NAME __________________________________

Utahs Environments Assessment A

1. What is a difference between Utah forests and wetlands?
A.
B.
C.
D.
2.

Forests have more animals and birds than wetlands.

Both forests and wetlands have water, but only wetlands have fish and birds.
Forests have trees and shrubs; wetlands have bulrushes and cattails.
Utah forests have rivers but do not have cactus, lizards, or rattlesnakes.

Read the descriptions and look at the pictures of three Utah environments.
Write the correct term in the box below each description: desert, forest, or wetland.

River, lake stream, and marsh areas

where water is a major part of the
environment. Plants and animals
are adapted to watery land areas.

Oak, pine, fir, spruce, aspen, or

juniper areas where trees are a
major feature of the environment.
Animals are dependent on trees.

Areas where plants and animals

needing little water are a major
feature of the environment because
of the lack of water.

3. What environment best describes the area where bulrushes, duck nests, and frogs live.
A. desert

B. forest

C. wetland

4. Which of the following best describes some characteristics of a Utah forest?

A.
B.
C.
D.

5.

slow moving streams, frogs, bulrushes, muskrats, catfish, carp, cattails

fast moving streams, fir, spruce, quaking aspen, cottontail rabbit, barn owl
dry soil, sagebrush, ravens, jackrabbits, ants, millipedes, lizards, tortoise
oak brush, yucca, kangaroo rat, trout, cactus, mule deer, cattails

What fact about a prickly pear cactus is an adaptation that allows it to survive in a desert?
A.
B.
C.
D.

Prickly pear cactus produces colorful flowers each spring.

The leaf-like pads of a prickly pear cactus have a waxy coating and sharp spines.
Some people each the prickly pear cactus pads as a health food.
Prickly pear cactus produces a fruit that humans and animals can eat.

WORD BANK FOR #6

barn owl, beaver, bulrush, butterfly, cattail, catfish, cottontail rabbit, coyote, elk, fir,
grasshopper, kangaroo rat, lizard, moose, mule deer, muskrat, oak brush, pinyon pine,
prickly pear cactus, quaking aspen, rattlesnake, red fox, robin, sagebrush, salamander,
spruce, tortoise, yucca

6.

In the spaces below, write the names of two animals and two plants that are adapted to live
naturally in that environment. USE THE WORD BANK ABOVE.

Desert

Forest

Wetland

Animal #1
Animal #2
Plant #1
Plant #2
7. Why do hummingbirds live in grasslands and forests? Hummingbirds need . . .
A.
B.
C.
D.

high elevation so they can fly easier.

to drink the nectar from flowers found there.
the insects found in the grasses.
many rocks to hide from predators.

8. Which of the following is NOT an example of an adaptation of Utah mammals that help them
survive the winter.
A. hibernation,
C. fly south for the winter

B. build winter homes

D. grow heavier fur

9. How do MOST birds survive the Utah winter? They . . .

A. build warm nests.
C. hibernate until winter is over.
B. fly to a warmer location.
D. grow extra feathers to stay warm.
Use this information on a location in Utah to answer the next question.
Temperature Range
68F - 108F 2,000

Elevation
3,500 feet
Below

Yearly Rainfall
5 inches

10. Which animal would most likely be found living at this location?
A. seagull

B. moose

C. bear

D. lizard

On the map, shade in the areas of each environment. Use the Key.

Hot Desert: Red

Cold Desert: Yellow
Wetland: Blue
Forest: Green

NAME __________________________________

Utahs Environments Assessment

ANSWER KEY
1. What is a difference between Utah forests and wetlands?
A.
B.
C.
D.
2.

Forests have more animals and birds than wetlands.

Both forests and wetlands have water, but only wetlands have fish and birds.
Forests have trees and shrubs; wetlands have bulrushes and cattails.
Utah forests have rivers but do not have cactus, lizards, or rattlesnakes.

Read the descriptions and look at the pictures of three Utah environments.
Write the correct term in the box below each description: desert, forest, or wetland.

River, lake stream, and marsh

areas where water is a major part
of the environment. Plants and
animals are adapted to watery
land areas.

Wetland

Oak, pine, fir, spruce, aspen, or

juniper areas where trees are a
major feature of the
environment. Animals are
dependent on trees.

Areas where plants and animals

needing little water are a major
feature of the environment
because of the lack of water.

Forest

Desert

3. What environment best describes the area where bulrushes, duck nests, and frogs live.
A. desert

B. forest

C. wetland

4. Which of the following best describes some characteristics of a Utah forest?

A.
B.
C.
D.

5.

slow moving streams, frogs, bulrushes, muskrats, catfish, carp, cattails

fast moving streams, fir, spruce, quaking aspen, cottontail rabbit, barn owl
dry soil, sagebrush, ravens, jackrabbits, ants, millipedes, lizards, tortoise
oak brush, yucca, kangaroo rat, trout, cactus, mule deer, cattails

What fact about a prickly pear cactus is an adaptation that allows it to survive in a desert?
A.
B.
C.
D.

Prickly pear cactus produces colorful flowers each spring.

The leaf-like pads of a prickly pear cactus have a waxy coating and sharp spines.
Some people each the prickly pear cactus pads as a health food.
Prickly pear cactus produces a fruit that humans and animals can eat.

WORD BANK FOR #6

barn owl, beaver, bulrush, butterfly, cattail, catfish, cottontail rabbit, coyote, elk, fir,
grasshopper, kangaroo rat, lizard, moose, mule deer, muskrat, oak brush, pinyon pine,
prickly pear cactus, quaking aspen, rattlesnake, red fox, robin, sagebrush, salamander,
spruce, tortoise, yucca
6.

In the spaces below, write the names of two animals and two plants that are adapted to live
naturally in that environment. USE THE WORD BANK ABOVE.

Desert
Animal #1

Forest

Wetland

Answers will vary

Animal #2
Plant #1
Plant #2
7. Why do hummingbirds live in grasslands and forests? Hummingbirds need . . .
A.
B.
C.
D.

high elevation so they can fly easier.

to drink the nectar from flowers found there.
the insects found in the grasses.
many rocks to hide from predators.

8. Which of the following is NOT an example of an adaptation of Utah mammals that help them
survive the winter.
A. hibernation,
C. fly south for the winter

B. build winter homes

D. grow heavier fur

9. How do MOST birds survive the Utah winter? They . . .

A. build warm nests.
C. hibernate until winter is over.
B. fly to a warmer location.
D. grow extra feathers to stay warm.
Use this information on a location in Utah to answer the next question.
Temperature Range
68F - 108F 2,000

Elevation
3,500 feet
Below

Yearly Rainfall
5 inches

10. Which animal would most likely be found living at this location?
A. seagull

B. moose

C. bear

D. lizard

On the map, shade in the areas of each environment. Use the Key.
Red should be shaded most of the South/Southeastern portion of the state, yellow most of the
lower elevations for the rest of the state (western), Blue surrounding the Great Salt Lake and
outlining major rivers, Green should be shaded the majority of the higher elevations of the
mountains.

Hot Desert: Red

Cold Desert: Yellow
Wetland: Blue
Forest: Green