanding of the Arkansas K­12 Science Standards as well as to prepare students to take the ACT Aspire in Science. The format of these prompts and questions were developed to reflect the format, skills, and practices of the ACT Aspire summative assessment. Teacher Instructions This packet contains an answer key followed by blank student pages. The answer key shows the correct answers in bold for multiple choice and sample constructed responses. ACT Aspire Summative Resources Table 3.24 outlines the ACT Aspire Science summative assessment: The following is a list of additional resources teachers can use in their classroom to prepare their students for the Science section of the ACT Aspire Assessment. ❏ Readiness Standards ­ ACT Aspire document reviews the strands of science where questions will be derived. Also provides an over of three domains of science on the assessment and strategies to prepare students. ❏ Science Exemplars with scoring explanations: G
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rade 5 3rd­5th Grade Sandbox Items h ttp://actaspire.pearson.com/exemplars.html Sandbox questions can be used with all grade levels. One option is to display questions and have students work in small groups to answer questions. Discuss correct answer with students before submitting final answers as the sandbox test will not report scores or provide any feedback of student answers. ACT ASPIRE SANDBOX LOGINS Subject Username Password Science Grade 3 science3 actaspire Science Grade 4 science4 actaspire Science Grade 5 science5 actaspire [Developed for instructional purposes only by NWA Science Curriculum Specialists, 2016] 5th Grade: Energy in Ecosystems Answer Key The path energy takes in an ecosystem begins with the Sun. All plants grow by absorbing energy from the Sun and turning it into foods such as sugars and starches. The energy of the Sun is stored in the plant. When an animal such as a caterpillar eats leaves the energy stored in the plant is transferred to the caterpillar. When a bird eats a caterpillar, some of the energy is passed on. So, energy starts from the Sun and passes from producers to consumers to decomposers, and back to producers. The food web diagram in Figure1 models the transfer of energy in a forest ecosystem. Figure 1 1. Using Figure 1, which of the following organisms could complete this food chain. Sun → Tree → ________ → Owl a. Deer b. Grass c. Squirrel d. Caterpillar 2. Which of these two animals compete with each other for the same food source? a. Owl and hawk b. Tree and mouse c. Rabbit and bird d. Squirrel and caterpillar [Developed for instructional purposes only by NWA Science Curriculum Specialists, 2016] 5th Grade: Energy in Ecosystems Answer Key 3. If a disease strikes the caterpillar and rabbit populations in the f ood chain shown, what would happen to the initial effect on the population owls and grass? a. The height of grass and population of owls will decrease. b. The height of grass and population of owls will increase. c. The height of grass will increase. The population of owls will decrease. d. The height of grass will decrease. The population of owls will increase. 4. Fill in the food web diagram using the organisms shown on the right. 5. Rabbits need grass to be healthy so they can eat. The predators, like hawks, need the herbivores to be healthy so they can hunt them. A fungus attacks the grass and all of the grass dies. Describe what will happen to the owl population in the food web and explain why. [Developed for instructional purposes only by NWA Science Curriculum Specialists, 2016] 5th Grade: Energy in Ecosystems Name: ___________________ The path energy takes in an ecosystem begins with the Sun. All plants grow by absorbing energy from the Sun and turning it into foods such as sugars and starches. The energy of the Sun is stored in the plant. When an animal such as a caterpillar eats leaves the energy stored in the plant is transferred to the caterpillar. When a bird eats a caterpillar, some of the energy is passed on. So, energy starts from the Sun and passes from producers to consumers to decomposers, and back to producers. The food web diagram in Figure1 models the transfer of energy in a forest ecosystem. Figure 1 1. Using Figure 1, which of the following organisms could complete this food chain. Sun → Tree → ________ → Owl a. Deer b. Grass c. Squirrel d. Caterpillar 2. Which of these two animals compete with each other for the same food source? a. Owl and hawk b. Tree and mouse c. Rabbit and bird d. Squirrel and caterpillar [Developed for instructional purposes only by NWA Science Curriculum Specialists, 2016] 5th Grade: Energy in Ecosystems Name: ___________________ 3. If a disease strikes the caterpillar and rabbit populations in the f ood chain shown, what would happen to the initial effect on the population owls and grass? a. The height of grass and population of owls will decrease. b. The height of grass and population of owls will increase. c. The height of grass will increase. The population of owls will decrease. d. The height of grass will decrease. The population of owls will increase. 4. Fill in the food web diagram using the organisms shown on the right. 5. Rabbits need grass to be healthy so they can eat. The predators, like hawks, need the herbivores to be healthy so they can hunt them. A fungus attacks the grass and all of the grass dies. Describe what will happen to the owl population in the food web and explain why. [Developed for instructional purposes only by NWA Science Curriculum Specialists, 2016]