Science.2.13.B

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The student is expected to

record and compare how the structures and behaviors of animals help them find and take in food, water, and air;

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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms have structures and undergo processes that help them interact and survive within their environments.

Have students create a triple venn diagram. They should label the circles "food", "water", and "air". Provide the students various cards which have pictures of animal structures and/or text explaining animal behaviors. For example, one card might have a picture of an elephant using its trunk to drink water. Another card might have a description of a cat that is crouched down, stalking its prey. Have students work with a partner to select a card and explain the connection to food, water, or air. Once they find a connection, students will place the card into one of the three categories on the triple Venn diagram (food, water, or air). For example, an elephant's truck helps it get water and breathe. Students could place the elephant card in the section of the triple Venn diagram where air and water overlap. The description of the cat stalking its prey would fit in the food section of the Venn diagram. Once the cards are sorted, students should analyze each category and find similarities and differences between the cards in each category or set of shared categories.
 

the way in which an organism acts in response to a particular situation or stimulus 

the circumstances, objects, or conditions that surround an organism including abiotic (climate and soil) and biotic (living organisms) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival

an individual form of life; a body made up of organs, organelles, or other parts that work together to carry on the various processes of life

a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result; a continuing natural or biological activity or function

something arranged in a definite pattern of organization; the arrangement of particles or parts in a substance or body; the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other

Research

Sinoradzki, Kristen, and TJ McKenna. “What’s so Phenomenal About Animals? Using Structure and Function to Explore Animal Diversity.” Science and Children 58, no. 6 (2021): 86–90. www.nsta.org/science-and-children/science-and-children-julyaugust-2021-0/whats-so-phenomenal-about-animals.

Summary: This article explains that allowing students to explore animal diversity and the different structures that will enable them to survive can help increase student engagement. Discussions about this topic can help promote a broader vocabulary.