BIRDS GOTTA FLY, FISH GOTTA SWIM HOW ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS ANIMAL’S LIVES

SECOND GRADE SCIENCE STANDARD 4 Students will gain an understanding of Life Science through the study of changes in organisms over time and the nature of living things. Objective 1: Tell how external features affect an animals’ ability to survive in its environment. Objective 2: Identify basic needs of living things (plants and animals) and their abilities to meet their needs. CITATIONS Peterson’s Field Guide, EwWXcyoIw&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLBE0056E0160D4D89http:// EwWXcyoIw&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLBE0056E0160D4D89 Wikipedia, “Goldfish,”

FOOD WHAT DO ANIMALS NEED TO SURVIVE? SPACE TO LIVE IN shelter All living things need food and water, shelter, and space to live in, but sometimes different kinds of animals fulfill these needs in different ways.

BIRDS Look at these picture of birds and think of some of the things they have in common. Push the button when you have thought of three things! PUSH HERE Push here for sound!

BIRDS HAVE... 1.Wings 2.Beaks 3.Feathers 4.Two legs 5.Tails One of the things that makes birds different from other animals is that they have wings and feathers, which means that they can fly. This means that they can get food that is too high for other animals to reach. They can get fruit in the tops of trees or catch flying bugs. Birds have tough beaks because they have to use them to crack open tough food, like nuts. Beaks also help birds catch bugs. So birds have special characteristics like wings and beaks that help them meet the needs of their environment. These characteristics help them survive!

DIFFERENT BIRDS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS Watch this video clip about hummingbirds. Hummingbirds have some different characteristics than other birds. See if you can spot some of these differences, and think about these questions while you watch the video. 1.Why do you think hummingbirds have such long beaks? 2.Why do you think hummingbirds move so quickly? 3.Do you think the small size of hummingbirds affects their needs for survival?

FISH Look at these picture of fish and think of some of the things they have in common. Push the button when you have thought of three things! Push here!

FISH HAVE... 1.Scales 2.Side fins 3.Top fins 4.Gills 5.Tails Just like birds, fish have special characteristics that help them meet the needs of their environment. Fish have things like gills and fins, which allow them to live under water. These characteristics help them survive! Fish have things fins and tails to help them swim. Their fins and tails help them to move around in the water and change their direction. Fish have gills to help them breathe under the water. Without gills, fish wouldn’t be able to survive in the oceans or rivers.

DIFFERENT FISH HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS Sharks have very sharp teeth and thick fins made out of cartilage because they are predators and they live deep in the ocean. Goldfish are small and have softer bodies than sharks because the environment they live in isn’t as harsh. They don’t have sharp teeth because they eat only small insects and plants. SHARKS AND GOLDFISH HAVE BOTH ADAPTED TO FIT THEIR HABITATS.

SO WHY ARE ANIMALS DIFFERENT? Wouldn’t it be silly for a fish to have wings like a bird, or for a bird to have gills like a fish does? Why do you think birds and fish have different characteristics? Animals are different because they live in different habitats and need to adapt to different environments. Their characteristics are what allow them to survive and thrive where they live! CHECK OUT THESE WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION!