Symbiotic Relationships

Teach your sixth graders the three kinds of symbiosis with one clear page! In this worksheet, students read three short topic cards, sort six real examples into a table, and then name the relationship in two short science stories.

The page opens by defining symbiosis as a close relationship between two different kinds of organisms. Each card covers one kind, with its own picture and heading. The mutualism card shows a bee and a flower, where both organisms benefit. The parasitism card shows a tick on a dog and introduces the words parasite and host. The commensalism card shows barnacles riding on a whale, where one organism benefits and the other is not affected. A one-line summary helps students remember the difference. In the sorting activity, students place six examples, such as a clownfish in a sea anemone, a tapeworm in a dog, and a remora on a shark, into the Mutualism, Parasitism, or Commensalism column. In the second activity, students read about mistletoe on an oak tree and cattle egrets following cows, then circle the best answer. The sheet is written to Texas TEKS 6.12B and also fits NGSS MS-LS2-2.

What's inside:

• Three illustrated topic cards with key words in bold
• A 6-item symbiosis sorting table
• 2 short scenario questions
• A visual answer key with every answer marked in red

How teachers use it:

• As practice after introducing mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism
• 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.