Competition in an Ecosystem

Teach your sixth graders what happens when organisms need the same things! In this one-page worksheet, students read about competition in an ecosystem, put the events of a dry summer in order, and then pick out real examples of competition.

The passage explains that when there is not enough of something for everyone, organisms compete. Students learn that organisms compete for biotic factors, like rabbits and deer that both eat grass in the same meadow. They also compete for abiotic factors, like light, water, and space. A forest example shows tall trees catching most of the sunlight so small plants below get less, and a drought example shows plants and animals competing for the little water that is left. The passage also defines a population and explains why a population can shrink when food or water runs short. In the first activity, students number five events in a meadow drought story in order. In the second activity, students circle the three examples of competition from a list of six. The wrong choices include a bee and a flower helping each other, which gets students ready to learn about symbiosis next. The sheet is written to Texas TEKS 6.12A and also fits NGSS MS-LS2-1.

What's inside:

• A short passage with a wide picture and key words in bold
• A 5-step sequencing activity
• A circle-the-three activity with 6 choices
• A visual answer key with every answer marked in red

How teachers use it:

• As a quick check during an ecosystems unit
• For bell work, stations, or an exit ticket
• As homework or sub plans, with no prep needed

It takes about 5 to 10 minutes and prints clearly in black and white. This worksheet is part of our Reading in Science series for grade 6.