Symbiotic

Relationships

Activity Pack Activities Created by Martha Hach

www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/Martha-Hach

Pack includes:

1. Vocabulary Cards(commensalism, mutualism, parasitism)

2. Working Together Activity: match the relationship description

cards with the type of relationship

3. Partner Match Up: Pair the organisms and sort them by what kind

of relationship they share.

These are great for class activities, science/vocabulary center work, or

bulletin board displays. All done in black and white for easy copying.

Intended for a single classroom use. Please leave me feedback and

follow me for more great lesson ideas!

Graphics from

Blair Turner

www.teacherspayteachers.com/ store/blair-turner

http://www.teacherspayteachers.c om/Store/Justusteachers

Name ________________________ Date _______________

Define each term:

1. Mutualism ______________________________________

________________________________________________

2. Parasitism ______________________________________

________________________________________________

3. Commensalism ___________________________________

________________________________________________

Use the picture cards to form sets of symbiotic relationships. You

may refer to your “Good Buddies” charts to help you.

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Fish & Shrimp

Ostrich & Gazelle Ostriches and gazelles feed

next to each other. They

both watch for predators.

Because the visual abilities of

the two species are different,

they can each identify threats

that the other animal may not

easily see. Both species

benefit from this relationship.

In the ocean certain species,

like the shrimp, will clean fish.

They remove parasites, dead

tissue and mucous. This

benefits the fish by keeping

them clean and healthy, and

benefits the shrimp by

providing them with food.

Working Together:

Have students read the descriptions on the different relationship cards. Use the Vocabulary labels

(commensalism, mutualism, parasitism) to sort the cards to show what kind of symbiotic relationship the

cards are showing. This can be a lesson activity, vocabulary center game or a display that could go on a

bulletin board.

Spider & a Tree

Mouse & Flea

Ostriches and gazelles feed

next to each other. They

both watch for predators.

Because the visual abilities of

the two species are different,

they can each identify threats

that the other animal may not

easily see. Both species

benefit from this relationship.

A flea feeds on a mouse’s

blood. While feeding on the

mouse, the flea can pass

along many diseases to the

mouse. The flea also causes

skin irritation to the mouse.

Rabbit & Mosquito

Man & Bacteria Humans have a special

relationship with

microorganisms (like

bacteria). The bacteria live in

human digestive tracts. The

bacteria helps break down

food as the human consumes

it. Humans are unable to

digest foods without these

bacteria.

Mosquitos feed on the blood

of other living organisms.

This can cause skin irritation

on the other organism, and

can also pass diseases from

one animal to another, and

also to humans.

Sea Anemone & the

Clown Fish

Hermit Crab & Shell Hermit crabs will move into

an old abandoned shell when

their shell is no longer big

enough to contain them. As

the shell is not living, it is not

affected by this relationship.

Clown fish live among

anemones acting as a lure for

the sea anemone’s prey. The

clown fish gets protection and

shelter from the anemone.

Both species benefit from this

unique relationship.

Cowbird & Bison

Barnacles & Whale

As bison walk through grass,

insects become active and are

seen and eaten by cowbirds.

This relationship neither

harms nor benefits the bison,

but allows the cowbird to find

food.

Barnacles create home sites

by attaching themselves to

whales. As the barnacle is a

filter feeder, it also gets

access to more water and

food due to the relationship.

The whale remains

unaffected.

Silverfish & Ants

Yucca Plant & Yucca

Moth

Silverfish live and hunt with

army ants and share the prey.

They neither harm nor help

the ants.

Yucca flowers are pollinated

by yucca moths. The moth

lays her eggs in the flowers

where the larvae hatch and

eat some of the developing

seeds. Both benefit.

Partner Match-up

Materials per student:

1. Set of the relationship vocabulary cards

2. Set of animal cards

3. Sheet of legal sized paper or large piece of construction paper

4. Scissors & glue

Students are to match up the animals with a partner to show one of the kinds of

symbiotic relationships. Sort the relationships on the paper, grouping them with

the relationship vocabulary cards.

Students need to write a definition for each kind of relationship somewhere on

the paper within the category grouping section. They can use the relationship

cards in the previous activity as a reference if needed.

Parasitism

Mutualism

Commensalism