Animal Adaptations & Behavior

Name: _________________________________
Date: ___________________________________
1

Adaptations for Survival

Lesson 1 Vocabulary
Adaptation: anything that helps an animal live in its environment
- can include body coverings and body parts
Skin:
-

the outer covering of an animals body

forms an outer covering for protection of body organs
Keeps the bodies of some animals at the correct temperature
Sensitive to outside temperature change and pain
Can hold water or release it depending on an animals needs (amphibians)

Scales: small, thin plates that are part of

the skin covering (some fish and reptiles)
- can be smooth, rough, or pointed
- added protection for the skin
Feathers: strong, lightweight outer body
covering of birds
- parts of the feather lock together
(hooklets) so hardly any air can
pass through
- covered with a layer of body oil
(oil waterproofs birds feathers,
keep a birds skin dry, keep its
body temperature correct, and
help the animal float)

Down: soft, fluffy feathers on baby birds

- in older birds, down feathers are found
close to the skin
- keep the birds body at the correct
temperature

Fur: covering of thick, soft hair

down feather
hooklet
- thick fur traps air close to the animals body
- the air is warmed by the animals body, keeps the animals body at the correct
temperature

BODY PARTS FOR PROTECTION

Feet, Wings, & Mouthparts
Feet & Wings
o Find food to live in its environment (moves from place to place)
o Examples:
Badger: crawl around searching for food, have sharp teeth and claws for
digging and tearing
Birds: fly in the air and some dive and swim in water
Eagle: large broad wings for soaring
Quail: stubby wings for quick, rapid flight
Penguin: flipper like wings for swimming
Sea lion: swallow food whole, flippers for swimming to catch food
Cat: padded feet for quietness, retractable claws for catching and tearing
food
o Adapted for protection

badger

penguins

 Mouth Parts
o Show adaptations for survival
o Bill: mouthpart of a bird
o Examples:
Woodpecker: strong, pointed bills, look like chisels, chisel into bark to
find food
Finch: hard pointed bill like nutcrackers, eat seeds
Heron: long, spear-like bill to spear its food
Pelican: long, scoop-like bill to scoop its food
o Teeth: mouthpart that are used to tear, crush, and grind food
o Examples:
Cats, wolves, and dogs have pointed teeth to tear and crush meat they
eat.
Giraffes, horses, and sheep have flat teeth to grind plants
Beaver has front teeth that keep growing longer, dont get longer because
they gnaw and eat the inner bark of trees
A snake has curved teeth toward the back of its mouth, hold the food in
the snakes mouth until the food is swallowed, snake cant chew its food,
it stretches its jaw very wide to swallow its food whole

Woodpecker

Finch

Pelican

Heron

SUMMARY

An animal must be able to protect itself and find food in order to live in its environment.
Anything that helps and animal live in its environment is called an adaptation.
Adaptations include body coverings and body parts.

What Adaptations Can You Observe?

Activity
Materials:
construction paper
index card
scissors

animal picture
pencil
glue

What to do:
1. Cut out and paste your animal picture to your piece of construction paper.
2. On your index card write the following headings:
*Name Of Animal (top line)
*Environment (skip two lines)
*Adaptations: (skip one line)
3. Fill in the information on the index card
4. Glue the completed index card under the picture of your animal
What did you learn?
1. How does its body covering adapt the animal to its environment?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. What body parts does your animal use for food getting? _______________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
What did you learn?
1. What body parts are used for both food getting and protection?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
2. Explain how your animal could survive in another environment.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
5

Feathers
Feathers cover the bodies of birds, which are the only animals with this kind of
covering. Other vertebrates (animals with backbones) are covered with fur (mammals),
scales (reptiles, fish) or smooth bare skin amphibians). Many invertebrates, such as
mollusks, or crustaceans, have hard coverings like shells (snails, clams, oysters) or
exoskeletons (lobsters, crabs, and insects).
Some scientists believe that feathers evolved from scales-such as those covering
retiles. In fact, the feet of all birds and the legs of some are covered with scales instead
of feathers.
Feathers protect birds by keeping their bodies warm. The feathers hold in body
heat, insulating a birds body against cold, outside air. In very cold weather, birds fluff
their feathers to trap even more body warmth in the air space between feathers. Feathers
also shed water, acting like raincoats for birds.
Colors and patterns of feathers provide protection from enemies through
camouflage or warning coloration. These colors are used in the mating process, also.
Feathers greatly assist in fight, an adaptation, which allow birds to escape
predators, protect their young by nesting high above the ground, or migrate to a
different habitat to escape cold weather, breed or search for food.
Feathers consist of several parts. The main part of a feather is called the van,
which is divided into two different parts that spread out from a hollow shaft running
down the center of the feather.

Wings and Flight

Flight enables birds to move quickly from place to place. Many parts of a birds
body are adapted for flight, allowing it to resist the pull of gravity and move easily
through the air. Its bones are hollow to reduce body weight. Its feathers are extremely
light. It has no teeth inside its mouth to add extra weight. Its body has a streamlined
shape to provide the least amount of wind resistance during flight. It has no outer ear to
interfere with air currents. A birds opened wings have an airfoil shape (curved upper
surface, flat underneath) that keeps the bird aloft its boy has 175 different muscles,
mainly in its chest, used to move its wings through the air. While all birds have wings,
not are all capable of flight. An ostrich is too heavy to fly and relies on running instead.
The penguin has small wings shaped like paddles and are used for swimming.

Feather Features Experiment

Materials:
feather
magnifying glass
eyedropper

water
strip of paper
paper towel

Question: What special features do feathers have to help a bird live in its environment?
(land, air, water)
Hypothesis: I think that ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Procedure:
1. Examine a feather with a magnifying glass. Find the barbs, hooklets, and shaft. Rub them forwards
and backwards. See how the parts lock together.
Observation_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2. Blow on the strip of paper.
Observation_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. With a partner, blow on the feather, holding the strip of paper behind the feather.
Observation_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. Fill the eyedropper with water. With a partner, drop one drop of water on the feather at a time, while
holding it straight up and then tilting it.
Observation:________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
8

10

Bills: Are adapted to the ways in which birds get their food.
1. Spear Bills are sharp and long.
2. Predator Bills are curved, heavy, and powerful.
3. Chisel Bills are pointed for cutting and drilling holes.
ex) woodpeckers
4. Scoop Bills allow a bird to use the bottom half to
scoop food out of the water. ex) skimmers

5. Strainer Bills enable a bird to hold food while water is strained from it.
6. Cracker Bills help birds break the hard shells of seeds.
ex) Grosbeaks
7. Prober Bills helps birds probe the bark of trees for insects.
ex) Brown creepers

8. Trap Bill opens wide & allows the bird to trap insects in midair.
ex) nighthawk

9. Detector Bill use to sweep back and forth through the water to find food.
ex) spoonbill

11

Feet: Are adapted to help birds get their food and to allow them to move
around when not in flight.
1. Swimmers-are webbed feet to help them paddle through the water in search of
food.
2. Waders-help them search for food on the bottom of a marsh or bay while
supporting them and giving them balance. Waders have long legs.
3. Climbers-have their toes facing in both directions. Their toes are like sharp
claws which help them then climb trees looking for food.
4. Predators-curved, with sharp talons that allow them to catch and carry their
food.
5. Perchers-enable the bird to grasp a limb or branch. Each feet usually consist
of three toes pointing forward and one pointing backward. The
backward toe is as long as the front middle toe.
6. Ground birds & Runners-their feet help them move through the undergrowth
of the forest. Three toes point forward and the fourth toe is smaller
and points backward.

12

Directions: Refer back to the Bills and Feet Fact page you just
read. Use this information to help you answer the questions below.
1. Name the type of beak pictured below.

_______________

______________

____________

2. Which bill are best for spearing and chiseling? Explain ______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. Which bill is best for straining? Explain.____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. Which bill is best adapted for tearing meat? Explain___________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
5. How can a bird's bill or beak tell us about what it eats?_________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

13

1. Name the type of feet pictured below.

______________

_____________

________________

2. Which feet are best suited for swimming? Explain._____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why do wading birds have long legs? Explain._________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

4. Which feet are best suited to moving on the ground? Explain.____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

5. How can a bird's feet tell us about what the bird eats?__________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

14

Directions: Observe the drawing above and use your knowledge of science to answer
the questions below.
1. Describe the polar bears environment.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

2. Name two things the polar bear must be able to do to survive in its environment.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

3. How is the polar bear adapted to survive in its environment?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

15

When it gets cold, how do animals live? Look at the pictures below and read the
statements about each animal. Write the correct animals name in the space
provided in each statement.

Leopard Frog

Gray Squirrel

1. A snowy tree ___________________ lays its eggs before cold weather comes. It
dies in freezing weather, but the eggs live.
2. The leopard ______________ sins into the mud at the bottom of a pond. Here it
spends the winter without moving.
3. The artic _______________ fly 11,000 miles south in the winter. (many birds
migrate to find food in the winter.)
4. The gray ______________ is active all winter. It eats food it stored away during the
fall.

Artic terns

Snowy Tree Cricket

16

Directions: Name an animal for each example below. Name one adaptation of body covering or
body part that helps the animal to survive in its environment.

Animal

Adaptation

1. Lives in the water.

____________________

_______________________

2. Lives in a cold,
icy climate.

_________________

____________________

3. Builds its nest in

a tree.

____________________

_______________________

4. Eats water plants

and animals.

____________________

_______________________

5. Feeds on grasses.

____________________

_______________________

Animal

Body Covering

17

Body Part for getting food

Adaptations for Survival

Lesson 1 Questions
1. How do adaptations help an animal survive?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. What is skin?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Name three added layers of body covering that come from skin tissue.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Choose two birds. Explain how their bills are used to eat certain foods.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5. Think of one animal you know. What are its adaptations for food getting and protection?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

18

Adaptation-is anything that helps an animal survive in its environment.

Outer body coverings-help an animal survive by:
1. protecting its internal organs
2. helps regulate body covering
3. sensitive to temperature changes and pain
Fish have scales for outer body coverings
Birds have feathers for outer body coverings
Bears have fur for outer body coverings
Body parts used for protection:
1. Cats have claws for protection.
2. Wolves use their teeth for protection
3. Fish use their scales for protection
Body parts use for food getting:
1. A bird uses its bill for getting food
2. A snake uses its curved teeth for food getting
3. A bear uses its claws for getting food
4. A fish uses its mouth for getting food

19

Animal Adaptations & Behavior

Name: _________________________________
Date: __________________________________

20

Lesson 2: Special Adaptations

Vocabulary
Camouflage: an adaptation for protection by being able to blend into the environment
- an animal is hidden from predators
- an animal is hidden from prey
Protective Coloration: a camouflage adaptation where animals are
the same color as their surroundings
- Examples:

Snowshoe hare

Ptarmigan: in winter the bird becomes completely white
except for some black on the tail
(ptarmigan)

