Habitats and Adaptations How do adaptations help living things

survive in different habitats?

Life in the Desert

Objectives Explain that a desert habitat has a dry

climate and dry, sandy soil. Explain that desert plants and animals have

specific adaptations to help them survive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgKw7Ne_MA0

Desert Vocabulary Some desert animals can hide in plain sight. Their body

coverings blend in with the environment. Blending in is an adaption called camouflage. It helps animals stay safe.

Rattlesnakes and coyotes, among others, are nocturnal. This means they sleep during the day. They come out at night when it is cooler.

A desert is a habitat that has a dry climate. Less than 10 inches of rain falls in the desert each year.

Temperature and Soil

Temperature in the desert is very different between day and night.

During the day, the Sun’s heat warms the land and air. The desert is much cooler at night than in the day.

The soil in a desert is mostly sand. There is little humus to soak up rainwater.

What adaptations help desert plants?

Some plants can grow in deserts. Other plants cannot.

Plants that grow in deserts have adaptations that help them

survive with little water.

Special Roots: help take in water

Special Leaves and Stems: help store water

Spines and Thorns: protect them from thirsty animals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-E5jd4brXU

What adaptations help desert animals?

Sleeping the Day Away Rattlesnakes and coyotes are nocturnal.

They come out at night when it is cooler. Keeping Cool

Large ears and thin bodies help animals such as the desert jackrabbit stay cool.

Blending In Some desert animals can hide in plain

sight. Their body coverings blend in with the environment. Camouflage helps animals stay safe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ifk9IJl0A0

Desert Lesson Review

1. Main Idea: What adaptations help desert plants and animals survive?

2. Vocabulary: What is a desert like? Describe it. 3. Critical Thinking: Buffalo have thick, dark coats. They eat

mainly grasses. Could a buffalo survive in a desert? Explain your answer.

4. Test Prep: Deserts are habitats with…A. Cold climate and frozen soil B. Wet climate and marshy soil C. Dry climate and sandy soilD. Hot climate with lots of rainfall

Life in the Grasslands

Objectives Explain characteristics of temperate and

tropical grassland habitats. Identify structures that enable plants and

animals to help them survive in grasslands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nohuNF4j7c

GrasslandVocabulary

Burrows- holes some animals dig in the ground to hide.

Grassland- habitat covered by grasses. Herds- groups of animals that stay together for safety. Prairies- grasslands of North America. Savanna- grasslands of the Serengeti Plain. Temperate- environment with a mild climate that has

four seasons. Tropical- environment that has a warm climate year-

round because it is near the equator.

What is a grassland?

Grass is everything to a grassland. Grass

is food for animals. Grass is both a

hiding place and a shelter from the wind

and cold. Grass holds down soil that

would otherwise blow away in the wind.

Grasshoppers have back legs built for jumping.

A fox uses the grass to hide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFIMWyo8P_4

Two Types of Grasslands

Temperate Grassland Means the environment has a

mild climate and four seasons. Have soil that is rich in humus.

Tropical Grassland Means the environment is near

the equator and is warm all year round.

Have a rainy season and a dry season.

Have more trees and poorer soil.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuk-JW-wng0

What adaptations help grassland plants survive?

Deep roots that work like

a sponge.

Deep roots can survive

fires.

Only grow leaves during

wet season.

Fire resistant bark.

Thick trunk to store water.

Fire may burn the grass above the soil, but deep roots are not harmed. This means grass can grow back quickly

after a fire.

Baobab trees have bark that resists fire.

What adaptations help animals survive

in grasslands? Flat Teeth

Animals have adapted for eating grass. Burrows

Small animals can hide easily. Speed

Animals running fast to catch prey.

Many kinds of animals live in grasslands. All of them

have adaptations that help them survive.

Zebras bite grass easily with their flat teeth.

Prairie dogs can escape danger quickly by hiding in burrows.

Cheetahs have flexible spines that help them

run fast.

Grasslands Lesson Review

1. Main Idea: What are grasslands?

2. Vocabulary: What word describes grasslands that are

warm year-round?

3. Compare & Contrast: How are grasslands and deserts

alike? How are they different?4. Test Prep: Where are Tropical grasslands found?

A. near the North PoleB. near the equatorC. in North America D. in Antarctica

Life in the Forest

Objectives Describe different types of forest environments.

Identify adaptations of forest organisms.

Forest Vocabulary

1. Buttresses- these support a tall tree with shallow roots. 2. Camouflage- this allows an animal to blend in with its

environment. 3. Coniferous- this type of tree has tough needles that help it to

conserve water during winter. 4. Deciduous- this type of tree loses its leaves in fall so it can

conserve energy in water. 5. Drip tips- these help leaves lose extra rainwater. 6. Forest- this habitat has many trees. 7. Hibernate- this is what squirrels do when they sleep all winter to

store energy. 8. Mimicry- this is when a mantis is able to look like an orchid

flower.

What is a forest?

A forest is a habitat that has many trees

Tropical Rain Forest• Found near the equator

• Have more kinds of living things than any other land habitat• hot and wet

• About 200 to 460 centimeters of rain falls here in a single year• Temperature stays between 68 degrees and 93 degrees all year

• Soil is not very rich in plant nutrients

What is a forest?

A forest is a habitat that has many trees

Temperate Forest • Has four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall)

• Temperatures and rainfall change from season to season• Winters are cold and dry

• Summers are warm and wet • About 76 to 127 centimeters of rain fall each year

• Soil is rich with humus

The Rain Forest

The forest’s tallest trees reach the emergent layer.

Tree branches and leaves form the canopy.

Smaller trees and plants grow in the understory. This layer does not get much light.

The forest floor is dark and damp.

Forest Adaptations- Plants

Tropical Rainforest Trees grow very tall and have shallow roots Leaves have drip tips to lose extra water Plants of forest floor have large leaves to soak

up the very little sunlight that gets to them

Forest Adaptations- Plants

Temperate Forest Deciduous trees- lose leaves in fall Coniferous trees-make cones instead of

flowersTemperate Coniferous Trees

Forest Adaptations- Animals Tropical Rainforest

Colors warn that a plant or animal could be poisonous Mimicry is when one living thing imitates another living

thing in color or shape

The poison arrow frog’s bright colors warn predators to stay away

Mimicry helps this orchid mantis stay safe

An iguana’s long tail helps it balance in the high branches of the

tropical rain forest

Forest Adaptations- Animals Temperate Forest: these animals have adaptations that help

them survive the changing seasons and to keep them safe. Eat extra food in fall to store energy for winter Grow thicker coats in winter Hibernate- go into a deep sleep that lasts through winter

Dormice hibernate during winter A porcupine’s sharp quills help it stay safe

Skunks spray a smelly chemical to keep predators away

Forest Lesson Review

1. Main Idea: How are tropical rain forests different from temperate forests? In what ways are these two types of forests similar?

2. Vocabulary: What is mimicry? 3. Main Idea and Details: What adaptations help plants and

animals survive cold winters in a temperature forest? 4. Test Prep: All of the following are layers of the rain forest

EXECPT…a. emergentb. submergentc. canopyd. understory