This year's Science Final Exam will be given on June 11. We have spent 3 days in class reviewing for the final.

Homework for tonight is to finish answering your Review Sheet and study the information on your Review Sheet.

Answers for the Ecology portion of the District's Review Sheet are shown below:

Grade 6 Honors Science Final Review 2014

Ecology (final section - all others have been worked on and reviewed in class)

Key Vocabulary

o Invasive Species – species outside of its normal range.

o Photosynthesis – chloroplasts in plant cells use sun’s energy to break down       water & CO₂, make O₂ and sugar (their own food).         

o Consumer - Organism that must eat other organisms to obtain energy

o Producer–make their own food through photosynthesis. Ex: phytoplankton

o Decomposer – break down dead organisms and waste into nutrients.  Without decomposers, those nutrients don't get recycled.

o Classification– organize living things based on physical structures & origin (genetic similarities).

o Ecosystem - INTERACTION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES OF LIVING THINGS AND THE NONLIVING ENVIRONMENT

Analysis questions:

o What are the differences between consumers, producers, and 
    decomposers?

·        Producers make (produce) their own food with photosynthesis; ex: grass, phytoplankton, pear trees; carrots; palm trees.

·        Consumers eat other organisms to get energy; ex: wolves, tigers; and

·        Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste. Ex: mushrooms, fungi, bacteria, worms.

o What are the effects of an introduced species in a new area?

Introduced species:

• can cause harm and/or good in new habitat, such as:
• often have no predators in a new area, so 
• they out-compete existing organisms for food & resources (sunlight, water); 
• drive other species into extinction;  
• grow bodies or population more quickly than native species;
• mess up the habitat indirectly, ex: Nile Perch caused Algal blooms and dead zones in Lake Victoria.   
• but also can provide food & shelter or other resources (shade, etc.). 

o Give examples of Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers in an aquatic food web.        P= phytoplankton, sea weed; C= zooplankton, fish, seals, whales.   D= crabs, shrimp, worms, bacteria, some fish (ex: catfish).

o What are the major differences between plant and animals?

Plants are producers with the power of photosynthesis; Animals are consumers, sometimes decomposers.  Most animals move freely and breathe in oxygen; plants do not move and breathe in CO₂.