Counter Shading: a camouflage adaptation in which the top side of an animal is a

different color from the bottom side
- Examples:

Most Fish: when seen from above, the fish blend with the bottom of the lake,
river or ocean, the bottom side is silver white, when seen from below, the fish
blends with the waters surface and the sky

Some Birds: the underside is lighter than the top side
Protective Resemblance: a camouflage adaptation when animal
looks almost identical to something in its surroundings
- Examples:

Walking stick & Praying mantis: looks like a twig on
trees or shrubs

Leaf butterfly
Mimicry: kind of protective resemblance where one animal looks like some other animal
- a harmless animal will look like a more dangerous animal that has adaptations for
protecting itself, predators are kept away
- Examples:

Robber fly and Bumblebee: Bumblebee has a painful sting for protection,
robber fly does not

King snake and Coral snake: Coral snake has poisonous bite for protection, it
has black bands surrounded by yellow, King snake has yellow bands surrounded
by black

Monarch and Viceroy butterflies: Viceroys taste sweet, Monarchs have a bitter
taste and predators spit them out, predators stay away from both because they
look the same (mimicry)
- A predator might stay away from robber fly or king snake because they may mistake
them for the dangerous animal because of the similar coloration

21

 Warning Coloration: animals that stand out in their

surroundings, have brightly covered body coverings
- bright colors warn predators to stay away
- Examples:

Monarch butterfly: has a very bad taste when
eaten, has warning coloration

Bees and wasps
SUMMARY
Animals that are the same color as their environment have protective coloration.
Counter shading is an adaptation in which the top and bottom sides of an animal are two different
colors.
With protective resemblance an animal is almost identical to something in its environment.
Mimicry is a kind of protective resemblance.
Some animals that stand out in their environment have warning coloration.
QUESTIONS
1) What is camouflage?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2) How does a ptarmigan show protective coloration?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3) Name an animal with counter shading. ___________________________________________
4) What adaptation for protection does a walking stick have?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5) Why is mimicry a helpful adaptation?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6) Why might a predator stay away from an animal with warning coloration?
______________________________________________________________________________

22

23

Insect Defenses

A New Guinea weevil has six

legs, but it looks like a spider.

A stick insect blends in with

leaves and twigs.

Some hoverflies look like wasps,

The wings of some moths blend
which can sting.
it with the lichen on trees.

A hawkmoth caterpillar can

make itself look like a
poisonous snake.

An aphid uses its hind legs to

kick away enemies.

Some click beetles blend in with

the lichen on tree bark.

The African ground beetle looks

like a type of ant that stings.

24

A wasp uses its stinger to defend

itself

The spots on the wings of an owl

butterfly look like an owls eyes.

The stinkbug has pink spots.

The spots warn enemies that it
does not taste good.

A bee hawkmoth looks like a

bee, but it cant sting.

Animals must protect themselves from their enemies in order to survive. Six
methods 0f defense are explained below the boxes. Match two animals to each
method.
Python

I wrap my body
around my enemy.

Armadillo

I have bony plates

covering my body.

I turn over on my
back and stay still.

Lobster

Honeybee

My sting causes
pain and swelling

I crush enemies
with my strong
claws.
Bombardier Beetle
Porcupine Fish

I squirt a hot,
irritating gas.

Hognose Snake

Antelope

My long legs help

me run fast.
Opossum

Treehopper

I look like a thorn

on a rosebush.

Ptarmigan

I turn snowy white

in the winter.
Sparrow

I fly into thick

bushes to hide.

I puff up my spinecovered body.

I close my eyes and
go limp.

1. Escape
I move fast or hide where
enemies cant reach me.
___________________
___________________
4. Playing Dead
I have the ability to make
my enemies think I am dead.
________________________
________________________

2. Weapons
My body or body parts
are designed for fighting.
____________________
____________________

3. Armor
My special body covering
protects me from enemies.
__________________
__________________

5. Camouflage
My body helps me blend
into the environment.
_____________________
______________________

6. Mimicry
My body allows me to look
like a dangerous animal.
_______________________
_______________________

25

Animals have many ways of protecting themselves. Some animals have horns, claws,
hooves, and sharp teeth. Others have protective coloring and are hard to see. Some have built-in
armor. Many animals escaped by flying away, swimming fast, or running.
Look at each animal picture below. Write its name with the statement on how it defends
itself.

Robin

Skunk

Deer

1. _________________
shell, pinching claws

Porpoise

Porcupine

Turtle

Lobster

2. ________________
wings for flying

Fox

Rabbit

3. ___________________
hard body covering

4. ____________________
smelly spray, sharp
teeth and claws

5._________________
good sense of hearing,
swims fast

6. ___________________
protective coloring,
hops fast

7. ___________________
protective coloring,
sharp claws

8. _________________
good sense of smell and
hearing, sharp teeth, runs
fast

9. ___________________
good sense of smell, and
hearing, sharp hooves and
horns, protective coloring

26

Survival and Change

Inferring, Finding Cause and Effect
A. For each of the animals shown below, name the trait or adaptation that helps it
survive.

___________________________

___________________________

__________________________

_____________________________

B. In a population of insects, there were two color variations: green and brown. One
dry summer, all of the grass where the insects lived dried up and died. What do you
think happened to the insects? Be sure to explain what happened to the green insects
and the brown insects.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
27

1.

List at least 5 different kinds of birds bills and the job they perform.
Type of Bill

A). _______________________
B). _______________________
C). _______________________
D). _______________________
E). _______________________

2.

Job it Performs
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

List at least 5 different kinds of birds feet and the job they perform.
Type of foot

A). _______________________
B). _______________________
C). _______________________
D). _______________________
E). _______________________

Job it Performs
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

3. What is mimicry? How does it benefit the animal? _____________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is camouflage? How does it different form mimicry? ______________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is migration? How does migration benefit the animal? _____________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

28

6. Why is hibernation? Why does an animal hibernate? ___________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
For questions 7-13: Circle the best answer
7. The top side of the animal is a different color from the bottom side.
a. protective coloration
b. protective resemblance c. counter shading
8. An animal that has the same coloring as its surrounding has
a. protective coloration
b. protective resemblance c. counter shading
9. An animal that looks almost identical to something in its surroundings has
a. protective coloration
b. protective resemblance c. counter shading
10. Animals that stand out in their environment have
a. camouflage
b. counter shading
11. Mimicry is a kind of
a. protective coloration

c. warning coloration

b. protective resemblance c. counter shading

12. Protective coloration & protective resemblance are kinds of

a. camouflage
b. counter shading
c. warning coloration
13. Camouflage is an adaptation that helps an animal
a. get food
b. protect itself

c. both a & b

14. On the blank beside each animal, write the correct letter of the adaptation. (One letter is use twice)
Adaptation

Animal
_____walking stick
_____ ptarmigan
_____ coral & king snake
_____ most fish
_____ monarch butterfly
_____ robber fly & bumblebee

a. protective coloration
b. warning coloration
c. mimicry
d. protective resemblance
e. counter shading

29

Camouflage-is when an animal blends into his environment.

Camouflage helps an animal survive by hiding it from its predators. It also helps
the animal hide from its prey.
Protective coloration-when an animal has the same color as their environment. An
animal with protective coloration is a ptarmigan.
Counter shading-is when the top side of an animal is a different color from its
bottom side. Fish have counter shading.
Protective resemblance- when an animal looks identical (alike) to something in its
surroundings. A walking stick has protective resemblance. It look like a twig.
Mimicry-is when an animal looks like another animal. A harmless animal will look
like a dangerous animal. The robber fly and king snake have mimicry they look
like dangerous animals.
Warning coloration-is when an animal stands out in its environment. A monarch
butterfly has warning coloration.
These adaptations help an animal survive:
Protective coloration-hides the animals from predators & prey
Protective resemblance-hides the animal from predators & prey.
Warning coloration-warns predators to stay away

30

You learned that an adaptation is anything that helps an animal live in its environment.
You have read and learned about several different types of adaptations. (camouflage, mimicry,
protective coloration, etc). You learned that there are different adaptations among animals of the
same kind. For example, all birds are not alike. Some have short bills while others have long bills.
Their claws and wings may be different also.
Project Directions
A). Chose one kind of animal from the list below. Lets say you choose frogs, circle the name of your
choice (frogs). Then look through magazines, and books for pictures of different kinds of frogs. Draw or
cut out these pictures of frogs and paste them on a large sheet of construction paper. List at least ten
differences you observe about the different types of frogs. List these differences on the Worksheet #1 that
is attached.
B). Circle the name of your choice.
Frogs
Dogs

Birds
Horses

Spiders
Fish

Snakes
Cats

C). List three differences from your list on Worksheet #1. Explain how these differences help the animal
survive in its environment. (Use of science vocabulary is required).
D). The project is worth a total of 20 points. Section A & B are worth 5 points and Section C is worth 10
points. (Your grade will be added to your quiz average).

E). Project due by _______________________________, if want to earned the extra credit.

BE CREATIVE & HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!

31

Animal Adaptations & Behavior Unit

Name: ____________________________________
Date:

______________________

32

Animal Behavior Vocabulary

Vocabulary
Behavior
- everything a living thing does
- help an animal live in its environment
TWO TYPES OF BEHAVIOR
1) Inborn Behavior
o behavior an animal is born with
o not learned and is not taught
o cannot be changed very easily
o Examples:

Baby chick hatching from its egg (mother hen doesnt tell the chick when to break
out of shell, no way for hen to teach her chick how to break the shell)

Functions of the body (breathing and digesting food)

Human baby (grasping of your finger when placed in the babys open palm, crying,
smelling, tasting, and response to temperature)
o Reflexes
- kind of inborn behavior, connected with some kind of action
- Examples:

Opening and Closing of the Iris of your eye: When an animal moves from
darkness into bright light, there is a change in the animals eyes. In
darkness, the colored parts, or irises, open wide to let in light. In bright light,
the irises close so less light enters each eye.
o Instinct
- kind of inborn behavior, includes more than one action
- Examples:

Migration: some birds migrate or fly south for the
winter, response to several actions such as shorter days,
colder temperatures, less food

Nest building, Web spinning
o Social Behavior
- kind of inborn behavior
- animals live together in an organized way
- each member of group performs jobs that are helpful to the whole group
- Examples:

Ant colony: queen lays eggs, other ants who feed and clean the queen, other
ants take care of the eggs in a kind of nursery, some collect and store food,
some dig tunnels and repair old ones, some are soldier ants (defend the nest
from enemies)

Bees: queen bee lays eggs, males (drones) serve only to fertilize the eggs,
female (workers) find food (worker bee des a dance at the entrance of the
hive, signaling the other bees that food has been found in blossoming
flowers nearby, circling motions tell the bees how far away the food is,
straight line motions indicate the direction the bees should travel to find the
food) **small crystals of magnetite have been found in the abdomens of
bees (magnetite is a natural magnet)
33

2) Learned Behavior
o behavior that is learned and can be changed
o actions which result from experience or practice
o intelligence is the ability to learn new behaviors
o mammals have the highest intelligence of animals, people are the most intelligent,
invertebrates have the lowest intelligence, although even insects can be trained to
perform certain actions
o Examples:

Dog: learns to sit up and bark when trainer says a command

Humans: play a piano, ride a bicycle, how to behave in the classroom, etc.
SUMMARY
Behavior an animal is born with is called inborn behavior.
Inborn behavior cannot be changed very easily.
Reflexes and instincts are inborn behaviors.
The behavior of animals living together in an organized way is social behavior.
Learned behavior can be changed.

