Animals and Where They Live: Mechanism
≈ 24 minMechanism
Follow the mechanism step by step and distinguish what causes the change from what is merely observed.
This extension applies that lens specifically to Animals and Where They Live.
A habitat is the natural home of an animal — the place that gives it the food, water and shelter it needs. A fish's habitat is a river or the sea. A meerkat's habitat is the dry Karoo. A weaver bird's habitat is the trees near a river, where it builds its hanging nest.
Animals have body parts that suit their habitat. A fish has fins and gills so it can swim and breathe underwater. A springbok has long legs so it can run fast across the open veld and escape predators. A duck has webbed feet so it can paddle through water and mud.
Worked example. Why would a thick-furred polar animal not survive in the Kalahari desert? Its thick fur is made for freezing cold, so it would overheat in the desert sun. The Kalahari also has the wrong food and very little water for it. The habitat simply does not match the animal's body and needs.
Natural Sciences — Grade 4 — Mechanism: What do we call the natural place where an animal lives and finds its food, water and shelter?
Natural Sciences — Grade 4 — Mechanism: Which body feature helps a fish live in water?
Natural Sciences — Grade 4 — Mechanism: A meerkat lives in the dry Karoo. What does its habitat give it?
Name the original topic being extended by this mechanism lesson.
Which statement is the best evidence-led starting point for Animals and Where They Live: Mechanism?