Read about animals
key notes :
Classification of Animals: Introduce the concept of classifying animals into groups like mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Discuss their characteristics and examples from each group.
Animal Habitats: Explain how animals adapt to their environments. Discuss different habitats such as forests, deserts, oceans, and polar regions, and talk about specific animals that live in each.
Life Cycles: Explore the life cycles of different animals, including metamorphosis (like butterflies and frogs) and direct development (like humans and some reptiles).
Behavior and Adaptations: Discuss animal behaviors such as migration, hibernation, and camouflage. Explain how these behaviors help animals survive in their habitats.
Endangered Species: Raise awareness about endangered animals and the importance of conservation efforts to protect their habitats and ensure their survival.
Food Chains and Food Webs: Introduce the concept of food chains and food webs to illustrate the relationships between different animals in ecosystems.
Interesting Facts: Share fun and intriguing facts about various animals to spark curiosity and engagement among students.
Local Wildlife: Encourage students to observe and research local wildlife species, promoting a connection between their learning and their immediate environment.
Learn with an example
Read the text about
kakapos.
What does the kakapo, a large green parrot, have in common with penguins and ostriches? They’re all birds that can’t fly! The flightless parrot uses its beak and clawed feet to climb trees in search of food. When it is ready to get down, it just stretches its small wings out to float back down.
The kakapo once roamed the forests of New Zealand. The name kakapo means ‘night parrot’ in Māori, the language of the first people to settle in New Zealand. Since the kakapo stays awake at night and sleeps during the day, this name fits it well.
Unfortunately, this special bird has come close to disappearing and becoming extinct. The number of living kakapos greatly lowered over the past few hundred years as a result of hunting, disease and loss of land. Also, female kakapos only lay eggs every two to four years. Something needed to be done in order for the kakapo to survive.
Thankfully, the people of New Zealand did not want to lose the kakapo. So, the government made a plan for the conservation of this bird. In order to protect them from animals that could harm them, all kakapos have been put on small islands off the coast of the mainland. This helps keep the birds alive longer. It also makes it easier for scientists to track them. In addition, the scientists provide extra food for the kakapos when needed. They even help keep the birds’ eggs safe so they can hatch successfully.
Based on the text, how is a kakapo like an ostrich?
- They are both birds that cannot fly.
- They are both birds with large colourful wings.
- They are both birds that use their claws to climb.
- They are both birds that run fast.
Look at the text in bold below. It tells you what a kakapo and an ostrich have in common.
What does the kakapo, a large green parrot, have in common with penguins and ostriches? They’re all birds that can’t fly! The flightless parrot uses its beak and clawed feet to climb trees in search of food. When it is ready to get down, it just stretches its small wings out to float back down.
Read the text about red-lipped
batfish.
The name of the red-lipped batfish hints at its strange-looking appearance. With bright red lips, this fish looks like it is wearing lipstick. The big lips droop down to make a frown, so this fish always looks grumpy. The second part of the name tells us that it is a type of batfish. Batfish have flattened bodies that make them look like underwater bats.
Not only do red -lipped batfish look unusual, but they act unusual, too. Unlike most fish, red-lipped batfish cannot swim very well. Instead of swimming, they use their six fins as legs to walk along the ocean floor. Their brown-grey colour helps them blend in with the sandy bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Since they are not good swimmers, their colour and special use of their fins have helped them stay alive in their environment.
You might think that red-lipped batfish struggle to find food since they are stuck at the bottom of the ocean. However, they have a clever way of catching food so they do not go hungry. Above their mouth is a white bulb of skin that is used as bait. Just as people use worms as bait while fishing, red-lipped batfish use their white bulb of skin to lure small fish that are looking for food. Whenever a fish comes close enough to look at the bait, the red-lipped batfish quickly traps the fish in its mouth and eats it. In addition to small fish, the red-lipped batfish also eats large amounts of worms, crabs, shrimp and molluscs.
Based on the text, what are two unusual things about the red-lipped batfish’s appearance?
- Its lips can change colours.
- Its body is shaped like a bat.
- Its fins look like feet.
- Its lips make it look grumpy.
Look at the text in bold below. It tells you what is unusual about the red-lipped batfish’s appearance.
The name of the red-lipped batfish hints at its strange-looking appearance. With bright red lips, this fish looks like it is wearing lipstick. The big lips droop down to make a frown, so this fish always looks grumpy. The second part of the name tells us that it is a type of batfish. Batfish have flattened bodies that make them look like underwater bats.
Read the text about fennec
foxes.
Found in desert lands of North Africa, fennec foxes have many ways to survive the desert heat. For one, these animals are nocturnal. This means they sleep underground in sandy burrows during the hottest part of the day, and they wake to find food at night. Fennec foxes also have body parts that help them survive the hot, dry climate.
If you spot a fennec fox, the first things you will notice are its prominent ears. A fennec fox’s ears are about half the size of its whole body. Along with making them look adorable, fennec foxes’ enormous ears also serve several important purposes. First, their ears help them stay cool in the hot desert, since fennec foxes release extra body heat through their ears. They can use their huge ears to find a meal as well. Using their super hearing, fennec foxes can hear insects, rodents or lizards under the sand and dig them out before their prey has a chance to escape. Also, fennec foxes are difficult to catch because they can hear enemies from far away.
The fennec foxes’ ears are not the only thing that helps them survive in the desert. Their light tan colouring allows them to blend into the sandy desert, which keeps them safe from enemies. Thick coats keep the foxes warm at night and reflect light during the day to help them stay cool. Fennec foxes also have very thick fur on the bottom of their paws. The fur keeps them from burning their feet when running on the hot sand, and it helps them run across the sand without sinking.