Answer Key with Questions

Lesson Check: Flow of Energy

1) Consumers produce their own food.

True False

Correct Answer
False

2) Energy cycles through ecosystems because it returns to the Sun.

True False

Correct Answer
False

3) Available energy increases as it is transferred from one organism to another in a food chain.
True False

Correct Answer
False

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Answer Key with Questions
Lesson Check: Flow of Energy

4) Which of the following would eat a dead rabbit?

carnivore
detritivore
herbivore
omnivore

Correct Answer
B) detritivore

5) Which of the following would eat a hamburger with lettuce on it?

carnivore
detritivore
herbivore
omnivore

Correct Answer
D) omnivore

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Answer Key with Questions
Lesson Check: Flow of Energy

6) Which of the following eats only eucalyptus leaves?

carnivore
detritivore
herbivore
omnivore

Correct Answer
C) herbivore

7) Which is most likely the first step in a basic food chain?

The snake obtains energy by eating the mouse.
Plants make energy-rich food using sunlight.
The Sun emits energy.
The hawk obtains energy by eating the snake.

Correct Answer
C) The Sun emits energy.

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Answer Key with Questions
Lesson Check: Flow of Energy

8) Which of the following organisms would NOT be in the first trophic level of an energy pyramid?
dog
tree
grass
algae

Correct Answer
A) dog

9) Which is a model of feeding relationships?

protein building
food map
food web
sugar molecules

Correct Answer
C) food web

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Answer Key with Questions
Lesson Check: Flow of Energy

10) As you move upward, from level to level, in an energy pyramid, available energy .
decreases
increases
stays at the same level
is destroyed

Correct Answer
A) decreases

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Answer Key with Questions
Lesson Check: Flow of Energy

11) This food web that shows the interaction of the organisms in an ecosystem.

a. Complete the table by matching the numbers with the organisms in the food web to
show the interaction in the ecosystem.

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Answer Key with Questions
Lesson Check: Flow of Energy

b. Describe the cycling of matter and the flow of energy within the ecosystem.

Correct Answer
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Answer Key with
Questions

Answers may vary.

Explanation

a. 1 - frog, 2 - snake, 3 - cricket, 4 - grass, 5 - soil bacteria

b. Matter is recycled and energy flows one way, starting with input from the Sun.

Cycling of matter: The matter recycles among the producer (grass), consumers
(cricket, frog, and snake), and decomposers (soil bacteria). The grass uses molecules
from the air and soil (carbon dioxide, water) to get the matter to make the sugar The
cricket eats the grass, the frog eats the cricket, and the snake eats the frog. Each
animal gets matter [carbon compounds] to make the molecules they need from their
food. When all these organisms die, the soil bacteria (decomposers) break down the
carbon compounds from the organisms’ bodies and so this matter becomes available
for use by other organisms.
Flow of energy: The grass (producer) absorbs energy from the Sun and stores this
energy within sugars [complex carbon compounds]. When the cricket eats the grass,
the frog eats the cricket, and the snake eats the frog, each animal gets energy for life
processes by breaking down food molecules. The grass, the cricket, the frog, and the
snake all release energy as heat. When all these organisms die, the soil bacteria
(decomposers) break down the carbon compounds in the organisms’ bodies to get
energy for life processes. The soil bacteria (decomposers) also release heat as they
use energy. The heat is not available to organisms in the ecosystem to use again for
energy. This is why continual energy input from the Sun is necessary for the
organisms in the ecosystem to live.

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 Constructed-Response Rubric
PE: MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and
nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
Level of
Evidence of Understanding
Understanding
Student response provides clear evidence of using the dimensions* to
make sense of scientific phenomena and/or to design solutions to
Demonstrating problems. Student is able to:
3 Expected  complete the table to explain the food web;
Understanding
AND
 describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy within the ecosystem.

Student response provides partial evidence of using the dimensions* to make

Progressing sense of scientific phenomena and/or to design solutions to problems. The
2 toward response lacks some critical information and details or contains some errors.
Understanding Student is able to:
 complete the table to explain the food web AND describe the cycling of
matter and the flow of energy within the ecosystem BUT the table OR the
description is incomplete or incorrect.

Beginning to Student response is incomplete or provides minimal evidence of using

1 Develop the dimensions* to make sense of scientific phenomena and/or to design
Understanding solutions to problems.

Student does not respond or student response is inaccurate, irrelevant, or

Not Showing
0 contains insufficient evidence of using the dimensions* to make sense of
Understanding
scientific phenomena and/or to design solutions to problems.
*As outlined in the Performance Expectations (PE) of the NGSS, the three dimensions are the disciplinary core ideas (DCI),
science and engineering practices (SEP), and crosscutting concepts (CCC). Note that due to the complexity of the PEs,
individual assessment items may not address all three dimensions.

Scoring Notes:
Possible answers include:
a. 1 - frog, 2 - snake, 3 - cricket, 4 - grass, 5 - soil bacteria
b. Matter is recycled and energy flows one way, starting with input from the Sun.
 Cycling of matter: The matter recycles among the producer (grass), consumers (cricket, frog, and snake),
and decomposers (soil bacteria). The grass uses molecules from the air and soil (carbon dioxide, water) to
get the matter to make the sugar molecules. The cricket eats the grass, the frog eats the cricket, and the
snake eats the frog. Each animal gets matter [carbon compounds] to make the molecules they need from
their food. When all these organisms die, the soil bacteria (decomposers) break down the carbon
compounds from the organisms’ bodies and so this matter becomes available for use by other organisms.
 Flow of energy: The grass (producer) absorbs energy from the Sun and stores this energy within sugars
[complex carbon compounds]. When the cricket eats the grass, the frog eats the cricket, and the snake
eats the frog, each animal gets energy for life processes by breaking down food molecules. The grass, the
cricket, the frog, and the snake all release energy as heat. When all these organisms die, the soil bacteria
(decomposers) break down the carbon compounds in the organisms’ bodies to get energy for life
processes. The soil bacteria (decomposers) also release heat as they use energy. The heat is not available
to organisms in the ecosystem to use again for energy. This is why continual energy input from the Sun is
necessary for the organisms in the ecosystem to live.
© Measured Progress. Reproduced with permission.