Consumers and Decomposers

All organisms in an ecosystem need energy to live.  Organisms can be grouped by how they get energy.  Organisms in an ecosystem are grouped as ___________, _____________, __________________.

• composers and producers
• producers, consumers, or decomposers.
• decomposers and producers
• producers and consumers

Producers are organisms that use energy from the Sun _____________ through a process called photosynthesis. 

• buy their own food
• eat food that others make
•  to make their own food
• not eat and starve

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Examples of producers are...

• cats and dogs
• plants, trees, and shrubs
• cows and plants
• plants and dogs

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Some organisms must get energy by eating other organisms.  These organisms are called consumers.   Consumers can be organized into three groups: 

• producers, decomposers, and cats
• herbivores, producers, and omnivores
• omnivores, consumers, and producers
• herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

Herbivores are consumers that eat only _________. 

• plants
• birds
• cats
• meat

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Examples of herbivores are...

• deer and cats
• rabbits and dogs
• deer and rabbits
• dogs and cats

Carnivores are consumers that eat only other animals. Some examples of carnivores are...

• tigers and sharks
• birds and tigers
• eagles and goats
• vultures and cows

Omnivores are consumers that eat both plants and animals.  Since they can eat a variety of organisms, omnivores can easily ____________.

• become extinct
• move to new locations to find food
• adapt to changing environments. 
• starve when the food changes

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

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Organisms such as fungi and bacteria get energy in a different way than producers or consumers.  These organisms, called _____________, get energy by breaking down nutrients in dead organisms. 

• producers
• carnivores
• decomposers
• herbivores

________ are an example of a decomposer.

• Algae
• pigs
• mushrooms
• tigers