Lesson ⁦3-3⁩: Changes in Ecosystems

Science · Fourth Grade, Primary · Unit 3: Exploring Ecosystems · First Semester

A 10-question quiz; after every question you'll see the right answer with an explanation.
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What will you learn in this lesson?

Ecosystems change, sometimes for natural reasons such as drought and floods, and sometimes because of humans, such as cutting down trees. In this lesson you learn about these changes and how living things adapt to survive or migrate.

  • Distinguishes natural changes in ecosystems from changes caused by humans
  • Describes the effects of drought and tree cutting on living things
  • Defines adaptation and gives examples of it in the cactus and the camel
  • Explains why some animals migrate

💡 Tip: For each example, ask yourself: is it caused by nature or by humans? And does it harm the ecosystem or help it? Tree planting and nature reserves are helpful human actions.

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Worked examples from the Changes in Ecosystems lesson questions

Which of the following is a natural change in an ecosystem?
  • Forest fires caused by lightning
  • Building a new road
  • Cutting down trees for building
  • Dumping trash into the sea
✓ Forest fires caused by lightning
Fires caused by lightning, floods, droughts, and volcanoes are natural changes, while building, cutting down trees, and pollution are caused by humans.
Which of the following is a change in an ecosystem caused by humans?
  • Cutting down trees
  • Drought
  • A volcanic eruption
  • A flood
✓ Cutting down trees
Cutting down trees is a human activity that destroys the habitats of many living things.
Show more examples (3)
What is an adaptation?
  • A trait that helps a living thing survive in its environment
  • A disease that affects animals
  • A living thing always moving to a new environment
  • All members of a species dying
✓ A trait that helps a living thing survive in its environment
An adaptation is a trait in a living thing's body or behavior that helps it live in its environment, such as a camel's hump.
Which adaptation helps the cactus live in the desert?
  • A thick stem that stores water
  • Large, broad leaves that lose water quickly
  • Roots that live only in water
  • Flowers that grow under ice
✓ A thick stem that stores water
The cactus's thick stem stores water, and its leaves, changed into spines, reduce water loss.
What does a camel store in its hump to help it live in the desert?
  • Fat
  • Water
  • Air
  • Sand
✓ Fat
A camel's hump stores fat, which the body uses as a source of energy when food is scarce.

FAQ about the Changes in Ecosystems lesson

How is the camel adapted to life in the desert?

It stores fat in its hump to use when food is scarce, it can go without water for days, it has long eyelashes that protect its eyes from sand, and it has wide, padded feet that don't sink into the sand.

Why do birds migrate?

In certain seasons they move from cold places or places with little food to warmer places richer in food, then return when conditions improve.

How do I study the lesson Changes in Ecosystems and test myself on it?

Start the lesson quiz on Study with Ghada: 10 questions from the Science Fourth Grade, Primary question bank. After each answer you'll see the right answer with an explanation, and any questions you miss move to “Review my mistakes” until you master them.

Are Study with Ghada quizzes free and aligned with the curriculum?

Yes, completely free. They're built on the Science - Grade 4 - Semester 1 lessons in the same order as the book, and every question is reviewed and approved by a teacher before students see it.