How people change the environment, and ways to reduce the harm

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

2. 1.

   Ari fills in a chain. Cause: people pave a big field. What effect goes in the middle box (USGS)?

   • More rainwater runs off into streams
   • Less rainwater runs off the field than before
   • More rain soaks into the ground
   • The field gets more rainfall
3. 2.

   Bo fills in a chain. Cause: ship water carried zebra mussels into the Great Lakes (USGS). What effect goes in the middle box?

   Use the picture in question 1.

   • The lakes turned salty
   • The mussels stayed in one small spot of one lake
   • Native mussels grew in number
   • The mussels spread and clog water pipes
4. 3.

   Kira fills in a chain. Cause: people burn coal, oil and gas for energy. What effect goes in the middle box (NOAA)?

   Use the picture in question 1.

   • The ocean gets saltier
   • The air gains more oxygen
   • Less carbon dioxide stays in the air than before
   • More carbon dioxide builds up in the air
5. 4.

   Jun fills in a chain. Zebra mussels ride on boats to new lakes (USGS). Which fix goes in the fix box?

   Use the picture in question 1.

   • Inspect and clean boats before they enter a new lake
   • Paint the boats a brighter color so the mussels can see them
   • Move more boats between lakes
   • Add more mussels to each lake
6. 5.

   Luz fills in a chain. Paved lots send more rain into streams. Which fix goes in the fix box (EPA)?

   Use the picture in question 1.

   • Build a rain garden that lets water soak in
   • Cut down the trees nearby
   • Paint the pavement white
   • Pave the lawn next to the lot too
7. 6.

   Milo fills in a chain. Too many fish are taken, so few are left (NOAA). Which fix goes in the fix box?

   Use the picture in question 1.

   • Set limits so the fish can grow back
   • Stop counting the fish
   • Take more fish each year
   • Fish at night instead of by day, taking just as many
8. 7.

   Before the 1700s, 280 or less; 1960, 317; 1990, 354; 2024, 425. Note: Mauna Loa yearly means, rounded. Using the NOAA table, about how much carbon dioxide was in the air in 2024, by Noah's reading?

   • About 280 ppm
   • About 317 ppm
   • About 425 ppm
   • Less than in 1960

9. Read this first

   Four boxes in a row

   Cause, effect, fix, then the fix's cost.

10. 8.

    A town adds rain gardens to cut runoff. What cost might it weigh, by Tala's reading?

    • They add more runoff to streams
    • They stop rain from falling
    • Space and money to build and care for them
    • Rain gardens have no costs
11. 9.

    A power plant adds a scrubber to clean its smoke (EPA). What cost might it weigh, by Zee's reading?

    • Scrubbers have no trade-offs
    • Scrubbers cost nothing to run
    • The equipment costs money, and wet ones need water treatment
    • Scrubbers make the smoke coming out of the tall stack even dirtier
12. 10.

    Lake workers check every boat for zebra mussels. What cost might the lake weigh, by Esme's reading?

    • The checks cost nothing
    • The checks spread mussels faster to the new lake
    • The checks need no workers
    • Time and workers for the boat checks