QUESTIONS
1) What is behavior?
______________________________________________________________________________
2) What is the difference between inborn and learned behavior?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3) Give two examples of a reflex.

_____________________

4) Give an example of an animal instinct.

_______________________

__________________________________________

5) Name three kinds of animals that have the adaptation of social behavior.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6) What type of behavior can be changed?

__________________________________

7) Give an example of learned behavior. ____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

34

(1) Most meat-eating animals teach their young to hunt for food.
Many baby animals learn by imitating their parents.
(2) Lion cubs follow their mother on hunts. They watch as she
quietly tracks, or stalks, and pounces on her prey. During playtime, the cubs imitate her. They
stalk leaves and jump on them.
(3) A mother tiger helps her cubs practice hunting skills by bringing a small live animal
to the den. She lays it in front of them so that they can capture the animal and kill it.
(4) Wolves hunt in a group called a pack. During a hunt, the wolves let the pups join in
chasing the prey. Only the adult wolves, though, make the kill.
(5) A mother otter teaches her pup to fish by first feeding it fish from her mouth. Later,
she throws it a fish from a short distance away. The pup then swims and dives for it. The pup
learns to fish on their own.

Directions: Write the answer to the question in a complete sentence. Then write the paragraph (1-5)
that contains the answer.
1. How do wolves teach their young hunting skills? _______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________Paragraph ______________
2. How do many baby animals learn to hunt? ___________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ Paragraph_____________
3. Why does a mother tiger bring a live animal to the den? ________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ Paragraph____________
4. What do lion cubs stalk when playing? _______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________Paragraph___________
5. What does an otter pup do when its mother throws it a fish? ____________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________Paragraph__________

35

Directions: Read each main idea (A-E). Then underline the detail that doesnt
support the main idea.
A. Kinds of Bees
1.
2.
3.
4.

Bumblebees
Beetles
Honeybees
Carpenter bees

B. What a bumblebee looks like

1.
2.
3.
4.

A bumble bee is black and yellow.

A bumblebee is longer and broader that a honeybee.
A bumblebee is covered with fine, thick hair.
A bumblebee doesnt die when it stings.

C. Carpenter bees
1.
2.
3.
4.

Carpenter bees are fat and about an inch long

There are ten thousand kinds of bees.
Carpenter bees are black and shiny.
Carpenter bees dig holes in wood.

D. How honeybees live

1.
2.
3.
4.

Honeybees live in a hive with thousands of other honeybees.

Each honeybee in a hive has a job to do.
A honeybee has five eyes.
Honeybees build a honeycomb, in which to store their honey.

E. How honeybees help us

a.
b.
c.
d.

Bees fly about twelve miles per hour.

Honeybees give us honey.
Honeybees carry pollen from flower to flower. This helps seeds form.
Wax from honeycombs is used to make candles, lipstick, and chewing gum.

Use the above main ideas and supporting details to write an essay about bees.
(Hint: You should have a minimum of 6 paragraphs.). Make sure your essay
is done on loose leaf paper, has a heading, has a title, and has correct
spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and is done neatly and in
cursive.

36

The behavior of an animal is the way in which the animal acts.

There are two types of behavior.
Instinct is behavior that the animal knows from birth. It is
behavior that the animal does automatically without thinking about
it. For example, a bird building a nest, acts on instinct. No one
had to teach the bird to build the nest.
Learned behavior is something that an animal
learns to do. It is behavior that an animal would
not do naturally. For example, a circus seal that
balances a ball on its nose does so because
someone taught the seal to do the trick.
Balancing a ball on its nose is not part of the
seals natural behavior.
Directions: Write each phrase below under its
correct heading.
A bird feeding her young
A bear hibernating in winter
A horse performing in a horse show
A skunk spraying because its in danger
A dog catching a stick
A dolphin jumping through a hoop
Instinct

Learned behavior

1._______________________

1.______________________

2._______________________

2.______________________

3._______________________

3._______________________

Writing: If you can teach an animal to do a trick, which animal

would you choose and what trick would you teach it. Write a minimum
of 3 paragraphs.

37

Directions: complete the outline by filling in the blanks with the correct information.

I. Behavior
A. Definition_________________________________________________________________

B. Kinds of behavior
1. Inborn behavior:
a. Definition_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
b. Types:
1. What is a reflex? _______________________________________________________
2. What is an instinct? ____________________________________________________
3. What is social behavior? _________________________________________________
c. Examples:
1. Reflex_________________________________________________________________
2. Instinct_______________________________________________________________
3. Social behavior_________________________________________________________

2. Learned behavior:
a. Definition ____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
b. Examples:
1.______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________

38

II. Complete the chart below. Column one describes an action. Fill in column 2 with the correct
type of behavior (instinct, social, reflex, or learned). In column three, write the definition of the
type of behavior.
Action

Behavior

Riding a bicycle

Birds migrating

Worker bees in a colony

Irises contracting to make

pupils smaller

39

Definition

Animal Adaptations & Behavior

40

Birds

Are the only animals with feathers

Most birds can fly
Have wings instead of front legs
Feet an bill are especially designed for getting food
Lay eggs
Breathe through lungs
Are warm blooded
Young resemble parents

