Autotrophs and Heterotrophs

Autotrophs and Heterotrophs Worksheet (Grade 6 Science, TEKS 6.13B)

How do organisms get the food they need? This one-page sheet explains that autotrophs, such as plants, kelp, and some bacteria, make their own food by photosynthesis, while heterotrophs, such as animals, fungi, and most bacteria, eat or absorb other organisms. A Watch Out note explains why a mushroom is not a plant.

What's Inside

• A Big Question box: "How do organisms get the food they need?"
• A short reading with word clues for auto and hetero
• A Key Words note: autotroph, heterotroph, photosynthesis
• Activity 1: Students write A or H under six organism pictures
• Activity 2: Five true or false sentences
• A visual answer key with answers marked in red

How Teachers Use It

Use it as practice or a quick check for TEKS 6.13B. The sheet takes about 10 minutes, needs no prior knowledge, and prints clearly in black and white.

This worksheet is part of the Reading in Science series for grade 6. It supports TEKS 6.13B: identify and compare the basic characteristics of organisms, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic, unicellular and multicellular, and autotrophic and heterotrophic. It is one of eleven connected TEKS 6.13 sheets: cell theory (6.13A), the basic characteristics of organisms (6.13B), and variation and survival (6.13C), plus a vocabulary review.

Why It Works

Each sheet opens with a Big Question, teaches the key terms in plain words with simple black-and-white doodles, and then asks students to use only what the page taught. Activities stay at the circle, sort, match, and fill-in level, so students can finish in about 10 minutes, and the visual answer key lets teachers check work fast.