Ecosystem Heroes Review Worksheet
Magnetic Literacy • Grade 4 Unit 1 Assessment Review Practice Test
Ecosystem Heroes Review
Keystone Species, Text Structures & Language Standards
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Reading Comprehension Read the text, then answer questions 1–2
Guardians of the Kelp Forest
1 Along the chilly Pacific coast of North America lives a furry marine mammal: the sea otter. Floating on their backs among giant seaweed ribbons, sea otters may look playful, but they perform a vital job. In underwater kelp forests, sea otters are a keystone species that protects the entire marine ecosystem.
2 Kelp forests provide shelter and food for hundreds of marine creatures, including rockfish, crabs, and harbor seals. Sea urchins are spiky animals that feed on kelp roots. When sea otter numbers drop, sea urchins multiply quickly and devour entire kelp beds, creating empty underwater wastelands known as "urchin barrens." By eating huge amounts of urchins daily, sea otters keep the kelp forest balanced and thriving.
3 In the 1800s, commercial hunters hunted sea otters for their dense, warm pelts. By the early 1900s, fewer than 2,000 otters survived, and many kelp forests vanished. Fortunately, governments passed wildlife protection laws in 1911 and 1972 banning sea otter hunting. Conservation biologists also moved otters back into their historic coastal habitats through rewilding programs. Today, more than 100,000 sea otters patrol coastal waters, allowing kelp forests to return.
Key Science Terms
keystone species:
a living thing that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community.
ecosystem:
all the living and nonliving things interacting in a specific environment.
* Notice how otters affect both plants and other animals!
1
Read the list of ideas from "Guardians of the Kelp Forest," lettered A through F. In the answer line below, write the letters of the four ideas that are most important to include in a summary of the text.
A. Sea otters float on their backs in giant seaweed ribbons.
B. Sea otters keep the kelp ecosystem healthy by eating urchins.
C. Overhunting in the 1800s nearly caused sea otters to disappear.
D. Sea urchins have spiky bodies and eat kelp roots.
E. Laws and rewilding efforts helped sea otter populations recover.
F. Healthy kelp forests support diverse marine wildlife.
Four ideas to include in summary: ____ , ____ , ____ , ____
2
According to "Guardians of the Kelp Forest," why are sea otters considered a keystone species? Use two details from the text to support your answer.
Unit 1 | Keystone Species Review Page 1 of 3
Unit 1 Assessment Practice • Reading Comprehension (Part 2) Student Name:
Nature’s Master Engineers
Informational Text
1 Like the bison and sea otter, the North American beaver is a famous keystone species. Beavers use their sharp teeth to fell trees and construct sturdy dams across streams. These dams slow rushing water and create tranquil ponds and wetlands. Without beavers, small streams often rush past too quickly, drying up surrounding soil and washing away plant life.
2 During the 1800s, fur trappers captured millions of beavers to make felt top hats for fashion in Europe and eastern cities. Because beaver numbers dropped so drastically, stream valleys dried up, causing fish and songbird populations to plummet. By 1900, beavers were nearly wiped out in most states across the country.
3 To rescue the beaver and revive dried waterways, conservationists launched an ambitious recovery effort. First, states passed strict limits on trapping in the 1920s. Next, in the 1940s, biologists relocated wild beavers into remote mountain streams where wetlands had vanished. As beavers rebuilt their wooden dams, water tables rose, willow trees sprouted, and trout returned. Today, healthy beaver colonies thrive in national parks and protected forests across the continent.
3
Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of "Nature's Master Engineers":
"Because beaver numbers dropped so drastically, stream valleys dried up, causing fish and songbird populations to plummet."
Which statement best explains why fish and songbirds suffered when beavers disappeared?
A. Beavers were no longer available as food for the birds and fish.
B. The ponds and wetlands that provided them habitat and water dried up.
C. Hunters began targeting fish and songbirds instead of beavers.
D. Felled trees fell into the streams and blocked fish from swimming.
4
Which sentence is the most important idea to include in a summary of "Nature’s Master Engineers"?
A. European fashion in the 1800s led to a high demand for beaver felt hats.
B. Beavers use their sharp front teeth to chew through tree trunks.
C. Beavers build dams that sustain wetland ecosystems, and conservation efforts helped them recover from near extinction.
D. Willow trees grow along the edges of mountain streams and ponds.
5
This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.
PART A: According to paragraph 3, what was the primary action that helped restore beaver populations?
A. People built artificial wooden dams for the animals.
B. Laws restricted trapping and biologists moved beavers to new streams.
C. European hat makers stopped using animal fur.
D. Scientists planted willow trees along dry waterways.
PART B: In the box below, underline the two sentences that best support your answer to Part A.