Fish

Have slippery scales covering their bodies

Live in water
Equipped with gills for breathing
Most fish lay eggs in water
Are cold blooded
Their temperature changes as the temperature of the environment changes

Mammals
Have fur or hair on their bodies to help maintain a high uniform body temperature
Are warm blooded
Bear live young, care for their young and raise them
Breathe with lugs
Young mammals resemble parents
Retiles
Have dry scales covering their bodies
Some have plates (such as turtles)
All classified as land mammals even though some species spend all their time in and
around water
Most lay eggs on land (eggs have leathery covering to prevent moisture evaporation)
Rattlesnakes & garter snakes bear live young
Cold blooded
Do not care for their young
Young resemble parents
Inactive at low temperatures & hibernate during winter months
Amphibians
Have moist skin
Live on land & water (amphibian means double life)
Eggs are laid in water
As babies, swim and breathe in water
At a certain stage develop lungs & legs & leave the water
41

Not all animals are mammals. Mammals belong to the mostly highly developed group of
animals called Mammalia. They are different from other animals.
Mammals are vertebrates. Have a backbone made up of individual bones called
vertebrae.
They are warm-blooded. Their body temperature is controlled by their body system not
by the temperature of their surroundings.
Mammals have hair or fur. Some, like whales, have only a few hairs on their body.
They have well developed brains They learn through experience and can solve problems.
They nurse their babies. Mother make milk in their bodies to feed their young.
They give better and longer care to their babies than other animals do.
Directions: Read about each animal and write if the animal is a mammal or not a mammal based
on the information you read.

A platypuss young hatch

from eggs. She nurses and
cares for them for several
months.

A fish is covered with scales.

The fishs temperature is 65
degrees F, the same as the
water.

The sea turtle lays her

eggs in sand. Then, it
returns to ocean and
never comes back.

_________________________

_______________________

____________________

A sheep has a backbone

Its body is covered with wool

Kolo learned to use sign

language to communicate
with humans.

______________________

______________________

42

A cats normal.
temperature is 102 F
The air around it is 85 F.
___________________

Directions: Read the story below. Find the definition of each word listed below in the story. Write the
definition next to the word.
Food supplies mammals with the energy to carry out their activities and stay alive. The types of
food mammals eat vary.
Most mammals (including elephants, giraffes, beavers, deer, and horses) are herbivores, or plant
eaters. Lions, wolves, and similar mammals are carnivores, or meat eaters. Humans, bears, and raccoons
are omnivores. They eat both plants and meat. A small group of mammals (including aardvarks and
anteaters) are insectivores, or insect eaters.
At times when food is scarce, mammals migrate, or travel to find food. Gray whales leave their
home in Artic waters and summer in Baja, California where food is plentiful. In winter, the bighorn sheep
come down from the snow covered mountains to the valley below to find meadow grass.
Some herbivore mammals (like desert dwelling ground squirrel) estivate, or go to sleep during hot
dry seasons, when plant life become scarce. While they are sleeping, they are conserving energy and
dont need food. Some carnivore mammal (such as the woodchuck) hibernate, or go to sleep during cold
seasons, when food is scarce.
1. Hibernate _______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Omnivore _______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Migrate _________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Herbivores ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Carnivores ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Estivate _________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Insectivores _____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

43

Every mammal needs sleep to gibe its body a rest and to renew its energy. When a mammal goes
to sleep, it becomes inactive, its muscles relax, and it slowly becomes unaware of what is happening
around it. Mammals sleep in different places. Some sleep on the ground, some sleep in trees, and others
sleep in water.
Manatees sleep upside down
on the river bottom.

Deer and rhinoceros

sleep on the ground.

Koalas, mountain lions,

& monkeys sleep in trees.

Sea otters sleep on the

backs in the water.

Sea lions float on the

surface of the ocean.

Prairie dogs sleep on the

ground or in burrows.

1.

What happens when a mammal falls asleep?

First, ___________________________________________________________________________
Second, _________________________________________________________________________
Third, __________________________________________________________________________

2. Write the names of three places mammals sleep. Then write three mammals that sleep in that place.
A.__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________

B._________________________
_________________________
_________________________
__________________________

44

C._____________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

Mammals can communicate. Although they do not talk

as people do, they share information. Mammals are born knowing how to communicate
with mammals of their own kind.
Some mammals use sound signals to communicate. Dogs and wolves bark.
Lions use low coughs. Chimpanzees make sounds that have specific meanings. Prairie
dogs whistle to warn one another of danger.
Scent is another way mammals communicate. A bear, for example, leaves its scent
around its territory by plastering mud on trees and rubbing its back against the mud. Its
hairs rub off and leave a scent indicating the bears presence.
Some mammals communicate with their face and body. Wolves can back their
upper lip and show their fangs when in danger. Gorillas pound their chest with their fists
when they are angry.
Touch is another form of animal communication. Horses, deer, and cattle show
affection by nuzzling, licking, and neck rubbing. Chimpanzees sometimes hug to show
affection.
Directions: Write True or False for each statement below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Some mammals use sound signals to communicate. ______________

Mammals must be taught how to communicate.__________________
Bears communicate using scent messages.________________________
A wolfs face changes when it senses danger._____________________
No mammal communicates by touching. ________________________
Gorillas sometimes show they are angry._________________________
Horses never show affection. ___________________________________
Prairie dogs whistle when they are in danger. ____________________
Write three ways that a dog or cat can communicate with its owner.
A). ____________________________________________________
B). ____________________________________________________
C). ____________________________________________________

45

Animals have many ways of talking to each other. Fill in the

blanks with the correct word from the word box to find out how some
animals talk.
Word Box
frogs kissing under warn
faces firefly dance

1.

