NGSS 5-LS2-1

Science5th GradeEcosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

The Standard

Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

Next Generation Science Standards

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students make a diagram or physical model that traces matter through an ecosystem. They use arrows and labels to connect plants, animals, decomposers, air, water, and soil.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students create a clear model with plants, animals, decomposers, air, water, and soil. Their arrows and labels show how matter moves, changes form, and returns to the environment.
Common Misconceptions: Students often think plants get their food directly from soil. They may think decomposers make dead matter disappear or confuse matter movement with energy flow.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Draw a garden model with a plant, rabbit, mushroom, air, water, and soil. Add labeled arrows showing where matter moves.

Lesson moves

Build a bottle ecosystem with soil, a plant, leaf litter, and pill bugs, then label where matter enters, moves, and returns.
Write an explanation for this prompt: How can air, water, and dead leaves eventually become part of an animal?
Give groups organism and material cards, then race to arrange and explain accurate matter pathways through an ecosystem.
Study a compost bin and trace how food scraps become soil materials that support new plant growth.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 5-LS2-1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

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