Ecosystems: Animal Survival

Learn how Earth’s natural processes and people’s activities affect the ecosystems and animal world. Find out how well different species adapt to new conditions and fight for survival. Learn about endangered animals and projects for their protection. Includes links to eThemes resources about endangered species, animal survival adaptation, habitats and their threats, pollution, and more.

Grades

• 3,
• 4,
• 5

Links

• Biomes of the World

  Choose thumbnails to explore various biomes and ecosystems. While reading about them, pay attention to links at the left that warn about present dangers of ecosystems, animal species, and how people can help them to survive.

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• Science Netlinks: Science Updates: Litter Life

  Read this article and learn how some plants and animals can migrate across the world using plastic bottles. Includes an in-class activity.

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• NOVA Online: Crocodiles: Outlasting the Dinosaurs

  Find out how crocodiles survived for 200 million years continually adapting to new conditions.

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• PBS: Nature: Yellowstone Otters: Life of the Otter

  Learn about river otters and their fight for survival. NOTE: This site includes user comments and links to social networking sites.

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• Kiwi

  Read about one of the smallest birds on Earth - the kiwi. Learn about the different varieties of this bird and why this bird is in danger.

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• National Geographic: Sea Turtles in Trouble

  Learn what kind of danger sea turtles face. NOTE: The site includes ads.

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• Wild Buffalo

  Learn more about the African buffalo that is currently in danger. NOTE: This site leads to YouTube and other social networking sites.

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• Science NetLinks: Animal Adaptations

  This lesson plan helps students understand animals needs in order to survive. Includes a printable activity sheet.

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• eThemes Resource: Animal Adaptations: Physical and Behavioral

  These sites are about the behaviors and physical traits that enable animals to survive in their environments. Topics include camouflage, mimicry, and natural selection.

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• eThemes Resource: Animals: Endangered Species

  These sites have descriptions of endangered species and include explanations for why certain animals are in peril. There are graphic organizers and Venn diagrams. Includes links to many eThemes Resources on habitats and specific endangered animals, such as lemurs, cheetahs, chimpanzees, tigers, and more.

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• eThemes Resource: Habitat: An Overview

  This resource covers the different ecosystems on our planet. Find out how these biomes differ, what characteristics make them unique, and where they are located. Includes a map of the different habitats found in Missouri and information about habitats in Utah. There are links to eThemes Resources on specific habitats and animal food chains, plus an eMINTS WebQuest.

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• eThemes Resource: Habitat: Forests: Threats

  Learn about the ecological problems facing many forests. The issues include acid rain, air pollution, logging, tree diseases, and more. There is a link to an eThemes Resource on forests.

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• eThemes Resource: Natural Selection, Adaptation, and Biodiversity

  These sites are about natural selection, adaptation, and human impacts on biodiversity. Includes interactive games and videos. Also includes links to the more general resources on animal adaptations and ecosystems.

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• eThemes Resource: Pollution

  These sites are about different forms of pollution and how it affects our environment. Topics include water quality, acid rain, smog, oil spills, and more. There are online games, classroom activities, and maps. Includes links to eThemes Resource on the greenhouse effect, recycling, and Earth Day.

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Education Standards

• ME
  • 1.A.3
• MO
  • 1.1
  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4
  • 1.5
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3.1.A.a
  • 3.1.D.a
  • 4
  • 4.1.A.a
  • 4.1.A.b
  • 4.3.C.a
  • 4.3.C.b
  • 4.3.C.d
  • 7
  • 8
• UT
  • V.2.a
  • V.2.b
  • V.2.c
  • V.4.a
  • V.4.b
• NV
  • L.5.B.1
  • L.5.C.5
  • L.5.D.3
• OK
  • C.2.1
  • C.2.2
  • C.2.2
  • C.2.3
  • C.3.1
  • C.3.2
• DE
  • 1.1.26
  • 1.1.38
  • 6.2.1
  • 6.2.1
  • 6.3.1
  • 6.3.2
  • 7.2.1
• IL
  • 12.4.09
  • 12.4.12

Request State Standards

Created: September 30, 2004 at 05:46 | Updated: May 18, 2013 at 19:47