Bees do a ____________________ to tell other bees where to

find food.

2.

Some fish make lots of noise ______________

water. They call out if they are in danger.

3.

Ants give off odors to __________________ other ants of danger.

4. The __________________lights up. Males and females use

their lights to find each other.
5. Male __________________ attract females
with their calls.

6. Prairie dogs look like they are _______________ when

they press their teeth against each others faces. This
tells them if they belong to the same group.

7. Chimpanzees use their ________________

to tell other chimpanzees how they feel.

46

Reptiles and amphibians belong to a large group of animals with backbones. All of
these animals are called vertebrates.
There are four groups of reptiles. They are snakes, crocodiles, lizards, and turtles.
All reptiles are cold-blooded. Their bodies stay the same temperature as their
surroundings. They have lungs and breathe air. Most reptiles hatch from eggs and some
are born alive because the eggs hatch inside their mother. Most reptiles have tough, scaly
skin that is dry and never slimy. All reptiles begin life on land. Dinosaurs are examples of
extinct reptiles.
There are four groups of amphibians. They are frogs, toads, newts, and
salamanders. Amphibians are cold-blooded. They have lungs, but they are not as well
adapted as the reptiles lungs. Amphibians are not well adapted to life on land. They
breathe through their skin, which must be keep moist. Amphibians lay their eggs in water.
When they are young, they look like fish and breathe using gills. As adults, they breathe
with lungs and live part of the time on land. The word amphibian means living in two
places.
Read each sentence. If the sentence is true about reptiles write R next to it. If it is true
about amphibians write A. If it is true about both of them write B.
1. ________________They lay eggs in water.
2. ________________Crocodilians belong to this group of animals.
3. ________________Their tough, scaly skin is dry and never slimy.
4. ________________They are cold-blooded.
5. ________________They breathe with lungs.
6. ________________They name means living in two places.
7. ________________They have skin that must be kept moist.
8. ________________They belong to a large group of animals with backbones called
vertebrates.

47

Compare and Contrast Exercise

Directions: Compare and contrast the reptile and amphibian using the information you just read about and
complete the Venn diagram below.

Reptile

Amphibian

48

Directions: Look at the pictures below. Under each picture name if the animal is a reptile or
an amphibian.

Frog __________________

Salamander_________________

Turtle_____________________

Lizard__________________

Snake___________________

49

Directions: Read the article below. Write the correct word from the word box to fill in the
blanks in the article.
Alligator: a large reptile with a long tail and thick skin.
Cypress: a kind of evergreen tree with small needles and woody cones.
Egret: a kind of heron with white feathers.
Saw grass: a kind of plant with glasslike, sharp-spined leaves.
Algae: simple plant life that lives in water.
Rookery: a breeding place or colony of birds.
Endangered: threatened with extinction.
Sanctuaries: safe, protected places for wildlife where hunting is illegal.

STATE OPENS SWAMP HABITAT

The state has opened a new swamp habitat that contains swamp creatures, such as a
long-tailed ______________________ and other reptiles. A white-feathered
_______________________ can be seen among the small needles and woody cones of the
_________________tree. The habitat also has ______________________ or safe places, for
_______________________animals, animals that are at risk of becoming extinct. Among
these safe places is a _______________________, where rare birds breed. Elsewhere,
signs caution visitors about ____________________________. Its sharp jagged leaves
protrude from the water. ______________________, simple forms of plant life that live in
water, have turned the water greenish-brown.

50

Animals Grow and Change

Butterfly (metamorphosis)

Frog

51

Many of the 4,000 animals that belong to the mammal group ate unique. Bats are the
only members that can fly.
The largest mammal is the blue whale. It is 100 ft long (30m) and weighs about 100
tons (9 metric tons).
The smallest mammal is the Kittis hog-nose bat; Its about the size of a bumblebee
and weighs as much as a penny.
As beavers gnaw on logs, their teeth should wear down, but they dont. A beavers
teeth keep growing, so that stay about the same length.
The platypus and the echidna are the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving
birth to live young. Even though they lay eggs, they still feed their hatched young with
milk that they produce.
The Artic hare is brown color in the spring. It blends in with the tundra, or swampy
treeless plain, where it lives. In the winter when the tundra is covered with snow, the
hares coat turns white.
The group of mammals with the most members are the rodents-rats, mice,
chipmunks, squirrels, and porcupines.
The maned wolf is called the fox that walks on stilts. It has long legs that help it
hunt for food in the tall grasses of the South American plains.
A camel has a pad on its foot that acts like a snowshoe. The pad spreads out as the
camel walks and keeps the camel from sinking into the sand.

