Two Living Places at the Bike Shop

Compare the plants and animals recorded in two bike shop habitats.

Read the bike shop records

A community bike shop has two small habitats. The rooftop rain garden is in a sunny space above the shop. The curbside planter strip is beside the repair lane. On one morning, students recorded each kind they noticed at each place. They wrote a kind once, even when they saw several individuals of that kind.In the rooftop rain garden, the plant record named grass, sedum, marigold, and basil. The animal record named bees, spiders, robins, and aphids. In the curbside planter strip, the plant record named grass, clover, and dandelion. The animal record named bees, ants, sparrows, snails, and ladybugs.The students visited both places for the same amount of time. They looked carefully in the soil, on leaves, and near the edges of each habitat. Their records show what they noticed that morning; a kind not on a record might be noticed on another visit.

How many plant kinds were recorded in the rooftop rain garden? kinds

How many more animal kinds were recorded in the curbside planter strip than in the rooftop rain garden?

A. 2 more kindsB. The same number of kindsC. 1 more kindD. 3 more kinds

Circle the TWO observations that show a kind was recorded in both places.

Sort each statement using the observation record.

Students see six ants in the planter strip. How should they use this observation when comparing variety?

A. Count six animal kinds because six ants were seen.B. Count ants as one animal kind, even with several ants.C. Leave ants off the record because they are small.D. Count ants as a plant kind near the soil.

Compare the living things

Use the records and graph to compare the variety of living things. Variety means the number of different kinds recorded.

Which plant kind was recorded in the rooftop rain garden but not in the curbside planter strip?

A. SedumB. GrassC. CloverD. Dandelion

Which plan would give the two habitats a fairer comparison on another visit?

A. Visit the roof in the morning and the planter next week.B. Spend extra time searching in the place with fewer kinds.C. Count animals one by one but write plant kinds once.D. Search both places for the same amount of time and record kinds in each.

On the next visit, students see a second bee at the planter strip. No new kind is seen. What happens to the planter's animal variety count?

A. It rises from 5 kinds to 6 kinds.B. It falls from 5 kinds to 4 kinds.C. It stays at 5 kinds.D. It changes to 2 kinds because two bees were seen.

If the students return in similar conditions, which is a reasonable prediction based on this record?

A. The planter strip may again have more recorded animal kinds than the roof.B. The roof may have more animal kinds because it is higher.C. Both places will show the same animal kinds in the next record.D. The planter strip may show fewer animal kinds because it is beside bikes.

10.

Match each record clue to the number or kinds it describes.

11.

Circle the TWO new observations that would add a kind to the records.

12.

Sort each new observation by what it does to the rooftop animal or plant variety count.

13.

Which statement best compares the original records?

A. The roof had more plant kinds and more animal kinds.B. The planter had more plant kinds and fewer animal kinds.C. The roof had more plant kinds, while the planter had more animal kinds.D. The two places had equal plant and animal variety.

Explain the evidence

Use names and numbers from the observation record or graph in your answer.

14.

Would recording both habitats likely give students a broader list of different living kinds than recording only the rooftop rain garden? Explain with at least two examples from the records.