Resources and relationships in ecosystems are the focus of this Grade 6 Science worksheet, which explores how organisms interact with one another and depend on living and nonliving components of their environment. Students investigate population and community relationships, resource competition, and ecological interactions while using observations to explain how ecosystems may change.

Explore how organisms depend on their environment

The reading passage introduces the structure of an ecosystem and the resources organisms need to survive, grow, and reproduce. Students distinguish populations from communities and ecosystems, identify biotic and abiotic components, and examine how limited food, water, sunlight, nutrients, and shelter can lead to competition. Examples involving plants, deer, rabbits, bees, flowers, ticks, deer, birds, and trees connect ecological vocabulary to familiar situations.

The lesson also examines five important ecological relationships: predation, competition, mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism. Students consider which organisms benefit, which may be harmed, and when an organism is unaffected. They also explore how scientists collect evidence, investigate the effects of sunlight on plant growth, and predict possible changes when resources become scarce.

What students practise

• Multiple-choice questions that apply ecosystem vocabulary to ponds, grasslands, plants, and animal interactions.
• True-or-false statements that check understanding of populations, nonliving resources, competition, and ecological relationships.
• Short-answer responses comparing populations and communities, explaining the effects of reduced water availability, and distinguishing parasitism from commensalism.
• A labelled diagram activity for working with ecosystem concepts visually.
• A categorization activity for sorting information by ecological concepts.
• A short-note activity for consolidating key ideas in students' own words.

Included with your resource

• Printable student worksheet: Reading and activities focused on ecosystem resources, organism interactions, and evidence-based predictions.
• Separate PDF answer key: A convenient reference for checking student responses.
• Student Notes lines: Space at the bottom of the worksheet for recording important ideas.
• Teacher Guide: Included in the Answer Key PDF, with Learning Objectives, Teaching Tips, Discussion Questions, and Common Mistakes.

Practical classroom use

Use this Grade 6 ecosystems worksheet during a lesson on organisms, populations, and environments, or assign it for independent practice, review, or a check of students' understanding. The reading provides context before students apply the terms to examples, while the written responses give them opportunities to explain relationships rather than rely only on recognition. The answer key and teacher guidance make it easier to check work and prepare follow-up discussion.

This resource is identified with Texas Science 6: Organisms, Populations and Environments and names TEKS as its framework. It gives students focused practice connecting ecosystem vocabulary with real-world examples and reasoning about how changes in available resources can affect organisms and their relationships.