California Science Standards

   Grade 5

2. 2. Plants and animals have structures for respiration, digestion, waste disposal, and
transport of materials. As a basis for understanding this concept:

e. Students know how sugar, water, and minerals are transported in a vascular plant.
f. Students know plants use carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and energy from sunlight to build
molecules of sugar and release oxygen.

NatureWorks Episodes

9. The Wildlife Web I 

g. Students know plant and animal cells break down sugar to obtain energy, a process
resulting in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and water (respiration).

NatureWorks Episodes

9. The Wildlife Web I 

   Grade 6

5. Organisms in ecosystems exchange energy and nutrients among themselves and
with the environment. As a basis for understanding this concept:

a. Students know energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis and then from organism to organism through food webs.

NatureWorks Episodes

9. The Wildlife Web I 

b. Students know matter is transferred over time from one organism to others in the
food web and between organisms and the physical environment.

NatureWorks Episodes

9. The Wildlife Web I 
10. The Wildlife  Web II
11. Decomposers and Scavengers

c. Students know populations of organisms can be categorized by the functions they
serve in an ecosystem.

NatureWorks Episodes

14. Niche

d. Students know different kinds of organisms may play similar ecological roles in similar biomes.

NatureWorks Episodes

14. Niche

e. Students know the number and types of organisms an ecosystem can support
depends on the resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of
light and water, a range of temperatures, and soil composition.

NatureWorks Episodes

12. Population Dynamics