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Biotic and Abiotic Factors — Reading Comprehension

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This educational reading passage, designed for 4th-grade students, introduces the concept of abiotic factors in an ecosystem. The passage, which is available in an audio-integrated format, defines key terms like "abiotic" and "biotic" and provides relatable examples of how non-living components, such as sunlight, water, and soil, affect living organisms. It explains that these factors are crucial for the survival and growth of plants and animals. The passage also touches upon how organisms adapt to different abiotic conditions, using examples like a desert cactus or a polar bear. The included fun fact adds a memorable detail for young learners. Following the text, there are eight multiple-choice questions to assess student comprehension at different DOK levels, from recalling basic facts to applying the concepts to new scenarios. This resource aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for elementary life sciences, specifically focusing on the interdependent relationships in ecosystems. It's a great tool for teachers to use in the classroom to help students understand the foundational elements of ecology.

CONTENT PREVIEW

An ecosystem is a community of living things and nonliving things that interact with each other in a specific area. An ecosystem can be as large as a forest or as small as a puddle. Understanding ecosystems helps us see how all parts of nature are connected and depend on each other to survive.

Every ecosystem has two main types of factors. Biotic factors are all the living things in an ecosystem. These include plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms. For example, in a forest ecosystem, trees, deer, mushrooms, and birds are all biotic factors. They can grow, reproduce, and respond to their environment.

Abiotic factors are all the nonliving things in an ecosystem. These include water, air, sunlight, soil, temperature, and rocks. Abiotic factors do not grow or reproduce, but they are essential for life. Think of abiotic factors like the stage where a play happens—they provide the setting and resources that living things need.

Biotic and abiotic factors work together in important ways. Plants need abiotic factors like sunlight, water, and soil nutrients to grow through photosynthesis. Animals need abiotic factors like air to breathe and water to drink. Decomposers—organisms like bacteria and fungi that break down dead matter—need moisture and dead plants or animals to do their job. When decomposers break down dead material, they return nutrients to the soil, which helps new plants grow.

All parts of an ecosystem are connected through these interactions—the ways that biotic and abiotic factors affect each other. If you remove or change one factor, it affects the whole system. For example, if a forest loses its trees (biotic factor), animals lose shelter and food. If a pond dries up (abiotic factor), fish and frogs cannot survive. This connection shows us that ecosystems are delicate balances where every part matters.

Understanding how biotic and abiotic factors depend on each other helps us protect ecosystems. When we see how removing one piece affects everything else, we can make better decisions about caring for nature.

Interesting Fact: The Amazon rainforest produces about 20% of Earth's oxygen through photosynthesis, showing how biotic factors (trees) use abiotic factors (sunlight and carbon dioxide) to create something all living things need!

What are biotic factors in an ecosystem?

All the living thingsAll the nonliving thingsOnly the plantsOnly the animals

Which is an example of abiotic factor?

A deer in the forestSunlight shining on plantsMushrooms growing on logsBirds building nests

What do decomposers need to work?

Only sunlight and airDead matter and moistureLiving plants onlyRocks and soil only

Why do plants need abiotic factors?

To hide from animalsTo grow through photosynthesisTo move to new placesTo communicate with other plants

What happens if trees disappear from forest?

Animals gain more food sourcesThe soil becomes richer immediatelyAnimals lose shelter and foodMore sunlight helps all organisms

How do decomposers help the ecosystem?

They eat all living plantsThey return nutrients to soilThey create more sunlightThey make water disappear