Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 1
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.c
Which best describes what makes one ecosystem different from another?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The amount of sunlight, rainfall, temperature, and species types
The amount of animals, oxygen, plant life, and pollution
The amount of soil, water, buildings, and humans
The amount of carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, and soil
Question #: 2
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.c
To best understand an ecosystem, scientists study ________________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Nearby areas
Biotic factors
Ponds
Populations and communities
Question #: 3,
DOK Level (1-4): 1, Standard: S4L1.a
Which organism “recycles” plants and animals that have died?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Producer
Consumer
Decomposer
Omnivore
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 4
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.b
In all environments, organisms with similar needs may compete with others for resources
in the area. Which of the following is a resource that is competed for among organisms?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Space
Food
Water
All of the above
Question #: 5
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L2.a
Plants in the desert tend to have small, hard leaves that are coated to prevent water loss.
Plants in the rainforest tend to have large leaves with pointed tips that slope down to
promote water runoff. How have these leaf adaptations helped these plants to survive in
their environment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The leaves help plants in dry places retain water and plants in wet areas repel water.
The small leaves make it easier for the plant to survive in windy desert climates.
The large leaves help provide shade for plants in sunny areas.
The small leaves help the desert plants remain cool during hot summer days.
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 6
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.d
People catch and eat tons of tuna from the ocean every day. Because tuna feed on minnows
and sharks feed on tuna, how might fishing for tuna affect the population of sharks and
minnows?
A. Shark population will go down because of the smaller food supply, and minnow
population will go down because of disease.
B. Shark population will go up because of the increase in hunting space, and minnow
population will go up because they have fewer predators.
C. Shark population will go up because they don't have to compete for food, and minnow
population will go down because of lack of exercise.
D. Shark population will go down because the food supply is smaller, and minnow
population will go up because they have fewer predators.
Question #: 7
DOK Level (1-4): 1, Standard: S4L2.a
Look at the two hummingbirds pictured above. Hummingbirds eat nectar from the insides
of flowers. Based on the hummingbirds' characteristics, which one is more likely to
survive?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Both hummingbirds A and B
Neither hummingbird A or B
Hummingbird B
Hummingbird A
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 8
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.b
Food webs show how energy gets transferred among living things. A food web for a prairie
ecosystem is shown below.
All plants and animals need energy in order to survive. Which of the following could
survive without the energy from the Sun?
A.
B.
C.
D.
None of these
Frogs
Grasshoppers
Grass
Question #: 9
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.d
In a prairie ecosystem, birds feed on insects and snakes feed on birds. Imagine that humans
began to hunt the birds in the area, and the bird population decreased.
How would the snake and insect populations be affected?
A. Snake population will go up because they don't have to compete for food, and insect
population will go down because of lack of exercise.
B. Snake population will go down because the food supply is smaller, and insect population
will go up because they have fewer predators.
C. Snake population will go down because of the smaller food supply, and insect population
will go down because of disease.
D. Snake population will go up because they don't have to compete for food, and insect
population will go up because they have fewer predators.
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 10
DOK Level (1-4): 1, Standard: S4L1.d
In this food chain, which organism should be the least populated?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Phytoplankton
Herring
Salmon
Killer Whale
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 11
DOK Level (1-4): 1,
Standard: S4L1.a
Why are decomposers important in any environment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They make food using sunlight.
They help to break down dead organisms.
They make places for animals to live.
They are a big part of the water cycle.
Question #: 12
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4PL1.a
Matter recycles in a food chain. Which of the following is the best example of the
statement?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Plants use sunlight to make sugar.
Animals eat plants or other animals for energy.
Energy passes from plants to animals.
Bacteria break down dead plants and animals for producers.
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 13
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.c
During a drought, soil can dry out and become very hard.
How might a drought affect a community of organisms?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Some organisms could move to a new location.
Some organisms could die.
Some organisms could survive.
All of these
Question #: 14
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4PL2.b
A group of moths lived in a forest. Some of the moths were blue and other moths were
yellow. Vines started growing in the forest. In the spring, the vines were covered in many
yellow flowers. Due to this, animals that ate moths had a hard time seeing the yellow moths,
but the blue moths became easier to see.
What might happen to the moths in the forest?
A. The blue moths will turn into yellow moths so that they also cannot be seen.
B. The blue moths will grow in numbers to make up for all the other blue moths that were
eaten.
C. The blue moths will become extinct, and the yellow moths will survive and have yellow
moth offspring.
D. The blue and the yellow moths will continue to live in the forest as before.
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 15
DOK Level (1-4): 1, Standard: S4L2.c
The woolly mammoth is a large elephant-like mammal that lived during the last ice age.
Woolly mammoths had thick wool coats to help them keep warm. As temperatures warmed
and the ice age ended, the woolly mammoth became extinct.
Based on this information, the woolly mammoth became extinct due to...
A. Hunting
B. Competition
C. Habitat destruction
D. Climate change
Question #: 16
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4P3.b
The Eastern elk is a mammal that was once common in the United States. Due to
uncontrolled hunting, the Eastern elk became extinct in the mid-1800s.
Based on this information, the Eastern elk became extinct due to...
A.
B.
C.
D.
Competition
Natural Disaster
Climate
Human Activity
Question #: 17
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4PL2.a
The monarch butterfly is toxic to birds. Over time, viceroy butterflies have adapted a wing
color and pattern that is very similar to the appearance of monarch butterflies. What is the
most likely advantage of this adaptation?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Birds will mistake viceroys for monarchs and thus will not eat the viceroys.
The viceroys will also be toxic to birds.
The viceroys will be able to fly faster to flee possible predators.
There is no advantage of this adaptation.
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 18
DOK Level (1-4): 2, Standard: S4L1.b
In the food web above, where does "decayed matter" come from?
A. Weathered rocks
B. Volcanic eruptions
C. Precipitation
D. Dead plants and animals
Question #: 19
Which of these is an example of camouflage?
A. A moth that looks and acts like a hummingbird
B. A bear that sleeps in a cave all winter long
C. A colorful fish that lives in brightly colored coral
D. An elephant that uses its large ears to fan itself
Grade 4, Unit V Ecology Assessment
Question #: 20
DOK Level (1-4): 3
Standard: S4L1.a-d
Food webs show how energy is transferred among living things. A food web for a prairie
ecosystem is shown below.
If all of the chinch bugs were removed from this prairie ecosystem, which organism would
have more energy available right away? Explain why this organism would have more
energy.
Chinch Bugs → Spiders → Wasps
↑
↑
Sun →
Grass
→ Grasshoppers → Frogs
Construct your response below:
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