Name the Mammal!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

I am the smallest mammal.______________________________________________

I am the largest mammal._______________________________________________
I am a flying mammal.__________________________________________________
We are the only mammals that lay eggs. __________________________________
Sometimes Im brown, sometimes Im white._______________________________
My teeth keep growing._________________________________________________
I have very long legs.___________________________________________________
I can walk on sand and not sink into it.____________________________________
We are the most numerous mammals. ____________________________________

52

Directions Part A: In the exercise below, arrange the Animals into two different groups. Give each group a
title indicating what the members of the group all have in common.
1). German Shepard, Great Dane, Parrot, Irish setter, Canary, Husky, Robin,
Pigeon
Title: _______________________________ Title: ____________________________
________________________________
____________________________
________________________________
____________________________
________________________________
____________________________
________________________________
____________________________

Directions Part B: Using the list below of living things, show how they can be classified into two different
groups.
Mare, Trout, Quarterhorse, Woodpecker, Spaniel, Goldfish, Great Dane, Eagle, Bass, Beagle, Hawk,
Stallion, Dalmatian, Shark

Group 1: ___________________________________ Group 2:_________________________

Directions Part C: Using the same data from above show how these living things can be classified into
three different groups.
Group 1______________________________________________________________________
Group 2______________________________________________________________________
Group 3______________________________________________________________________
Directions Part D: Use the sane list of data and classified these living things into four different groups.
Group 1______________________________________________________________________
Group 2______________________________________________________________________
Group 3______________________________________________________________________
Group 4______________________________________________________________________

53

Directions: Fill in the blanks using the word bank below.

Word Bank:
snakes
eggs
feathers
wings

gills
hummingbird
fly
people

head
ostrich
legs
toads

rays
hair
bones
moths

Animals are divided into many groups. Some groups of animals include the insects, fish,
amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Insects are small animals that have six jointed _____________________ and three body parts
(the ______________________, the thorax, and the abdomen). Many insects can fly; flying insects
have one or two pairs of ______________________. Some flying insects include butterflies,
______________________, dragonflies, flies, and mosquitoes. Some non-flying insects include
springtails, fleas, and lice.
Fish are swimming animals that have scales and fins. Fish breathe oxygen that is dissolved in
the water using ______________________. Most fish have bony skeletons, but some, like sharks
and ______________________, have only cartilage.
Amphibians are animals that begin their life in the water, breathing with gills. As they grow,
they breathe air using lungs, and many move to the land. Some amphibians include frogs,
______________________, salamanders, and newts.
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals with scales. Some reptiles are: the dinosaurs, lizards,
crocodilians, and ______________________.
Birds are animals that have ______________________, wings, a beak, hollow
______________________, and an efficient, one-way breathing system. Most birds can
______________________, but some cannot. The biggest bird (and the fastest-running bird) is
the ______________________, a flightless bird. The smallest bird is a type of
______________________ that is only as big as a moth.
Mammals are warm-blooded animals that nourish their young (using mammary glands) and
have ______________________. Most mammals give birth to live young, but a few primitive
mammals (like the duck-billed platypus) lay ______________________. Some examples of
mammals are whales, bats, cats, dogs, horses, and ______________________.

Extra Credit: Using the data you just read about make a bar graph. Your bar graph
should include a title, labels on your x and y axis, scale with the correct interval, and
make sense. (Hint: Math book good resource on bar graphs).

54

Directions: Use the word below to help you complete the sentences.
milk
reptiles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

scales
hair

feathers air
land
meat

gills
snakes

Young mammals feed on _______________ from their mothers.

Birds have ___________________ covering most of their bodies.
Crocodiles and alligators are ______________________________.
Most mammals have ______________________ or fur covering their bodies.
Amphibians begin life in the water, but most adults live on ________.
Reptiles have lungs, but fish have ___________________.
Mammals and birds breathe __________________ just like reptiles.

Directions: Write T if the statement is true or F is the statement is false.

8. _________ Fish and reptiles have scales on their bodies.
9. __________ Animals in the mammal group are cold-blooded.
10._________ All birds can fly.
11. ________ Insects have 3 body parts and six legs.
12. ________ Most marsupials (animals that have pouches) lay eggs.
13. ________ A spider is not an insect.
14. ________ Most fish, birds, and reptiles lay eggs.
15. ________ A snake is an amphibian.

55

Animal Adaptations & Behavior Unit Test

Study Guide
Part I. Adaptations for Survival
Anything that helps an animal survive is called an adaptation.
Outer body coverings of skin helps an animal survive by protecting its internal organs and regulating
the animals body temperature.
Fish have scales as their outer body covering.
Birds have feathers for their outer body covering.
Polar bears have fur for their outer body covering.
Wolves use their teeth for protection.
A bird uses his bill for food getting.
A snake uses its curved teeth for getting food.
A bear uses its claw for getting food.
A fish uses its mouth for getting food.

Part II. Special Adaptations

A walking stick has protective resemblance. It looks like a twig. Protective resemblance is when an
animal looks identical (alike) to something in its surroundings.
The robber fly and king snake have mimicry. They look like dangerous animals. Mimicry is when an
animal looks like another animal. A harmless animal will look like a dangerous animal.
Camouflage is when an animal blends into its environment. It helps an animal survive by hiding it
from predators and prey.
Counter shading is when the top side of the animal is a different color from the bottom side. Fish are
an example of this type of camouflage.
A monarch butterfly stands out in its environment and warns predators to stay away, it is said to have
warning coloration.
Protective coloration is when an animal h as the same color as their environment. An animal with
protective coloration is the ptarmigan.

56

Part III. Animal Behavior

Everything that a living thing does is called behavior.
A behavior that an animal is born with is called inborn behavior. It
is not taught, it cannot be changed easily.
A reflex is a type of inborn behavior that is usually connected with
some kind of action. Your irises contracting to make pupils smaller, is an example of a reflex.
Instinct is an inborn behavior that includes more than one action. Birds migrating is an instinct.
Social behavior is an inborn behavior of animals living together in an organized way. Worker bees in
a colony is an example of social behavior.
Behavior that can be changed is called learned behavior. Riding your bicycle is an example of learned
behavior.

57