Big Ideas
A group of living things of the same kind is called a(n) _________________.
What is...
species
Brown beetles living on brown leaves have adapted to their environment by changing their color to match the color of their environment. This adaptation helps them to _________________________.
What is...
survive and reproduce.
The male lion is adapted to live and hunt in a grassland environment. Which is a body part of the lion that is adapted for survival in this environment?
What is...
the color of its fur
If an organism moves to a new environment, it ______________________________.
What is...
has to find one similar to its old environment.
Which of the following is an example of a trace fossil?
A. an insect
B. a tooth
C. a shell
D. a footprint
What is...
D. a footprint
The Kudzu vine comes to the United States from Asia. It grows faster than other plants and crowds out local plant species. In this example, the Kudzu vine is a(n) ____________________.
What is...
invasive species
The environment of a lion changes. What can the lion change to help it survive?
What is...
It can change it's behavior.
________________ is an example of a behavior that an animal can have.
A. Hunting in groups
B. A long tail
C. Fur with sports
D. An animal's fur color
What is...
A. Hunting in groups
The Apatosaurus is an extinct species. This means that _____________________.
What is...
there are no living members of this species.
A cast fossil is a _______________.
What is...
copy of an organism made from rock.
Which of these is an example of a slow change in an environment?
A. An earthquake makes a shift in the ground.
B. A river carries away rock to form a canyon.
C. A landslide shakes soil and rock loose.
D. A wildfire kills many trees in a forest.
What is...
B. A river carries away rock to form a canyon.
When humans cut down trees in the rainforest, the amount of light that reaches the rainforest floor increases. How could this affect the rainforest?
What is...
Some plants will not be able to survive with more sunlight.
A(n) _________________ is something that helps an organism survive.
What is.
adaptation
By studying dinosaur fossils, scientists can figure out _______________________.
A. behavior of dinosaurs.
B. color of dinosaurs.
C. smell of dinosaurs.
D. All of the above.
What is...
A. behavior of dinosaurs.
A mold fossil is created when __________________.
What is...
part of a dead organism falls into the mud.
________________ is an example of a very fast environmental change.
A. Rocks wearing away
B. An earthquake
C. Resource removal
D. An invasive species
What is...
B. An earthquake
Investigation:
Mt. St. Helens is a volcano in the state of Washington. On May 18, 1980, the volcano erupted. Scientists wanted to know how the eruption affected organisms there. Here is some of their data.
Toutle River right after Mt. St. Helens erupted:
- Trees blown down- Ash and mud buried part of river
- Some gophers and mice that lived underground still alive
- Some insects and spiders still alive on the ground
- Small plants under snow still alive
Toutle River and Mt. St. Helens 30 Years after
- Trees regrowing
- Some ash and mud still in river
- Large mammals and birds now in area
- Many types of insects and small animals found
- Many different types of trees and plants now growing
Look at the data table. Which claim about right after the volcano erupted is supported by the evidence?
A. Most plants were able to survive the eruption.
B. Small animals were able to survive better than large animals.
C. The river protected most of the animals that lived there.
D. Large trees were protected by their strong roots.
What is...
B. Small animals were able to survive better than large animals.
To reproduce is to ______________________.
What is...
make more of the same organism.
When an insect gets stuck inside of resin that hardens into amber, it becomes a ___________ fossil.
What is...
whole body
A scientist found a fish fossil on a mountaintop. How did it most likely get there?
A ocean environment changed into dry land over time.
What is a behavior?
What is...
An action that an organism does.
Investigation:
Mt. St. Helens is a volcano in the state of Washington. On May 18, 1980, the volcano erupted. Scientists wanted to know how the eruption affected organisms there. Here is some of their data.
Toutle River right after Mt. St. Helens erupted:
- Trees blown down
- Ash and mud buried part of river
- Some gophers and mice that lived underground still alive
- Some insects and spiders still alive on the ground
- Small plants under snow still alive
Toutle River and Mt. St. Helens 30 Years after
- Trees regrowing
- Some ash and mud still in river
- Large mammals and birds now in area
- Many types of insects and small animals found
- Many different types of trees and plants now growing
Compare the information in the left and right sides of the table. Which claim best explains those differences?
A. Because natural resources were destroyed, few species can now live there.
B. Because the eruption killed all organisms, new species moved in.
C. As an environment changes, different species survive well there.
D. Because natural resources were destroyed, few species can now live there.
What is...
C. As an environment changes, different species survive well there.
__________________ is an example of an adaptation that helps an animal survive.
A. A beetle blending in with a leaf.
B. a chameleon changing the color of its skin.
C. A desert rat digging holes to hide during the day
D. All of the above.
What is...
D. All of the above.
What part of an organism is most likely to become a fossil?
A. fur
B. skin
C. tooth
D. leaf
What is...
C. tooth
What have some scientists inferred from fossils about how dinosaurs suddenly went extinct?
*2 answers must be given!
What is...
A huge rock from space crashed into Earth.
A huge volcano erupted
Bonus:
The dinosaurs became poorly adapted to their environment.