"To rescue the beaver and revive dried waterways, conservationists launched an ambitious recovery effort. First, states passed strict limits on trapping in the 1920s. Next, in the 1940s, biologists relocated wild beavers into remote mountain streams where wetlands had vanished. As beavers rebuilt their wooden dams, water tables rose, willow trees sprouted, and trout returned."
Unit 1 | Keystone Species Review Page 2 of 3
Unit 1 Assessment Practice • Text Structure & Language Student Name:
6
The paragraphs in "Nature’s Master Engineers" use different text structures. Write an X in the box next to each paragraph to show if it is organized primarily by Sequence or Cause and Effect.
| Paragraph from "Nature's Master Engineers" | Sequence (Chronological) | Cause and Effect |
|---|
| Paragraph 2 (Fur trapping and drying of stream valleys) | | |
| Paragraph 3 (Recovery steps: first 1920s, next 1940s, then today) | | |
Part 2: Language & Vocabulary Skills Questions 7–10
7
Read the words in the box. Write the correct word in each blank to complete the story. You may use each word more than once.
piece peace
We visited the wildlife reserve to enjoy some quiet and . The park ranger showed us a small of beaver wood with tooth marks on it. Later, we shared a sweet of apple while listening to the birds, feeling a deep sense of in the wild forest.
8
Which sentence uses a comma correctly in a compound sentence?
A. Sea otters spend most of their time in the ocean, but they can also sleep wrapped in kelp.
B. Sea otters spend most of their time, in the ocean but they can also sleep wrapped in kelp.
C. Sea otters spend most of their time in the ocean but they can also sleep, wrapped in kelp.
D. Sea otters spend most of their time in the ocean but, they can also sleep wrapped in kelp.
9
Draw a line to match each Greek or Latin root to its correct meaning.
bio
struct
tract
⟷
pull or drag
life
build
10
Read the sentences and choose the phrase that best completes the blank.
Maya is very her energy. Instead of watching television on Sunday afternoons, she volunteers at the local wildlife shelter to feed injured river otters.
A. giving with
B. careless with
C. quiet about
D. fearful about
Unit 1 | Keystone Species Review Page 3 of 3
Ecosystem Heroes Answer Key
Magnetic Literacy • Grade 4 Unit 1 Assessment Review Teacher Scoring Guide
Ecosystem Heroes Answer Key
Standards-Aligned Solutions, Rubrics & Exemplar Responses
Total Points: 15
Target: 80%+ Proficiency
Part 1: Reading Comprehension Keys (Questions 1–5) Passages: Sea Otters & Beavers
Q1 Summary Selection (RI.4.2) 2 Points
Correct Answers: B, C, E, F (in any order).
Scoring: Award 2 pts for all 4 correct; 1 pt for 3 correct; 0 pts for fewer. Distractors A and D are minor supporting details (floating in kelp ribbons; spiky bodies) rather than big central ideas.
Q2 Short Response: Keystone Species Role (RI.4.1, RI.4.3) 2 Points
2-Point Exemplar Response:
"Sea otters are a keystone species because they keep the whole kelp forest balanced. First, they eat large numbers of sea urchins that would otherwise eat the roots of the giant kelp and destroy it. Second, by protecting the kelp forests, otters preserve shelter and food for other animals like rockfish, crabs, and seals."
2 Points: Clear explanation of why they are a keystone species WITH 2 text details (eating urchins; protecting kelp/other animals).
1 Point: Correct general idea but only provides 1 text detail or vague supporting evidence.
Q3 Cause and Effect: Wildlife Decline (RI.4.3) 1 Point
Correct Answer: B — The ponds and wetlands that provided them habitat and water dried up.
Rationale: Paragraph 2 directly links the loss of beavers and their dams to stream valleys drying out, eliminating wetland homes for fish and songbirds.
Q4 Central Idea / Summary (RI.4.2) 1 Point
Correct Answer: C — Beavers build dams that sustain wetland ecosystems, and conservation efforts helped them recover from near extinction.
Rationale: Option C encapsulates the entire passage (keystone function, historical threat, and modern comeback). Options A, B, and D are isolated facts.
Q5 Two-Part Evidence Item (RI.4.1, RI.4.3) 2 Points
PART A (1 Pt): B — Laws restricted trapping and biologists moved beavers to new streams.
PART B (1 Pt): Underlined Sentences in Box:
1. "First, states passed strict limits on trapping in the 1920s."
2. "Next, in the 1940s, biologists relocated wild beavers into remote mountain streams where wetlands had vanished."
Magnetic Literacy 4th Grade • Unit 1 Assessment Review Guide Page 1 of 2
Unit 1 Assessment Guide • Text Structure & Language Standards Teacher Reference
