Unit 1 – Plant Adaptation

1. What is a habitat?
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2. a. Are rainforests warm and wet or cold and dry?____________________________________
b. Name one rainforest you know.____________________________________
c. Give an example of an animal found in rainforests. _____________________________________
d. Which habitat has both winter and summer seasons? ____________________________________
e. Describe the rainfall in temperate forests.
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f. Name a common type of tree found in temperate forests. ________________________________
g. What is the difference between freshwater and ocean water? How are they similar?
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h. Name one plant and one animal that live in;
Ocean Freshwater
Plant
Animal

i. Write two adaptations that help desert plants save water.

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j. Describe one adaptation of the succulent plant that helps it survive in the desert.
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k. Name an animal that lives in grasslands. ______________________________________

3. a. What is a microhabitat?
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b. A fallen log microhabitat is a decaying tree trunk that lies on the forest floor. It provides moisture,
nutrients, and shade for plants. Moss is an example of a plant that grows in this microhabitat. The
moss can get water from the log and nutrients from the decaying wood. It also gets protection from
the sun in this cool, damp environment.

1. Name two things the moss plant can get in the fallen log microhabitat.
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2. Circle two words that best describe the fallen log microhabitat.
Damp Shady Dry Sunny Cold
3
3. What do we measure using a light meter? _________________________
4. What equipment do we use to measure the temperature? _____________________________
 4. a . How do the roots of mesquite and cactus plants help them get water in the desert?

Plant Root Adaptation

Mesquite
Cactus
b. . Which parts of desert plants store water?

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c. For which life process do plants require oxygen? ___________________________________

d. Explain why leaves have very tiny holes?

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e. Explain why mangrove plants has some roots that are not in the soil?

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f. Fill in the blanks.

1.Plants are known as _______________because they make their own food using light energy.
2.In greenhouses, _______________ light can be used to help plants grow when there is no sunlight.
3.Many plants adjust their leaves to _______________ sunlight, helping them get the most energy.
4.Some plants can survive in places where there is ______________ light, like under big trees.
5.Trees with ______________leaves create dark shade under them, making it hard for smaller plants to
get sunlight.

5. a. Why do the leaves of the water lily spread out as much as possible?

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b. Where are the flowers of the water lily located, and why?

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c. Where are the roots of the water lily found, and why are they not very big?

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d. Why does the water lily leaves float on the surface of the water?

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6. The Venus Flytrap grows in nutrient-poor soil and traps insects by quickly closing its leaves when they
touch trigger hairs, trapping the insect inside. It then digests the insect to absorb essential nutrients. The
Pitcher Plant attracts insects with a strong smell. Once the insects fall into its slippery, liquid-filled
pitcher, they cannot escape, and the plant digests them to obtain necessary nutrients. Both plants have
unique adaptations to survive in soils lacking minerals.

a. How does the Venus Flytrap trap and digest insects?

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b. What adaptation does the Pitcher Plant have to attract and trap insects?

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c. Why do the Venus Flytrap and Pitcher Plant need to trap insects for survival?

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7. Compare the desert and rainforest habitats. How do the plants and animals in each habitat adapt to their
environment?

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 Unit 2 – Living things in danger

1. Deforestation
a) Why is deforestation harmful to animals? Provide two reasons.
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b) List two causes of deforestation.
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c) If deforestation continues at the current rate, what do you think the world will look like in 50
years? What can we do to prevent this future?
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2. Forest fires

a) What are the main effects of forest fires on wildlife and plant life?
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b) Imagine you live in a community near a forest prone to fires. How would you prepare your
family and community to stay safe?
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3. Problems with water

Write two ways floods can harm wildlife?

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4.. Helping animals to survive

a) Give two benefits of wildlife corridors for animals.

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5. Why protect living things?

a) Why is it important to protect endangered animal species?

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b) How can we protect animals?
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6.. Endangered species and Which species need our help most

a) What is the difference between an endangered species and a critically endangered species?
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b) Name 2 endangered species in Sri Lanka.

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c) What will happen if a species become extinct in the wild?

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7. Conservation

a) What is conservation, and why is it important for the environment?

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b) Name 3 conservation areas in Sri Lanka.

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8. Animals from long ago

a) What is a fossil, and how do scientists use them to learn about animals from long ago?
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b) Do you think it is important to protect animals today to avoid extinction in the future? Why?
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9. Evidence from fossils

a) What are sedimentary rocks and why is it important for finding fossils?
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b) If we only find certain types of fossils in one layer of sedimentary rock (ex: - aquatic
creatures and plants), what might that tell us about the environment at that time?
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