5th Grade Science
Appendix 4
Ultimate STAAR™ Survival Guide
D & K Review, Organisms and Environments, Part 1
Name
Home Room
Organisms and Environments Review, Part 1
Vocabulary

An organism has features, or characteristics that help it meet its basic needs.
o
African elephant: large size and tusks to protect it from other animals; large
ears to help it stay cool in hot weather; long trunk for drinking water and
gathering food
o
Cactus: spines instead of leaves; narrow spines reduce amount of
evaporation; spines protect the plant from consumers

An animal is a consumer because it uses plants and other animals as food.

Plants are producers because they make their own food.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants make their own food.
o
Energy comes from the sun; green leaves take in carbon dioxide from the air,
create sugar, and release oxygen as a waste product

A trait is any characteristic or feature of an organism. (Hair color, size, etc.)

Inherited traits are passed from parent to offspring. Learned or acquired traits
are not inherited. (Facial features, eye color, etc.)

A behavior is a response of an organism to its environment.

Instinctive behaviors are behaviors inherited from parents.

Learned behaviors develop as an organism interacts with its environment.

The stages of development an organism goes through make up its life cycle.
o
Plants: seed  seedling  sapling  adult tree
o
Incomplete metamorphosis: egg  nymph  adult
o
Complete metamorphosis: egg  larva  pupa  adult
1.
Which external characteristic would
help a fish swim away from
predators?
A
Strong fins
B
Sharp teeth
C
Hard scales
D
Camouflage
2.
In what part of the plant is most
food produced?
A
Roots
B
Leaves
C
Bark
D
Flowers
5th Grade Science
Appendix 4
3.
4.
5.
6.
Turtles and tortoises both have
hard shells covering their bodies.
What basic need does this
structure most likely serve? Hard
shells—
A
help the animal get food
B
provide a habitat for the
animals
C
help the animals move
D
protects the animals from
predators
Which of the following statements
is NOT true about inherited
characteristics? Inherited
characteristics—
A
can include instincts
B
make each organism unique
C
are passed from parent to
offspring
D
are learned from the
environment
Which of the following is an
acquired trait of a plant?
A
Color of its flower petals
B
Shape of its flower petals
C
Growing tall after fertilizing
D
Shape of its leaves
Which of the following traits is most
likely inherited?
A
Having a wart
B
Having green eyes
C
Being able to tie your shoes
D
Being a good baseball player
Ultimate STAAR™ Survival Guide
D & K Review, Organisms and Environments, Part 1
7.
What are the stages of
development in an animal’s life
called?
A
Pupa
B
Nymph
C
Life cycle
D
Metamorphosis
8.
Which of the following organisms is
NOT a consumer?
A
Mosquito
B
Tiger
C
Rose
D
Rabbit
9.
An instinctive behavior is—
A
learned
B
practiced
C
invented
D
inherited
10. What is the process by which a
plant makes food?
A
Photosynthesis
B
Metamorphosis
C
Pollination
D
Fertilization
5th Grade Science
Appendix 4
Name
Ultimate STAAR™ Survival Guide
D & K Review, Organisms and Environments, Part 2
Home Room
Organisms and Environments Review, Part 2
Vocabulary

An organism is an individual living thing.

An organism’s surroundings make up its environment.

An ecosystem is an area where organisms interact with each other and with the
nonliving things in the environment.

A habitat is the place where an organism lives.

Competition occurs when two or more organisms struggle to obtain the same
resources (food, water, space, etc.) in an ecosystem.

All the living organisms in an ecosystem make up a community.

A food chain is a diagram that uses arrows to show the flow of energy from one
organism to another in an ecosystem.
o
sun  producer  consumer (herbivore, omnivore)  consumer (carnivore,
omnivore)
o
Producer—makes its own food
o
Herbivore—eats only plants
o
Carnivore—eats only other animals
o
Omnivore—eats both plant and animal products
o
Decomposer—breaks down the remains of dead organisms

A food web is a series of overlapping food chains.

An adaptation is a trait or behavior that helps an organism survive its
environment.

A niche is the role that each species plays within its particular ecosystem.

A predator is an animal that hunts other animals, called prey.

A scavenger is an animal that feeds on the dead bodies of other animals.
11. The specific place in an ecosystem
where an organism lives is its—
A
habitat
B
resource
C
niche
D
community
12. Which of the following organisms is
MOST LIKELY to compete with an
oak tree for water?
A
An owl
B
A bear
C
A bush
D
A fish
5th Grade Science
Appendix 4
Ultimate STAAR™ Survival Guide
D & K Review, Organisms and Environments, Part 2
13. A builder clears all of the plants
from a large field to build a new
shopping center. Which natural
event is this mot like?
A
Aging
B
Flooding
C
Volcano
D
Forest fire
17. Which of the following adaptations
is MOST useful for an animal living
in a very cold climate?
A
Camouflage
B
Thick fur or blubber
C
Good hearing
D
Sharp teeth
14. Which of the following changes to
an environment will most likely
cause organisms there to get sick?
A
Plowing fields
B
Damage by a tornado
C
Pollution in the water
D
Lava flowing from a volcano
18. Which of the following statements
BEST describes the niche of a
zebra?
A
Zebras live in the grasslands
of Africa.
B
Zebras have different patterns
of stripes.
C
Zebras have large teeth for
chewing grass.
D
Zebras eat grass and are prey
for lions.
15. Which of the following changes in
the environment would help
grasses and weeds grow in a
specific area?
A
A forest fire
B
Pollution
C
Building a parking lot
D
Planting crops
16. Which food chain below shows the
correct flow of energy in an
ecosystem?
A
sun  grass  flower  tree
B
sun  grass  rabbit  hawk
C
sun  lion  zebra  grass
D
sun  fox  rabbit  grass
19. Which adaptation would best help
an owl catch a mouse?
A
Camouflage
B
Hollow bones
C
Talons or claws
D
Small ears
20. Which of the following is the most
likely niche of an organism that has
green leaves?
A
Producer
B
Consumer
C
Predator
D
Scavenger
5th Grade Science
Appendix 4
Ultimate STAAR™ Survival Guide
D & K Review, Organisms and Environments, Part 2