Download Master List and Directions

Science Study Cards
Here is a list of all the study cards we’ve made during the Ecosystems Unit. Make sure you
have each one completed. You will need to turn in your completed cards to earn 2 points on
the test. They are due on the day of the test- Thursday February 16th. Please also use these
study cards to help you prepare for the Ecosystems Test! You should know and be able to
explain each of the key vocabulary words identified on the cards.
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It’s Alive (GRREW)
Plant Parts
Ecosystem #1
Ecosystem #2
Life Cycles
Adaptations and Inherited Traits
It’s Alive!
An organism (living thing) is alive if it does all of the
following:
G - Grows and develops through a life cycle
R - Reproduces more of its species
R - Reacts to changes in its environment
E - Energy is taken in
W - Waste is given off
Plant Parts
Roots – Absorb nutrients and minerals from the soil, Anchor the plant in the
soil
Stem – Carries water and food throughout the plant, Supports the plant
Leaves – Absorb the sunlight that is used for photosynthesis to make food for
the plant
Flower – Produces the fruit where the seeds are held to produce new plants
(reproduction)
*Photosynthesis – The process of plants making food from sunlight and
carbon dioxide
Ecosystem #1
Producers – organisms that make their own food. They capture energy from
sunlight, and use it in a process called photosynthesis. Example:
Consumers – organisms that get energy by eating other organisms. Example:
Decomposers – organisms that help to break down and decay dead organisms and the
waste of living organisms. Example:
Predator – a carnivorous animal that hunts, kills, and eats other animals in order to
survive. Example:
Prey – an animal that is caught, killed, and eaten by another animal for food.
Example:
Ecosystem #2
Types of Consumers
Herbivores – eat only plants and plant products. Some examples are elephants, deer,
insects, gorillas, and cows.
Carnivores – eat other animals. Some examples are ladybugs, spiders, sharks,
hawks, and owls
Omnivores – eat both plants and animals. Some examples are crows, raccoons,
coyotes, and most humans.
Scavengers – animals that feed on the bodies of dead organisms. Some examples are
vultures and hyenas.
Adaptations & Inherited Traits
Adaptation – Structures and behaviors that help organisms survive in their
surroundings
Inherited Traits – Traits that pass from parents to offspring
Instinctive Behavior – A behavior that an animal inherits from its parents
Structural Adaptation – A body part that does a certain job for an organism
Behavioral Adaptation – A specific behavior that helps an organism survive that may
or may not be inherited
Learned Behavior – A behavior that an animal develops by observing other animals
or being taught, not by inheriting it
Life Cycle: the series of changes and stages of development that a living thing goes
through
Metamorphosis: a change in body form that occurs during the life cycle of certain
animals (example: butterflies, frogs, dragonflies)