Lesson Check: Adaptations and Variations

Lesson Check: Adaptations and Variations

by Grade 3 team

Be a Thinker!

Multiple Choice

1. How do animals use camouflage to survive?

• A. by standing out from their environment

• B. by imitating other animals

• C. by blending in with their environment

• D. by giving warning calls

Multiple Choice

2) Which characteristic helps desert animals survive?

• A. They are brightly colored.

• B. They drink salt water

• C. They hunt during the day

• D. They hunt at night

Fill in the Blanks

3) Name one trait that can help a plant survive in the desert

Multiple Choice

4) During cold winters, some animals survive by _____.

• A. saving water

• B. hibernating

• C. shedding their fur

• D. imitating other animals

Multiple Choice

5) To survive in cold water whales adapted a ______.

• A. thick layer of gray fur

• B.  thin layer of scales

• C. thick layer of blubber for warmth

• D. thin layer of dry skin

Multiple Choice

6) Fill in the blanks using the available answer choices.

An animal will ______to rest during the harsh temperatures of a cold winter.

• A. migrate

• B. hibernate

Multiple Choice

7) Camouflage can help animals survive. Which statement is an example of how camouflage can help an animal survive?

• A. Stick bugs can imitate sticks to avoid being seen by predators

• B. Birds fly south in a v-shape to save energy during their flight.

• C. A butterfly can have patterns on its wings to warn predators

• D. A snake’s color blends into the sand to disguise itself from prey.

​Thinking skills:

​8) Manny is learning about prickly pear cactus.

​

Some of the features of a prickly pear cactus are listed:

• It has roots that grow just below the ground and cover a large underground area.

• It has thick skin.

• It has plant parts that can store water for a long time.

• It has sharp needles on its skin.

• Part of a parent plant breaks off to form new plants.

​Possible answers include:

a. [Two features of the Sonoran Desert that meet the needs of a prickly pear cactus and explanations may include:]

​

▪ Low amounts of rainfall—The cactus plant parts are designed to hold water, so a cactus needs only small amounts of rain.

OR

The cactus skin is designed to keep water from leaving the plant during hot weather, so a cactus needs only small amounts of rain.

​

▪ Temperatures in the winter above 32°F—The cactus plant parts are designed to hold water, so a cactus needs the water in the plant parts to not freeze.

​b. Describe one feature of the Olympic Rainforest that does not meet the needs of a prickly pear cactus. Explain your thinking.

​Possible answers include:

​b. [One feature of the Olympic Rainforest that does not meet the needs of a prickly pear cactus and an explanation may include:]

​

▪ High amounts of rainfall—The cactus plant parts are designed to hold water, and plant parts may hold too much water in a habitat that has a lot of rainfall.

​

▪ Cool summer temperatures—The cactus has thick skin designed to keep water in the plant, and cool summers may stop too much water from leaving the plant.

Manny wonders what would happen to a prickly pear cactus if it was planted in the Olympic Rainforest.

​

c. Describe an effect that living in the Olympic Rainforest would have on a prickly pear cactus. Explain your thinking

​Possible answers include:

c. [An effect of living in the Olympic Rainforest on a prickly pear cactus may include:]

​

▪ The cactus may die.

▪ The cactus may not live as long as it would in the Sonoran Desert.

▪ The cactus may be sickly. ▪ The cactus may get a disease.

​

[Explanation:] Because the habitat does not fully meet the needs of the prickly pear cactus.