Changes That Affect an Ecosystem
Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher
"Changes That Affect an Ecosystem" is written for 4th Grade (Ages 9-10), and it covers NGSS 3-LS4-4. That standard sits in the 3rd grade band, so treat this worksheet as an early introduction rather than standards practice for this grade. If your little one is a year younger but already steady on ecosystems, the page still works. You may just need to read the instructions out loud. And if they are older and how ecosystems work never quite stuck, this is a short review rather than busywork.
4th grade science worksheet: match ecosystem changes like droughts, dams and wildfires to their effects. Answer key included. Part of our how ecosystems work collection. Aligned to NGSS standards.
How do I use this worksheet?
Read each short passage aloud together first, then let your child do the sorting on their own. On a walk, name one living and one nonliving thing you see. Check each page with the answer key.
What students will practice
- Students will sort biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.
- Students will identify producers, consumers and decomposers and how plants and animals depend on each other.
- Students will explain how a change to an ecosystem affects the living things in it.
Curriculum Links
Next Generation Science Standards
Science · 4th Grade
That standard sits in the 3rd grade band, so treat this worksheet as an early introduction rather than standards practice for this grade.
View all 3-LS4-4 worksheets →Find this in the curriculum
Browse the grade, subject, and topic this belongs to.
FAQ
How do I use this how ecosystems work worksheet?
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Read each short passage aloud together first, then let your child do the sorting on their own. On a walk, name one living and one nonliving thing you see. Check each page with the answer key.
What does this worksheet teach?
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Match ecosystem changes like droughts, dams and wildfires to their effects. An ecosystem is all the living and nonliving things in one place. A drought is a long time with little or no rain. The directions on the page read: Read each change. Then, write the letter of its effect in the box and answer the questions. The answer key shows every answer.
Can I use this how ecosystems work worksheet for homeschool or classroom?
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Yes, both. We made it for 4th Grade ecosystems, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with how ecosystems work. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.
What are biotic and abiotic factors?
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Biotic factors are the living parts of an ecosystem, like deer, mushrooms and oak trees. Abiotic factors are the nonliving parts, like sunlight, water, air and rocks. Living things need both.
What is the difference between a habitat and a niche?
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A habitat is the place where a living thing finds food, water and shelter. A niche is the job it does there: what it eats, when it is active and how it helps the ecosystem, like an earthworm mixing the soil.
How do plants and animals depend on each other?
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Animals get food and shelter from plants. Many plants need animals to spread their seeds or carry pollen, like a squirrel burying acorns or a bee moving pollen from flower to flower.
Is there an answer key for each worksheet?
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Yes. All five sheets have an answer key, including sample answers for the questions children explain in their own words.
How many 4th Grade how ecosystems work worksheets are there?
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5 printable worksheets, all free to preview. Downloads are included with a ClassWeekly free trial, and every page prints on standard 8.5 x 11 paper.
What age are how ecosystems work worksheets for?
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These are written for 4th Grade students, roughly ages 9-10. Many teachers also use them a grade up for review or a grade down as an extension, so use the preview to judge the fit for a particular child.
Are these how ecosystems work worksheets aligned to NGSS?
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Yes. Each one shows the NGSS code it covers on its own page, so you can check the alignment yourself rather than taking our word for it.
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Worksheet Details
| Grade | 4th Grade |
| Subject | Science |
| Topic | Ecosystems |
| Standard | 3-LS4-4 |
| Pages | 1 page |
| Difficulty | Medium |
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